Discussion
Mr Jenks said:
I understood that the first TVR`s were actually sold as kit cars, but only a few were ever sold allbeit not as we know a TVR today. Somebody more aware than myself is welcome to correct me, but I dont think that they were sold as kits post Grantura days.
I am old enough to remember the original TVR's (built my first kit car in 1963) and they were definitely offered as kit cars at that time. However that ceased at sometime in the late 1960's I think and the great bulk of TVR;s were therefore never kit cars.TVR are Definitely NOT a kit car. I've raced, hill climbed,sprinted built and developed kit cars mainly Westfield's and currently own a TVR powered V8 Westfield SEiGHT which was a factory built car in 2001 and cost £28,650 new, i didn't buy it new I picked it up in 2004
A kit car is as it described...buy a kit from a manufacturer and build it yourself. Apart from the Early days TVR never did this despite the cars having parts from many mainstream manufacturers.
HTH
Buzz
A kit car is as it described...buy a kit from a manufacturer and build it yourself. Apart from the Early days TVR never did this despite the cars having parts from many mainstream manufacturers.
HTH
Buzz
Quote from Wikipedia on TVR history
Approximately twenty of these chassis were built, although only three were purchased as a kit with the fiberglass bodyshell that Wilkinson had originally selected; these three cars used an RGS Atalanta body manufactured by special builder Richard G. Shattock. With the Atalanta body included in the kit, the car was named the "TVR Sports Saloon". The kit was first offered for sale in 1954 for £650. It was with this car that TVR first produced a brochure to advertise a product: it quoted some figures, such as the car's 1400 lb weight and 0-60 mph time of 13 seconds. It was also on the Sports Saloon that the first incarnation of TVR's badge appeared, designed by a young art student and Wilkinson's friend, John Cookson.
There were TVR kit cars but I have never seen one despite attending kit car shows and classic shows for 50 years and I would think are as rare as Rocking Horse poo. The mainstream TVR cars were all built by TVR.
Approximately twenty of these chassis were built, although only three were purchased as a kit with the fiberglass bodyshell that Wilkinson had originally selected; these three cars used an RGS Atalanta body manufactured by special builder Richard G. Shattock. With the Atalanta body included in the kit, the car was named the "TVR Sports Saloon". The kit was first offered for sale in 1954 for £650. It was with this car that TVR first produced a brochure to advertise a product: it quoted some figures, such as the car's 1400 lb weight and 0-60 mph time of 13 seconds. It was also on the Sports Saloon that the first incarnation of TVR's badge appeared, designed by a young art student and Wilkinson's friend, John Cookson.
There were TVR kit cars but I have never seen one despite attending kit car shows and classic shows for 50 years and I would think are as rare as Rocking Horse poo. The mainstream TVR cars were all built by TVR.
Mr Cerbera said:
OK It's Sunday, I'm bored and I thought that I would drift away from the Cerb Site and see what else there is on offer.
Then I come across this Dullo....
Do you really think, if you can turn this.....
into this....
by working on it in a garage, that you can classify it as a
KIT CAR then any education that you ever took part in was obviously wasted.
( I'm going back where I belong...
)
Lol!Then I come across this Dullo....
Do you really think, if you can turn this.....
into this....
by working on it in a garage, that you can classify it as a
KIT CAR then any education that you ever took part in was obviously wasted.( I'm going back where I belong...
)
now get back over the Fence in to your own field;)Buzz
OK, calm down now......
AFAIK, the "kit car" concept originated as a method of avoiding payment of new car purchase tax in the very early 60's.
Instead of taking delivery of a complete car from the supplier, the customer received a car in "kit" form exempt from the tax and assembled it himself,
Some kit cars were a basic shell with a few other parts, requiring a donor car to build the full vehicle, some were pretty much complete and only required an engine and wheels or suchlike.
A few very early TVRs were sold in kit form, but after the first few, they were all factory built.
Agreed the original Griffiths were exported to the US without engines, but not in kit form.
The fact that many owners chose to modify, upgrade or enhance their pride & joy does not make them a kit car.
Just my view.
HTH.
AFAIK, the "kit car" concept originated as a method of avoiding payment of new car purchase tax in the very early 60's.
Instead of taking delivery of a complete car from the supplier, the customer received a car in "kit" form exempt from the tax and assembled it himself,
Some kit cars were a basic shell with a few other parts, requiring a donor car to build the full vehicle, some were pretty much complete and only required an engine and wheels or suchlike.
A few very early TVRs were sold in kit form, but after the first few, they were all factory built.
Agreed the original Griffiths were exported to the US without engines, but not in kit form.
The fact that many owners chose to modify, upgrade or enhance their pride & joy does not make them a kit car.
Just my view.
HTH.
Edited by glenrobbo on Sunday 29th September 19:59
glenrobbo said:
OK, calm down now......
AFAIK, the "kit car" concept originated as a method of avoiding payment of new car purchase tax in the very early 60's.
Instead of taking delivery of a complete car from the supplier, the customer received a car in "kit" form exempt from the tax and assembled it himself,
Some kit cars were a basic shell with a few other parts, requiring a donor car to build the full vehicle, some were pretty much complete and only required an engine and wheels or suchlike. aaaa
A few very early TVRs were sold in kit form, but after the first few, they were all factory built.
Agreed the original Griffiths were exported to the US without engines, but not
The fact that many owners chose to modify, upgrade or enhance their pride & joy does not make them a kit car.
Correct in the detail there were TVR kit cars but not many and not for long. Trevor Wilkinson was a really interesting character and a genuinely gifted motor engineer. I think we all know the rest. The production of specialist sports cars in the UK is a very tricky and unforgiving business. As the demise of so many manufacturers over the years confirms.AFAIK, the "kit car" concept originated as a method of avoiding payment of new car purchase tax in the very early 60's.
Instead of taking delivery of a complete car from the supplier, the customer received a car in "kit" form exempt from the tax and assembled it himself,
Some kit cars were a basic shell with a few other parts, requiring a donor car to build the full vehicle, some were pretty much complete and only required an engine and wheels or suchlike. aaaa
A few very early TVRs were sold in kit form, but after the first few, they were all factory built.
Agreed the original Griffiths were exported to the US without engines, but not
The fact that many owners chose to modify, upgrade or enhance their pride & joy does not make them a kit car.
More on this thread including a photo of a Vixen "kit" being delivered: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
RAS said:
More on this thread including a photo of a Vixen "kit" being delivered: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Very interesting and informative post I am really surprised they are still extent.At the TVRCC meet at Brooklands on May 12th a lot of us met the owner of, and saw the car, a 1969/70 Tuscan with a 2.9 Ford engine. He told me that he bought the car in kit form to save purchase tax and put it together, and still owns it, 43 years later. It has the early Cortina ban the bomb rear lights.
I have a photo on my computer and will post it if I can find it
I have a photo on my computer and will post it if I can find it
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