TVR Griffith 400
Encyclopedia
The TVR Griffith Series 400 is a 2 door coupe sports car produced by Griffith Automobile Corporation between 1964 and 1967. It is the successor to the TVR Griffith 200
, featuring improved cooling via a larger radiator with twin electric fans, and a redesigned rear with better visibility and Cortina Mark 1 tail lights.
Although the standard engine was more powerful than the Ford Windsor engine
200 bhp and 225 bhp engines that were fitted in the Series 200, although the 271 bhp "HiPo" engine was available in the Series 200 as an option, the 400 weighed a few more pounds than the 200 and the now-installed Salisbury independent differential gave it a higher gear ratio providing it with a higher top speed.
As the Series 400 was being produced the entire east coast of the US was crippled by a prolonged dock strike early in 1965. This not only caused a disruption in the supply of the series 400 bodies that were being shipped from TVR
in Blackpool
, UK, it also caused a delay in the shipment of the newer design of the Series 600. Frank Reisner, whose Intermeccanica
body works in Turin
, Italy, was building the new steel bodied Griffith, was also unable to have the bodies shipped. Jack Griffith attempted to bring his car to the public by having these bodies airlifted across the Atlantic.
With only 59 copies of the 400 and 10 600s off the assembly line at the Griffith factory in Plainview, Long Island, N.Y, USA, the company was dissolved.
There are several errors in the Griffith(TVR)400 article. The car originated in 1964 as the Griffith 200(203 built) and then was somewhat updated in early 1965 as the model 400(58 built) and that was the end of the griffith tho cars were sold for some time after that as later model year cars the cars were all built in 1964(200)and 1965(400)totalling 261 units but production ended in late 1965. In fact the car was very crude, very lighly built, very cramped inside, very hot and due to being designed originally for various English 4 cylinder engines of roughly 100 hp and then having an engine of more than double the power installed it just was not a very acceptable car but made a fair race car with some racing success but highly variable reliability. The engines were NOT the "Windsor" engine (named for the Windsor Canada factory they were built in) but in fact were the "Fairlane" engine same as the '64-65 Mustangs/'62-65 Fairlanes were powered by which is a very compact and light V8 of 289 cu in displacement and 195 hp output in the Griffith. The Griffith could not be considered a success but is but one of a number of American V8 powered European cars attempted with little (to moderate) real success such as the Iso Rivolta, Cobra(AC Bristol), Intermeccanica and later the DeTomaso Pantera and others.
TVR Griffith 200
The TVR Griffith 200 was a lightweight fibreglass-body sports car. In the United States, the make was Griffith and the model was Griffith Series 200, whilst the United Kingdom the make was TVR and the model was Griffith 200....
, featuring improved cooling via a larger radiator with twin electric fans, and a redesigned rear with better visibility and Cortina Mark 1 tail lights.
Although the standard engine was more powerful than the Ford Windsor engine
Ford Windsor engine
The Windsor is a 90-degree small-block V8 engine from Ford Motor Company. It was introduced in 1962, replacing the previous Ford Y-block engine. Though not all of the engines in this family were produced at the Windsor, Ontario engine plant , the name stuck...
200 bhp and 225 bhp engines that were fitted in the Series 200, although the 271 bhp "HiPo" engine was available in the Series 200 as an option, the 400 weighed a few more pounds than the 200 and the now-installed Salisbury independent differential gave it a higher gear ratio providing it with a higher top speed.
As the Series 400 was being produced the entire east coast of the US was crippled by a prolonged dock strike early in 1965. This not only caused a disruption in the supply of the series 400 bodies that were being shipped from TVR
TVR
thumb|right|240px|TVR No.2, the oldest surviving TVR, located at [[Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, Cumbria]]TVR was an independent British manufacturer of sports cars. Until 2006 it was based in the English seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire, but has since split up into several smaller...
in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, UK, it also caused a delay in the shipment of the newer design of the Series 600. Frank Reisner, whose Intermeccanica
Intermeccanica
Construzione Automobili Intermeccanica is an automobile manufacturer, founded by Frank Reisner initially based in Italy but subsequently moving to Canada. It is currently headed by Frank's son, Henry Reisner.-Founding:...
body works in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy, was building the new steel bodied Griffith, was also unable to have the bodies shipped. Jack Griffith attempted to bring his car to the public by having these bodies airlifted across the Atlantic.
With only 59 copies of the 400 and 10 600s off the assembly line at the Griffith factory in Plainview, Long Island, N.Y, USA, the company was dissolved.
Specifications
- Engine capacity: 4,722cc/289 cid V8
- Power: 271 bhp
- Top speed: Approximately 155 mph (249.4 km/h)
- Transmission: 4-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive
There are several errors in the Griffith(TVR)400 article. The car originated in 1964 as the Griffith 200(203 built) and then was somewhat updated in early 1965 as the model 400(58 built) and that was the end of the griffith tho cars were sold for some time after that as later model year cars the cars were all built in 1964(200)and 1965(400)totalling 261 units but production ended in late 1965. In fact the car was very crude, very lighly built, very cramped inside, very hot and due to being designed originally for various English 4 cylinder engines of roughly 100 hp and then having an engine of more than double the power installed it just was not a very acceptable car but made a fair race car with some racing success but highly variable reliability. The engines were NOT the "Windsor" engine (named for the Windsor Canada factory they were built in) but in fact were the "Fairlane" engine same as the '64-65 Mustangs/'62-65 Fairlanes were powered by which is a very compact and light V8 of 289 cu in displacement and 195 hp output in the Griffith. The Griffith could not be considered a success but is but one of a number of American V8 powered European cars attempted with little (to moderate) real success such as the Iso Rivolta, Cobra(AC Bristol), Intermeccanica and later the DeTomaso Pantera and others.