classic tvr cars
Discussion
I think it's when you go out for a drive and you carry, trolley jack, axle stands, full socket set, litre of every liquid in the cars system, spare brake linings, bleed kit, spare clutch, more bulbs wire and fuses than Blackpool illuminations, a flat cap, chequered blanket and a flask.
cogrog said:
I own two TVR's a Chimaera which is 20 years old which i would call a modern classic and a Grantura which is 50+ years old which is a classic,i suppose you could use the pre 80's TVR group as a bench mark.
Its all in how you look at things I guess in a way your right the Pre 80s is certainly a game changer however nearly every TVR if not all is a Classic I think that the motor industry build cars with a life expectancy with todays throw away society I think expectations are a 10 year old car is old.
With all TVRs past this point now and most still going strong there is a good argument that all are classics
However I have noticed a big difference between each era in the cars
The later cars the talk is more often who did you get to work on the car
with the earlier cars its
How do I do this job on the car
Old or very old they are all great
Andrew
OK, I'm going to be really controversial here......
No TVR is a classic, it's just an old sports car, now there is nothing wrong with that there are many marques with old sports cars, or even just old cars, which the owners fettle and enthuse about.
Real classic cars are groundbreaking cars that changed the face of motoring (examples include Ford Model T, Mini, E-Type Jaguar, Citroen DS, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Muira etc), then you have another tier where the marque was involved in international motorsport at top level, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati etc. These marques have pedigree and perhaps should be called 'collectable' cars, as many models now are just seen as investments. Entering Le Mans a couple of times in my book doesn't hack it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love TVRs, they have a certain charm as a no-nonsense sports car and have a place in the motor industry, but classics no, collectables no. old sports cars yes, just like many other marques, and that's no bad thing, as you see as soon as a vehicle falls into a classic or collectable camp, it's value rises beyond what many of us can afford.
Love your TVR for what it is, an old sports car, don't try and evelate it to classic status!!!
No TVR is a classic, it's just an old sports car, now there is nothing wrong with that there are many marques with old sports cars, or even just old cars, which the owners fettle and enthuse about.
Real classic cars are groundbreaking cars that changed the face of motoring (examples include Ford Model T, Mini, E-Type Jaguar, Citroen DS, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Muira etc), then you have another tier where the marque was involved in international motorsport at top level, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati etc. These marques have pedigree and perhaps should be called 'collectable' cars, as many models now are just seen as investments. Entering Le Mans a couple of times in my book doesn't hack it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love TVRs, they have a certain charm as a no-nonsense sports car and have a place in the motor industry, but classics no, collectables no. old sports cars yes, just like many other marques, and that's no bad thing, as you see as soon as a vehicle falls into a classic or collectable camp, it's value rises beyond what many of us can afford.
Love your TVR for what it is, an old sports car, don't try and evelate it to classic status!!!
DavidY said:
OK, I'm going to be really controversial here......
No TVR is a classic, it's just an old sports car, now there is nothing wrong with that there are many marques with old sports cars, or even just old cars, which the owners fettle and enthuse about.
Real classic cars are groundbreaking cars that changed the face of motoring (examples include Ford Model T, Mini, E-Type Jaguar, Citroen DS, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Muira etc), then you have another tier where the marque was involved in international motorsport at top level, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati etc. These marques have pedigree and perhaps should be called 'collectable' cars, as many models now are just seen as investments. Entering Le Mans a couple of times in my book doesn't hack it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love TVRs, they have a certain charm as a no-nonsense sports car and have a place in the motor industry, but classics no, collectables no. old sports cars yes, just like many other marques, and that's no bad thing, as you see as soon as a vehicle falls into a classic or collectable camp, it's value rises beyond what many of us can afford.
Love your TVR for what it is, an old sports car, don't try and evelate it to classic status!!!
The sentiment is spot on. The definition of terminology is subjective & will always mean something different to different folk. No TVR is a classic, it's just an old sports car, now there is nothing wrong with that there are many marques with old sports cars, or even just old cars, which the owners fettle and enthuse about.
