TVR Griffiths 200/400 and their Chassis Numbers

[jellison]

Can we just stop talking about bloody fia papers - most people that have one of the 280ish Griff don't race and could not care less about fia papers and all the ones in the US don't have them (racing or other wise - and they are a US built car - came out of a US factory, even though the drive-trainless cars came over from Blackpool in 64 through to 65 until the strike that killed them off) and lots in the Uk and Europe that do not want there cars to that pre-66 restrictive spec. Remember Griff production had only really just gotten into full swing by the end of the 65 race season!!!

There is so much cool racing to be done in a cool 60's car like the Griff without restricting yourself to all that perod stuff. Remember Griff ran into the Early 70's with a bit of a wheelbase stretch, with little tweeks alot the way.

This thread is about Griff's NOT about this bloody fia twaddle. Not everyone wants to wobbling about on L / M section tyres and crap brakes.

Oh and the cars that are doing the pre66 fia stuff bare next to bugger all in common with the cars that were racing pre 66 (at least the top Griff are in anycase - they built like spaceships compared to the close to show room cars with a few mild tweeks and a cage in period that ever hit a track. A well tuned race 289 back in the mid 60's made about 350bhp (if a good one) now a good one will be 420-450bhp. This ain't period racing.....

They were raced from the time they were produced through the 60's / 70' and one with load of mod along the way.

Most of the top Griff now out there have absolutely bugger all in common with the cars they profess to be (chassis number), with new chassis, body tubs, bonnet, and engine (only the HiPo block and heads being pre-66 and could have come from any of the Fords of the time that offer the HiPo as an option. Most of the papered ones ar 200 series cars that have been butched by cutting th eback off or rebodied completely with 400 rear ends!, some are complete clones and have no relation to any car that rollere out of the factory doors). Mind retains as much of it as possible (not the chassis as that turned to dust in the 70-80's. Estimate of my car put it at only actually being on the road for about 5-10 years max before it just got past around from one owner to another gradually deterriating and never having the much needed rebuild started!

BTW - Bernie Chodosh's new V8 series, ThoroughbredsSportcars, CSCC Swing Sixties and the Bravo Euro series for tweeked 60-70's historic stuff all look excellent.

[jellison]

Some of mine from the early point at which it was off the road.


At one point in another of it started but never completed restoration attempts someone even butched the original chassis and point in a live rear end from some US period pony car!!!


Mid 80's - drive train not in there now.


Late 90's before coming back to Europe (the low point)



In France for a good attempt at properly restoring it:-


Before the guy gave up (about 2006) and I bought all the bits (Volvo full of boxes of stuff and trailer with tub, new chassis (from 2000 had been all the way to US just before sold to french guy), bonnet, etc.

I had it sitting for 3+ years doing nothing too!

I'll post some pic's of a mate Griff in a bit too. From what I can gather the fastest modded Griff from the US race scene (so ALONG way from all that pre-66 twaddle) - it was raced from new and was still racing up until a few years back. Having some tweeks done to it to make it suitable for UK / Euro racing (mostly safety things), but is a VERY Serious Weapon

After he has it sorted he plans to do lots of track days before eventually getting his race license Nice way to start (as long as he is better that the muppet that bought the ex-Watton Missile (the light blue one I posted a few posts back).

[terence]

Originally Posted by jellison

Can we just stop talking about bloody fia papers - most people that have one of the 280ish Griff don't race and could not care less about fia papers and all the ones in the US don't have them (racing or other wise - and they are a US built car - came out of a US factory, even though the drive-trainless cars came over from Blackpool in 64 through to 65 until the strike that killed them off) and lots in the Uk and Europe that do not want there cars to that pre-66 restrictive spec. Remember Griff production had only really just gotten into full swing by the end of the 65 race season!!!

There is so much cool racing to be done in a cool 60's car like the Griff without restricting yourself to all that perod stuff. Remember Griff ran into the Early 70's with a bit of a wheelbase stretch, with little tweeks alot the way.

This thread is about Griff's NOT about this bloody fia twaddle. Not everyone wants to wobbling about on L / M section tyres and crap brakes.

Oh and the cars that are doing the pre66 fia stuff bare next to bugger all in common with the cars that were racing pre 66 (at least the top Griff are in anycase - they built like spaceships compared to the close to show room cars with a few mild tweeks and a cage in period that ever hit a track. A well tuned race 289 back in the mid 60's made about 350bhp (if a good one) now a good one will be 420-450bhp. This ain't period racing.....

They were raced from the time they were produced through the 60's / 70' and one with load of mod along the way.

