1994 TVR Griffith 520

Pop the kettle on and get comfy, as the history of this Griffith is somewhat impressive, to say the least.

In the current ownership for an impressive 17 years and with a mind-boggling £66,000+ worth of invoices for restoration work, this is not your average Griffith, and not your average owner. With an incredible eye for detail and quality, only the best will do for our vendor, and as such not only has this example been restored and rebuilt to an exacting standard, but numerous annoying TVR ‘quirks’ have also been ironed-out in the process.

In 2006, our vendor sent the car to renowned specialist AAD for a full rebuilt, which took a total of three years to complete. This rebuild included a full body-off restoration with the chassis outriggers being replaced, and over the course of our vendor’s ownership the continued development of the car has been the highlight of the TVR experience, with several usability modifications and parts fitted.

These modifications include power-assisted steering, high-specification four-pot front brakes and a 300mm drilled rear disk conversion from Reyland Motorsport, a switchable ECU map with fly-by-wire throttle, Powers Performance alloy radiator with ECU-controlled fans, battery relocation to the boot, and the fusebox has been moved into the glovebox. Of course, this short list is just scratching the surface, so we’ve included a full spec list below.

On the inside, the Butterscotch leather interior has been completely re-trimmed with Daytona-style Griffith SE seats, an entirely new set of carpets fitted, Leven anodised switchgear and heater vents, and an upgraded stereo system.

The bodywork has been finished in Electric Blue Pearl, and has also been treated to numerous upgrades including a Zertec rear light conversion, Sportomotive 7” Hella headlight conversion, and a new Mohair and leather-lined folding rear roof section and a Surface & Design split central roof section.

Now to address the elephant in the room - the 520 name. Well, the reason for that is quite simple - under the bonnet sits a V8 Developments 5.2-litre engine, featuring top-hat liners, a cross-bolted block and 96mm forged pistons. A V8 Developments ‘stealth’ cam, Vitesse alloy twin plenum intake with 80mm throttle body, Clive Ford equal-length headers, ACT performance exhaust system, Emerald K6 mapped ECU, Bosch high-flow fuel injectors and numerous other supporting modifications result in a dyno-proven power output of 331bhp and 370 lb-ft of torque, which the vendor proudly states gets this Griffith down the road with “indecent” haste.

Throughout this development process and 17 years of ownership, this Griffith has been extensively used and enjoyed, with trips to the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales and numerous road rallies and events having been enjoyed from behind the wheel.

The result of all this hard work is a Griffith that can be tamed (as much as a TVR can be) and enjoyed at a sedate pace on long journeys, but with the flick of a couple of switches and a slightly heavier right foot can become a snarling, indecent road rocket.

The electric blue bodywork is in outstanding condition, and has evidently been cherished throughout our vendor’s time with the car. There are a few light marks and stone chips here-and-there with several having been ‘touched in’ to hide them, though there are no notable marks to speak of.

All four wheels are in good order with matching Toyo Tyres. There are a few minor patches of chipping or kerbing (which we understand from the Vendor must've occurred while the car was in storage, and in no way reflect the fastidious way he has cherished the car), and can be seen in the photographs. Similarly, the headlights are beginning to cloud a little, but this should be easy to rectify.

The aforementioned new Mohair roof is in excellent order with no damage or scuffs, and the rear window is free from cracking and discolouration. The lift-out centre sections are also in fantastic shape and retain their storage bags, whilst the mechanism is also functioning perfectly.

As with the exterior, the instantly-recognisable cabin of this Griffith is in wonderful condition and presents fantastically, largely due to the aforementioned attention it has received. The Daytona-style seats are in great shape and show only the lightest signs of wear and use, whilst the carpets are in great order throughout.

All of the switchgear and gauges appear to be in working order though the vertical range of adjustment of the nearside electric mirror is slightly limited, and the turn indicator self-cancelling function is not operating.  Even high-traffic areas such as the wood-rimmed steering wheel and shifter knob show very little in the way of usage wear. Similarly, the dashboard is in excellent shape with no sun damage or cracking, and the wooden inserts have been recently polished to a high-gloss finish with no deep marks or scratches noted during our inspection.

Extensively restored and kept in tip-top condition, this Griffith is in outstanding mechanical health throughout, and the engine bay is a work of art, largely thanks to the aforementioned Clive Ford equal-length headers that coil around the front of the bay like some kind of stainless-steel serpent.

