TVR 3000M

So when I bought my Nissan from Japan the Yen was just cratering at the time and I got an amazing deal. Same is happening to the UK now, sorry British GRMers. I am thinking of selling that car and buying something else.

These TVRs always interested me i'm curious if anyone here knows anything about them.

Here is one example that would be within my budget. I would have to find a seller willing to work with my importing a car though.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/tvr/classics/1977-tvr-3000m/3949335?v=c

I was having this same thought recently in regards to a VW Rally Golf. So much awesome with mostly available VW MKII components.

There are a lot of interesting options. I was looking at MK3 Ford Capris as well.

Hardest part is getting a good inspection done of the cars. I was really surprised when I was there how much rust a lot of these cars have on them. I would have to have a really trusted buyer over there before I took on the expenses of shipping a car over.

There are a few things of interest over there. Mini's and defenders can be good flipper if you find a good one.

With the early 90's TVR Griffiths being legal now, I'd much rather go for one of those than the older M-cars we already got in the US (bravenrace has owned a few, IIRC).

In reply to pointofdeparture:

Check out the Wheeler Dealers TVR episode. They did a later car and the build quality was pretty scary. The car wasn't that old and the frame was gone. They had to do a frame swap.

That 3000M is still for sale? I sent a link to that ad to bravenrace months ago...

bmw88rider makes an extremely good point, both regarding the inspection services and the amount of rust found on vehicles in the UK. There really isn't a cottage industry of car inspection services like you find over here, it's more informal that a friend of a friend who happens to be the local authority on a specific car helps you look them over.

And the rust, oh boy. The climate is very humid, plus they use mountains of road salt at the first whiff of snow fall - not kidding, I was living about 50 miles Southeast of London and saw the local council salt the road because it was snowing about 100 miles to the North at about 46F (yes, I actually checked). That, plus the fact that for most people in the UK something like a TVR would be a semi-daily driver that would often be parked on the street (garages are often a luxury in the UK) leads them to be in much worse shape compared to what we would expect over here where something like a TVR would be coddle in a garage and not taken outside unless there is no cloud showing in a 50 mile radius. Let's just say that when I bought my first Miata over here after owning three of them over there, I was stunned that I could just take apart the suspension without having to cut off half the bolts. TVR has some notoriety in the UK for not rust proofing the chassis (or barely doing so) but TBH they weren't alone, it's an issue with a lot of the specialist manufacturers.

Re the Griffith - I actually talked to a friend of mine in the UK who owns one and keeps an eye on the market. He advised against importing a cheap one - there are plenty of them about but they're not necessarily even in as good a condition as the one in the WD episode Woody is referring to, and it's not only the chassis rot. From memory, he suggested shopping in the GBP15k range for one actually worth having and having it looked over by a TVR specialist before purchase.

pointofdeparture wrote: With the early 90's TVR Griffiths being legal now, I'd much rather go for one of those than the older M-cars we already got in the US (bravenrace has owned a few, IIRC).

I would be getting this car because I wanted a classic vehicle really.

For a more modern vehicle I would be looking at something else than a TVR.

Woody wrote: In reply to pointofdeparture: Check out the *Wheeler Dealers* TVR episode. They did a later car and the build quality was pretty scary. The car wasn't that old and the frame was gone. They had to do a frame swap.

Ya I would be very careful if I bought one. The car in the link in particular apparently had significant work done.

My Skyline I bought was very good at first but corrosion was found on the frame and it's now being "fixed" by a body shop/mechanic who builds skylines for drifting.

I suspect Japan and UK conditions are about the same though I may be wrong.

I could find a 2500M in the US maybe but idk how much they go for. I would prefer the Ford V6 in this car to the Triumph I6 though. That is really the main reason I want this particular trim. I like the power to weight of it. Otherwise I would look for a Spitfire or TR6. I like the design as well.

If by conditions you mean conditions of the vehicles, there is no comparison. Japanese vehicle win hands down, ones that have lived in the UK all their lives tend to be in much worse condition.

There is/used to be a thriving gray import business importing cars from Japan for that specific reason.