That looks like TVR M series from the 1970s or even a Vixen from the 60s. Originally it would have probably had a 3-litre European Ford V6 and certainly a (fairly sophisticated) steel tube chassis and fiberglass body. Do you like the little bits of folded paper that the owner puts under the one-piece hood to stop the bumpers being scratched where they rest on the ground?
A brave company that had survived continuously since the 1950s, it died earlier this year. Since the 80s it had pursued a really intelligent manufacturing policy - it found it was too small to live off other peoples' parts so it started making its own - it's cheaper to machine a switch knob from solid aluminium than get one moulded if you only want small volumes. And that meant they could go wild, which they did:
This policy ended up with them designing and building their own engine - a rip-snorter of a beast, and surprisingly reliable. If I may be permitted a bit of old-fashioned chauvinism, a straight-eight-engined TVR is like a man's car where the Viper is a fine ladies' car....
A neighbour of mine has one and I love the way the whole street shakes when it starts. He very politely only uses the engines' idle speed until he's out of the street, to avoid breaking windows.
But TVR's great claim to fame is that they were the car company that made Lotus look reliable. Wonderful cars, as long as you could screw them back together as fast as they came apart.....
Andrew
by ARKPAT » Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:16 pm 
