The TVRCCNA even has members in the United Kingdom!
|
|
The United Kingdom region of the TVR Car Club North America includes the 'mother country' -- the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland', or what we on 'this side of the pond' call "England". |
Colin Lyons |
| Date: | Event Description | Contact: |
|---|
UK Event Reports
Have you ever wondered how TVRs are celebrated in the UK? Here are some examples..... Wish you were there? TVRCCNA Club President Marshall Moore was!
Back Home 2006
| Following much negative press about the status and future of TVR Engineering, Ltd., the Blackpool-based manufacturer opened its doors on Sunday, July 16, 2006 as approximately 600 TVR Car Club members toured the current factory for probably the last time. No, this isn't because the factory is going out of business, but rather because this time next year, TVR Engineering will be in a new location, which will provide it with greatly enhanced production capacity. As I arrived at the factory on Bristol Avenue about 9 o'clock on Sunday morning, about a dozen TVRs were already on hand and they began coming in droves. By the time I left, there was virtually no where else for a TVR to park, yet they were still coming. As we were led through the factory on tour, TVR owner Nikolai Smolenski popped in to say hi, which was a surprise, even though he and other company officials had been present on Saturday along the Promenade for other Back Home activities. As the tour progressed, we were taken through each stage of TVR production from chassis engineering, to body moulds, to paint preparation, the paint shop, and on into the final production stage where the bodies were mated to the chassis and all the other components were added until the car was complete and ready for a test drive and final fettling. Dozens and dozens of new Tuscans, Tuscan Ss, Tuscan Convertibles, Tamoras, T350Cs, and Sagaris were in construction, including at least a dozen left hand drive models of the Tuscan and Sagaris, currently slated for Italy, France, and Holland. And, we were treated to some good news. We were advised that when they move into the new factory on the outskirts of Blackpool later this year, they will be ramping up production to a future level of 5,000 cars per year, with approximately 2,000 of those slated to be sent to North America by 2008. In fact, as I was waiting to go in, I was approached by one factory official and asked if I was one of the American dealers they were expecting! The mood among those I spoke with at the factory was a positive one with optimism about the future of TVR. And, wait till next year! For Back Home 2007, TVR will be celebrating its 60th anniversary and the club is already talking about expecting as many as 1,000 TVRs for next year's anniversary event. It will be a "don't miss" event, to be sure. So, you heard it here first......if you ever wanted to attend a big TVR event in England, put next July on your calendar. It'll be one of those 'once in a lifetime' events for a TVR enthusiast. Make your plans now to be there and let's have a solid American contingent present to help TVR celebrate 60 years as a manufacturer of exciting sportscars. |
Click any picture for a big picture.
A look at the chassis shop
A Sagaris body being prepped for paint
One of the left hand drive Sagaris in production
The pair of TVR transporters
Nikolai Smolenski's former personal TVR Typhon
The last Cerbera built, to be auctioned off in August |
Wedges Gather for BBWF-3
| Over 85 wedge TVRs gathered under beautiful blue skies with warm temperatures on the weekend of July 15-16, 2006 near Stratford-upon-Avon, England for the third annual Big Bad Wedge Fest. There were examples of almost every possible wedge on hand, ranging from the 2-litre Tasmin 200 all the way up to the 450 SEAC to whet the appetites of any TVR wedge fans. Mike Bressington, Alan Toomey and all the rest of the crew who put on this year's event, did a great job of attracting the wedges, despite the conflict with the Back Home at the Factory event scheduled for the same weekend. The bulk of the wedges in attendance were V8 powered with a large number of 350is, 390 and 400 SEs, a couple of 430SEs, 420 and 450 SEACs, and 450SEs. They came from all over England and about 5 from Holland to enjoy cars they share in common. The sound of the brutish V8s under the bonnets of many of the cars was a delight to the ears and we were also treated to the occasional wedge burnout as someone would lineup on the entry drive and dump the clutch, producing a cloud of white tire smoke. And, again this year, the Loudest Wedge contest was held, with measurements in decibels taken from the exhaust pipes of any participant's wedge. For you wedge fans in the US, this is a great event and an opportunity to see wedges that were never brought over to the US. If you have an interest in this event, put it on your calendar for next year. |
Click any picture for a big picture.
An overview of some of the wedges at BBWF-3
A Dutch 420 SEAC does a burnout
A sampling of more wedges all in a row
SEAC row |
