TVR Griffiths 200/400 and their Chassis Numbers

[richard tyzack]

Originally Posted by John Turner

A dream realised - fantastic stuff!

Dear John, can you put me in touch with Mike Whitaker who won a race this weekend at Goodwood driving his "second" TVR Griffith with standard bodywork and on wire wheels, I need to find out if this car has HTP papers and if so I should be able to start the long battle to get papers for my car.
Thanks in anticipation

[Rob Pennington]

Originally Posted by richard tyzack

Dear John, can you put me in touch with Mike Whitaker who won a race this weekend at Goodwood driving his "second" TVR Griffith with standard bodywork and on wire wheels, I need to find out if this car has HTP papers and if so I should be able to start the long battle to get papers for my car.
Thanks in anticipation

Mike's standard bodied Griffith is BFR 400B and was run by Chris Lawrence and Keith Aitchison in period. It ran as a prototype at St Ursanne - Les Rangiers in 1965. I understand you can run both standard bodied Griffith and the Dr Ewan Paul wide bodied Griffth. The Mk3 shaped 200 is a bit more difficult although one ran at the Canadian Grand Prix meeting in a support race.

What sort of Griffith do you own.

Rob

[GBRM]

It also depends what size wheels/tyres that you want to run, I believe you can get FIA papers with a standard body, but only run a narrower tyre (6.5") and if you want papers to run wider tyres, (8") ,then you have to use the wider (ugly) body.
Where it gets confusing is the whole period FIA-sanctioned event, as cars ran at FIA events, but the actual race they ran in in period weren't FIA - not confusing...

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by richard tyzack

Dear John, can you put me in touch with Mike Whitaker who won a race this weekend at Goodwood driving his "second" TVR Griffith with standard bodywork and on wire wheels, I need to find out if this car has HTP papers and if so I should be able to start the long battle to get papers for my car.
Thanks in anticipation

Sorry Richard, but I don't have Mike's contact details although pretty sure someone on here does.

[GBRM]

Mike is on Facebook or you could contact Nigel directly, as he would've done all the work for Mike and also for many others:- http://www.nigelreubenracing.com/contact.php

[richard tyzack]

Originally Posted by GBRM

Mike is on Facebook or you could contact Nigel directly, as he would've done all the work for Mike and also for many others:- http://www.nigelreubenracing.com/contact.php

Thanks, I will look him up on Facebook and also give Nigel a call.

[richard tyzack]

Originally Posted by GBRM

It also depends what size wheels/tyres that you want to run, I believe you can get FIA papers with a standard body, but only run a narrower tyre (6.5") and if you want papers to run wider tyres, (8") ,then you have to use the wider (ugly) body.
Where it gets confusing is the whole period FIA-sanctioned event, as cars ran at FIA events, but the actual race they ran in in period weren't FIA - not confusing...

I saw that Mike Whitaker was running wires at Goodwood which seems a bit strange, I have the car on 7 inch rims at present and don't want to go any wider, my main target is to run the car in competition on European rallies which is what I built the car for, winning a few high profile events, but then my papers were refused as were many others and I will never butcher the car to comply.

[GBRM]

Best thing is to speak to Nigel, as I know when I was involved a few years ago it was either narrow body and slim wheels or wide body and wider wheels, but I think they managed to find some historical evidence of Griffs in period with slightly wider wheels, so a compromise was made.
European rallies will be good, not sure how hot and loud it might get in the cockpit though. I have a great picture of my late Dad at the Tholt-y-Will hill climb and it looks great seeing a Griff on the road, sliding around houses!!

[Everilda]

Originally Posted by GBRM

It also depends what size wheels/tyres that you want to run, I believe you can get FIA papers with a standard body, but only run a narrower tyre (6.5") and if you want papers to run wider tyres, (8") ,then you have to use the wider (ugly) body.
Where it gets confusing is the whole period FIA-sanctioned event, as cars ran at FIA events, but the actual race they ran in in period weren't FIA - not confusing...

The Redex Trophy race was a FIA sanctioned International event.

The FIA Calendrier Sportif International for 1965 shows that the Guards International Trophy race at Brands Hatch on 30.8.1965 had two FIA sanctioned events, Sports cars - the main event, The Guards International Trophy and GT cars - The Redex Trophy.

