Very rare TVR at Le Mans: Trident convertable? Only one?
Discussion
Saw this at the Great British Welcome meeting (Friday) at Le Mans this year....
I thought it was a Trident, based on seeing photos of the coupe version from pictures from a Car Show (I think was in an old Sprint magazine and if memory serves me right one of the coupes might have been a dark crimson colour?) but haven't seen one like this before. I texted photos to Kev D (SYTVRCC and organiser of the Chatsworth gethering) to see if he knew what it was, his response was apparently it IS a TVR Trident, maybe one of the few prototypes made and is perhaps the only drop top? It dates from when Martin Lilley bought TVR after it had gone bust, and he thought that he had bought the rights to the Trident, but apparently one of the dealers had got there first and might have built a few under the name Trident cars?
This one is on French plates and has a TVR badge.....
... anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Is this the only convertable version in existence?
And you can make out it had it's bonnet open at some point when I took this shot (its in the foreground):
I thought it was a Trident, based on seeing photos of the coupe version from pictures from a Car Show (I think was in an old Sprint magazine and if memory serves me right one of the coupes might have been a dark crimson colour?) but haven't seen one like this before. I texted photos to Kev D (SYTVRCC and organiser of the Chatsworth gethering) to see if he knew what it was, his response was apparently it IS a TVR Trident, maybe one of the few prototypes made and is perhaps the only drop top? It dates from when Martin Lilley bought TVR after it had gone bust, and he thought that he had bought the rights to the Trident, but apparently one of the dealers had got there first and might have built a few under the name Trident cars?
This one is on French plates and has a TVR badge.....
... anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Is this the only convertable version in existence?
And you can make out it had it's bonnet open at some point when I took this shot (its in the foreground):
David Gerald had this for sale about 4 years ago and was for sale for quite a long time, assuming it is the same one - it is the same colour.
From memory it was owned by a Belgian and DG's were selling it for him. I'm sure it had a UK registration at that point, was it an F reg (1968ish)?
It seemed a good price but and we were tempted to buy it.
FFG
From memory it was owned by a Belgian and DG's were selling it for him. I'm sure it had a UK registration at that point, was it an F reg (1968ish)?
It seemed a good price but and we were tempted to buy it.
FFG
FlipFlopGriff said:
David Gerald had this for sale about 4 years ago and was for sale for quite a long time, assuming it is the same one - it is the same colour.
From memory it was owned by a Belgian and DG's were selling it for him. I'm sure it had a UK registration at that point, was it an F reg (1968ish)?
It seemed a good price but and we were tempted to buy it.
FFG
FFG, I remember seeing the car at the NEC Classic on D.Geralds stand - maybe in 2010?From memory it was owned by a Belgian and DG's were selling it for him. I'm sure it had a UK registration at that point, was it an F reg (1968ish)?
It seemed a good price but and we were tempted to buy it.
FFG
I can recall chatting to them, the gist being that some of the 'fake-snake' Cobra reps were selling easily for 25K to 30K (that's with a Ford 427)...but he was struggling to move this. It's a one-off, same Ford engine (might be 289 hi-po) - WHY? The Cobra reps were kit cars FFS, and you were relying on the integrity of the builder to have all the nuts tight ;-), yet this car was at least built in a production facility.
Joe Public's perception of one-offs, I guess?
Nick
I saw a Trident the other day, parked up on some posh London backroad around Kensington..... didn't realise they were so rare with only 85 being made (just googled it)..... It obviously was a good looking car as it caught my eye amongst all the other cars, and women in summer clothes 
There's a v8 trident for sale here in Norway http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object;jsessionid...
Getsis said:
There's a v8 trident for sale here in Norway http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object;jsessionid...
Nice 
It was at Classic Le Mans last year on the TVR club stand
Le Mans Classic 2012 by Colin RedGriff, on Flickr
Le Mans Classic 2012 by Colin RedGriff, on Flickr
Yes, as was pointed out it's the only Convertible of the 4 TVR Tridents built in 1965. After delivery very late in 1965 it was completed at the TVR factory for Martin Lilley's use. It later changed hands a few times and was run for a time by Paul de Rivas. It was restored over the period 1985 or so to perhaps 2000 by Neil Lefley, former owner of several TVRs including the very well known Tuscan V8 LWB 500 ML. It does indeed have a Hi-Po 289 V8. It was sold by him to a Belgian lawyer who desecrated it with an auto box and all sorts of appendages. Thankfully its new French owner has restored it to its correct appearance. He occasionally brings it to the UK so it has been seen at some TVR events. The last time I saw it was at the Goodwood Festival of Speed about 5 years ago, where it took part in the big Cartier Style et Luxe concours there.
Edited by neh321 on Tuesday 20th August 20:18
Edited by neh321 on Saturday 24th August 19:24
Edited by neh321 on Saturday 24th August 19:25
mikeinsheffield said:
Saw this at the Great British Welcome meeting (Friday) at Le Mans this year....
I thought it was a Trident, based on seeing photos of the coupe version from pictures from a Car Show (I think was in an old Sprint magazine and if memory serves me right one of the coupes might have been a dark crimson colour?) but haven't seen one like this before. I texted photos to Kev D (SYTVRCC and organiser of the Chatsworth gethering) to see if he knew what it was, his response was apparently it IS a TVR Trident, maybe one of the few prototypes made and is perhaps the only drop top? It dates from when Martin Lilley bought TVR after it had gone bust, and he thought that he had bought the rights to the Trident, but apparently one of the dealers had got there first and might have built a few under the name Trident cars?
This one is on French plates and has a TVR badge.....
... anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Is this the only convertable version in existence?
And you can make out it had it's bonnet open at some point when I took this shot (its in the foreground):
That TVR is nice and rather special. I thought it was a Trident, based on seeing photos of the coupe version from pictures from a Car Show (I think was in an old Sprint magazine and if memory serves me right one of the coupes might have been a dark crimson colour?) but haven't seen one like this before. I texted photos to Kev D (SYTVRCC and organiser of the Chatsworth gethering) to see if he knew what it was, his response was apparently it IS a TVR Trident, maybe one of the few prototypes made and is perhaps the only drop top? It dates from when Martin Lilley bought TVR after it had gone bust, and he thought that he had bought the rights to the Trident, but apparently one of the dealers had got there first and might have built a few under the name Trident cars?
This one is on French plates and has a TVR badge.....
... anyone able to shed any more light on this?
Is this the only convertable version in existence?
And you can make out it had it's bonnet open at some point when I took this shot (its in the foreground):
In the last pic There's a bunch of us standing next to the Élan...and the tall guy standing next to the spitfire with the blue body warmer is Les Edgar. He had a really good look over the TVR.
My father worked at the factory and was involved in the construction of the 4 prototypes discussed. He was the owner of one of them for some time before it was sold and went to America.
All 4 are still in existance apparently and being restored to former glory
It was great to come across this thread and see the convertible in such fine shape.
All 4 are still in existance apparently and being restored to former glory
It was great to come across this thread and see the convertible in such fine shape.
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