TVR 350i FHC

[John Turner]

I'd always wanted a TVR and, although a straight 6 fan, I also wanted to try a car with a V8 engine, so what better than to combine the two. I also prefer closed cars to open ones, so my choice was limited to the mid to late 60's Griffith or Tuscan, a 350i FHC or a Cerbera. The early cars would have been my first choice with that lovely old Ford 289 block but were too rare and too expensive. The gloriously manic Cerbera was also financially out of my reach and I have not yet quite got over my suspicion about the longevity of the early AJP8 engine, so the 350i FHC it was. So about 3 years ago, I did the worse thing you can possibly do, I bought a car sight unseen and had it delivered to me. I was lucky; apart from having different brand tyres on each corner (not good on any car, let alone a TVR!) and a low and very dirty oil level dipstick reading, the car turned out to be good with a very sound chassis, straight body with a good paint job, decent interior and an engine modified many years ago by Dave Brodie Racing. I've had it gradually fettled and maintained by Austec Racing and upon its latest return from them it now sits on a set of very good second hand Oz wheels and decent tyres from a later 400SE.

One of 52 built between 1983-87 and although the body is based on the Tasmin it is wider and chunkier. It is very heavy on the steering at parking speeds and headaches can become an issue on long motorway journeys! One for fun then, and suitable for a quick blast up to Cadwell and other places that I can reach in less than an hour! Here it is:-