| Author | Message | ||
     Rocketman |
 Rocket | ||
| Bill0351 |
I guess this thread just proves that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me they look like you added one part MGB.  One part catfish.  And ended up with this.  Like I said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If I ever get crossed genetically with a catfish and end up with an awesome set of superpowers, I am DEFINITELY going to get one as my Batmobile/Catmobile. Bill | ||
| Rocketman |
How dare you bring that piece of junk to this thread? MGB is a saloon car with a different shape top on it, only fit for hairdressers. One's with no taste at that. My thread's polluted forever  Rocket | ||
| Bill0351 |
But you have to admit! That catfish DOMINATES! Bill | ||
| Rocketman |
 Taimar rolling chassis. Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
 Taimar interior. Rocket | ||
| Ferrisbuellersdayoff |
Man I thought this thread was about some new version of TiVo or a digital video recorder. Instead its a love child spawn of the bastard son of an Aston Martin and an MGB.... And Bills catfish. Whats TVR stand for? Total Vehicle Retardation? | ||
| Rocketman |
TVR were around before Aston. Trevor (TVR) Wilkinson built the first sportscar by hand in 1947. It was all but destroyed in a fire. Here's the earliest TVR in existence. The second car, built with some parts saved from the first - chassis and some running gear etc.  Thanks for your trolling FBDO  Rocket | ||
| Ferrisbuellersdayoff |
Right back at you man! | ||
| Imonabuss |
Jesus, look at the pathetic frame on the Taimar! Sticks of square tubing tacked together. Like a high school shop class project. Oooooh, Aston Martin is quaking in their boots! And if they've been around so long, where are the World Championships? The lap records? An American almost made them worthwhile as the Griffith, but even though the Griffiths had less weight than a Cobra and the same motor, the terrible handling made them losers on the track. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
are these all postal vehicles or something? the steering wheels are all on the wrong side.  | ||
| Concor |
The black one at the top of this page looks sweet!! Looks like it would be alot of fun. Nevermind, i just saw the orange one on the first page, its better. These are the cars that John Travolta likes right? (Message edited by concor on December 22, 2007) | ||
| Old_man |
When I was in Ireland I rented a car to tour the country. I worried about driving with the wheel on the right and driving on the left. I had no problem, got the hang within the airport. | ||
| Aesquire |
Thanks Rocket! I especially love pic #3. Stunning good looks with the curves of a demi goddess. and pic #13. The car pulled out of some shed, covered in bird doo, found by an enthusiast, who's taking it off to be reborn. Sweet. Ignore the trolls. | ||
| Rocketman |
Motor Show And Le Mans Success For TVR Published: 18th June 2004 The last three weeks have seen two huge successes for British sportscar manufacturer TVR. Having launched the exciting new Tuscan 2 and Sagaris on press day of the Birmingham Motor Show, just under three weeks ago, TVR enjoyed huge sales during the course of the show and the new models are now sold out until next spring. “At one point, we were taking orders for three weeks of production everyday,” said Ben Samuelson of TVR. “We suspected it might be good when we started selling cars on the morning of press day, but to return to Blackpool with over 150 orders exceeded even our expectations.” Tuscan 2 and Sagaris then headed straight from Birmingham to Le Mans where they were to be exhibited while the two TVR T400Rs, owned by Gareth Evansand run by his racing team, Synergy Chamberlain Motorpsort, were entered in the most gruelling race in the global calendar. The Number 89 car was driven by Bob Berridge, who helped Gareth run the team, Michael Caine, Sales Manager for Essex TVR dealer Castle and Carlube TVR Challenge regular Chris Stockton. The Number 96 car was driven by Gareth himself alongside British GT TVR drivers Lawrence Tomlinson and Nigel Greensall. From their first appearance at scrutineering on Tuesday, it was evident that the purple racing TVRs had a huge fan base. With fifteen hundred TVRs in the campsites and car parks of the circuit, there appeared to be more TVRs than anything else down there, but the neutrals, especially the British, had also adopted TVR and the cars were cheered on every inch of the way by thousands of fans dressed in TVR purple. As the race progressed and night fell, it was evident that despite the odd gremlin, the cars were running strongly while there were growing numbers of retirements by other competitors as the race took its toll. Drivers did long double stints through the night and at twelve hours, the cars were running strongly in mid fi eld. As the sun came up at Le Mans, Nigel Greensall in the Number 96 car did the fastest TVR lap of the race which showed how hard both cars were still racing. Lap after lap passed, the cars stopping for fuel every hour and a half with small bits of preventative