The Iconic Sale at Silverstone Festival 23rd - 25th August 2024

The Iconic Sale at Silverstone Festival 2024 Collectors’ Cars 192 Registration: 603 FM Chassis No.: 7C119 Estimate: £30,000 - £40,000 Specialist: Gary Dunne Telephone No: 07740 946796 Lot 478 1959 TVR Grantura MkII (Development Car) Correspondence within the car’s extensive history file confirms that #7C 119 had started life as a 1959 Mk I (TVR records show that the chassis number before and after 119 were both MkI Granturas, as well as the electrical parts on the car being dated 1958 and 1959). The company had decided to get involved in circuit racing at club level and had ordered a new Climax 1,220cc FWE engine to power their new race car. The engine was delivered to TVR in May 1959, before being fitted to chassis #7C 119, meaning that the car on offer today is the documented first ever TVR to be fitted with a Coventry Climax engine. Knowing that it may well be sold as a new car one day, it was raced with a series of spurious registration numbers before the first MkII body was created in May of 1960. Chassis #119 was then re-bodied as a MkII, registered under 880 ABM and became effectively a Works car, enjoying some success with Malcolm Wayne. After the car returned from its ‘jolly’ to Monza, it was prepared for the 1962 Tulip Rally. It was fitted with a B-Series engine with appropriate rev counter, a MkIII bonnet, painted white, roof and front spotlights and a reversing light added set up to deal with the different requirements of a stage rally. Driven by Anne Hall and Val Dolmeo, it was going well until a crash on the Col de Charbonniers ended their hopes. On its return to Blackpool, 880 ABM, was repaired by the factory using parts from another car, blue seats with door cards were fitted, as was a new steering wheel, an original MkII bonnet and the Climax engine, #8409 would return to the car. In 1962, it was supplied, rather cheekily, by Aitchison Hutchinson as a new car to its first owner, Alan Rhodda, with whom it remained until 2019. We understand that he was under the impression that the car, now registered 603 FM, had been a cancelled order for a client in India who simply couldn’t import it. However, there were tell-tale signs that it was not a brand new car, the front flashers were in a different place, the 8,000rpm rev counter was a Works car feature and the 7-inline dial dash was not standard at the time. Similarly, it was reported that there was evidence of crash damage from the rally, but once the engine and rev-counter were adjusted to speak to each other, Mr Rhodda was obviously happy as he kept 603 FM for almost 50 years, during which time it covered just over 20,000 miles. It re-emerged in 2019 to be sold as a project and its subsequent new keeper undertook a sympathetic restoration, refinished the car in Old English White, and the interior was fully retrimmed in quality pastel blue leather by a Jaguar Heritage engineer. He had the engine (#8409) ‘boroscoped’ and confirmed as Stage 3 in good condition and undertook a serious amount of investigation and preparation of its now substantial history file. Fascinating reading, the file contains an original sales brochure, buff logbook, Coventry Climax letters signed by Chief Engineer, Wally Hassan, confirming the provenance on the engine and built date, Coventry Climax letters discussing the Stage 3 conversion (completed in 1964) including receipts for all parts from Coventry Climax, numerous Smiths letters discussing the issues with the rev counter and a large collection of receipts for restoration and recommissioning. Our vendor couldn’t resist when offered this historically important car a couple of years ago. With a need to reduce his collection, #7C 119 complete with Climax engine #8409 is now looking for a new home. An historically significant early Grantura with a fascinating history, the factory development car fitted with the first Coventry Climax engine supplied to TVR. More Details Lot 478 Bid On Lot 478