Most of the top Griff now out there have absolutely bugger all in common with the cars they profess to be (chassis number), with new chassis, body tubs, bonnet, and engine (only the HiPo block and heads being pre-66 and could have come from any of the Fords of the time that offer the HiPo as an option. Most of the papered ones ar 200 series cars that have been butched by cutting th eback off or rebodied completely with 400 rear ends!, some are complete clones and have no relation to any car that rollere out of the factory doors). Mind retains as much of it as possible (not the chassis as that turned to dust in the 70-80's. Estimate of my car put it at only actually being on the road for about 5-10 years max before it just got past around from one owner to another gradually deterriating and never having the much needed rebuild started!

BTW - Bernie Chodosh's new V8 series, ThoroughbredsSportcars, CSCC Swing Sixties and the Bravo Euro series for tweeked 60-70's historic stuff all look excellent.

Perhaps just limit that to yourself!! I think you'll find yourself in a minority as MOST of the posters on here ARE interested in the FIA situation.Anyway,enough is enough,so over to you,I'm off.

[JonWolfe]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Perhaps just limit that to yourself!! I think you'll find yourself in a minority as MOST of the posters on here ARE interested in the FIA situation.Anyway,enough is enough,so over to you,I'm off.

Agreed, FiA racing is where the proper cars and better drivers are I'm afraid, whether you like it or not. I have raced in many types of club level motorsport for nigh on 25 years now and can tell you the best pilots and engineers all gravitate to Historic FiA racing eventually. Part of this is the value of the cars, my FiA Falcon is worth a small house in Birmingham whereas my '67 Tuscan V8 (pretty much the same build spec and quality as the Falcon) is worth about £2 and my GT6 about 40p on a good day.

[terence]

Hi Jon,there is a regular poster who might give you the 40p.Lol.
However,you are absolutely correct re FIA spec. Both of the Joe Ward cars that won the spa six hour were 100%correct at the time of winning,very little chance of the same happening with a 'correct' Griff these days,need to get shot of the hoards of Cobras and GT40s and so on first.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by jellison

Can we just stop talking about bloody fia papers - most people that have one of the 280ish Griff don't race and could not care less about fia papers and all the ones in the US don't have them (racing or other wise - and they are a US built car - came out of a US factory, even though the drive-trainless cars came over from Blackpool in 64 through to 65 until the strike that killed them off) and lots in the Uk and Europe that do not want there cars to that pre-66 restrictive spec. Remember Griff production had only really just gotten into full swing by the end of the 65 race season!!!

There is so much cool racing to be done in a cool 60's car like the Griff without restricting yourself to all that perod stuff. Remember Griff ran into the Early 70's with a bit of a wheelbase stretch, with little tweeks alot the way.

This thread is about Griff's NOT about this bloody fia twaddle. Not everyone wants to wobbling about on L / M section tyres and crap brakes.

Oh and the cars that are doing the pre66 fia stuff bare next to bugger all in common with the cars that were racing pre 66 (at least the top Griff are in anycase - they built like spaceships compared to the close to show room cars with a few mild tweeks and a cage in period that ever hit a track. A well tuned race 289 back in the mid 60's made about 350bhp (if a good one) now a good one will be 420-450bhp. This ain't period racing.....

They were raced from the time they were produced through the 60's / 70' and one with load of mod along the way.

Most of the top Griff now out there have absolutely bugger all in common with the cars they profess to be (chassis number), with new chassis, body tubs, bonnet, and engine (only the HiPo block and heads being pre-66 and could have come from any of the Fords of the time that offer the HiPo as an option. Most of the papered ones ar 200 series cars that have been butched by cutting th eback off or rebodied completely with 400 rear ends!, some are complete clones and have no relation to any car that rollere out of the factory doors). Mind retains as much of it as possible (not the chassis as that turned to dust in the 70-80's. Estimate of my car put it at only actually being on the road for about 5-10 years max before it just got past around from one owner to another gradually deterriating and never having the much needed rebuild started!

BTW - Bernie Chodosh's new V8 series, ThoroughbredsSportcars, CSCC Swing Sixties and the Bravo Euro series for tweeked 60-70's historic stuff all look excellent.

tee-hee read that,
thought 'he'll be drummed out of the Brownies'
great post BTW (not that I have a pre-65 to worry about)

[John Turner]

Well, this thread (of mine) was supposed to be about collating info/chassis nos on the TVR Griffith, so apart from noting whether one is to FIA spec or not, I really think that is sufficient. Bluntly, but with the greatest respect to all concerned this issue regarding the rights and wrongs of FIA compliance is becoming a distraction from the thread topic.

