How did you first hear about TVR?
Discussion
Been a petrolhead from a very early age and just liked the design of the Grantura and M series cars. Liked the wedges from motor shows and car mags etc, but then lost touch for a while when I was at university. Was walking home along Staffordshire country lanes when I heard the unmistakeable exhaust sound of a Jensen Interceptor, but it was not a Jensen, it was a RV8 Griff. From then on my interest was really peaked and I actively searched for TVR related stuff anywhere I could, eventually joining the TVRCC, before buying my T350 last year.
Here you go Pet:
My first awareness of TVRs began nearly twenty years ago. At the time, I was going out with a girl whose brother owned the local TVR dealership, Harrogate Horseless Carriages. Now, at twenty-one years of age and with a fairly impressive, or so I thought at the time, Renault 5 in my charge, complete with vinyl roof and white XR3 look-alike wheel trims, these cool and flashy sports cars didn’t really register much in my mind, me being a humble youth whose idea of flash was a new set of yellow tinted fog lights.
The dream first flickered into life five years later when I was parked up at the side of the road one summer’s day. Over the brow of the hill came a line of about five or six cars, the last of which was a bright yellow 350i. The driver poked the nose out, took one look down the mile or so straight and, seeing it empty, let rip. I don’t have to tell you the sound it made – starting with a spine tingling roar, by the time it flew past me it was howling as if all the hounds in hell had been let loose, leaving me with that awesome sound forever lodged in my head. I had to have one, I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how, I just knew that one day I would have a car that sounded like that.
The rest is history
My first awareness of TVRs began nearly twenty years ago. At the time, I was going out with a girl whose brother owned the local TVR dealership, Harrogate Horseless Carriages. Now, at twenty-one years of age and with a fairly impressive, or so I thought at the time, Renault 5 in my charge, complete with vinyl roof and white XR3 look-alike wheel trims, these cool and flashy sports cars didn’t really register much in my mind, me being a humble youth whose idea of flash was a new set of yellow tinted fog lights.
The dream first flickered into life five years later when I was parked up at the side of the road one summer’s day. Over the brow of the hill came a line of about five or six cars, the last of which was a bright yellow 350i. The driver poked the nose out, took one look down the mile or so straight and, seeing it empty, let rip. I don’t have to tell you the sound it made – starting with a spine tingling roar, by the time it flew past me it was howling as if all the hounds in hell had been let loose, leaving me with that awesome sound forever lodged in my head. I had to have one, I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how, I just knew that one day I would have a car that sounded like that.
The rest is history
My first ever memory of a TVR was some 23 years ago when my Dad came home in a brand new 390. My brothers and i all squeezed and he took us for a spin, it went like f**k and it was noisey as hell, but i liked it. The week or so after it started snowing and i have this vivid memory of him dropping us off at school and doing do-nuts in the road to show off as most of our mates had gathered, highly irresponsible but it was funny as hell, at that moment, he became my hero.
He didn't keep it for long as he was a dealer and he then had an Esprit, the TVR was too juicy apparently. He decided to pack TVR in altogther as he fell out with Stewart Halstead in 1986, they've always had a place in my heart because of what they stood for.
He didn't keep it for long as he was a dealer and he then had an Esprit, the TVR was too juicy apparently. He decided to pack TVR in altogther as he fell out with Stewart Halstead in 1986, they've always had a place in my heart because of what they stood for.
Knew about the car's through magazines etc but always thought they were out of my price range. Had started looking at old Porsche's 911/928's about 10 years ago and had gone to see a few, but didn't see any in good enough nick that I could afford.
Was driving the old Capri back from Cornwall one summer and ended up behind a TVR, Griffith I think, and just loved the exhaust note!
Porsche buying was thrown out the window and I ended up buying a early series 1 wedge. Only TVR I have ever owned and although it was laid up in the garage for 4 years, its back on the road now. Needs a bit of work doing to it to get it looking really good again including new roof, upholstery and seat coverings, alloys re-furbished to name but a few. It will happen in time as funds permit.
Was driving the old Capri back from Cornwall one summer and ended up behind a TVR, Griffith I think, and just loved the exhaust note!
Porsche buying was thrown out the window and I ended up buying a early series 1 wedge. Only TVR I have ever owned and although it was laid up in the garage for 4 years, its back on the road now. Needs a bit of work doing to it to get it looking really good again including new roof, upholstery and seat coverings, alloys re-furbished to name but a few. It will happen in time as funds permit.
For me, it was similar to Burriana.....
I used to walk past an early 280 wedge every day when I was 17 on my way to work. I used to dream about buying it off the bloke as it seemed to never get used and always had at least one flat tyre! One day some blokes had it started as I walked past and I never saw it again. A couple of months later the guy had a gleaming new 400SE in its place and the sound of it and the looks made me decide I was going to have one, no matter how much I had to save! I finally bought a knackered old wedge when I was 28 for £2K (which in 1996 was an amazing price at the time) and completely re-built it over 12 months. Moved on from that to the Griffith, Cerb, Tamora and finally the T350. I'm not sure if I'll have another one, but a nice mint pre cat Griff could tempt me back....
I used to walk past an early 280 wedge every day when I was 17 on my way to work. I used to dream about buying it off the bloke as it seemed to never get used and always had at least one flat tyre! One day some blokes had it started as I walked past and I never saw it again. A couple of months later the guy had a gleaming new 400SE in its place and the sound of it and the looks made me decide I was going to have one, no matter how much I had to save! I finally bought a knackered old wedge when I was 28 for £2K (which in 1996 was an amazing price at the time) and completely re-built it over 12 months. Moved on from that to the Griffith, Cerb, Tamora and finally the T350. I'm not sure if I'll have another one, but a nice mint pre cat Griff could tempt me back....
i have been a complete petrolhead since i was a little kid. i went through the phases of lusting after various Ferrari's, Porsche's, Lambo's etc but when i first saw/heard a Griff, i knew i had found something very special. i read all the magazine articles and books and just fell in love with the cars and what they stood for. TVR's have a soul and character no other car/manufacturer can match IMO.
I always got goosebumps when one went past...... Tripped over a kerb 20/30 yrs gauping and this awesome looking white sports car parked up with the hood down. On closer inspection it was a 390i and that was the first i had ever heard of TVR, 10 years later a WW2 fighter plane roared past me, only it wasn't, it was a Griff and i was totally hooked. Took me 15yrs to get my first one.
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