Discussion
Any of you guys know anything about the TVR 1300. According to the book TVR The Complete Story, it was a Vixen with a Triumph/Spitfire 1300 engine, an unpopular combination apparently, with only 15 cars selling. Well, think I have found one. Been looking for a couple of months for a Vixen or an M series as a new winter project, and dropped on this one by word of mouth. It’s been in storage for 8 years and needs a lot of work, but is original. Can’t find any info on this forum. So my question is basically, is it worth a go, or should I look for a more common model? Or in other words, is it still unpopular, or does its rarity make it worth more on today’s marked?
Mel S3
Over time most Vixen 1300's will have been re-engined usually either 1600's or V8's.
IMHO a Vixen 1300 does not have rarity value only novelty value. In today's driving you would probably find it a bit slow, a trick 1600 would be much more like it. If you were rebuilding the car wouldn't you rather put a 1600 in at little or no extra cost compared with rebuilding the original 1300 unit??
Just my 2p
davidy
Over time most Vixen 1300's will have been re-engined usually either 1600's or V8's.
IMHO a Vixen 1300 does not have rarity value only novelty value. In today's driving you would probably find it a bit slow, a trick 1600 would be much more like it. If you were rebuilding the car wouldn't you rather put a 1600 in at little or no extra cost compared with rebuilding the original 1300 unit??
Just my 2p
davidy
I now have 2 Vixens, a series 1 and 2. ALL Vixens are rare, it is just a question of what you want to do with the car.
Personally I am not a slave to originality, which is why my series one is being re-built into a griffith 400 race replica. My series 2 is going to be built into a nice standard car with some warmed over parts, principly because I knoww have 3 sets of most standard vixen bits to keep it on the road indefinitely.
The 1300 is essentially an 1800S with a smaller engine, also similar to the vixen series 1. as such it is mechanically identical to both, apart from the engine. A 1600 modification is a very easy task if you want to convert to a vixen spec car for more power and enjoyment. I may have an engine in this respect if you are interested from my series 2 car.
Bear in mind though that it is a bonded body car and not bolt on, this makes it more difficult to restore. That said, the bonded cars with the shorter bodies and ban the bomb back lights are the ones to have IMHO.
These cars are for driving, not polishing. Go for it if it is a good deal, Vixens dont grow on trees and another chance might not surface for a long while
Neil.
Personally I am not a slave to originality, which is why my series one is being re-built into a griffith 400 race replica. My series 2 is going to be built into a nice standard car with some warmed over parts, principly because I knoww have 3 sets of most standard vixen bits to keep it on the road indefinitely.
The 1300 is essentially an 1800S with a smaller engine, also similar to the vixen series 1. as such it is mechanically identical to both, apart from the engine. A 1600 modification is a very easy task if you want to convert to a vixen spec car for more power and enjoyment. I may have an engine in this respect if you are interested from my series 2 car.
Bear in mind though that it is a bonded body car and not bolt on, this makes it more difficult to restore. That said, the bonded cars with the shorter bodies and ban the bomb back lights are the ones to have IMHO.
These cars are for driving, not polishing. Go for it if it is a good deal, Vixens dont grow on trees and another chance might not surface for a long while
Neil.
Thanks chaps, very helpful. I would like to keep things original if possible.
Just had a proper look around the car this afternoon. Just a few queries, Neil, you said:
This car has a bolt on body, 1972 with a all tubular chassis the square type back lights not ban the bomb. Does this ring true?
Anybody got any ideas to value? More or less than a Vixen S2 with the Kent engine?
Just had a proper look around the car this afternoon. Just a few queries, Neil, you said:
heightswitch said:
Bear in mind though that it is a bonded body car and not bolt on, this makes it more difficult to restore. That said, the bonded cars with the shorter bodies and ban the bomb back lights are the ones to have IMHO.
Neil.
This car has a bolt on body, 1972 with a all tubular chassis the square type back lights not ban the bomb. Does this ring true?
Anybody got any ideas to value? More or less than a Vixen S2 with the Kent engine?
The Vixen 1300 was a series 3 with the Spitfire engine. Legend has it that there was a 1300M built but I suspect that this was converted to a bigger engine many moons ago.
Price depends on condition but the Spitfire engine shouldn't mean its worth any less as a TVR Vixen is a TVR Vixen.
Price depends on condition but the Spitfire engine shouldn't mean its worth any less as a TVR Vixen is a TVR Vixen.
I stand corrected. was definitely thinking about something else.
