TVR Griffiths 200/400 and their Chassis Numbers

[Heightswitch]

Originally Posted by 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.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. and you at first glance appear to have very little knowledge!! I am not sure where any relevance to transverse leaf springs relate to any TVR !! You must be dreaming or getting yourself very confused.

[Simon Hadfield]

I suggest you go and take a look at the TVR Griffith 200 homologation form. One of the two engine bay images clearly shows a leaf spring. The other image is of the same car - in reality the Willment built and raced Daytona Cobra - from the opposite side. These images have nothing at all to do with any Griffith, wherever they might have been built.
Having done that maybe a polite apology might be in order?

[Heightswitch]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

I suggest you go and take a look at the TVR Griffith 200 homologation form. One of the two engine bay images clearly shows a leaf spring. The other image is of the same car - in reality the Willment built and raced Daytona Cobra - from the opposite side. These images have nothing at all to do with any Griffith, wherever they might have been built.
Having done that maybe a polite apology might be in order?

I think anyone banding around theories about transverse leaf springs on Griffiths should be apologising Mr H. The post reads to me like a conspiracy theory.. Perhaps the intent is lost in translation! Its a funny old world the world of Historic racing and their seems to be cliques of people who have strong opinions about cars which they have limited knowledge.. I sense a clique here! If a Homologation form is incorrect then this evidently will be an error within that organisation which seemingly makes up rules on cars to suit themselves. A further lack of knowledge perhaps to have let such an obviously incorrect photograph appear on a document?? Granted I don't know a lot about E-types and Ferraris but I do know lots about TVR's Some of my dearest departed friends built the cars that some people have strong views about.. Its great to see competitive Griffiths to an agreed historic standard racing up at the front against Ferraris, E-types, Cobras et al. I shall retire back to my clubman Garage.. No wish to muddy any waters however this thread is about Griffiths rather than Willment Cobras... as you say it is very important to ensure that period details are correct.

N.

[Simon Hadfield]

The homologation form would have been self compiled by the manufacturer. It was then ovestamped by the ASN, in 1965 that would have been the RAC. The simple fact is that TVR used the engine bay images lifted from the Willment Daytona Cobra. Which had, and is therefore visible, a transverse leaf spring. Most probably TVR were looking to show a Ford V8 with 4 Weber IDAs as evidently they had not built one themselves. It is just incompetence that led to the photographs being badly cropped and showing rather more. None of the above is conspiracy, nothing there shows a clique, it is simply factual reporting.
As I have always understood things internet groups work best when there is a robust attitude to the post, not the poster.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

As I have always understood things internet groups work best when there is a robust attitude to the post, not the poster.

Indeed. It’s in the FAQs under ‘Posting Guidelines’.......

[zefarelly]

Even in B&W it's pretty bloody obvious the car in the engine bay photograph is a totally different colour, and forgetting the leaf spring entirely the chassis bulkhead and steering column are completely different. I've only ever owned one TReVor but can spot that, I'd have thought a marque expert would have a pretty good Awareness of the only defined period documents on any one car.

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

The homologation form would have been self compiled by the manufacturer. It was then ovestamped by the ASN, in 1965 that would have been the RAC. The simple fact is that TVR used the engine bay images lifted from the Willment Daytona Cobra. Which had, and is therefore visible, a transverse leaf spring. Most probably TVR were looking to show a Ford V8 with 4 Weber IDAs as evidently they had not built one themselves. It is just incompetence that led to the photographs being badly cropped and showing rather more. None of the above is conspiracy, nothing there shows a clique, it is simply factual reporting.
As I have always understood things internet groups work best when there is a robust attitude to the post, not the poster.

[Duddha]

I do have very little knowledge, I apologize for being right...

Pictures will speak for themselves, have your look at 206 GT on the FIA Historic Database, where these pictures originate from and a full scan of the RAC/MSA copy of the Homologation they have in house for records.





CSX2131 and Willment Coupe engine bay basically, according to my Cobra knowledge, additionally, upper right corner of first picture and you'll notice the leaf spring.

[zefarelly]

Looking at the bottom photo again, the TVR is in the background!

Originally Posted by Duddha

I do have very little knowledge, I apologize for being right...

Pictures will speak for themselves, have your look at 206 GT on the FIA Historic Database, where these pictures originate from and a full scan of the RAC/MSA copy of the Homologation they have in house for records.





CSX2131 and Willment Coupe engine bay basically, according to my Cobra knowledge, additionally, upper right corner of first picture and you'll notice the leaf spring.

[Jeremy Hall]

The blank homologation form provided by the RAC Motor Sport Department in period required a photograph of the engine.Given a generic engine was used it seems if none were available to the manufacturer on the day he would reasonably use a photograph of the correct engine from another source.Which is obviously what has happened.
Photographs showing the exhaust manifolds and inlet manifolds were separately required. These items put together produced the specification for the motor for the car.
It seems to me that in this case the ''claimants'' for the car have taken more than the engine picture and claimed the entire engine bay,inlet and exhaust systems.
Quite clearly this is an error and needs revisiting by all parties ASAP to clarify.

