This 1965 TVR Griffith Has Drag Racing History And The Battle Scars To Prove It – Awesome Car


This 1965 TVR Griffith Has Drag Racing History And The Battle Scars To Prove It – Awesome Car

The TVR Griffith was yet another example of the melding of an English chassis and an American power plant in the 1960s. After the runaway success of the Shelby Cobra and following in the well worn rut created by earlier examples of the combo like the Allard, the TVR Griffith was at least as hardcore as the others and maybe more so. The cars were conceived by Jack Griffith an east coast Ford deal who liked racing. The TVR weighed 1,450lbs before the engine and transmission were installed and he felt that their advanced engineering and construction combined with the light weight would make them an awesome track car.

He was right but they were also tough to drive because of their flyweight nature and their complete lack of wheelbase. This particular car did not have those kinds of problems though. Why? It was a drag car! Yes, not only was it a drag car but it was raced with regularity at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire. Equipped with the 271hp version of Ford’s 289ci small block engine the thing must have hustled. Our favorite part of the whole car? The areas above the real wheel wells where an undoubtedly large pair of slicks cut themselves right through the fiberglass body when the car squatted on them, obviously at the hit of the throttle.

The vintage AHRA sticker on the back leads us to believe that this car may have competed at the track during their AHRA Grand American national events. The olds school black New England Dragway kill sticker is evidence that it whooped up on someone at least once back then. We’re guessing it ran in a modified sports car category or something of that nature.

With only 2,400 miles on the odometer, this has to be one of the lowest milage 1965 TVR Griffith examples ever found. Shipped from England in blue, the first owner wanted the car orange so he had the dealer repaint the thing. Also, it has all five of the original wheels and all five of the ORIGINAL TIRES! Yeah, this thing is a time capsule for sure.

Check out the photos and then check out the ad for this 1965 TVR Griffith – HERE


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7 thoughts on “This 1965 TVR Griffith Has Drag Racing History And The Battle Scars To Prove It – Awesome Car

  1. james s. coffey

    about the same time that this tvr was racing in nh there was a silver one racing at ct. dragway anyone remember it the guy kept to himself in the pits as we parked next to him with my friends 1963 sportroof tunnlport427 ford galaxie 500 those were the very good old days

  2. Gary Smrtic

    There was also a couple of them racing at Dover Dragstip in Wingdale, N.Y. Bad little buggers! One of them ran altered, and had a nailhead Buick in it! Pix of them on Dover’s web site….

  3. Chevy Hatin' Mad Geordie

    Restore it to its former drag racing glory and fit a Cobra 427 side oiler motor. There seems plenty of room in the engine bay and it would be an absolute monster.

  4. Tom P

    Plenty of room? The 289 is very tight in those cars, that is why the odd headers sweeping forward like that.
    There was one raced in Milton Vermont too. Check the story on Hemmings called “The Tasca Ford of Vermont”

    Very cool car, it’s nice to see one that unrestored.

  5. oldguy

    The original stock beasties were the fastest 0 -100- 0 cars at the time .
    Faster than Cobras , ‘vette’s etc

  6. TOM BROWNELL

    I REMEMBER SEEING ONE OF THOSE RUN AT SANFORD ME. AIRPORT B-4 NEDW. IT WAS GREEN AND THE GUY BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF IT IT WENT GOOD ALSO – ANYBODY REMBER THIS CAR-EARLY 60\’S — ??

  7. TOM BROWNELL

    I REMEMBER SEEING A GREEN GRIFITH RUN AT SANFORD AIR-PORT IN THE EARLY 60’S BE FORE NEDW. THE GUY BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF IT I ALLWAYS LIKED TO WATCH THIS LITTLE CAR – ANYBOBY REMEMBER IT– ??

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