A 1300 is infact a vixen with a 1300 triumph engine. as such it is mechanically similar to the other vixen models. graham robsons book states that the spec is same as Vixen 2, Axle is spitfire with 3.89:1 ratio as per vixen series 2. I assume it should have servo assisted brakes, since they were introduced in late 1969. I am not sure whether the car has the series 2 side vents or the series 3 ones, but chances are as mentioned its a series 3 shell. the book also states that the last 6 built 1300's were built on an M series chassis.
Can fix you up with 1600 engine, box and prop if you require.
how much does the guy want for it??
Neil.
A 1300 is infact a vixen with a 1300 triumph engine. as such it is mechanically similar to the other vixen models. graham robsons book states that the spec is same as Vixen 2, Axle is spitfire with 3.89:1 ratio as per vixen series 2. I assume it should have servo assisted brakes, since they were introduced in late 1969. I am not sure whether the car has the series 2 side vents or the series 3 ones, but chances are as mentioned its a series 3 shell. the book also states that the last 6 built 1300's were built on an M series chassis.
Can fix you up with 1600 engine, box and prop if you require.
how much does the guy want for it??
Neil.
What Ho TVR fans.
I am the owner of the previously mentioned 1971 Vixen 1300 (No2 of 9), the motor show car - the event with the naked models. I've had it for 31 years, it's been restored twice but has spent more time static than running in my ownership.
The car hasn't run for a while, awaiting TLC in dry storage. Still has a 1300 Spitfire engine, but not totally original - fitted with a Citroen Visa radiator for instance. When last on the road I must say the performance was as you would expect, pretty pathetic for a TVR, so I might recommission using a 1600 or bigger engine, whilst keeping the 1300 in case a future owner wishes to go original. I have a spare overdrive gearbox so might consider getting a breathed on 1300 lump and combining the two to make it a bit more sporty. Mine lacks a brake servo, but that wasn't a problem as I could barely get 70 out of the thing and acceleration was sluggish, perhaps the engine wasn't working too well! Body is bolted on and very easy to remove. Chassis is original but repaired in the usual TVR places. My biggest restoration problem will be tucking the exhaust up into the chassis as I now live in a road with many speed bumps and the ground clearance currently is minimal.
Any Vixen is worth a punt, they are ultra rare on the road (when was the last time you saw one?), solidly moulded/constructed (apart from the usual obsolete and flimsy parts bin bits), eminently restorable and interesting to own. Mine's featured in Vol 2 of Peter Filby's epic TVR history tome - it's metallic blue at the moment. A while ago someone with more TVR knowledge than me suggested that restored it might be worth £10k+ due to rarity value and "celebrity" provenance, not sure if I believe that.
Good luck!
I am the owner of the previously mentioned 1971 Vixen 1300 (No2 of 9), the motor show car - the event with the naked models. I've had it for 31 years, it's been restored twice but has spent more time static than running in my ownership.
The car hasn't run for a while, awaiting TLC in dry storage. Still has a 1300 Spitfire engine, but not totally original - fitted with a Citroen Visa radiator for instance. When last on the road I must say the performance was as you would expect, pretty pathetic for a TVR, so I might recommission using a 1600 or bigger engine, whilst keeping the 1300 in case a future owner wishes to go original. I have a spare overdrive gearbox so might consider getting a breathed on 1300 lump and combining the two to make it a bit more sporty. Mine lacks a brake servo, but that wasn't a problem as I could barely get 70 out of the thing and acceleration was sluggish, perhaps the engine wasn't working too well! Body is bolted on and very easy to remove. Chassis is original but repaired in the usual TVR places. My biggest restoration problem will be tucking the exhaust up into the chassis as I now live in a road with many speed bumps and the ground clearance currently is minimal.
Any Vixen is worth a punt, they are ultra rare on the road (when was the last time you saw one?), solidly moulded/constructed (apart from the usual obsolete and flimsy parts bin bits), eminently restorable and interesting to own. Mine's featured in Vol 2 of Peter Filby's epic TVR history tome - it's metallic blue at the moment. A while ago someone with more TVR knowledge than me suggested that restored it might be worth £10k+ due to rarity value and "celebrity" provenance, not sure if I believe that.
Good luck!
Imho if i had a 1300 i would keep the 1300 Triumph engine.
Maybe if you could find some tuning things from that time, e.g. SAH goodies or Janspeed or Downton. Maybe an Overdrive Gearbox from a Spitfire or GT6.
Alan
p.s. if the naked models are still alive i think they would have a few wrinkles now
Maybe if you could find some tuning things from that time, e.g. SAH goodies or Janspeed or Downton. Maybe an Overdrive Gearbox from a Spitfire or GT6.
Alan
p.s. if the naked models are still alive i think they would have a few wrinkles now
Edited by plasticpig72 on Sunday 12th March 05:28
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