Highest price for a Griffith? Especially SE

[NicBowman]

Hi

sold my Griffith, looking for a Griffith. Weird how life goes round some times.

I was going Tuscan, but so far I don’t like the way they sound or drive.

I fancy an SE. What is the highest price ever seen for an SE?

Oddly, 4 for sale at the mo.

I feel £45k is really floating a crazy number out there, surely? No one will buy at that price… really?

Thoughts?


Nic

[Granturadriver]

I like the idea of TVR becoming more and more valuable. The Griffith and successors tip all the boxes of something great and a a dying breed: terrific looking, powerful, rare automotive historically important. And I like the momentum of owners not wanting to sell cheap. Let‘s wait and see…

To be honest I prefer the non SE due to their classic rear light clusters.

[frontfloater]

My local TVR engineer here in Blackpool used to be a former factory employee. Some years ago when I was discussing the possibility of swopping my S2 for a Griffith, his advice was "Buy any model except the SE - during that final run we were just throwing them together with any old parts left lying around the factory. That's why no two are the same".

[NicBowman]

Hi, thanks. I actually prefer the look of the late cars before the SE. I just sold my year 2000 car…

But. Regardless to tales of factory build standards, there is some cachet from the numbered last models. I feel they will always hold that element of being special.

They do command the highest prices. No bad thing.

Any more views?

Thx


Nic

[robsco]

A 2,000 miler went through an auction earlier this year at £45k. I’d be tempted to drive a T350, miles nicer to drive than a Tuscan and there are 4 litre cars out there if that’s your thing. Targa option if you are insistent on the wind in your hair.

[8Speed]

Personal choice but I don't like the rear lights on the SE.
I think Griffiths in decent condition should edge up in price because they're the last of the old school models and not produced in ridiculously large numbers. The SE will always command the highest prices because of the limited number.
Mileage is now becoming less of a factor as condition & maintenance history is more important with the cars being between 20 & 30 years old.

[Englishman]

Similarly I'm not as keen on the SE, largely down to the interior and rear, but understand why they command a higher price due to rarity.

All well sorted Griffs with PAS are good to drive and still feel pretty modern to me.

The later cars are better again in general, but can vary massively from car to car. I know when I was looking for my first Tuscan, some were just awful to drive, while others were fine. The S2 Tuscan is a definite step up again and where I'd put my money if choosing between to top price Griff and a Tuscan.

[BEARDYB0Y]

NicBowman said:

I was going Tuscan, but so far I don’t like the way they sound or drive.

Nic, Was there any particular aspect you didn't like about the Tuscan? Have you ever tried a Tamora?

When I was on the hunt I tried a Tuscan first but, like you, I wasn't all that impressed with the way it drove. Then I tried the Tam and was blown away by the difference. The T350 would be similar to the Tamora but even with the Targa, you still have some roof over your head...

The sound is quite different too as it doesn't have the carbon cans. That being said the Speed 6 is quite different to the V8 in both torque delivery and sound.

You can get a LOT of Tamora for 30k never mind the 40-45k asking for an Griffith SE.

BEARDYB0Y

[NicBowman]

Hi

I rode in a Tuscan. I found there was a lot of mechanical noise, transmission, axle, etc, as well as the engine whine. Noisy. Didn’t feel that fast either. Maybe just the 6 cylinder lower torque.

Am testing Tuscan (mk2), Griff SE and will look at T350 on Tuesday.

Nic

[robsco]

They are quick but they thrive on revs. Where the RV8 is all out of puff at 5k, the Speed Six is just getting into its stride. The T cars have a ludicrously long throttle travel too, you almost have to arc your foot to get to the throttle stop.

[frontfloater]

"The T cars have a ludicrously long throttle travel too"

That's what Peter Wheeler used to call "in-built traction control". It was deliberate design on most of his era cars - protecting the driver from unintentional over-hoofing it. He wanted the cars to only really go when you really tell it to go.

[Classic Chim]

robsco said:

They are quick but they thrive on revs. Where the RV8 is all out of puff at 5k, the Speed Six is just getting into its stride. The T cars have a ludicrously long throttle travel too, you almost have to arc your foot to get to the throttle stop.

Out of interest.
What revs can you safely use in a Speed six?
A good one of either running top spec isn’t exactly slow I’d wager.
I get the feeling a speed six engine would be much better on track where as the RV8 running a decent Ecu etc would be marginally better as a tourer and torque monster on the streets but that’s purely a guess.

[Jurgen Schmidt]

Perhaps off topic, but I am lucky enough to own both a Griff (not an SE) and a Tuscan mkIII, and they're both very different cars

Owned the Tuscan 12 yrs and the Griffith 8

I've still no idea which I prefer, but luv em both

[NicBowman]

Hi.

I have just driven a T350 and a Mk2 Tuscan S.

I found neither gave me the shove I was expecting, until I was going way too fast! Which was weird.

Oddly, I felt the 3.6l was slightly better to drive, from an engine perspective. The 4.0l was positively dangerous if you wanted to get any real thrust, just way above legal speeds.

I also don’t like the tappety clatter from the straight 6. V8 has no clatter. Tricky.

Nic

[NicBowman]

Last point. I can’t get in an SE. Higher seats, head in the roll bar. So no SE..

[BEARDYB0Y]

NicBowman said:

Oddly, I felt the 3.6l was slightly better to drive, from an engine perspective. The 4.0l was positively dangerous if you wanted to get any real thrust, just way above legal speeds.

I also don’t like the tappety clatter from the straight 6. V8 has no clatter. Tricky.

I had exactly the same feeling when I first drove both a 3.6 and 4.0. The 4.0 was just scary whereas I felt I could relax into enjoyment in the 3.6. Its not like you need the extra poke anyway.

There isnt much you can do about the tappety clatter. The way i look at it is that many people pay good money to get a similar noise out a 911... just get a noisy exhaust and let off about 3200rpm in 2nd or 3rd (30-45mph) to enjoy the overrun.

[MikeE]

Didn't Fernhurst sell the final SE (#100) for £75K about 10 years ago?

Interesting parallel, I think, between the Griffith and the E-type. The final 50 V12 E-types were individually number and all but one were black to celebrate the end of the E-type. For 20 years or so they commanded the highest prices, but now the very early and pure E-types are worth multiples of the last of the line. Will that happen to the Griffith, as it has with many other classic sportscars?

[NicBowman]

Let’s hope you are right. Classic car like the E type.

Actually fancy a T350 now…


Nic

[Knatter]

In Switzerland a low milage example was offered for around 75'000 swiss franks.

BUT: these are swiss prices and it was an original LHD car. These fetch at least 20% more than RHD vehicles because they are rare.

[MacHarding]

Bought my Griff 500 1996 LHD 2 years ago in Denmark for.... 500.000,- dkr = ap. 57.000 £
Very expensive.....
However:
1 owner
LHD
20.700 miles from new (33.132 km)
All original
Owner collected the car himselfes from the TVR factory - so know history from new.
And... incl. danish registration tax.. which would amount to ap. 20.000 £
so.. Price without tax would have been ap. 37.000 £ - or 42.500 € - which again would be a very fair price for a LHD Griff in the EU.

Perhaps looking to sell it....