1992 TVR GRIFFITH 4.0

Owner Bob took this TVR ‘in part exchange’ back in July against a very fine Jaguar XJ13 replica he had built. He isn’t a dealer, ‘just’ a knowledgeable and very skilled (British) sports car enthusiast who wanted something of similar if not equal character - and umph.

It is an early(ish) model with the 4.0-litre Rover V8 under the bonnet, producing around 240bhp. It has had a few (enthusiast) owners and has only covered just over 40,000 miles. Refreshingly, it is unmolested and in pretty original - that’s good/proper original - condition.

You can tell by his expression that, as he walks around the car listening to the V8 burble, Bob is still unsure about selling it.

‘It’s just such a nice car,’ he says. ‘And a great weekend car - just so easy to get in and drive.’ But (and there’s always a but) he could really do with clearing some space. So, love it or not, this rather tasty archetypal TVR, in a near perfect colour combination, is here for you to buy.

This very smart TVR has benefitted from the writer viewing the car at the time of photography, and therefore, has been able to describe the car firsthand…….

The Griffith’s deliciously curvaceous body is of course glass-fibre rather than steel or alloy (perhaps a little easier to work to a price point than metal), so instead of going looking for rust, we would be checking for crazing or cracks. Reassuringly this car’s voluptuous form displays no such flaws- neither along the broad flanks and bonnet, nor in those tricky compound curves that sweep between wings, bonnet, doors and haunches.

Looking around the virtually fixture-free surfaces, at the fared-in and inset lights and A/B-pillar stress points, there are no areas where the plastic is giving up the ghost. The dark blue paint is looking good too. Yes, there are some polishing swirls in the finish - all done with love - but the car presents extremely well and the gloss has a deep shine. It’s a strong colour for this muscle car too.

Lids open and close without drama, though the bonnet can be a little flexible (they all are). The mirrors are firmly mounted - no drooping ears - and the doors close with a firm click. Their catches depress smartly and positively. To the uninitiated, all this can seem fairly obvious and expected, but such is not always the case on TVRs! Window and windscreen surrounds - bright metal and black rubber - all appear in fine fettle; no perishing, discolouration or distortions. Those big inset driving lamps - set very low - show no ingress of (rain) water, and both they and their cavities are clean. Same goes for the indicators on either side.

The wheels too look good. They’re TVR/OZ Racing moulded-spoke, split-rim alloys and show no signs of significant curb scuffs, peeling finish or rusty studs. The tyres too - a mixture of Goodyear and Dunlop - have plenty of life left on them.

B15 GRF also comes complete with this model appropriate registration.

The general impression from the cabin is of a car that has been cared for but definitely used. The cream leather presents well; there are no tears, though understandably, there are creases and a little discolouration here and there - most predictably in the outer bolster of the driver’s seat. And some dirt in the grain here and there. There is a small white (paint?) stain on the side of the passenger seat and marks to that side’s head rest.

Carpets are clean and the contrasting edging to the mats is very good. Those behind the seats are also, in most areas, almost as new. It doesn’t look like anyone has been trying to squash bags or throw sticky sweet wrappers into the back.

Similarly, the footwell carpets, as well as the rubber mats at the end, are very good. So too is the broad leather surround of the doors. If you follow this around, you will find them surprisingly clean underneath, as is the paintwork down there. (There are some scuffs to the underside of the passenger door)

The dashboard wood is a little dark and uninspiring (nicer around the main dials), though that’s more a criticism of TVR than of this particular example. The plastic panel which houses the window switches shows some mottling. All instruments are present, correct and working, and the steering wheel leather is scratch-free and retains its black colour all around the rim.

The struts for the roof operate smoothly and the canvas top, as well as its back window, are in excellent condition - no rips or stains. Joins between materials - such as where rubber meets metal meets fabric/leather, are very tidy. All the edges are still neat, without any perishing or fraying. The stiff targa panel fits snugly into position and is no effort to remove, other than being quite heavy.

So, in short; the main wear to the cockpit is simply from people sitting on the seats - understandable really.

The Griffith was built around a space-frame chassis with outriggers that extend from the central backbone. A lot of crud can get stuck to these, but they, as well as the central chassis rails, appear to be clean and rot-free (so there’s a £2k repair you won’t have to think about making). Generally the underside of the car appears to be in very good order. There is corrosion on one or two suspension parts, but largely, the struts, springs and dampers appear strong and very serviceable. It looks as if the roadster has been a mainly fair-weather car.

The engine bay on (any) Griffith ain’t exactly pretty, but everything is present and correct.

If you look at Bob’s other car that’s up for sale, the rather tasty Triumph TR6, you’ll see a more polished presentation. This one is a little more ‘weekend workhorse’, but Griffith engine bays don’t exactly lend themselves to titivating.

Both engine and ancillaries are clean and corrosion-free, with not the slightest signs of leaks nor evidence of overheating . (The heat shielding panels look particularly neat!). Those big twin fans in the nose are clean and appear to be functioning just fine.

Bolts and clips around the motor look very serviceable, while leads and hoses are likewise clean and supple, with no signs of perishing, and with no poor quality substitutions. Wiring looks to be as per handbook rather than from the imagination of some lets-try-this enthusiast.

The brawny V8 fires up readily and idles smoothly - well as smoothly as any Rover-style V8 does. And, just so you know; there is no crunching on selecting/engaging reverse as is so often the case.

There isn’t a huge history with this car, and, for some when buying a TVR, that can be a worry. We are so used to seeing the Blackpool cars come with big files full of work successive owners have done, either to replace what’s fallen off, or to put right what the factory never quite properly developed. Luckily, the Griffith comes from the period before TVR got a little too adventurous and started to make everything themselves, so there is less ‘owner improvement’ with one of these than say a late Cerbera.

‘The last [enthusiast] owner was very hands-on,’ Bob points out. He did all the work himself, so you won’t see any invoices.’ He notes that said owner immediately dealt with any advisories thrown up by the MOT tests and kept on top of general maintenance. Looking around the car - especially underneath, you don’t have any trouble believing the car has led a fairly easy life.

Originally a London motor, the Griffith has a regularly stamped service book for the most part, with the car returning to the same workshops each time.

This is a lovely example of one of TVR’s most popular and successful models. As previously mentioned, it comes from a time before the small manufacturer got a little too creative for its own development capability. Everything in the drivetrain is still largely Rover, so not a big deal to source, service or replace.

Griffith values have been strengthening since 2016. Condition, colour combination and relatively low mileage mark this car out as a better than average example. With that in mind we’d expect it to command between £12,000 and £15,000.

Whether or not the appearance of the new Griffith has a (positive) effect on values remains to be seen.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Halifax; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.