First Aston Martin and now TVR great news for my county

rjbell

rjbell

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We heard a week or so ago that Aston martin were going to produce a new model in my county Vale Of Glamorgan, just 5 miles from my house. Everyone is buzzing about. Now today we hear TVR could be moving production here also!

All we need now is Gilbern to rise from the ashes :).
 
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Where - what? I knew they were looking for premises for the new build, near a race track
 
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Ok it's the artists impression but it's exciting times for us TVR owners.
 
Great to hear the name will be back, pity they won't be built in Lancashire where the company started. I went round the factory once - well, I call it a factory, it was a cluster of small units that had previously been an industrial laundry. They made some amazing looking cars though.
 
eeyore said:
and on the back of AA trucks.... ;)
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Yawn.
Currently a couple of test mules doing the rounds running the entire running gear from the new model. Ran up significant mileage over the last few months. Based on the Ford V8, tuned by Cosworth

And honestly, in the time I've had my TVR, I've had to have a new engine in my new Nissan Primera and now most of a new engine in my Mazda 6, both under warranty. Being enthusiasts cars they are much more reliable than modern cars. We've driven around europe with no issues at all.
 
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LASTOLITE said:
It would be great to see new cars from TVR on the roads.
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Over 300 deposits taken, entry to Lemans planned for 2017 and well advanced. delivery to customers thrid quarter of 2017.
Side exiting exhausts through the wing like the McLaren Merc to keep the underfloor flat for ground effect, Ford V8 engine tuned by Cosworth showing 550bhp, (with US tuners having cheap tuning options with superchargers up to 800bhp)
Initial 300 launch editions will be special, one off's, carbon tub, all the toys, with something special to identify them as the first ones. Expected to be around £80K

And the new owner is a really interesting and pleasent chap to talk to. Very approachable, has gone out of his way to chat to owners, quietly attend meets etc. Owns a Sagaris
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eeyore said:
and on the back of AA trucks.... ;)
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Bad Donkey, Bad! Your heading for a smacked bottom!


I know what you mean though they were chronic, I can remember the agony of electrical issues on a couple of the ones we regularly serviced when I had the garage. TVR has always had my attention on the looks and some of the paint was very well done for a composite/glass bodied car. The Chassis design for me did not lend itself very well for driver protection in an impact, especially a T bone collision. But I suppose thats how cost was kept down and what made the early ones more affordable.
 
LASTOLITE said:
Bad Donkey, Bad! Your heading for a smacked bottom!


I know what you mean though they were chronic, I can remember the agony of electrical issues on a couple of the ones we regularly serviced when I had the garage. TVR has always had my attention on the looks and some of the paint was very well done for a composite/glass bodied car. The Chassis design for me did not lend itself very well for driver protection in an impact, especially a T bone collision. But I suppose thats how cost was kept down and what made the early ones more affordable.
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Great crash protection, as has been proven several times but inexperienced drivers. Mine has a full roll cage built in from the factory as standard
 
IIRC, TVR used to use crimp on connectors in their looms, possibly not ideal for that application (but cheaper than doing it properly!)
 
I used to carry a spare clutch-cable for my old Vixen S3, they snapped so regularly.

It got to the point I could change one in about 15 minutes - in the dark - in the rain!!!!

Loved that car - so much that I then bought a Tasmin 2.8 - that was terrifying!

Gret to see them back, and if they're making them just down the road at St. Athan, like Aston, it would be even better. It's an area that's struggled since he RAF moved out, so any investment is to be welcomed.
 
BT Bob said:
I used to carry a spare clutch-cable for my old Vixen S3, they snapped so regularly.
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I hankered after the V6 Tuscan, in my youth, I couldn't afford one then, I doubt that I could afford one now :(
 
Cobra said:
I hankered after the V6 Tuscan, in my youth, I couldn't afford one then, I doubt that I could afford one now :(
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Tuscan was a straight six, speed six engine, wasn't a v, sorry.
Lightweight, powerful, but some design issues make the initial ones unreliable (hence the catty aa van references above). Now sorted that the engine builders will give a 5 year warranty on the work.
 
OldCarlos said:
Sounds fantastic. :cool:

The guy on the left (with TVR on his back) is presumably driving one of the `test mules` prior to fitting the body panels? :D
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Ex wilts Tvr regional officer, did a lot of work locally. This is a huge show we put on, he did a huge amount of work, despite having walking issues at the time. He stole the electric paddock kart to get around so he could boss us about :D
 
Nod said:
IIRC, TVR used to use crimp on connectors in their looms, possibly not ideal for that application (but cheaper than doing it properly!)
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Not for a long time, but dirty connectors on 20+ year old cars do cause issues. But that was what was around at the time, lots of uk manufactured cars used the same type of connectors, and after 20 plus years, it's not unusual to have issues. It's not restricted to TVRs.

