> From: steve@europa.esd.sgi.com (Loopy - the spineless boy)
> To: Roland Dudley <cobra@snakebyte.cdc.hp.com>
> Subject: Re: Re: TVR
> Cc: sabbott@nmsu.edu, british-cars@autox.team.net
> I mailed dstone this, but I guess the rest of the group might be interested...
>
>
> In 1963 (or thereabouts), Jack Griffith stuffed a 289 V8 into a TVR
> Grantura MK3. He convinced TVR to send him rollers for him to put together
> and sell in the US. I'm not sure how many were made (around 200? - I'll have
> to look it up), but they had a reputation for evil handling and overheating.
> A notorious motor journalist (forgot which one) said something to the effect
> that a (some motorcycle- again my memory fails me) doing 150MPH on (some
> racetrack - details, details) is safer than a Griffith parked in your garage!
You're correct on the name it was Griffith not Griffin.
A good friend of mine owned one in So Cal in the mid '60s and I don't
recall that he had in difficulties with the car's handling. At least
none he ever complained to me about. He did have occasional problems
with the Highway Patrol, however. I also knew another owner in upstate
New York around 1965 who autocrossed (or what ever the equivalent was at
the time) his very successfully. The car was very light and had lots of
power so I can see how a driver that didn't know the car very well could
get into big trouble.
Roland
>
>
|