TVRs have always held a special place in my heart due to the frequency with which large power-plants were strapped to their lightweight bodies. Talk about a recipe for a good time (or death sentence, which to some are interchangeable situations). This particular car has led an interesting life on the AHRA circuit – it’s a 1966 TVR Griffith listed here on eBay with the reserve unmet and bidding over $36K!
Most of you likely know the story of how a guy named Jack Griffith had the wild idea of taking the petite TVR bodies and retrofitting them with Ford’s 289 Cobra power-plant. TVR shipped the cars to the U.S. sans engine and transmissions to let Griffith, a Ford dealer, work his magic. Needless to say, this was an exceptional example of how the power-to-weight ratio can work in one’s favor. It weighed 1,450 pounds; you do the math.
According to the seller, this car has only 2,400 original miles on the clock. I don’t know if that’s due to being used solely on the drag strip or being retired early on in its career. Either way, the cleanliness of the engine bay, body and interior seem to validate the claims, and the bidders certainly take no issue with believing the odometer reading to be true.
TVR has always done a nice job of designing attractive bodies with ample amounts of wood and dials on the interior; only trouble is, their finishing abilities sometimes left a lot to be desired. In this car, the low miles means everything on the inside remains largely preserved, and it’s not hard to imagine strapping on some driving gloves and blatting along the backroads on a Sunday morning. You’ll just need a generous bank account to put this AHRA veteran into your garage. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Peter R. for the find!
Neat original survivor – bet its wicked fast. Wonder what sort of e.t. it turned in the quarter? Like the headers and esp like the Cortina taillights.
Judging from the lack of safety equipment, or go fast goodies, the only link to the AHRA that I can see is the bumper sticker…
Do you need roll cage, fire suppression, etc. to just roll up to the Christmas tree lights? Especially in the 60s?
Even in the mid 1960s I believe roll bars and shoulder belts were required. Especially when competing for the National Title as advertised
If this Griffith is the real thing, and it looks like it is, then it’s probably worth the current bid price, or more. The current bid of $48K hasn’t met the reserve, so it will have to be more.
Very fast but also very squirrily due to the short wheelbase and relatively modest tire size and technology back then. You can get stickier tires now, but the wheelbase isn’t going to get any longer, so straight line stability will always be marginal. Best to use all that power very carefully.
There are some good pictures in the link near the bottom of the Ebay listing. I can believe the car has low miles but I don’t know how low. If it has 2400 miles then based on the look of the undercarriage they were some of the hardest 2400 miles known to man. If it’s being sold as a low mile drag car that held records in the 1960s there should be some documentation, but the seller doesn’t offer any for that or for the mileage.
At this point you’re buying it for what it is, and if it turns out to be an ultra-low mileage record holder that’s a bonus.
How hard could it be to screw on a shift knob for the pictures? And you thought the 912 Porsche seller was a cheapskate.
Holy Cow!!…. Look at those headers!
Safety equipment requirements depend on your times and speeds if I’m not mistaken. A couple summer’s ago we had my wagon over to Thompson Ohio’s track, I was told I couldn’t run it without a helmet because I was under 14 seconds. Asked my engine builder about it and he agreed. Says I will probably not be able to officially race it next year without at least a 6 point cage. Should be in the high 11’s next year. So it may not have need much safety equipment depending on the class it raced and how fast it actually was.
Over 75k now. Reserve not met.