1965 TVR Griffith 200/400

Lot details
Registration No: OUU 4F
Chassis No: 200/003
Mot Expiry: Jan 2004.

The most potent of all the historic event eligible TVRs, the Griffith V8, owes its name to American Jack Griffith who imported TVR chassis/body units to the US into which he installed Ford US made 4727cc V8 engines and 4-speed manual gearboxes, badging them as Griffiths. For those with very quick reactions to master the handling the Griffith proved to be competitive on the track. Power outputs varied according to spec from 191 to 271bhp and the extremely powerful lightweights are good for 140mph.
Righthand drive TVR-built Griffiths were much better put together and according to original hand written factory documentation, 003 is the first righthand drive Griffith to be built. This 1965 built/ 1967 factory rebuilt Griffith 200/400 on offer is not only a rare, desirable and FIA pre-1965 event eligible coupe, but an ex-Gerry Marshall Griffith which was then owned in period by the celebrated film and TV stuntman Chris Skeaping. Letters on file confirm their ownership and the car's interesting early history.
From filed correspondence, we learn that this 1965 car was first used as a demonstrator by racing driver Gerry Marshall who was working for TVR dealer `The Barnet Motor Company' and racing chassis 004 for them at the same time. In late 1965, chassis number 003 was registered DFR 697C and was purchased by its first private owner and stuntman Mr Colin Skeaping. In 1966, Mr Skeaping had the misfortune to damage the car, obviously not keeping his antics solely to the film set. As a result, in 1967 the car was returned to the Blackpool factory for a total rebuild. This involved the use of the later 1967 400 body/chassis. All the original components from the 200 were used in the rebuild and the bill came to £1100, which was not an inconsiderable sum at the time, remembers Skeaping.
TVR chief Martin Lilley, whose family had taken control of the Northern firm in 1965, suggested that the Griffith was re-registered with a newer identity, which seemed like a good idea at the time! Hence 003 emerged from the factory as a 1967 car with today's 0UU 4F registration.
As very respectably presented today in red with black interior, the freshly rebuilt rare HI-PO Ford 289 cu in (4727cc) powered Griffith, has December 2000 issued FIA papers as homologated in 1965, enabling it to be driven in current Period F, GTS Category and Class 12 international events. The papers list most previous owners and their dates of purchase - 1965 Barnet Motor Co, 1965 Chris Skeaping, 1969 Malcolm Hawkins, 1972 John Morgan, 1973 D Carpenter, 1974 M Locke, 1978 J Bradburn, 1978 N Channon, 1988 Robin Howard, 1989 Tim Bryan, 1990 Martin Cliffe and 1998 J Barber. The 69,516 miles indicated when entered for this sale, though not authenticated, could very well be the total mileage of this interesting TVR.
Apart from the FIA papers, also in the history file are copies of the Blackpool factory build sheet, the original green logbook and a 1998 BBC contract for appearing in a TVR item on the Top Gear programme.
This is a really well sorted example, which should be sensationally quick to drive.
Please Note: The Barnet Motor Company was at that time owned by Gerry Marshall himself.