Last 3000S exports to US?

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Does anyone have details on the last 3000S chassis numbers to be exported to the US? My car is 4964FM, which would make it the third-to-last car built. (One of the plates on my car has two of the digits swapped and reads 4694FM, but I'm guessing that was just a mistake.)

However, approximately 20 late 3000Ss were impounded by the US government in late 1979 and then re-exported when it was discovered that they weren't emissions compliant. If the cars were built in order, wouldn't the last chassis numbers have been part of this group?

Are they any detail changes that I can look for to confirm that my car was built near the end of production?

--Colin

[prideaux]

Hi Colin
Mine is 4546FM and built Nov78 I know David Gerald has the build records so you can ask Doug
I know later cars had a courtesy light and so even had a vinyl lube sticker instead of metal
Also I believe peddle box is different sure Adrian can tell you more
Bluezealand on here has one of those 20 so may be. Able to help
Good luck on your search
Andrew

[tunepipe911]

My car's registration is
24.05.1979
chassisnr 4744FM

Rudy

[bluezeeland]

Hi Colin,

Happy New Year !

My car, 4606FM, LHD 3000S was commissioned 12/78, delivered 6/79 and indeed part of the infamous consignment which was shipped to the States.
Robson book says the last normally aspired convertible build is 4968, the very last, a turbo, was 4970. 4966 appears to be a Taimar, but 4967 and 4969 seem to be un-accounted for......(anyone who knows ?)

By the delivery date of your car (i.e later than June) we could have a clue, whether she was also part of the 'impounders', and must have escaped 'eviction' or if that is not the case......that proves that the impoundment was not over emissions but over import paperwork by the then new importers.(As it is widely thought)

I've got pictures showing the cars (which weren't all convertibles, some Taimar and 3000M too)on the forecourt of Calvert garage at Arlington, VA.

People who might shed some light are Marshall Moore, former president of TVRCCNA and Oliver Edwards, registrar of TVRCC UK, and as said David Gerald whom will copy the build-sheet for you (at cost)

If you do dig up anything I would be very grateful if you could let me know !

regards

Frank

[cmb]

Happy New Year! Thanks to everyone for the info.

bluezeeland said:

Hi Colin,

Happy New Year !

My car, 4606FM, LHD 3000S was commissioned 12/78, delivered 6/79 and indeed part of the infamous consignment which was shipped to the States.
Robson book says the last normally aspired convertible build is 4968, the very last, a turbo, was 4970. 4966 appears to be a Taimar, but 4967 and 4969 seem to be un-accounted for......(anyone who knows ?)

By the delivery date of your car (i.e later than June) we could have a clue, whether she was also part of the 'impounders', and must have escaped 'eviction' or if that is not the case......that proves that the impoundment was not over emissions but over import paperwork by the then new importers.(As it is widely thought)

I've got pictures showing the cars (which weren't all convertibles, some Taimar and 3000M too)on the forecourt of Calvert garage at Arlington, VA.

People who might shed some light are Marshall Moore, former president of TVRCCNA and Oliver Edwards, registrar of TVRCC UK, and as said David Gerald whom will copy the build-sheet for you (at cost)

If you do dig up anything I would be very grateful if you could let me know !

regards

Frank

Frank, I'd be very interested in seeing the photos that you have of the cars in Arlington. Could you possibly post them or send them to me?

I'm fairly certain that my car was fitted with the US emissions kit (from Olson Engineering), because it has drilled holes in the exhaust headers (now capped with pipe plugs) where the air injection would have been connected. (Just out of curiosity, I'd like to see a photo of the engine in one of the federal V6 cars with its emissions stuff intact.)

I've contacted David Gerald to get a build sheet; hopefully that gives me some more information.

[bluezeeland]

Hi Colin,

here goes ;







F

[Tutman]

TVR Cars Of America NY November 1978 or 1979??

Edited by Tutman on Thursday 2nd January 03:57

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These photos are fascinating. I was hoping to spot my own car, but no such luck I know that mine had vinyl side graphics, but not the standard broad stripe -- it had thin coachlines along the curve of the bonnet and a "TVR" logo on each of the front wings. Probably not done up like that at the factory? I know nothing of the dealership where it was sold or of the car's first owner, so I suppose the graphics could have been added by either of them.

My car does have the map light / courtesy light built into the padding windscreen surround, and I also remember reading in an old Yahoo Groups thread (either in TVR_Pre1980 or usa-tvr) that these lights were fitted only to a small number of late 3000S examples.

[bluezeeland]

@tutman; is that Gerry Sagerman's place ?

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Here's another shot of the TVR Cars of America lot, probably taken on the same day? You can see that it's the same line of coupes parked in the background of the first photo.

I'm reposting this from the Yahoo Groups TVR_Pre1980 area, where it was sent as an attachment by Yahoo user 'berkb95'.

[prideaux]

Is it just me or do some of the cars today when restored look even better than they did when New or is it todays Digital Photography that gives that elusion ?
A

[Tutman]

More of Sagerman's TVR inventory Long Island, NY!

[Tutman]

[cmb]

These "TVR Cars of America" photos were indeed taken at the lot in Huntington, New York (at 29 New York Avenue.) Across the street in the background, you can see Coneys Marine, which is still there. The TVR lot itself has been redeveloped and is now "Tom's Auto Refinishing and Collision".

[Tutman]

All the photos were taken at TVR Cars Of America by me in 1978 or 1979?

[bluezeeland]

Pardon me for saying so, but I find this fascinating !

Does any of you guys across the pond have more pictures of Arlington, or does anybody know the route the cars took from NYC to VA ? (of the infamous 20, I mean ?)

btw; the Sagerman cars must be winter 78/79 (by the looks of it) I believe the relation with Blackpool came to a grinding halt in December 78-January 79 ?

Many thanks for posting, much obliged !

Frank

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bluezeeland said:

btw; the Sagerman cars must be winter 78/79 (by the looks of it) I believe the relation with Blackpool came to a grinding halt in December 78-January 79 ?

According to Peter Filby's book (A Passion to Succeed p. 373), Sagerman accepted his last shipment of cars during summer 1979, and the import fiasco was a little later, in September.

[bluezeeland]

Hi Colin,

Yup, checked and correct, but it says 'a batch of 6 cars' ? (there is 11 in the pictures)

It also says (on the next page) that the impounders where 3000S', which as you can see from the pics i've posted is incorrect....

Interestingly enough my car did not have any 'clean-gear', but it did have twin lube plates, one on the heater-box (as per normal) and another one (a Tuscan V8 one, believe it or not !) over a 'this vehicle complies with all Federal emission laws' one !!!

Frank

Edited by bluezeeland on Thursday 2nd January 18:36

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bluezeeland said:

Hi Colin,

Yup, checked and correct, but it says 'a batch of 6 cars' ? (there is 11 in the pictures)

I think the batch of six cars came later, as these photos were apparently taken in winter and the final (six car) shipment was in the summer.

I've looked quickly to see if there's any US government record available on the internet regarding the impounded cars, but I wasn't able to find anything. (It probably exists, just locked away in a dusty old filing cabinet in Washington.)

[bluezeeland]

Colin,

Is there anyway of knowing how, when and where the cars arrived, as in shipping manifests, NYC dock, shipping line. (preferable of the impounded shipment) I am a former merchant navy officer, so would be very grateful to get some leads !

Frank