Ranald is, in fact following his 2 previous race cars.
His TVR Griffith was obviously a 400 not a 200 as it has the Cortina tail lights.Jack Griffith's cars were not slouches - 0 to 60mph in 3.9 seconds in 1964!
They were , apart from the drive train, essentially a Mark 3 Grantura. The only visible difference was the bulge in the bonnet and dual exhausts.
Here's a Griffith being offered for sale in the US at the moment.
The engine is a bit of a shoehorn job. The only way to fit the exhaust is to run it forward then down. We've seen that before I think.
We refer to these cars as TVR Griffith but those names never graced the same car until TVR made a Griffith tribute in the 1990s.
The engine is a bit of a shoehorn job. The only way to fit the exhaust is to run it forward then down. We've seen that before I think.
We refer to these cars as TVR Griffith but those names never graced the same car until TVR made a Griffith tribute in the 1990s.
A great quote from "Modern Classics" a 1978 book by Rich Taylor: "I've driven a Griffith once, and vowed never to set foot in one ever again. My racing Yamaha motorcycle at 150 mph at Daytona,is safer than a Griffith sitting in your Garage. If ever there was a killer car, this is it. Flimsy, overpowered, really viscious handling that will spin you out just acccelerating away from the curb....there has never been a more dangerous production vehicle".
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting, ..... alas I don't think my 2m. frame would fit in.
PeterG
Ranald's car was both flimsy and dangerous. (In my humble opinion anyway).
ReplyDeleteWhat about the early V8 powered Mk 7's? or big power 6 cylinder Mk 7's? Or even some of the modified Nagaris? Surely they could be described exactly as the Griffith is described. I do not think it was by chance that many of the first Mk7's built in the early years all suffered major single vehicle crashes. Or the Nagari - how many have been written off in single vehicle crashes and then rebuilt? Easy to sit back as older gentlemen looking at cars with 40 plus years of chassis development by keen owners and club members but these things were diabolical in their era. Fun to look back on?
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to look back to our youth, we were all more prepared to take what now seem to be stupid risks, I know for one that I'm very lucky never to have damaged a Nagari and to still be breathing. But in saying that you'd have to be foolhardy to to put your life on the line in a car that was obviously dangerous or to drive it in a risky way.
ReplyDeletePeterG
I believe the policeman who pulled over the entire car club in SA commented ' I have seen better behaved bikie gangs"! Booze and testosterone fueled stupidity was rife among every car club in the late 60's and 70's. Ton up on public roads was a given ( I am not talking about KPH here). Demo runs down Cross Road at 100mph at 11 a.m. on a Saturday morning in a turbo MK7, 100 mph thru Hyde Park side streets in a hot Nagari roadster, both times as a passenger, Torrens Island and of course AIR and Mallala for proper activities, all in cars with flexible chassis and no side impact protection. I too never pranged a Bollie but it was not for trying. A lot of luck. Who in their right mind would drive a home built car hard on 185 section tyres with 190 bhp with discs on the front and drums on the back. Seriously, and Nagaris were not much better ( yes i had one of them too) What about the cretin who repaired his Mk 7 with 2x4 wood supporting a cracked chassis. plant the foot, turn one way, back off, turn the other. the reason I space-framed my first Mk 5 was it had a badly stressed front end and sheet steel chassis from an accident and use to wander around on the road. This all came from a comment about Bollies and Griffiths having similarities. I stick by my comment. Re driving hard, street racing was rife when I grew up and still is. Just drive around Dandenong on a Saturday night. Great car culture, absolutely committed young people and yes they race on the streets. I guess thats where hotrodding came from. And my interest in Bollies.
ReplyDeletehaha..Dads car was as most will remember sideways more often than not... we actually have a TVR tucked away...and are thinking of getting it out and on the track again......
ReplyDeleteRan Maclurkin
Is it the same one? Let us know when you get it out.
ReplyDeleteRanalds old Griff racecar now resides with me in Western Australia, halfway through a stalled restoration. Bruce Abrey
ReplyDelete