But, you kinda forgive them the little things, just, because, well...

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National news this eve said a decision on whether S Wales was going to be the venue, was expected in a few weeks. Presume it's a done deal, but just not officially announced yet?
 
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I mean, why wouldn't you :)
£230 road tax a year, currently fully comp insurance for me is about the same, for a beautiful, fun, fast car.
 
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From memory, there have been two Tuscan models - the "old" shaped one - similar to my old Vixen (what I like to call the "classic" TVR shape - scariest of which was the original Griffith), and the newer one, which had the speed-six engine.

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BT Bob said:
From memory, there have been two Tuscan models - the "old" shaped one
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That's the one, your Vixen post prompted me to "post" besides, I did say in my Yoof, that should have given him a big hint ;)

:D
 
A friend had one of the old Tuscans. Overheated faster than a DM reader in a mosque! Several flushes of clean water and a good dose of inhibitor cleared the radiator so he sold it before it clogged up again!
 
Nod said:
A friend had one of the old Tuscans. Overheated faster than a DM reader in a mosque! Several flushes of clean water and a good dose of inhibitor cleared the radiator so he sold it before it clogged up again!
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Yeah - the rad fans on some of the early cars were, err, less than efficient. My Vixen had an aftermarket electric one fitted - about twice the diameter of the original one - and that was only a 1600cc!!
Must've been a 'mare on the bigger engines..
 
I'm just looking at the photos on here, and it made me think how much people bang on about how good some Ferraris and E-Types look - and they're right, of course, but damn, these TVRs are gorgeous!

Crazy, at times, yes - but still gorgeous
 
BT Bob said:
My Vixen had an aftermarket electric one fitted
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I remember It was all the rage at one time, to fit a thermostatic electric Kenlow, ( or two) before electronic fans became the norm.
 
Eyecatching more than gorgeous but I would love one for a while (one of the V8s, please!) E-Type is gorgeous and the XK8 is not far behind. Not that fond of any Ferrari other than the Daytona.
 
Byker28i said:
Tuscan was a straight six, speed six engine, wasn't a v, sorry.
Lightweight, powerful, but some design issues make the initial ones unreliable (hence the catty aa van references above). Now sorted that the engine builders will give a 5 year warranty on the work.
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Wrong.

First Tuscan was when Martin Lilley took over the reins of TVR and was an updated Griffith. Had Ford V8 or V6. My father had a 1960s Tuscan which he raced for a short period, supposedly one of the wide body versions.

Then came the late 1980's TVR Tuscan challenge race car, which had Rover V8 and were later upgraded to the AJP8 engine. These were all race cars, but some were road registered afterwards.

Then came the Tuscan you're thinking of.
 
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Byker28i said:
Great crash protection, as has been proven several times but inexperienced drivers. Mine has a full roll cage built in from the factory as standard
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No SIP in the cars I have worked on! Nowt on the doors and the outriggers are so low they offer nothing. I have seen a TVR after a Bike hit it on the passenger door at 60 ish - it was not pretty.
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Unless the ones I had worked on were different, I saw no SIP on any of them? The doors had nothing unless it was embedded in the fibreglass and if it was it could not have been substantial at all.

Lets hope the new ones are just that, new from the ground up with none of the old cars negative characteristics but retain the truly great ones!
 
LASTOLITE said:
No SIP in the cars I have worked on! Nowt on the doors and the outriggers are so low they offer nothing. I have seen a TVR after a Bike hit it on the passenger door at 60 ish - it was not pretty.

Unless the ones I had worked on were different, I saw no SIP on any of them? The doors had nothing unless it was embedded in the fibreglass and if it was it could not have been substantial at all.

Lets hope the new ones are just that, new from the ground up with none of the old cars negative characteristics but retain the truly great ones!
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Side impact bars weren't introduced into volvo's until the 90's? When did they hit mainstream cars? So your comparing modern technology with vintage cars. Quite a lot of old cars don't have side impact protection. TVRs have strengthening in the doorpanels, not upto modern standards but fibreglass tends to absorb energy quite well.

I've also seen a few cars/vans after bikes have hit them, none of those were pretty for either vehicle.

Old TVR's had no drivers aids, traction control, ABS, airbags.but met requirements at the time. These have now changed - the new ones will have to meet all current legislation.
 
Byker28i said:
LOL,
If you fancy seeing some older stuff, we gathered every model together for an Octane magazine shoot
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Nice :)

I do prefer the older ones TBH. Was it the Chimera that changed the shape dramatically?
Which ever it was, I didn't like that much at all.
 
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