Terry Harper Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 When I was in Highschool I was totally car crazy. At that time it was GTO's, Mustangs etc. Then one day I discovered the twenty-two-volume set of "World of Automobiles" in our school library. It was like a fantastic light coming on. I marveled over the iconic and wonderful creations from Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and MANY OTHERS. Buried I believe in volume 20 was TVR. Later, a 1982 edition of "The Complete Book of Collectible cars" was gifted too me. Lo and behold on page 373 was a grainy black and white of that ever so truncated yet delectable product of Blackpool - the TVR Grantura. I never had the chance to see one in the flesh. However, I remember a TVR 3000 roadster well and came tantalizingly close to owning a 2500M. Anyway, I digress... Hopefully, this little jewel doesn't end up with a V8 stuffed in it as so many of its later siblings have. More photos and a video are available in the listing. Facebook MarketPlace: https://www.facebook.com/share/tea2PysPceZBHvVP/ Sellers Description: 1963 TVR grantura $25,000 Listed a week ago a week ago in Stamford, CT "Very rare TVR. Runs and drives well. Needs some TLC. Tires , seats, glass good. Good oil pressure, engine pulls good, no noises from trans or diff, shifts great. If you see this…. Its still for sale!" 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 Those are neat, Im not sure I could fit though! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 I remember the day clearly that I went with a friend in College to look at at a 68 Firebird convertible for sale. The guy saw us pull in up front and started hosing the car down. I looked at my buddy and said: "We need to leave, we are wasting our time". He didn't understand and pushed through over my objections and bought the car. HUGE mistake. What a piece of crap. Anyways, wet cars tell no tales. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif in Calif Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 4 hours ago, alsancle said: I remember the day clearly that I went with a friend in College to look at at a 68 Firebird convertible for sale. The guy saw us pull in up front and started hosing the car down. I looked at my buddy and said: "We need to leave, we are wasting our time". He didn't understand and pushed through over my objections and bought the car. HUGE mistake. What a piece of crap. Anyways, wet cars tell no tales. Good Call! You are very right to be suspicious. I have never seen one of these "in the flesh" but in the pictures the back window looks like it might be plexiglass. Not necessarily a bad thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1957Birdman Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 This is a car that is crying for a few more inches of wheelbase. I don't think I or anyone over 6 feet tall would fit into this car comfortably. Lew Bachman 1957 Thunderbird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Harper Posted July 20 Author Share Posted July 20 1 hour ago, Leif in Calif said: Good Call! You are very right to be suspicious. I have never seen one of these "in the flesh" but in the pictures the back window looks like it might be plexiglass. Not necessarily a bad thing... Yes, it is plexiglass. That was standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 I have long wanted one of these. But todays going rate is out of my reach. It will probably end up in the U.K. This is a Mk. 3 Grantura, the best of the short tail cars. They almost always need a new frame unless they have spent all their life in a very dry climate. A big job to replace as they are bonded right into the fiberglass body. New frames are an off the shelf item. Most people go the next step and change to a bolt on frame like all the slightly newer cars used. But a very involved repair whatever way you do it. When they came up for sale 25 or 30 years ago they were usually quite cheap because everyone knew they turned into a time and money pit. These days there seems to be no end of people willing to spend close to the 100 K mark to totally rebuild them. Particularly for historic racing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Harper Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 47 minutes ago, 1912Staver said: I have long wanted one of these. But todays going rate is out of my reach. It will probably end up in the U.K. This is a Mk. 3 Grantura, the best of the short tail cars. They almost always need a new frame unless they have spent all their life in a very dry climate. A big job to replace as they are bonded right into the fiberglass body. New frames are an off the shelf item. Most people go the next step and change to a bolt on frame like all the slightly newer cars used. But a very involved repair whatever way you do it. When they came up for sale 25 or 30 years ago they were usually quite cheap because everyone knew they turned into a time and money pit. These days there seems to be no end of people willing to spend close to the 100 K mark to totally rebuild them. Particularly for historic racing. Not much to go on, but here are the sellers photos that somewhat show the underside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 (edited) Unfortunately the part of the frame that crumbles away is very hard to see unless it is almost at the point of collapse. A good percentage of the frame tubes are completely wrapped in fiberglass during construction. It's not uncommon to find entire sections of frame completely corroded away when the old frame is cut out of the body. But this a Mk 3 Grantura. The most desirable of all the short tail cars apart from the extremely early { extremely rare } cars and the big brother Griffith 200 V8 cars. Only about 96 or so Mk 3's were built, but they have a high survival rate. Possibly more existent today than were originally built due to a number of cars built for historic racing, more or less out of all newly produced parts . Almost every part imaginable is available new, but wallet look out. As long as you have a genuine I.D. plate and very deep pockets you have a Grantura. I have been trying to add one to my life for well over 40 years now. I briefly owned a Mk 4 Grantura { the one with the slightly longer rear bodywork and larger rear window } in the mid 1980's. But I was a college student at the time and food and rent forced its sale. Since then the closest I have been able to come is all the salvage from a badly crashed Mk 3. Lots of parts , but no I.D. plate so no corner stone to build around. Edited July 22 by 1912Staver (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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