TVR 1946-1982 E-Book

Matthew Vale

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

This fascinating book tells the complete story of the early days of TVR, from Trevor Wilkinson establishing the company in 1946 through to the Martin Lilley years, which came to an end in 1982. The design and development of these classic British sports cars, with their defining characteristics of tubular backbone chassis and glass fibre bodywork, are described in detail. Illustrated with over 200 colour and black and white photographs the book covers all the early years, including the Sports Saloon, the Jomar, the Open Sports, TVR's first true production car the Grantura from 1958, Griffith models with their remarkable 289 cu in Ford V8 motors, the Vixen and Tuscan range of the late 1960s, the M Series models launched in 1972 and finally, the Tasmin range introduced in 1980. This essential reference work for all TVR owners and enthusiasts gives detailed descriptions of all models, full specification sheets, advice and guidance on owning and running a classic TVR and is superbly illustrated with 233 colour and 31 black & white photographs.

Leseprobe

THE TREVOR WILKINSON ANDMARTIN LILLEY YEARS

Matthew Vale

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2017 byThe Crowood Press LtdRamsbury, MarlboroughWiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2017

© Matthew Vale 2017

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 352 3

CONTENTS

Preface and Acknowledgements

TVR Company Timeline

CHAPTER 1TVR: THE COMPANY

CHAPTER 2THE EARLY CARS TO 1957

CHAPTER 3ENTER THE GRANTURA

CHAPTER 4NEW MODELS AND A NEW CHASSIS – 1962

CHAPTER 5THE USA BECKONS – 1963

CHAPTER 6THE ‘M’ SERIES, TURBO, TAIMAR AND CONVERTIBLE – 1971

CHAPTER 7THE WEDGE AND THE END OF THE MARTIN LILLEY ERA

CHAPTER 8TVR POWER – ENGINES FOR THE EARLY CARS

CHAPTER 9BUYING, OWNING AND RUNNING

CHAPTER 10RESOURCES

Index

PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Trevcar Motors was set up by Trevor Wilkinson in 1946. The company quickly became ‘TVR Engineering’, in 1947, creating a name that is immediately recognizable to any sports-car enthusiast today. It was the company’s bread-and-butter work, which involved the provision of light engineering work for Blackpool’s buoyant entertainment businesses, that allowed Wilkinson to pursue his dream of producing sports cars. In 1958 the definitive TVR sports car arrived; this was the Grantura, with its large rear window and stubby styling. Wilkinson left TVR in 1962 and, after a series of financial disasters, alongside an American adventure that spawned the mighty Griffith V8-engined monsters, the company was bought by Martin Lilley in 1965. Lilley introduced the Ford 1600-engined Vixen in 1967, which was followed by the Tuscan and the all-new ‘M’ Series range in 1972.

Lilley provided the company with a smart, stylish, fast and reliable range of models, which would see the company through the 1960s and the 70s and into the 1980s. At the end of the 1970s he instigated the design and development of the Tasmin range, which would see the company safely through the 1980s, but only after financial issues forced Lilley to sell the company to Peter Wheeler in 1982.

This book covers the history of the various companies that made TVR cars, from Trevcars through to the end of Martin Lilley’s TVR Engineering Ltd. It looks at the design and development of each of the major ranges of cars, from the 1940s through to the 1980s, covering the Grantura, Griffith, Vixens, ‘M’ Series and Tasmin ranges. It also recounts owners’ impressions and some restoration experiences of these iconic British sports cars.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I would like to thank Martin Lilley and Oliver Winterbottom for agreeing to be interviewed for this book, and for giving me an insight into the running of the company through the 1970s and into the design processes that led to the development of the Tasmin. In writing this book, I have been assisted by many enthusiasts and owners, who have given up their time to put up with me interviewing them, or have provided me with pictures to illustrate the book. I would like to thank the following: Brian Holmes, Garath James, Peter Shaw, Joe Robson, Ralph Dodds, Oliver Edwards, Henry Weedon, Don Antilla, John Upham, Doug Mann, Mike Mooney, Judy Stream and Andrew Bone.

Kevin Wood and Zoe Schafer from the LAT archive helped in searching for old photos of TVRs. I would like to thank the owner of TVR Number 2, Richard White, and Chris Lowe of the Lakeland Motor Museum for giving me access to the car. Finally, thanks are due to my long-suffering wife, Julia and daughter Elizabeth for putting up with me writing yet another book!