Real classic cars are groundbreaking cars that changed the face of motoring (examples include Ford Model T, Mini, E-Type Jaguar, Citroen DS, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Muira etc), then you have another tier where the marque was involved in international motorsport at top level, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati etc. These marques have pedigree and perhaps should be called 'collectable' cars, as many models now are just seen as investments. Entering Le Mans a couple of times in my book doesn't hack it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love TVRs, they have a certain charm as a no-nonsense sports car and have a place in the motor industry, but classics no, collectables no. old sports cars yes, just like many other marques, and that's no bad thing, as you see as soon as a vehicle falls into a classic or collectable camp, it's value rises beyond what many of us can afford.
Love your TVR for what it is, an old sports car, don't try and evelate it to classic status!!!
Moto
DavidY said:
OK, I'm going to be really controversial here......
No TVR is a classic, it's just an old sports car, now there is nothing wrong with that there are many marques with old sports cars, or even just old cars, which the owners fettle and enthuse about.
Real classic cars are groundbreaking cars that changed the face of motoring (examples include Ford Model T, Mini, E-Type Jaguar, Citroen DS, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Muira etc), then you have another tier where the marque was involved in international motorsport at top level, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati etc. These marques have pedigree and perhaps should be called 'collectable' cars, as many models now are just seen as investments. Entering Le Mans a couple of times in my book doesn't hack it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love TVRs, they have a certain charm as a no-nonsense sports car and have a place in the motor industry, but classics no, collectables no. old sports cars yes, just like many other marques, and that's no bad thing, as you see as soon as a vehicle falls into a classic or collectable camp, it's value rises beyond what many of us can afford.
Love your TVR for what it is, an old sports car, don't try and evelate it to classic status!!!
Yes David Controversial and Probably shared by others that have owned the cars in the past and resent the fact that values have risen beyond what they valued then when they owned them.No TVR is a classic, it's just an old sports car, now there is nothing wrong with that there are many marques with old sports cars, or even just old cars, which the owners fettle and enthuse about.
Real classic cars are groundbreaking cars that changed the face of motoring (examples include Ford Model T, Mini, E-Type Jaguar, Citroen DS, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Muira etc), then you have another tier where the marque was involved in international motorsport at top level, such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati etc. These marques have pedigree and perhaps should be called 'collectable' cars, as many models now are just seen as investments. Entering Le Mans a couple of times in my book doesn't hack it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love TVRs, they have a certain charm as a no-nonsense sports car and have a place in the motor industry, but classics no, collectables no. old sports cars yes, just like many other marques, and that's no bad thing, as you see as soon as a vehicle falls into a classic or collectable camp, it's value rises beyond what many of us can afford.
Love your TVR for what it is, an old sports car, don't try and evelate it to classic status!!!
However I disagree obviously as its actually values not just in old TVRs that insure that many Marques continue to be loved maintained and enjoyed and will do hopefully long after we are all gone.
Yes when cars where priced lower restorations where still done however one comment I often hear from some that where very close to the Factory Floor in Blackpool in the 60s and 70s is that the Quality of restorations get better and better as the years go buy.
Without rise in Values some may never get done to that level.
Andrew
DavidY said:
These marques have pedigree
I have to say TVR definately have pedigree, they may not be manicured poodles, but the heritage cannot be denied even if underevalued by many (i know you love them David).TVR Labrador i'd venture!
Besides I've already got the cap, flask and fleece.
GAjon said:
I have to say TVR definately have pedigree, they may not be manicured poodles, but the heritage cannot be denied even if underevalued by many (i know you love them David).
TVR Labrador i'd venture!
Besides I've already got the cap, flask and fleece.
And you from the grim North!!! As a shandy drinking southerner living the north west I can say thatTVR Labrador i'd venture!
Besides I've already got the cap, flask and fleece.
Cross breed might be better with all the bought in bits!!!! I'll leave the words loveable mongrel to others!!
If I was to be brutally honest, what is a TVR ?
Well it's an assembled kit car, where most of the running gear comes from another manufacturer, and only the bodyshell and chassis are unique to that car, or perhaps just a few bits made for it. The same goes for Lotus. There's not that much difference to kits made in a domestic shed.
This is true at least for the early days, but less so when TVR made their own engines, but I think that helped in their downfall.
However there has always been 'specials' and 'kits' and some are terrible, some are brilliant. Is a TVR better then a Lotus ??
Well, given Lotus used highly strung engines in their heyday, they did suffer worse reliability, but the curvy ones (early ELites) looked fabulous, every bit as good as a Ferrari.
