TVR’s new Tuscan Speedster revealed

[griff2be]

Conventional Tuscan heading towards the scene of the accident:


The aftermath (actually we’ve tidied it up a bit for the photo)


The bits we didn’t need anymore:


New prototype gaffer-tape bodywork complete:


Let battle commence:


And relax…


6th and 7th places. Nice

All photos courtesy of George Carter

[FunkyGibbon]

just red crosses. webshots don't allow you to directly embed a link to images from a 3rd party web site

you're better off just putting a link in for people to click on to get to the webshots site.

(edited to be a little more helpful than the original comment)

>> Edited by FunkyGibbon on Tuesday 21st September 09:51

[Graham]

go to www.webshots.com

select community


then search for member georgec666

select georgec666


This will bring up all George's galleries. if you select newest Andys truncated Tuscan is at teh top

G


Or you could just go straight to

http://community.webshots.com/album/190134637hBetOx

>> Edited by Graham on Tuesday 21st September 09:54

[griff2be]

That's odd. I can see them...

[griff2be]

Link here:

http://community.webshots.com/album/190134637hBetOx

[FunkyGibbon]

griff2be said:

That's odd. I can see them...

that's because you've seen them on the webshots site and have them in your cache. so when on PH your browser doesn't need to contact webshots. To see teh effect clear you cache and reload the PH page.

HTH

[jamesc]

Andy,

Which is your favorite crash this year? I remember Gavin Cooper having a similar model at Castle Combe in 1998.

[V8 Archie]

That's quite scary, lad. It looks like you were pretty lucky to be fit enough to race. (Luckier than your bank manager anyway).

At least you've got lots of bits for Yellow Peril now - several seasons worth, by the looks of it.

>> Edited by V8 Archie on Tuesday 21st September 11:29

[Graham]

In some historic racing series in 30 years time i can see there being atleast 2 number 6's and there being huge arguments as to which is the original one...

the one thats had 15 bodies and 12 chassis or the ones built from all the bits that got knocked off


Andy take it easy this week, going in backwards is probably the best way to take a hit like that.I took a sideways hit at tower at croft 2 years ago, felt fine straight after but by the end of the week I could hardly move my head.. you do wear a neck brace dont you...

[jamesc]

Graham said:

Andy take it easy this week, going in backwards is probably the best way to take a hit like that.I took a sideways hit at tower at croft 2 years ago, felt fine straight after but by the end of the week I could hardly move my head.. you do wear a neck brace dont you...

I think No 6 has a HANS device. It must be well tested by now. So hopefully he won't have a sore neck.

>> Edited by jamesc on Tuesday 21st September 12:11

[griff2be]

Graham said:

In some historic racing series in 30 years time i can see there being atleast 2 number 6's and there being huge arguments as to which is the original one... the one thats had 15 bodies and 12 chassis or the ones built from all the bits that got knocked off Andy take it easy this week, going in backwards is probably the best way to take a hit like that.I took a sideways hit at tower at croft 2 years ago, felt fine straight after but by the end of the week I could hardly move my head.. you do wear a neck brace dont you...

Well fortunately the chassis was untouched - the bodywork did its job very well and bore the brunt of the impact - with some going through the wishbone and upright which we changed fairly easily.

We cut all the loose stuff off so that we could tape it up to race - these things always look worse than they are. I doubt there are any Tuscans out there with original bodywork

I do wear a neck brace (not a HANS device, it wasn't compatible with my seat), but to be honest it was no big deal. I knew I was going to hit backwards so I pushed myself back into my seat, folded my arms across my chest and thought of England Fit as a fiddle.

As for my fabourite crash - well I've had three this year. More than some, less than others (No58 springs to mind)

- Sideways into the wall at Donington avoiding Mr Dowling who had spun in front of me
- Locking up at the end of the straight at Knockhill and then having Neil hit the side of me a second later when he did the same thing
- and this one at Oulton.

Donington hurt the most (sideways movement on the neck). And Knockhill involved the most work. Both cost me promising race finishes

So I think it has to be the Oulton one. Although the damage looks extensive it is pretty easy to sort out - and it gives us the opportunity to cut out some old heavy bodywork and lighten the car. I'm fine and I ended up with 2 good finishes. And it was a good display of 'Tuscan spirit'


>> Edited by griff2be on Tuesday 21st September 12:30

[jamesc]

One thing No 6 and others have proved time and time again is how SAFE these cars are! Thankfully there have been very few serious injuries oner 15 years.

Question!

Does anyone remember who crashed his car on the first ever test day in 1989 and wrote his car off?

[Terminator]

jamesc said:

Does anyone remember who crashed his car on the first ever test day in 1989 and wrote his car off?

Must have been either Steve Cole or Colin Blower.

I remember Steve Cole going off at Paddock first lap at Brands in the early days and Chris Hodgetts clouting the wall at the Super Prix round in Birmingham during the 'victory' lap

[jamesc]

Who was the first driver to crash a Tuscan and write it off?

Answer: Martin Crass! (at that time a "Top Gear" producer.

[Ballistic Banana]

Oooh Nice

BB

[V8 Archie]

Did you deliberately design that back end to look like a beck half of a bikini bottom or was it luck?

[roop]

It was indeed Martin Crass, or Martin Crash as he was known in Tuscan circles from that day on. I remember, I was there at Oulton Park. I believe he was number 16 and lost it on the way out of the double apexer (forget the name) prior to the run down to Lodge and stuffed it into the armco. Concussion but otherwise OK IIRC. Martin was a lovely fella and a stalwart of the early Tuscan seasons. No idea what he's doing now...

Coley wouldn't have crashed at Oulton - he was an ARDS instructor there for about eleventy million years...!

jamesc said:

Does anyone remember who crashed his car on the first ever test day in 1989 and wrote his car off?

[V8 Archie]

roop said:

It was indeed Martin Crass... No idea what he's doing now...

Last year he joined Uncle Rodney in a early bath at Donington it would seem .

[roop]

Blimey...! Still at it then...! Interesting...! Are there any Tuscan drivers left in the series who raced in the first season...?

V8 Archie said:

roop said: It was indeed Martin Crass... No idea what he's doing now... Last year he joined Uncle Rodney in a early bath at Donington it would seem .

[jamesc]

Last time I saw Steve Cole was on a Toyota day. I took part in various activities, but Coley was the man in front on the Rav4 drive. Always a great laugh!

Have not seen Crassy for some time! Nice bloke but terrible driver; sometimes he did show a turn of speed. It would be interesting to see a shootout between Andy No6 Holden and Martin No21 Crass; I think Martin would win as he took part in a more competitive era.