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Thanks to Jim S. who found this auction here on eBay. The Griffith was built by Griffith Motors of Plainview, New York, based on the TVR Grantura. TVR supplied a modified TVR Grantura chassis, a fiberglass body over steel tube frame, without a drivetrain. The Griffith had a 200 horsepower Ford V8 in place of the 4 cylinder in the Grantura and this one has the optional 271 horsepower version. 203 Griffiths were produced and just 49 series 400s. This Griffith has been stored for 40 years and is ready for a complete restoration. With a few days left, bidding is very active and already over $40,000.
Sweet little ride! I have never heard of or seen one before.
Interesting! Saw the pics and thought TVR. Thanks for the info! And I’m not suprised bidding is way up there since it’s effectively a Grantura… -_-
I’ve never heard of it either great looking little car. Must absolutely fly!
Ok I have seen and driven these.
Let’s see you have a very powerful car with a wheelbase shorter than an MGB. Drive one quickly and you will learn all about polar moments, moments of inertia, and rotation about a centroid. As well as a bit about heat transfer.
I’ve always wondered what the difference was between a TVR and a Griffith, just never investigated it.
Thanks Barn finds!
BFF (Barn Finds Friend)
TVR is the make originally from Blackpool UK … Griffith is just a model of TVR… when they started exporting to North America.. they used the Ford 289 as their running gear… always good competition for the Ford Cobra…
TVR’s were awesome cars. I believe, Tasca Ford of Rhode Island sold and raced these in 1966. From what I’ve heard, they were a handful to operate.
I remember driving one of these when they were new. Very impressive.
I saw one of these on the road many years ago and it was very impressive in a straight line. Close your eyes and it sounded like a 271 HP Shelby Hi Po, which is what it has. Look at it and it’s a quirky TVR, made in Blackpool, UK I believe, and a good handling car as long as it has the MGB engine and driven sensibly, but with the 271 HP engine I can believe it’s a handfull, just like Kevin Harper said.
This car and also the Cheetah come to mind as a kind of experiment with a very short wheelbase that were supposed to handle well by being able to change direction quickly. But you also need a reasonable length wheelbase for stability at high speed, which this car and the Cheetah don’t have. Just look at the wheelbase of an F1 car today. I would not want to be driving a Griffith or a Cheetah in anger.
Seen a couple of these over the years, both Triumph powered I’m pretty sure. This one with the 271/289 must haul ass. But I bet it’s twichy at high speed.
Not surprised to see one of these stored for many years – used to own one and they are at their best when parked in a garage.
I have a ’64 TVR Grantura (same body style) but with the stock 1800cc MGB motor. Nice power to weight combo for puttering around the country roads, but I will admit it is a bit under powered. My buddy has much the same car (slightly different body style but not by much) and he as a 427 all done up. THAT is one scary fast car, but it also corners really really well. The TVR 2500M comes with the TR6 motor, a small block V8 weighs LESS than the stock TR6 motor!
Pat
My uncle purchased one of these off a State cop back in the 60s. The cop bought it for his wife but she was too scared drive it. After my uncle bought it the cop warned him not to drop the hammer on it. After having it a couple of weeks he was out testing it out and gunned it after coming out of a turn and the next thing he saw was his wheel passing him and rolling a half mile up the road. The torque ripped the wheel right off the axle. He parked it in his garage and always talked about fixing it but never did. He’s passed away now and my family often talks of finishing the car so we can have fun with it in his memory when the holidays come around.
Crazy story, Jon. Loved it!
Fellows: Please see the 2017,Graham Hill Trophy, Highlights, 75MM, race on U-tube and all your question about the Griffith will be answered. I’m speaking of the Series 400, which was a much better engineered car than the Series 200. Phil Donohue a serious car engineer worked on the 400.
What’s funny in the above race is that Mike Jordan is driving a production Griffith with the original WIRE WHEELS, AND STILL BEATS THE FASTEST COBRAS IN THE RACE. So, any comments on the wheel base?
I have never seen a Series 200 beat Shelby’s AC Cobras or win any races in the Continent, however, I have seen Mike Whitacre, Sean and Michael McInerney and their friend Phil Keen win races in the Continent with the TVR Griffith 400
See the 2011,Silverstone, Gentlemen Drivers race, or 2014, Croft Guard Trophy race on U-Tube, and, again, you’ll see the Series 400 do a job on all the A,B, and C Production sport cars.
My best,
Charles in California