TVR COMPANY TIMELINE

Date

Event

Notes

May 1923

Trevor Wilkinson born

1946

Wilkinson sets up Trevcar Motors as a light engineering company

Located in old wheelwright’s shop at 18 Beverly Grove, South Shore, Blackpool

1947

Trevor Wilkinson makes his first special, based on an Alvis Firebird

Jack Pickard taken on full time as first employee

1947

Business renamed TVR Engineering

First use of ‘TVR’

1949

First true TVR chassis developed, and TVR No. 1 produced

Body in alloy by Les Dale, Ford side-valve engine and gearbox, Morris rear axle and brakes

1950

TVR No. 2 produced

Alloy body; car now preserved

1951

TVR No. 3 produced

Alloy body, Austin A40 engine

1953

Workshop at Beverly Grove enlarged

1953

New platform chassis design for TVR ‘Sports Saloon’

No upper bodywork supporting tubing. Used engine from No. 3 and A40 suspension. Glass-fibre body from RGS

1953

TVR ‘Sports Saloon’ kit introduced

Three complete kits sold

1953–56

Approx twenty of the new chassis design sold as kits and complete cars

TVR’s first ‘production’ car

1954

‘Winged’ TVR badge introduced

Badge designed by John Cookson

1955

New semi space-frame backbone chassis designed, using a central backbone made up of four tubes, with side outriggers and sheet-steel bulkhead

Independent trailing-arm suspension all round using VW Beetle front-suspension components

1955

Bernard Williams joins as a director, bringing in some capital

1955

Ray Saidel of Merrimack Street Garage in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, makes contact with TVR

Firm order for a Coventry Climax-powered rolling chassis received in December 1955

1956

Beverly Grove premises sold. TVR moves to larger leased factory

New factory at Hoo Hill Industrial Estate, Leyton, Blackpool

1957

Ray Saidel appointed USA TVR/Jodel distributor

1957

TVR Coupé introduced, based on latest semi space-frame chassis with ‘notchback’ styling

Three closed and three open-topped versions produced

1958

TVR design refined for series production with fastback rear featuring TVR’s characteristic large rear window

Large number of orders generated when fastback Jomar (Mark I Grantura) displayed at the 1958 New York Auto Show

Dec 1958

TVR Engineering wound up. Layton Sports Cars created to take over from TVR Engineering

Jan 1959

Grantura Engineering Ltd formed

Took over parts supply purchasing responsibilities from Layton Sports Cars

1959

John Thurner appointed as technical chief

1959

Motor magazine carries technical description of the new series production model

6 March 1959 issue, model named ‘Grantura’

1961

Grantura Mk IIa introduced

Disc front brakes fitted as standard

Sept 1961

Controlling interest in Layton Sports Cars gained by Aitchison-Hopton (Engineering) Ltd

Company renamed as ‘TVR Cars Ltd’, responsible for body moulding, assembly, marketing and sales

5 April 1962

Trevor Wilkinson resigns from TVR

Sets up Trevini Plastics in Blackpool. No further dealing with TVR

Oct 1962

TVR Car Company fails

The separate entity of Grantura Engineering survives and continues very limited production

1963

Grantura Plastics Ltd formed

Company formed as offshoot of Grantura Engineering to mould TVR body shells

1963

Prototype Griffith produced by Jack Griffith in New York, based on a Grantura Mk III

Prototype completed in November 1963 using a Ford 289 cubic inch small-block V8

Sept 1965

Grantura Engineering Ltd closed down

Nov 1965

TVR Engineering Ltd created

Assets of Grantura Engineering purchased by Arthur and Martin Lilley. Martin Lilley becomes MD and Arthur the Chairman of the new company

Oct 1967

Vixen 1600 introduced

Use of Ford engine marks the start of TVR’s revival under Martin Lilley

1970

Move to new premises at Bristol Avenue, Bispham, Blackpool

New modern factory

April 1972

Introduction of the new ‘M’ Series range

Martin Lilley’s first all-new model range includes 2500M aimed at US market

Jan 1975

Major fire at factory halts production

TVR bounces back after three months

June 1976

Turbocharged 3000M introduced

Major performance leap for the 3000M using Broadspeed-developed installation

Nov 1976

Tamair Hatchback Introduced

First hatchback made by TVR

1978

3000S Convertible introduced

The first convertible TVR since the Open Sports of the 1950s

1980

Tasmin Range Introduced

All-new upmarket Coupé range

1982

Martin Lilley sells TVR to Peter Wheeler

End of the Martin Lilley era

CHAPTER ONE

TVR: THE COMPANY

INTRODUCTION

TVR has a special place in the heart of most British (and many foreign) car enthusiasts. It is the epitome of British grit – the little man fighting on in the face of overwhelming odds, the smaller organization battling against the big boys. It was a company that produced a car that appealed to a small but significant customer base and came back from the dead more times than anyone thought possible. TVR produced low-volume sports cars that were successful on both the road and the track; TVR entered and conquered the US market (more times than most); and TVR always went its own way. And as it went on that way, it was rather appropriate that a company based in Blackpool would embark on something of a rollercoaster ride, its ups and downs always underpinned, however, by a range of models that promoted individuality, technical innovation and solid engineering.

OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANY

The TVR was (and is) probably the quintessential British low-volume sports car, in that the company made some of its products in house and bought in other parts. The process was described by TVR’s mid-1970s US distributor, Gerry Sagerman, as follows: ‘We build everything that goes up and down, while we buy everything that goes round and round.’ TVR’s tubular steel chassis and glass-fibre bodywork disposed of the need to invest in expensive tooling to produce a steel body, and also made it economical to produce the cars in small numbers, with minimal set-up costs. This also meant that there was the potential to make a profit – although this last element did tend to elude the company from time to time!