The Redex Trophy was run for GT cars complying with Appendix 'J' (1965) Group 3 to the International Sporting Code.

[terence]

That was a bone of contention with the FIA several years back.They claimed that the actual race the Griff took part in was not FIA sanctioned,despite the Event being titled as such.They claimed the sanctioning was only for the F2 or F3 race or whatever it was.But we did get there eventually!!!!
Also we were using 8.5 inch wheels with on minor arch mods,mainly to the bottom front arch/sill areas.These mods were the same on both cars we won the Spa six hour races.

[lemanster]

Hi,does anyone know the history of CRT999C?
Simon.

[Mike Bell]

Welcome Simon. That registration number is mentioned is this thread several years ago (2012), and from memory the car was on display at a classic car show and for sale? A quick search brings up an eBay seller with a magazine for sale featuring the car, but apart from that, sorry I personally can’t help!

Edit- Car for sale at Mike Abbas Classic Cars? Ex Willie Green in period. Suggests Octane 2013 magazine has a write up.....

[Peter Mallett]

Quick check with the DVLA and it's on SORN.

[lemanster]

As it is one of only 10? right hand drive 400 Griffith's produced ,I'm surprised that no one has any knowledge of the car.The magazine ( difficult to read the text on the net,and on a phone screen!),seems to suggest that the " paper work ", says 200 on it, not 400,but TVR paperwork is " fuzzy"?.

[Everilda]

CRT 999C is one of approx 42 UK built TVR Griffiths. The UK cars were called 200s but had a Manx tail. The 400 Griffith was a US car. There were a further 10 TVR Griffiths built after Martin Lilley took over the company, after that they were SWB Tuscans.

The car was rebuilt by Willie Green and put up for sale in about 2012. It was advertised as FiA but it is not. I believe it is still for sale by Mike Abbas.

CRT 999C was sold by the Viking Motors TVR dealership and registered in Ipswich in March 1965. Early owners were John Spence and John Earls.

[Peter Mallett]

I have some sympathy with the FIA since they have to have a baseline for eligibility and in the case of App K pre 65 they use the "international race" criteria. As far as I can tell there is only one expert to turn to for these Griffs and that is Nigel Ruebens.

He may be the person to approach with questions about this vehicle.

[Everilda]

That's Nigel Reuben

[Peter Mallett]

Yes well spotted. Him.

[lemanster]

Thank you for the replies,all very educational.
Why is it not FIA?
Thanks.

[Peter Mallett]

No idea. Perhaps if you have time you could read through the thread. There must be some that are compliant but apart from Goodwood you don't see many racing. I do recall one blasting past me at Silverstone a few years ago. Very impressive.

[Everilda]

If you are looking to buy this car as a Fia car, i suggest you examine the papers before you buy. I don't think they will be current.

if you want a Fia car then you need to talk to Nigel Reuben at http://www.nigelreubenracing.com

CRT 999C could be converted to Fia spec at a cost.

The John Spires Fia car JFR 600E (which was the last of the 10 Martin Lilley built Griffs) has just sold at Silverstone auctions for £165 000. It has a Nigel Reuben rolling chassis and bodywork.

[zefarelly]

The FiA have just inspected a very original Griffith for reference.

It'll be interesting to see if they see anything similar on an current race cars

[Everilda]

What Griffith was that then?

[Terence Bower]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

The FiA have just inspected a very original Griffith for reference.

It'll be interesting to see if they see anything similar on an current race cars

🤣🤣

[Duddha]

I would correct that, what is interesting is to see a leaf spring car for the engine bay picture of the Griffith Homologation and in fact the Willment Coupe CSX2131 if taking the origin of that pic to the full extent....

Then I would say, how is it possible the 400 runs on the homologation of the 200? Aren't they different and not just bodywork? If so that isn't covered by the special body rule of Appendix J of period.

Added to that, would the TVR crew put together a base of documentation and period pictures of the cars in order to truthfully detail what these were back exactly?

But a car just came up on bringatrailer.com which is supposedly a standard 200 road car from 1965, an interesting car for suspension, parts and all to look at. I won't say it's perfect and period as it's had a life but at least it shows what they may have truly looked like.