maintenance being undertaken to make sure that the cars remained perfect. As noon passed, hopes were high but such was the team's superstition that no-one dared give voice to the hope that both cars might take the checkered flag as so many cars had been lost over the last few hours. As 4 o'clock neared, the grandstand opposite the TVR pit filled with Union, St George's and TVR flags and as the cars crossed the line in formation, in 8th and 9th in class, both pit wall and crowd cheered themselves hoarse. Over the 24 hours the TVRs had averaged, including stops, approximately 100 mph and so had travelled about 2400 miles and over the week, in excess of 120 Dunlop race tyres had been consumed. "It was a superb result for the drivers, the team and for everyone at TVR and a testament to the engineering integrity and performance of the cars", said Samuelson. "To come straight from the real high of such a successful motor show to put our mark in the history books of the greatest motor race in the world hasn't sunk in yet. It just goes to show that hard work and inspired engineering can compete against megabucks budgets and is a great foundation on which to build in the future!" Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
Six years after the Lilleys rescued it, TVR introduced a completely new chassis, its first basic design change since 1962 and only the third distinct platform in TVR history. With it came a new generation that would continue all the way to 1980, and would include the 2500M, the 3000M, and the Taimar. As with past TVR chassis, this new one was designed to accept a variety of proprietary engines to suit the legislative requirements and price classes of various markets. However, it would be the first to carry more than one body style, as a convertible and hatchback coupe would eventually complement the familiar TVR fastback, though this wasn’t planned when the chassis was designed. It was superficially like the old Tuscan SE chassis in that both were 90-inch-wheelbase affairs made of small-diameter tubes, with a strong central backbone, coil-spring all-independent suspension, front-disc/rear-drum brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering. The difference is that the new one was a “space frame” rather than a simple platform design, strode wider tracks (53.75 inches front and rear), and employed a mixture of square and circular tubing. Called M-Series, the new TVR was visually similar to the short-lived “wide-body” Tuscan V-8 SE, with a longer nose and tail than on the old Vixen/Griffith models but the same characteristic TVR look. Seating remained strictly for two, and there was still no external trunk access. As in the V-8 Tuscans, engines mounted behind the front-wheel centerline in “front mid-engine” position, which left sufficient room for stowing the spare ahead, just above the radiator. This chassis would carry the following engines during its eight-year life, all with overhead valves: 1.3-liter Triumph Spitfire four, Ford Britain’s crossflow 1.6-liter “Kent” four-cylinder, the 2.5-liter Triumph straight six from the TR6, and Ford’s 3.0-liter “Essex” V-6 as used in the British Capri and TVR’s own Tuscan. The last was also turbocharged but rarely seen here. The best-sellers in the new range were the 1.6-liter 1600M, 2.5-liter 2500M, and 3.0-liter 3000M. The last was treated to a simple hatchback conversion in late 1976 and renamed Taimar. A companion ragtop, prosaically called Convertible, was issued two years later and -- lo and behold -- it had a proper trunk with lid. There was also a “pre-M” 1971 model simply called 2500. Devised especially for the U.S., it was basically the old V-6 Tuscan fitted with the American-spec TR6 engine. Exactly 289 were built in less than a year, along with 96 examples of another “cocktail” model, this one with the old-style bodywork atop the M-Series chassis. But the definitive TR6-powered model was the 2500M, almost all of which were sold in the U.S. Production ended in 1977 because British Leyland had cancelled the TR6 the previous year and engine supplies soon dried up. As it weighed about the same as the Triumph, the 2500M naturally had similar performance, with a top speed of about 110 mph. The 3000M, always available in Britain, then took over for the U.S. 2500M, with sales continuing through 1979. It was basically the same car, of course, except for its British Ford V-6, which had been improved since Tuscan days (and should not be confused with Ford’s 2.8-liter German-designed V-6 of this period). In U.S. trim, the 3000M could reach close to 115 mph. The Taimar and Convertible were a tad slower owing to the higher weight of their extra equipment. The 3.0-liter Turbo was a rare but rapid bird. Top speed was 140 mph and 0-60 mph acceleration took just 5.8 seconds. Just 63 were built, though that encompassed all three body styles. Rocket | ||
| Doerman |
