Al Melling Wildcat 5.7 to auction 20/09

[sixor8]

I was unsure which area to post this, but it's probably closest to a Griffith. Amore have had the car available for quite some time asking £30k:

https://www.amoreautos.co.uk/car-listings/al-melli...

An auction alert for 'TVR' has informed me that it is going to Dore & Rees on 20th Sept:

https://www.easyliveauction.com/catalogue/lot/6f23...

A wide guide price of £15k - £25k! Reserve probably somewhere in the middle? Here's a photo, they're the same as at Amore at the moment:

[Geoff-Griff500]

I looked at this a while back and liked the improvements and detailing. Would be a good buy in the low 20's.

[Belle427]

Good engine, the rest of it is hideous.

[Dudley99]

Last sold by Iconic Auctioneers in 2008 for £13,500.00 plus commission.

https://www.iconicauctioneers.com/2008-melling-wil...

Truly horrid. The front grill seems to be bent. The seats are far too tall and wide. The trim at the top of the doors held on by exposed screws. The mirrors and instruments look like they came from a 1950s British sports car via an autojumble.

The instrument pods look like they were made in the 1960s in a school woodwork lesson (the pupil came bottom of the class) and designed for an old Norfolk Broads boat.

The gear lever seems to be from an old Leyland bus and the toggle switches from an old machine in a derelict Rochdale mill.

If it doesn't sell, perhaps they could raffle it. Oh wait a minute.......

[sixor8]

Always with the -ve waves, Moriarty! Our new resident LucyP - a - like couldn't resist. It at least has MoT until Jan 2026. So many TVR frankenstein things don't even run.

[eliot]

450bhp for a small block chevvy feels optomistic unless it's revving to the moon.

[TA14]

Averaging 100 miles a year.

[frontfloater]

To be fair to Al, the previous auction description makes it clear that most of your criticisms relate to parts which the new owner changed after buying it as a prototype :

"Further improvements during our vendor’s four years of ownership include a full professional respray in stunning Mazda “Soul Red Crystal”, new billet aluminium wheels made by Image Wheels of Tipton ... a new grille fabricated and drivers lights added to give that classic 60s GT look, custom one-off leather Corbeau bucket seats with a Wildcat logo and the whole interior and boot were retrimmed by an ex-Morgan trimmer/upholsterer."

[eliot]

frontfloater said:

and the whole interior and boot were retrimmed by an ex-Morgan trimmer/upholsterer."

doesn’t necessarily mean they were a good trimmer, might of been sacked for being a bad trimmer.

[Sardonicus]

MOT's emissions will be fun with that old school SBC and no cats and on carb bit of a head ache when splashing that kind of green for the new owner

[eliot]

Sardonicus said:

MOT's emissions will be fun with that old school SBC and no cats and on carb bit of a head ache when splashing that kind of green for the new owner

if the engine’s age pre-dates cats - then it’s tested on the engine age not car age iirc

[Griffith4ever]

Bleughh! - someone didnt know when to stop "adding". and that dash...... all of it.... and the too-high seats, and the bpnnet catches, and the cobra wheels, and the....

god alive.

It'll sound nice mine you!

[Sardonicus]

eliot said:

Sardonicus said:

MOT's emissions will be fun with that old school SBC and no cats and on carb bit of a head ache when splashing that kind of green for the new owner

if the engine s age pre-dates cats - then it s tested on the engine age not car age iirc

Only up to year 2002 car apparently so this maybe trouble

[Griffith4ever]

Sardonicus said:

Only up to year 2002 car apparently so this maybe trouble

I assume that's the date (2008) they registered the car?which seems odd as the car will already be registered. In fact, I think that date they are throwing around is the date they finished the engine swap at a guess. You odn't re register a car when you swap teh engine. It's all about the chassis. (I've had x3 Westfields - and the 4.3 V8 Seight, and my Groff 500, were both tested on "visible smoke/emissions")

TVR made the last Griffs in 2002....

[Sardonicus]

Griffith4ever said:

Sardonicus said:

Only up to year 2002 car apparently so this maybe trouble

I assume that's the date (2008) they registered the car?which seems odd as the car will already be registered. In fact, I think that date they are throwing around is the date they finished the engine swap at a guess. You odn't re register a car when you swap teh engine. It's all about the chassis. (I've had x3 Westfields - and the 4.3 V8 Seight, and my Groff 500, were both tested on "visible smoke/emissions")

TVR made the last Griffs in 2002....

Then its probably swerved that problem then

[sixor8]

It didn't sell. Listed now at Amore with 50% off - i.e. £15k.

[keynsham]

Remember this is a prototype and lets face it, all TVR dash boards are reshaped cornflake packets covered in plastic or leather with hideous wiring so it probably isn't all bad!!

[frontfloater]

The Amore advert now says "Deposit Taken".

Anyone here ... ?

[Stick Legs]

I've always been a bit conflicted about the Wildcat.

I have a huge respect for Al Melling, as an engineer. However his record in business and aesthetic design is less remarkable.

IF this had an uprated AJP8 in it, and was as it left his hands, then there's a provenance that makes it akin to a 4 wheeled V8 Norton:
"One man's vision no matter how flawed..."

Unfortunately it's like someone grafted a Griffith body onto a bad Cobra replica, and it's priced accordingly.

If I had a Harry Metcalfe style collection then this would probably find a home.

As it is I have a 2 car 'collection' and already have a Griffith.

I also see the ambitiously priced TVR Griffith press / development car has had the price slashed too,

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/16968664

I think this car would be worth a lot more had it remained 'as tested' and certainly should have stayed it's original colour.
You couldn't build it for less, but then as these things become classics originality is key.

[TA14]

Stick Legs said:

I think this car would be worth a lot more had it remained 'as tested' and certainly should have stayed it's original colour.
You couldn't build it for less, but then as these things become classics originality is key.

Apart from the colour, what have they changed?