T.V.R.

GB, 1954 to date

(1) Layton Engineering, Blackpool, Lancs., 1954 – 1957

(2) Layton Sports Cars Ltd, Blackpool, Lancs., 1957 – 1962

(3) Grantura Engineering Ltd, Blackpool, Lancs., 1962 – 1963

(4) T.V.R. Cars Ltd, Blackpool, Lancs., 1964 – 1965

(5) T.V.R. Engineering Ltd, Blackpool, Lancs., 1965 to date

Trevor Wilkinson commenced production in the tubular chassis market, mainly for Ford components, before graduating to complete TVR car kits in 1957. The TVR Mark 1 Grantura of this date was powered by Coventry-Climax or Ford 100E, and the TVR car was independently suspensed by courtesy of Volkswagen. This model TVR car was sold in the United-States as the Jomar. The TVR Mark II of 1960 retained a similar brief two-seater fiberglass body, with Coventry-Climax 1.216cc, Ford 105E or MGA engine. The TRV Mark III, with a new tubular chassis designed by John Turner to incorporate double wishbone suspension, was introduced in 1962. This model TVR car was raced extensively, and earned the Freddie Dixon Trophy for T. Entwistle in 1963. The Ford V8-engined Griffith TVR car then appeared, and continued as a TVR car model after the Griffith American company had folded up. 1965 saw the Fiore-bodied Trident version of this TVR car, later to be developed as a separate marque, based on the large Austin-Healey chassis. In 1966 the TVR Mark IV GT was introduced, with the latest 1800S MGB engine. In 1968 there was a new small model TVR car, the TVR Tina, with Hillman Imp engine and Fiore bodywork. The 1800S TVR car was available with Ford Cortina GT engine, this model TVR car being known as the TVR Vixen 1600. These TVR cars were consistently successful in diverse forms of motor sport: Brian Hough, Rod Longton and Ted Worswick took four ‘Modsports’ Championships between 1970 and 1972 with V6 and V8 Tuscan models, Mike Day won the British 1970 Austocross Championship and ‘Spotty’ Smith the 1971 Shell Leader hill-climb Championship with a TVR car.

In 1971 the 2500M TVR car with Triumph engine was introduced with a new multi-tubular chassis that enable a longer body to be used, and the opportunity was taken also to proved an estate TVR car version. In 1972 this TVR car chassis was further revised and applied to all models TVR cars, the new ‘M’ series being available as the 1300 (Spitfire engine), 1600 (Cortina GT, as in the superseded ‘Vixen’), 2500 (Triumph) and 3000 (Ford V6); the last-named TVR car sold at £1.884 in basic or component form.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; DF 

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