[Moby]

So John, its been three and a half years and 56 pages......... How many numbers / identities did you get?

[Heightswitch]

He got mine...VX155 !!

John. on a serious note..Drop me a line and I will send you something I have regarding chassis sequences and numbers..

N.

[simon drabble]

ironically jellison does in fact have a point concerning Griff's and FIA - the ones running to Appendix K are to the most part hot rodders and bare little resemblance to those actually raced pre 66.

Interestingly the owners of Griffs who have contributed to this thread most actually have NOT gone down the FIA route.

So whilst most historic racers with pre 66 cars do tend to gravitate to FIA it seems that Griff owners do not. Maybe this was because their heyday was actually post 66 so that is the most rewarding spec to drive?

[John Turner]

Moby, got sidetracked but will try to get it sorted. I had actually started to work through the thread and pick out the salient posts for a chassis archive thread, but neglected to follow it through. Will try to sort eventually.

Heightswitch; thanks will get back to you, by PM

Simon (where have you been lately?), you are probably right, and in truth my thread was merely to get chassis nos and survival details rather than ascertain whether they complied with any set of regs/race requirements.

[esper]

About all the posters here I am one and I go the fia route as i want to keep my car in original " small shape". I do think the comments previously made on Fia events are right. Which doesnt mean the racing is more interesting than other series.

[terence]

Esper,good to see you are still about.

[imperatore]

Hi guys,
I'm a new entry, I read a lot of this thread that is very interesting! I bought a Griffith 400 full race (true not fake) with HTP Fia. I have the fiche 206 too, and after I read all, I'm not sure if I can put the wide wheels arches or not! I can use the 9' rims...it's written on fiche 206, but if I use these rims the tyres are outside the shell, and this is not regular!
The car is silver, but I don't like this color. It's a shame and not correct to change the color with another of the era or is quite correct?
Thank you for your reply!

[terence]

Hi and welcome. The final decision is your's regarding whether to extend the arches or not. Personally,I would just go to a 7.5in rim,all we used on all of the Griff's we ever ran,two of those cars were 6Hr winners that were posting 2:55s quite easily,doe's a Griff actually need such a large rim?

[imperatore]

Hi Terence,
thank you for your reply! In this thread I saw a lot of pics where there are the Griffith with wides arches. One light blue and one light green that had these wides with Avon 245/60-15. I had a lot of rims: 4 6inc, 4 7inc, 4 8inc and 2 9inc. I would the 245/60-15 and with the 8inch are O.K., but it's the same, the tyres are outside the shell. In youtube I saw the light blu at Spa in 2'47!

[terence]

Your welcome,like I said,it is your choice but I think it a good idea to keep the body as standard as possible,just for the future.

[imperatore]

Hi Terence....my name is Claudio. "Imperatore" is my race name. I think that you're right. I saw a lot of pics about Spa 2012, and there were 2 pics of front bonnet car, really orrible! I thougt to wide a little bit only the rear with wides arches in fiberglass, but for the front I think that it's not need! If I musted to enlarge all the shell, surely, my car remains as original. My car chassis number is
400-05-49.
Regards Claudio

[terence]

Hi Claudio,I think that is the best choice The current extended body work came from a 1965 photo,[that car looks very much worse than the latter cars we see] as it was only 'assumed' to have been an international meeting, the photo was taken at,papers were granted. However,for those cars to be returned to a more stand looking body,suspension,braking and so on would be hugely expensive. Better to do what we did with the front leading edge of the rears arches and just trim back the body to allow the required clearance.
Do you still have the standard rear up-rights? If so have they been thoroughly cleaned and checked for any cracking around the bottom pin,had a couple let go before,turned out to be because they were rusted into place. The rust tends to force the alloy housing outwards and obviously beyond what it was intended.

[John Turner]

Ooh, another chassis number. Thanks Claudio; it might tempt me to try once again to pick out certain posts for the Chassis archive; something I tried to do a couple of years back but ran out of time. Will be even harder than before now that we are up to 57 pages and counting!

[imperatore]

Hi everyone,
this is my car....now is white, but I would change the colour. The original was silver. What do you advise?

[terence]

Ah,I thought you had totally standard bodywork,sorry,my mistake.

[imperatore]

Hi everyone,
I don't understand...sorry for my "ignorance"...may be the front arches?
This is a copy of Htp Fia...

[terence]

Both front and rear arches are modified,the front mostly. But if you have papers already-------.

[imperatore]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Both front and rear arches are modified,the front mostly. But if you have papers already-------.

O.K. Thank you! Happy New 2013!