Is this a Triumph car?

[Tinster]

Taking some back streets in the Grey Ghost
this afternoon, to bypass heavy traffic, a flicker
of bright yellow caught my eye behind a fence.

Curiosity got the better of me. After work I took
Wendy for a spin to get her out of the house for
a while. (actually to take these photos)

I found this car behind a fence. The inside is trashed
but it has a wood dash and a very wide center console
between the bucket seats.

Wendy says whatever it might be, her husband Dale is
NOT going to be restoring it in THIS lifetime.

Is this car some form of a later Triumph? It strikes
me as having Triumph in it somewhere. What have I found?

 

[DNK]

Dale- If you go to the forum page,the next one after Triumph is TVR. It is kind of a triumph.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

That's a TVR - More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Tvr.280i.arp.jpg

Or here:

https://www.pixeltechnology.co.uk/wedge/welcome.html

Cool car - GO FOR IT!

 

[martx-5]

There were some TVR's that had TR6 running gear and suspension components, etc. The one pictured is a Vixen 2500. There was also a 2500M. The tail light assemblies in those were also TR6. The was also one that had Spitfire engines in them. No, not the Merlin engine!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif

The one pictured I don't think has any Triumph stuff in it.

 

[Sparkie]

Sorry to contradict, but I believe that to be a 280i wedgy (wedge), looks like an '86 or '87. Strange though, I have an 86 and the rear TVR emblem is on the right side...

The engine is the Ford V6 Colona (spelling?) 2.8L. Same basic design that's popular in the Bronco's - up to 4.0L. With Bosche Jetronic injection. Not the quickest from stop light to stop light, but no need to use brakes in the corners. Jag independent rear end with inboard brakes. The rover V8 was very popular elsewhere, with only 1/2 dozen gray market ones in the states.

Hopefully you will forgive my correction - I have a TR8 too that will beat the pants off the TVR.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

You got it, Scotty - see my second link, above.

 

[SpannerMan]

Yes - a mid 80's TVR 280i, powered by Ford V6 2.8L, most likely 4sp. manual. The poser rims have been added, and it looks like a bit of a dodgy paintjob- over the door handles - although some people might think that looks good. Shame about the interior being trashed- perhaps it was left out in the weather with a broken window or such? I bet interior parts are hard to find - nothing like with the Triumphs. The TVR forum guys will know all about that, and you might post over there if you haven't already. I confess to having aspired to ownership of a 280i- I think it would be a fun car; quasi-exotic and a lot cheaper than a Lotus Esprit or something like that.

 

[Sparkie]

Sorry Mickey - i didn't notice the 280i in the link (nor did i go to it).

Hey - if that has a V8 in it Tinster - GET IT!!!! It will knock your socks off.

I sure loved the time I spent on your island. Unfortunately I was working, but been there several times (once for 5 weeks) and have many great memories.

 

[Brosky]

Dale, word on the street is that Pedro is listing it at a very reasonable price...only needs minor tuning to complete the restoration.

Any interest?

 

[Tinster]

Think I'll pass on this one Paul.

Crypty is just barely functional and
I still have a ton of things to sort out.

Floor pans, carpet install, front end rebuild,
body to frame mounts, engine mounts, install
automatic fire suppression system, etc.

At least the car will start every time now.
No longer grinds the battery down to ticking
sounds.

d

 

[tr8todd]

Your looking at about 5K worth of 85 or 86 TVR Tasmin 280i. The dashes are almost always toast. They don't seem to hold up well. It's a tubeframe with a thick fiberglass body. Ford V6, four speed, Jag based 3.07 rear end, coil-over rear shocks, leather interior, A/C and power windows. I've had 2 of them, and they are a very sporty comfotable driver. Acceleration is very linear. It gets there quickly, but you don't get the feeling of raw power. It pulls long and even. The brakes, ride comfort, and handeling are what's impressive with these cars. And by the way, those tail lights are Rover SD1. They are just flipped upside down and moved right to left. The car is full of pieces scavenged from other cars.

 

[Tinster]

So you're saying Pedro's asking price of $18,000.
for this "almost mint condition TR8"
is a little on the high side?

Thanks for the info! These cars came with the low
profile "gangsta" wheels? The entire interior is
rotted away.

d

 

[bobh]

TVRs are the product of the Cottage Car industry in the UK. They are not Triumphs. Although the 2500M imported to the US did use a TR6 engine, transmission and differential. later they switched to the Salisbury rear.

A number of other TR6 bits and pieces were also used. Which is understandable for a company who only built a few hundred cars per year.

Every TVR has a tubular steel space frame with a fiberglass body. TVR advertised their cars were a front mid engine design. Although the engine is mounted forward of the cab. It sits between the centerlines of the front and rear axles. Another popular contemporary of the 2500M, the 914 Porsche, also advertised their car as a mid engine. It the case of the 914 the engine was in the back. Maybe a better explanation is the engine did not sit over either the front or rear axle. It was mounted within the wheelbase.

The engines varied from small displacement 4 cylinders to large displacement V8s. In 1965 Gerry Sagerman dropped a 289 Ford engine in a TVR creating the original Griffith. It weighed somewhere around 2000 pounds with 270 HP. For years TVR used engines manufactured by other companies. More recently they designed and built some of their own engines.

Tasmins were imported to the US in fairly large numbers. At least by TVR standards. They pop up on EBay fairly often. Personally I prefer the M bodystyle.

A fair number of M owners have installed Ford 302 V8s in their cars. 2100 pounds and 250 to 300+ HP.

My 2500M sits waiting for it's restoration. I'm toying with the 302 option. I did buy a NOS Jag LSD Salisbury differential several years ago, just in case I decide to go the 302 route. If I do go with a 302, I'll be upgrading the TR6 brakes to something more suited.

 

[Cheapsnake]

Darn, if it weren't over there in that furrin' place I'd be all over that thing. I've got a spare Rover block just looking for a home like that.

 

[Brosky]

How about just plain old driving it for awhile?

 

[tr8todd]

Hey snake. If you really want one of those buggies, try this one on for size. Last Sept I'm checking out the local auctions. I see this building and all it's contents seized and up for a sheriff's auction. Two of the cars catch my eye. One says Triumph TVR and one just says BMW. They both have VINs listed. I quickly learn that one is a 74 BMW 2002(the same as my BMW race car) and one is a 85 TVR 280i. I go to the auction. The electricity is off. The building is dark. Very few people show up. I get the BMW for $50, and the TVR for $250. On top of that I have to pay a 10% buyers premium. The next day I go back with my trailer and drag them out into the daylight. The BMW had a very built motor with twin 45 DCOE Webers. The TVR had a 86 Corvette motor and a 700R4 tranny. I quickly cut up the BMW for spare parts. I kept the motor, tranny, and rear for myself, but sold off the other stuff to the tune of around $1200. The TVR is over at my buddies house. I gave him the motor/tranny combo so he took it out. So now I have a ratted out TVR just sitting there. It's complete enough that someone could restore it, but it wouldn't be worth it in stock form. If you want one to drop a Rover motor in and then customize it a little, this would be a great candidate. If I keep it, I think I am just going to use the rolling chassis and sell off everything TVR. I would love to drop a small lightweight body onto the chassis. Something that is old enough to not have to worry about smog laws. I have access to a 56 Porche 356 body tub with a fiberglass nose and rear. Maybe plop in a Rover V8 and take it to a Porche show. Can't wait to see how many stuffed shirts shriek and call me the devil when I come rolling in with that.