Paul Jolly: The beast from Blackpool

TVR is a UK brand founded in Blackpool by a certain Trevor Wilkinson hence the initials TVR or, as some call them, Trevor Cars.

From 1981-2004 the firm was under the ownership of Peter Wheeler who introduced the Rover V8 powerplant into these lightweight fibreglass sportscars with a transformative result. Working on the Lotus theory espoused by Colin Chapman of ‘added lightness’ he minimised any luxury, kept the cars light and devoid of unnecessary add-ons which in turn increased the power to weight ratio to sublime effect. 

These analogue pocket rockets were not the place to have accidents in being, as they were, free of airbags, power steering, air conditioning or indeed anything that took away from the pure performance that a five litre highly tuned V8 engine was capable of.

The driving experience was unlike any other. Not only is the car properly connected to the road giving the occupants a true sense of the raw power available but involves the driver in such a way that traditional luxuries like a sexy stereo sound system are quite unnecessary. The cars make their own music, at any speed.

I have thus far in my motoring career avoided the need to ‘scratch this itch’ having always somewhat erroneously put TVR’s in the same metaphorical box as multi-component sourced kit cars. What a mistake.

These are very special and the Griffith is a pared down, no frills example of the TVR range of thirty years ago. I am so grateful to the family who sold me this car for the opportunity to learn from my mistakes.

I absolutely loved the car and its no nonsense, take it or leave it stance on what it does. Green, it most certainly is not, but it just shouts, ‘Get over it’ as it screams off into the sunset!

Reluctantly, I have just sold this British Bruiser on to a man who once had one thirty years ago and who has ever since regretted that decision. I am also starting to regret my decision to sell, such is the passion that these unique cars evoke.