• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

1960 TVR info needed

Share this page

P

PhilW

Jedi Hopeful
Country flag
Offline
Hi All,

I've heard about a '60 TVR locally, that might be for sale. It's supposed to be a good car, actually a REALLY good car, but I haven't seen it yet. My question is - Is there any site I can go to to get an idea of what it's worth. The only price guide I found lists all TVR's from '58 to'67 grouped together, from $6500 (good), to $12,500 (excelent). I'd like to find a price list that breaks them down a little more. Any help would be appreciated. I'll be selling 1 or 2 of my Jag 120 rd. projects to finance this venture if I go through with it.

Thanks,
Phil.
 
What model TVR is it?

Bruce
 
I have no idea what model it is. The only info I got was that it was a 1960 model, it has an MGA engine, VW suspension, and hasn't seen the light of day for a long time. I'm assuming that it's a Grantura MK1 or MK2, but it may have covers over the headlights like one of my XKE's. The owner is moving to another house and might sell this TVR or an old Morgan drophead.

Phil.
 
Hmmm...

Just looking at my reference book "Standard Catalog of Imported Cars: 1946 to 1990"

- The only car offered by TVR back then was the Grantura

- The MGA and/or MGB engine was offered from 1960 (but other smaller engines were also available)

- no mention of the VW chassis, does mention a tubular backbone chassis and car itself was offered either fully built or as a kit

Dollar value might depend on which engine is installed, but if the price is right (and the car is available) it would certainly be an interesting acquisition as I imagine an early car like that - if it's genuine - would be quite rare now
 
Just to add to what I said (looked in another book I have)

"During 1957, the first GT coupes were made with a notch-back body and a tubular backbone frame with VW torsion bar and trailing arm independent suspension at both ends . Engine options were wide, ..., and most TVRs sold in Britain were kits.

The first series production car, the 1958 Grantura had a conventional fastback..."

I assume that perhaps the VW torsion bars may have carried over to the Grantura perhaps?
 
They dropped the VW suspension about 1960-61 so this must be an early car. I think your price range is about right for almost all TVR's later than '63 except for Griffiths & Tuscans.

A 1960 TVR is a rare car in the US - I doubt that enough are sold these days to establish a price range. Some history on the car might help you put a value on it.
 
TVR sales are all over the map with the early cars...usually it has to do with the fact that some were used as racers, others weren't -- so history helps. These were very skittish cars with horrible build quality.

As for $12K -- some might say it's way too high, others might say it's way too low, others might say it's just right. I basically can't find any reliable information on recent sales of the earliest TVRs in the US. My guess is that for a #2 car (meaning it's show-ready) $13K is certainly fair -- although people who own these cars tend to think their vehicles are worth more like $18-20K.

One thing to think about is if you actually fit in the car. TVR Granturas are TINY inside, and you basically need a giant shoe-horn to get yourself in, and the jaws of life to get you out. Makes a C4 Corvette or 300SL Gullwing feel positively spacious.
 
Phil,
First and foremost, try and get me the serial number on the car and that will definitely let me know exactly what it is.
If it has covered headlights, it sounds like a Mk. 1 Grantura. Anything else you can find out about the car would also be helpful such as overall condition of the body, chassis, drivetrain, etc. I'll research it for you and let you know whatever I have on the car.
Marshall,
TVR Car Club N.A.
 
it could also be an early Jomar, far rarer then a grantura.... that might explain the covered headlights.

just fyi on jomar, the chassis plate would be on the fire wall on the right hand side in brass

BTW i might be quite interested in helping you fund this purchase if your selling 120's to do it!

chassis numbers would be of one of 2 styles

C7xxx (as in C7101 for the first car) denoting a coventry climax engined car (where the engine is worth more then the car!)
or
FSxxx (as in FS105 that we just sold) being a ford supercharged flat head engine

either way if it is a Jomar then the builder (ray saidel and his son Alex) would be interested in the location and condition.

Alex just purchased FS105 from us last month and maintains a registry of owners as well as an email list
 
Since the car in question had already been described as a 1960 model with an MGA engine, chances are that it is NOT a Jomar, but rather an earlier Grantura. Again, verifying the serial number would be the first step in identifying exactly what it is.
 
fs105 was listed titled as a 1959 car and imagine this, the mga engine would be a power upgrade from the flathead!

on an interesting side note....

seems early tvr (and jomar of course) were avaiable with factory brake upgrades to Alfin drums but unlike other manufacturers the backing plates were also changed to alloy. The Jomar cars used healey 100-4 brakes but no one i know with healey stuff has ever heard of alloy backing plates! Alex told me that it seems that they are of TvR manufacture. Might make an interesting period speed part for healey guys as well! (FS105 had 3 of 4 in alloy)
 
Hi Kerry,
Just wondering if you have any spare drums? I have extra alloy backing plates and other Grantura bits.
Cheers, David. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif
 
Back
Top