Once we’d picked our jaws up off the floor, it was apparent that this engine looks to be excellent from a visual standpoint, with no leaks, odd noises or worrying signs noted during our inspection. The numerous polished alloy and stainless-steel ‘dress up’ parts also help to transform the appearance of the engine bay, with the 5.2-litre block taking pride of place.

Out on the road, this Griffith ‘520’ performed faultlessly during our short drive, coming up to temperature nicely and then settling into an impressively refined idle once the car was warm. The Borg-Warner T5 gearbox provided wonderfully short and direct shifts in conjunction with the AP Racing clutch, and no doubt the upgraded BTR differential would help keep things in shape should you press on with any great haste.

During our drive, we noticed no untoward noises, creaks or rattles, nor any strange behaviour from the engine. The vendor notes that there is a slight rub by the nearside front wheel on hard lock, though this is only when full steering lock is applied.

Full mechanical specification:

V8 Developments 5.2L engine with top-hat liners and cross-bolted block

96mm forged pistons

V8 Developments Stealth cam

331bhp and 370 lb-ft torque with Dyno print-out

Mulberry low-profile baffled sump

Alloy flame trap and alloy oil filler cap

5-speed Borg-Warner T5 gearbox

AP Racing Clutch

BTR Differential

Vitesse alloy twin plenum with single 80mm throttle body

Clive Ford fully tuned equal length cross-over exhaust headers (stainless steel)

ACT Performance stainless steel exhaust system

Emerald K6 fully mapped ECU with 3-map switch (cruise/fast road/track)

New coil packs, wide-band O2 sensor, crank trigger wheel

Fly-by-wire throttle with 3 ECU-controlled throttle response maps

Bosch high-flow fuel injectors

Powers Performance alloy radiator, 2-stage ECU-controlled electric fans

Heat exchanger oil cooler with bypass thermostat

Polished alloy expansion tank with alloy pressure cap

Polished stainless steel windscreen washer bottle

Blue silicone hoses with stainless fittings

Stainless braided vacuum and breather hoses with alloy fittings

Four 16” Estoril Alloy wheels

With a documentation gallery totalling nearly 100 images, it’s safe to say the history supplied with this Griffith is somewhat comprehensive, to say the least.

Included is the usual variety of handbooks, alarm user guides, and a stamped service record, two sets of keys, old MOTs and tax discs, along with the V5 showing six former keepers since new.

Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll discover a treasure trove of invoices and documentation detailing everything from small sundry items such as hose clamps and clips, to new seats, alternators and other ancillary items for the highly-tuned V8 engine.

There are also several ‘big ticket’ invoices relating to work including the porting of the engine block (£1,113) the rolling road tuning of the new ECU system and other work to the intake (£527) fitment of the Emerald ECU, throttle body and map (£2,116) various work including a new starter motor and minor ECU tune (£726) and other four-figure invoices.

Interested bidders should note that the private registration is not included in the sale of the car, and the vehicle will revert to its age-related registration of L641 OUA.

Eagle-eyed viewers will note that there is a flag for the mileage discrepancy on the HPI report, though this is explained by the clocks being upgraded to later TVR-spec items as part of the restoration process, with the original clocks being removed at approximately 38,600 miles. This temporarily resulted in the mileage reading changing to that of the new clocks at 5,300 miles in 2008, before the odometer was correctly calibrated in April 2012 following months of extensive work, with the correct mileage of 40,025 re-instated.

Absolutely fabulous throughout, this TVR Griffith 520 is a true ‘labour of love’ car, and the hard work and dedication our vendor and owner of 17 years has put into it really does show. It also pays off where the work can’t be seen, as despite years of enjoyment and some significant road trips, our vendor states the car has “never let him down” which is a reassuring statement indeed.

Whether out on the road enjoying the sonorous V8 engine and blistering performance or just staring at the car parked up by the side of the road, this truly is a stunning example of the high-performance, driver-focused car that benefits from numerous upgrades and performance enhancements.

Given the condition of the car and the level of work and craftsmanship that has gone into it, we estimate a value of £21,000 to £31,000, and we encourage any interested buyers to not only get their bids in early, but also come and view the car for yourself at our HQ in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.