Don't worry about it Imonabuss. Some people just adore the Ducati trellis thing and thinks it is God's own Gift to man. Any vehicle with a trellis type construction must be superior, yeah right!  Rocket. Great picks and history on the TVR. Thanks. However, I think you have taken a step in the wrong direction. I heard on the news here that a British MP has made an appeal to British women that they should not admire men with sportscars, because it is encouraging non-green behavior and contributing to global warming. Ah.. the folly of men and mice  | ||
| Rocketman |
 Rocket | ||
| Oddalloy |
Wow Rocket... takes me back to part of my misspent youth. I used to annoy the owner of an establishment called "Tom's Pit Stop" in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. They sold Lotus and TVR and man was I hooked badly! Had no money at the time but at least they'd let me sit in the showroom cars. I asked them to phone me if they ever took-in anything on trade that needed lots of work. One day in '73, the phone rang and shortly thereafter I was the proud owner of one very tired and abused 1968 Vixen. Took me almost 2 years but I completely restored that car... had a ball with it. Eventually sold it to begin funding marriage and a family. Sadly, I took very few pics and haven't seen them in years. My Vixen looked like the #36 racer in archive pic 10. Is that a Grantura in archive pic #2? Thanks for the time machine. Glad to read TVR is still kickin'. | ||
| Crusty |
Those look like the epitome of a vehicle that you could work on all week long so that on Sunday, you could drive over to your friend's house to work on it. | ||
| Oddalloy |
Crusty... You ought to know by now... having to "fuss over it" is all just part of the magic. | ||
| Rocketman |
Odd, that is indeed a Grantura Mk II. A neighbour of mine owns it, and has done for 20 years. 20 years ago is when he bought it as a basket case, when he was in his mid twenties. Yes, it's taken 20 years to restore it, and I had the pleasure of a go in it a few months ago, two days after the restoration was finished. It's powered by an 1800 MGA engine.  Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
I drove my Taimar for 8 years as a daily driver. Put many thousands of hard miles on it. Yes rung its neck many a time, just like I do my motorbikes. In truth, my Taimar has proven the most reliable car I've owned. Ok, I've not owned a car as long as my Taimar, but never the less...... Thinking about it, my Taimar has also proven infinitely more reliable than my S1W. That said, my S1W has also proven to be the most unreliable bike I've ever owned. That was at least the case until I rebuilt it myself, nearly 3 years ago. Still, I am a sucker for tube frames. Nice to know Ducati won the Moto GP title this season with a tube frame.  Rocket | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
Thanks for schooling me Rocket! I had seen a TVR once in my life. Owned by a collector I knew back in Florida. He paid big bucks for it back in the 80's. Never did get the whole story, now I got it. | ||
| Oddalloy |
That Grantura looks sweet. Old TVR's are definitely a labor of love... some folks just wouldn't understand. I wonder whatever became of that Vixen. In another vein, I miss my 850 Commando too, but that's another story. Cheers! | ||
| Crusty |
I guess those TVRs are O.K., if you're into that sort of thing; however, if I wanted a true sports car that made real power, handled like a dream, was drop dead sexy in appearance and was as reliable as an anvil, I'd get a Corvette. | ||
| Doerman |
+1 Crusty. At least on these here shores | ||
| Rocketman |
Vette's have enjoyed great success since their resurgence, and I can understand their appeal, but not next to a TVR. There's something very gratifying about owning a sports car, or bike for that matter, that's built by hand in house by no more than two or three hundred people, depending on economic climate. TVR have achieved everything we see today from the humble origins of a brick built building buried inside a Victorian housing estate in Blackpool. Pic 14 is the yard at Bristol Avenue. Study that pic and you might understand why I like my Buell so much. Rocket | ||
| Bill0351 |
Do we even have an American equivalent? Panoz maybe? I really don't like the looks of the TVR, but it's a pretty cool story. It reads at least a little like Buell's might have if HD hadn't gotten involved. Thanks for the history. I completely understand your passion even thought I don't share it. Hey! Did you know that early TVR inspired George Lucas to create the character of Jar Jar Binks?   In all seriousness though. Thanks for sharing the history. It was good reading, and I know a little more because of it. Bill | ||
| 2kx1 |
OK, since this is the TVR thread what is the current state of TVR? Last I heard was they were being sold off by the crazy Rusky. Also the original Griffith had a 289 and not a 427/428 Ford FE motor. For those that do not know ,TVR's are REALLY hand-made . Imean the guages , the interiors, bodies, frames. I think they only outsourced castings . They are truly badassed cars . If I am correct they made a car with a slight possibility of production in mind with a 1000hp V12 however thought that was too much for the road and scrapped the idea. More pics please Rocket. |
