TVR Griffith 500

AKU

RMS Regular
Messages
30
Location
Bangor
Drives
TVR
Hi all, I’m not really a forum person, but a friend introduced me to RMS and the fact it’s local coupled with the breadth of interests and knowledge on here drew me in. That dude customising the American truck! The guy with the black F355. Great site.

Anyway, this is my Griff which I took the plunge on about 10 years ago, after the obligitary scaring myself senseless for a few months reading about reliability and chassis issues. I ended up travelling over to Scotland to Golspie, north of Inverness, in November to secure the purchase before someone else snaffled it. This led to one of my more interesting first drives after I left Golspie to try and navigate on unfamiliar roads through Inverness to my overnight B&B, in a rush hour full of mad Scots, in the freezing rain and in a car with wipers that didn’t. But the next day was bright and dry and my B&B was at the northern tip of Lough Ness, so the delivery trip home along its shores and then through the mountains on the A82 was mad epic. I was introduced to some build quality issues when I first floored it on this route when the rear view mirror flew off over my shoulder. But as per the first rule of Italian driving pointed out by Raul Julia in the Gumball movie, “What's-a behind me is not important”. Then as the drive became a little more ‘brisk’ one of the wipers, arm and all, peeled off its hinge and bounced off over the roof. I think it’s called character.

That said, I’ve encountered no major reliability issues that were the cars fault, one oil pump that some numpty had been into to raise the oil pressure (not a good idea on these cars), and an immobiliser that was a) wired wrong and b) 25 years old. There is now a full stainless system on it, fully de-catted, an induction kit, billet flywheel, custom Bilstein / Eibach suspension, braided brake lines and, very importantly, uprated cooling fans. This car is truly world class at producing heat.

I’m very much a lover of great exhaust notes (The Lambo at the start of Cannonball Run anyone? Porsche 917K? Anyone? Bueller?) and the Griffs is now truly sonorous and unapologetically massive. Anyway, here it is….

3 quarter view.jpg

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Engine bay.jpg
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Lyons

RMS Moderator
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76,925
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Texarkana
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X5 / 435D
Fantastic! So nice to see something different. Welcome to the forum too.
 
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Gaz

This space available for rent
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32,522
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Belfast
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M4 Comp Pack
Welcome to the forum (y)

Never been in a Griffith though I have been in other TVRs, and they truly sound immense. Run in a Cerbera some years back is forever imprinted in my mind. Great to see something like this locally.
 
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AKU

RMS Regular
OP
AKU
Messages
30
Location
Bangor
Drives
TVR
Trev 1515 - I started at GT2 and was two cone challenges away from the Speed 12. If you got that baby without cheating you were doing very well! I imagine it was nearly undrivable though...
Thanks for the welcome guys! Still finding my way about with quotin' and replyin'
 

ChrisL

RMS Regular
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18,485
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Audi S3 (8V)
Love it.

My mate had a Chimera fitted with the same exhaust setup, sounded insane. Is that one of those manifolds the guy on the Uk owners forum makes every now and again?
 
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AKU

RMS Regular
OP
AKU
Messages
30
Location
Bangor
Drives
TVR
Love it.

My mate had a Chimera fitted with the same exhaust setup, sounded insane. Is that one of those manifolds the guy on the Uk owners forum makes every now and again?

Mines a stock ACT unit, but I know the ones you mean. It's the same guy who designed and built this unit, but a bit outside my price range!
download.jpg
 

jinjur

RMS Regular
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2,014
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Clio 172
This is that childhood dream car................right here..............the noise! Lovely mate.
 
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Artoir

RMS Regular
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10,669
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V8/V6
I really missed the boat with TVRs. Prices only going one way for the foreseeable definitely.

That looks like a great example. Surprising how many there are in NI, we had near a dozen out for an NI Pistonheads run a few years back.
 

AKU

RMS Regular
OP
AKU
Messages
30
Location
Bangor
Drives
TVR
I really missed the boat with TVRs. Prices only going one way for the foreseeable definitely.

That looks like a great example. Surprising how many there are in NI, we had near a dozen out for an NI Pistonheads run a few years back.

Aye, I was lucky getting in and buying it before kids arrived, it's appreciated by about 100% since I bought it so there would be no chance now. I had to mothball it for near 6 years weathering the arrival of sprogs and it did sulk a bit when I was getting it up on it's toes again but he's happy now with his new boots and shouty bits etc.

It's a good country to own one with Gregg down in Torqueflyte to look after them, he knows everything about them down to what metal the diff cover plates are made of etc. Top bloke.
 

Cossers

RMS Regular
Messages
2,865
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981
Welcome along :grinning: brings back fond memories of the 400 precat that I sold back in 2015! Totally rebuilt with a new chassis, it’s was a great car, what a noise :grinning:

Health to enjoy.
 
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Captain Starlet

RMS Regular
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8,157
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Land of the spuds
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S2000
I was lucky enough to get a run in the car last week and it really is something very special, the acceleration and handling is fantastic, but the noise, and smell is just something that has to be experienced, words can't describe it. There is something very raw and exciting about this type of car. I would honestly pick it over a modern sports car any day of the week. Cheers for the run @AKU and welcome to the forum.
 
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