The latest Lotus (Evora?) uses a Toyota V6 engine for example.
- - - - BUT - - - -
Do these facts make them somehow lesser then ones made in a factory ? I don't think so. As they say Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I reckon the same goes for the word "classic" and "collectible". It's entirely up to you.
Same for the question "Do I keep it original or not?" It's up to you.
Well it's an assembled kit car, where most of the running gear comes from another manufacturer, and only the bodyshell and chassis are unique to that car, or perhaps just a few bits made for it. The same goes for Lotus. There's not that much difference to kits made in a domestic shed.
This is true at least for the early days, but less so when TVR made their own engines, but I think that helped in their downfall.
However there has always been 'specials' and 'kits' and some are terrible, some are brilliant. Is a TVR better then a Lotus ??
Well, given Lotus used highly strung engines in their heyday, they did suffer worse reliability, but the curvy ones (early ELites) looked fabulous, every bit as good as a Ferrari.
The latest Lotus (Evora?) uses a Toyota V6 engine for example.
- - - - BUT - - - -
Do these facts make them somehow lesser then ones made in a factory ? I don't think so. As they say Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I reckon the same goes for the word "classic" and "collectible". It's entirely up to you.
Same for the question "Do I keep it original or not?" It's up to you.
well said,
i have a Lotus Elan Sprint and also a TVR 3000S.
I know which one has imho a better made grp body and it's not the Lotus.
Both are very different to drive and for me classic cars.
For the same price as my Sprint i can buy 2 TVRs.
I've just sold a TVR 1600M and need to find a Big Bad Wedge to replace it
Alan
i have a Lotus Elan Sprint and also a TVR 3000S.
I know which one has imho a better made grp body and it's not the Lotus.
Both are very different to drive and for me classic cars.
For the same price as my Sprint i can buy 2 TVRs.
I've just sold a TVR 1600M and need to find a Big Bad Wedge to replace it
Alan
RCK974X said:
If I was to be brutally honest, what is a TVR ?
Well it's an assembled kit car, where most of the running gear comes from another manufacturer, and only the bodyshell and chassis are unique to that car, or perhaps just a few bits made for it. The same goes for Lotus. There's not that much difference to kits made in a domestic shed.
This is true at least for the early days, but less so when TVR made their own engines, but I think that helped in their downfall.
However there has always been 'specials' and 'kits' and some are terrible, some are brilliant. Is a TVR better then a Lotus ??
Well, given Lotus used highly strung engines in their heyday, they did suffer worse reliability, but the curvy ones (early ELites) looked fabulous, every bit as good as a Ferrari.
The latest Lotus (Evora?) uses a Toyota V6 engine for example.
- - - - BUT - - - -
Do these facts make them somehow lesser then ones made in a factory ? I don't think so. As they say Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I reckon the same goes for the word "classic" and "collectible". It's entirely up to you.
Same for the question "Do I keep it original or not?" It's up to you.
AndyWell it's an assembled kit car, where most of the running gear comes from another manufacturer, and only the bodyshell and chassis are unique to that car, or perhaps just a few bits made for it. The same goes for Lotus. There's not that much difference to kits made in a domestic shed.
This is true at least for the early days, but less so when TVR made their own engines, but I think that helped in their downfall.
However there has always been 'specials' and 'kits' and some are terrible, some are brilliant. Is a TVR better then a Lotus ??
Well, given Lotus used highly strung engines in their heyday, they did suffer worse reliability, but the curvy ones (early ELites) looked fabulous, every bit as good as a Ferrari.
The latest Lotus (Evora?) uses a Toyota V6 engine for example.
- - - - BUT - - - -
Do these facts make them somehow lesser then ones made in a factory ? I don't think so. As they say Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I reckon the same goes for the word "classic" and "collectible". It's entirely up to you.
Same for the question "Do I keep it original or not?" It's up to you.
In what way do you classify the early cars as Kit Cars yes some cars where sold leaving some things for the owners to assemble themselves to save on sales tax however nothing that a couple of Lads with some spanners a few beers and a long weekend would not have sorted.
None for Export or certainly very few.
As for cars made with parts from other larger marques well nothing unusual in that many premium low volume cars do that today a car is more about how those parts are used that who makes them.
Andrew
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