[Keaart]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Now this is the sort of detail I really love to receive. John Strutt, having seen this thread, has contacted me and provided the following information and pictures about his Griffith which he has owned for over 40 years:-

'I have owned this car since 1970 and, basically, apart from fitting 4 Weber carbs and GT40 heads in the 1970's and the wheels being changed in the 60's, it is completely as it left the factory.

It was ordered and supplied by the factory with a lightweight body and factory installed roll bar. As you can see from the registration it was first registered in Cornwall, the first owner raced it in hill climbs and sprints with some considerable success and then part exchanged it for a Lotus 30/40 with a racing car dealer in North London.

The second owner (a friend) bought the car to tow a caravan, he said he could still out drag anything on the road even with a 10ft Sprite caravan attatched.
He was the one who changed the wheels!!!! It came from the dealer with 4 magnesium minilite wheels, Gerry Marshall of the Barnet Mo Co gave him £30.00 in p/x for the 4 mag wheels and the splined hubs. Some bargain?

Here are a couple of pics from Brighton Speed Trials where I raced the car for 20+ years, best time 139mph x 19.24 secs for the 1/2 mile, a class win, and from Santa Pod.

Anyway, Chassis no is 420/200GB 5028./

Hi My Dad was the original owner of John Strutt’s TVR. My Dad from Cornwall did indeed own the car from new and traded it in for a lotus 30/40. We would love to have more details and see the car we know it is still on the road. In the same ownership I have some photos of him competing in the hill climbs. I used to travel to the hill climb and sprints under the slopping back window. I loved those days and have fond memories. My son would love to see his Grandfather’s car so any further information would be greatly appreciated.
As it is my first post on this forum I probably have not done it right.

[morninggents]

Welcome to TenTenths, Keaart. Your post looks fine to me.


It would be good if you could post some of your photos on here. What was your dad's name?

[Keaart]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Now this is the sort of detail I really love to receive. John Strutt, having seen this thread, has contacted me and provided the following information and pictures about his Griffith which he has owned for over 40 years:-

'I have owned this car since 1970 and, basically, apart from fitting 4 Weber carbs and GT40 heads in the 1970's and the wheels being changed in the 60's, it is completely as it left the factory.

It was ordered and supplied by the factory with a lightweight body and factory installed roll bar. As you can see from the registration it was first registered in Cornwall, the first owner raced it in hill climbs and sprints with some considerable success and then part exchanged it for a Lotus 30/40 with a racing car dealer in North London.

The second owner (a friend) bought the car to tow a caravan, he said he could still out drag anything on the road even with a 10ft Sprite caravan attatched.
He was the one who changed the wheels!!!! It came from the dealer with 4 magnesium minilite wheels, Gerry Marshall of the Barnet Mo Co gave him £30.00 in p/x for the 4 mag wheels and the splined hubs. Some bargain?

Here are a couple of pics from Brighton Speed Trials where I raced the car for 20+ years, best time 139mph x 19.24 secs for the 1/2 mile, a class win, and from Santa Pod.

Anyway, Chassis no is 420/200GB 5028./

Hi my Dad Peter Blewett from Cornwall, owned this TVR. I would love to see it again. If anyone can put me in touch with John Strutt or give me more information about this car I would appreciate it.

[johnstrutt]

Originally Posted by Keaart

Hi my Dad Peter Blewett from Cornwall, owned this TVR. I would love to see it again. If anyone can put me in touch with John Strutt or give me more information about this car I would appreciate it.

struttty@googlemail.com


Be interesting to speak to you about the TVR Griffith, I still own it 52 years on

John

[Stuart Doughty]

Originally Posted by Patrick Sumner

Perhaps you TVR experts might know what happened to my Griffith? Reg No: MYU 617D. I’ve no chassis number. I bought it at the end of 1967, maybe from Bell & Colville, I can’t quite remember. It was painted in Roman Purple with flared wheel arches and Cobra wire rims with an internal roll hoop and rear window retaining straps. I believe it was part of the Vandervell set up, hence the unusual colour. I thought it had a 4.7L engine but it turned out to be a 4.2L with hydraulic tappets so not as I had hoped but quick enough. Around 70 mph in first and 130 mph top speed governed by the hydraulic tappets. It was so reliable. I used it as a tow car for my racer and also sprinted it one time. Very sad to see it go in 1970 and never heard of it again. Martin Lilley had attended the same engineering college as me and turned up one day in one and I just knew I had to have one eventually!

Patrick, my name is Stuart Doughty and I have just noticed after many years your note re MYU617D which I have owned since 1971. I fitted the very last long wheel base chassis to the car in 1973 but other than re registering it then as BFW 500K and respraying it red the car is still as was albeit the engine is 4.7L not 4.2L. I have tried to contact you via your business and home but no joy so just hope this might get through to you. Mob ph 07768 840223. Email doughtystuart@aol.com
Stuart