The story of a Griff by a Tamora owner......
The story of a Griff by a Tamora owner......
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Discussion

julianc

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

288 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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The Tamora was at the factory for its 6k service earlier this week - as usual, top marks to Heath, Lesley and the rest of the servicing crew for another fabulous job.

The real bonus this time was having a '92 Griff courtesy car for the couple of days - the first time I have actually driven a V8. I originally wanted a V8 because the sound is just the dog's danglies, but I was converted by the test drive in the factory press Tamora and so bought a Tamora rather than a Chim. However, there is no doubt that my Griff grin earlier this week was even wider than my Tamora grin! I now understand why Griff owners are so defensive of the Griff - fabulous sound, just fabulous, and the power is there so quickly without the high revs needed for the Speed 6.

However, I would still not change my Tamora - overall a more refined but still fast performer!

Julian

beano500

20,854 posts

304 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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Glad you enjoyed it - all TVRs are "a bit special" despite the (friendly!?!) rivalry that goes on around here!

Bet your Tamora has some benefits from ten years newer suspension technology et cetera...

drum4it2

658 posts

278 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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like a lot of things... you need both!

Ballistic Banana

14,706 posts

296 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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Cool, glad you liked it and can see where some of us are coming from when Bigging the Griff up
Nice that someone writes stuff like that now and again.

BB

simpo two

92,604 posts

294 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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Ah yes, low-down torque... you don't know how important it is until you try a Speed Six and wonder why the Montego diesel is gaining!

apache

39,731 posts

313 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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If you ask me (and you probably don't) it shows a need for a further evolution of the V8 ragtop. Imagine a soft top T350 with a tuned LS1 mebbe with a Cerb type interior

Ballistic Banana

14,706 posts

296 months

Wednesday 17th March 2004
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Well if Rover are doing another V8 there might be hope yet??

Guillotine

5,516 posts

293 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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I had a T350 the other day and found that unlike the Tamora (i've driven) and the Tuscan S (i've also driven) - cheers Rich at Peninsula - the T350 pulled like a RV8!

I'm not kidding, that is THE most sorted stock Tiv i have EVER bin in! Pulled like feck from low down, tight but a not too pointy a ride, a really good motor.

course it doesn't SOUND like an RV8 and the glove box fell off...naturally... but still an excellent car.

by the way, the Tamora IS a sorted Griff. It just don't pull or sound like one!...or look as good now i think about it!

Probably why i STILL have my griff

All IMHO ofcourse!

>> Edited by Guillotine on Thursday 18th March 00:13

sidpinup

1,006 posts

284 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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Guillotine said:
I had a T350 the other day and found that unlike the Tamora (i've driven) and the Tuscan S (i've also driven) - cheers Rich at Peninsula - the T350 pulled like a RV8!

I'm not kidding, that is THE most sorted stock Tiv i have EVER bin in! Pulled like feck from low down, tight but a not too pointy a ride, a really good motor.

course it doesn't SOUND like an RV8 and the glove box fell off...naturally... but still an excellent car.

by the way, the Tamora IS a sorted Griff. It just don't pull or sound like one!...or look as good now i think about it!

Probably why i STILL have my griff

All IMHO ofcourse!

>> Edited by Guillotine on Thursday 18th March 00:13



I have to say I am a bit confused by your post. A T350 is a Tamora with a roof so they have very, very similar performance. If you say that the T350 pulls like a RV8 but the Tamora doesn’t perform like a Griff then surely you are contradicting yourself!

I can assure you that a Tamora does pull like a Griff but I agree it does sound different.

I also think they look great but I am in the minority on this I guess. Have a look at my profile.

Ed


>> Edited by sidpinup on Thursday 18th March 10:34

captain honesty

152 posts

271 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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the t350 might of had a close ratio gearbox??

