New TVR Griffith book on the way!

The TVR Griffith Story (An Anthology) is currently being finalised by author Roger Shackleton. The book will be a thoroughly-researched, high quality history of the model, utilising material & information from the factory’s ‘archives’ and its professional staff, combined with input from TVRCC members / Griffith owners past & present. Highly pictorial with a selection of literally hundreds of full colour photographs; additionally featuring brochures, publicity ‘memorabilia’ and original artwork. 

The TVR Griffith Story (An Anthology) An Overview
For posterity a thoroughly-researched, high quality history of the model, utilising material & information from the factory’s ‘archives’ and its professional staff, combined with input from TVRCC members / Griffith owners past & present. Highly pictorial with a selection of literally hundreds of full colour photographs; additionally featuring brochures, publicity ‘memorabilia’ and original artwork.
Having its ‘Foreword’ by TVR Engineering’s Chassis Engineer Neill Anderson, the book will comprise around 300+ pages in ten chapters with hundreds of colour photographs and illustrations in a ‘glossy’ format together with specially commissioned artwork. The wide-ranging text mixes serious technical topics of perennial interest with more light-hearted material, humorous & enthusiastic stories, anecdotes and accounts of the car’s ownership experiences.

It is a full account of the various stages in the Griffith’s development over its 1992 to 2002 Series production run. Incorporating commentary and views of the model’s creation & development by the company personnel responsible for designing, engineering & building it:- John Ravenscroft, Neill Anderson, Paul Harrop, Mike Penny, Ian Law, Trevor Cooper, Dave Bateman, John Mleczek, Martin Kane, Mick Thomas, Kevin Monaghan, Mick Bennison, Bob Partington, Ian Taylor, Debbie Brooks and Mike Williams (plus, of course, numerous quotations on the subject from PRW himself – to whom this book is dedicated) and at TVR Power Dominic Trickett & Jamie Rogers.

Summary of Contents & Chapters
Title & Verso – conventional ‘frontispieces’ describing publisher’s information.
Dedication & Preface – a personal dedication to Mr Peter Wheeler as the model’s creator & company custodian. Preface outlining a ‘potted history’ of the company culminating in a summary of the 1990’s Griffith’s production run.

Foreword – by one of the book’s central contributors and the model’s chassis engineer, Neill Anderson.

Contents – a conventional page-numbered summary.
Chapter 1 1960s TVR Griffith – UK plus USA = hybrid vigour; to anchor the main subject of the book via an account of the history of the modern car’s namesake – incorporating the views of Trevor Wilkinson, Jack Griffith and Martin Lilley. A chronological review & examination of other author’s histories of the model : Peter Filby, Graham Robson, John Tipler and the USA’s Mike Mooney. Closing section comprising an account by company development engineer David Hives, plus related text on the concept (light-UK-sportscar-with-American-V8-engine), general specifications & engines’ information.

Chapter 2 1960s Cars & Owner’s experiences – a highly pictorial account of selected examples of 200 & 400 cars with personal stories & anecdotes, both on and off the track, by their present owners; cars featured include : BFR 400B (1964, 200); JNP 616C (1965, 200); UYN 999 (1965, 400), JFR 600E (1967, 400), plus ‘hybrid 200’ MVS 305. Closing section including an account by Doug Ellwood of specialist dealer in early cars, David Gerald TVR Sportscars Ltd.

Chapter 3 Modern Griffith Naissance & Design Aspects – the Griffith’s story as it is, straight from source, as an in-depth examination of the book’s main subject. Neill Anderson & John Ravenscroft provide their unique insights into the design & engineering development of what started as the road going version of the racing Tuscan; especially commissioned artwork to support design features & additional commentary to establish this true British classic’s place in the design world of late twentieth century sportscars.

Chapter 4 Factory Build Process & Personnel – another in-depth account, based around the factory production process; highlighting the high level of craftsmanship throughout the whole with first-hand commentary, department-by-department, illustrated by chassis upwards pictures throughout the construction of one of the last 500SE Griffs.

Chapter 5 Modern Griffith : Owners Past & Present – highly pictorial section, highlighting just why the model is the phenomenon that its customers recognise it to be. Illustrated anecdotes and views from some thirty+ owners of selected examples, in all of its iterations : 4.0 ltr., 4.3 ltr., 4.3BV, 4.5BV, 500 & 500SE – including a contribution by past 4.3BV owner Richard Seymour of international design consultants Seymour Powell.

Chapter 6 Dealer’s & Specialist’s Views – the TVR Griffith Story from the perspective of dealers HHC’s Tony Abrams & TMS’ Peter O’Connor, plus TVR Power’s Dominic Trickett & Jamie Rogers (incorporating some additional insight in ‘after market’ specialists such as Leven Technology and details of David Gerald Sportscars modern track racing Griffith).

Chapter 7 Factory Brochures – pictorial section displaying details of all official factory brochures throughout the production life of the car.

Chapter 8 Factory Publicity Pictures – introduced by Ian Law, another pictorial section covering the whole variety of ‘Press Release’ Griffith pictures throughout the production life of the car.

Blank Chapter 9 ‘The Average Motoring Journalist’s Knowledge of TVR Reliability’ – a spoof item following family precedent : in 1955 the author’s late father (retired soccer player, cricketer & sports’ journalist, Len Shackleton) published “The Clown Prince of Soccer”, in which chapter 9 was entitled : “The average director’s knowledge of football” – it was blank !

Chapter 10 First Edition Contributor’s & Subscriber’s List – based on a ‘VIN plate’ layout, a published listing of all of the book’s contributors, together with a Subscriber’s list for those wanting an author’s autographed first edition copy by ordering in advance (subscriber’s details, to personalise this small batch of individual copies will be name, village / town, plus model of TVR to be included if / as requested).

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Plus Miscellany / Appendices, Index, Bibliography & Glossary.
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Sales – The independently self-published book by GHKN Publishing is to be hard bound on archive quality paper; the Limited First Edition (maximum 1,500 to 2,000 copies) is proposed to be available via mail order from the TVRCC shop, e-mail : [email protected]

Or for Subscriber’s autographed copies direct from author / publisher, Roger Shackleton :- GHKN Publishing Limited, 8, Ryelands Way, Rosemount, Durham, DH1 5GR, tel. / fax. : 0191-3831431, e : .[email protected]

Pricing – the ‘TVR Griffith Story’ has not been a commercially led project; its main aim has been to produce a high quality, low volume specialist work for marque collectors. To be economically viable the amount provisionally set at the time of writing is a cover price of £39.95 – subject to possible revision following update of initial cost estimates by firmer, final quotations for the various set-up elements.
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Roger A. Shackleton