Newromancer

703 posts

291 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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apache said:
If you ask me (and you probably don't) it shows a need for a further evolution of the V8 ragtop. Imagine a soft top T350 with a tuned LS1 mebbe with a Cerb type interior


agree

But I wouldn't mind to see some more AJP V8 engien's in TVR's. It can only be found in Cerbera's ... what a shame.

julianc

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

288 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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drum4it2 said:
like a lot of things... you need both!


I came to that conclusion myself! However, I know that my partner would veto that - she was completely unimpressed by the sound of the Griff and me with a huge grin!

Long live all Tivs of whatever persuasion and the people who drive them!

Julian

chumley

201 posts

280 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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Purely by chance I had my first drive of a Tamora yesterday (Many thanks again ChimGirl & Brian from Gorners, much appreciated).

I always thought that my Chim 500 felt pretty sorted, but the Tamora seems to have really moved the game on - far more than I expected. It felt extremely well put together, far more tactile and really planted. The seats & general driving position are a big improvement and it feels much more like a quality item. I only hope more of the sceptics will give the new breed of TVRs a chance as they are really starting to feel like quality items - dare I say it, almost Germanic!

I have to say that the lack of low down torque was very noticeable, but then there's plenty of grunt on offer (just look at the figures), you just need to adapt your driving style. I too missed the low down grumble of a big V8 but then the sp6 has a really nice aggressive bark to it, and I'd trade the charisma of the RV8 for the benefits of the new gen TVR's.

Horses for corses and all that but overall I'm very impressed. In fact I want one badly now. I was dreading getting back into mine - thought it would feel like a tractor in comparison. But then I fired her up & did 40 miles, roof down. Came to the conclusion that we're all jammy beggars for running any type of TVR.

Bring on the good weather....!

jam1et

1,536 posts

281 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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But even if they made another car with a modern V8 it would never sound as good as the orginal pre-cat.

Guillotine

5,516 posts

293 months

Thursday 18th March 2004
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Sidpinup...

hello again, we met in somerset.

Not contradicting myself, the Tamora has to be revved and has very little low down grunt. Get it reving and away it goes!! oodles of power!!

the griff pulls in most gears. the std RV8 also needs a bit of stirring, with the power coming in about 2500.
only about 50%.

Mine, ofcourse comes in at 2500...with 90%!!

But the T350 pulled very well from 2500 as well, and just kept going! VERY NICE! felt like mine with another 2000 extra revs!! (remember, it is an evolution of the Tamora)

Yours is ofcourse also very quick...and particularly nicely trimmed as we said at cheddar gorge.
Don't take it so personal!

see you next time.

sidpinup

1,006 posts

284 months

Friday 19th March 2004
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Guillotine said:
Sidpinup...

hello again, we met in somerset.

Not contradicting myself, the Tamora has to be revved and has very little low down grunt. Get it reving and away it goes!! oodles of power!!

the griff pulls in most gears. the std RV8 also needs a bit of stirring, with the power coming in about 2500.
only about 50%.

Mine, ofcourse comes in at 2500...with 90%!!

But the T350 pulled very well from 2500 as well, and just kept going! VERY NICE! felt like mine with another 2000 extra revs!! (remember, it is an evolution of the Tamora)

Yours is ofcourse also very quick...and particularly nicely trimmed as we said at cheddar gorge.
Don't take it so personal!

see you next time.


Hi Mate

I was not offended at all and after having tiny follow me in his Griff I know they are 'kin quick but my point is its the same engine so the performance must be the same. I think you must have driven a lower millage Tamora as they only start getting really quick after about 10K miles or perhaps a duff one?

Your more than welcome to have a spin in mine next meet.

crankedup

25,764 posts

272 months

Friday 19th March 2004
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When the Griff was first released I thought how quite it sounded alongside the wedges. At that time I owned a 400se which was to me the best sound of all. However, I now own a 4.3 Griff and feel that the noise is on par with my previous 400se, must be all in the mind.

jigs

1,840 posts

279 months

Friday 19th March 2004
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No - it's out of the back of the motor - I think.