The 1966 TVR Griffith Series 400: The Forgotten Cobra Competitor
Classics
European
American
Some classic cars are so rare that they barely exist. Even in the prime of its production, the 1966 TVR Griffith Series 400 was a mystery. Yet, the rarity, power, and charm of the car has not escaped the notice of enthusiasts.
In 2015, eBay bidders ran up the price of the car to $103,433.33. It closed without reaching the reserve price.
Although having the name of British automaker TVR, the Griffith Series 400 was actually the idea of Jack Griffith - opens in new window or tab.. He was a Ford dealer in Long Island, N.Y. Decades later, TVR would produce a vehicle of its own with the same name. Talk about confusing.
The British gentlemanly sports car spirit is in full evidence when examining the TVR's wood-filled cockpit.
TVR Griffith Series 400 as Cobra Killer
Griffith previously convinced Ford Motor Corporation to provide him with 289 cubic-inch V-8s. This was to install in the Series 400’s predecessor, the Griffith 200. After building a couple hundred of those, he was ready to take things a step further. He hoped the car would kill the Cobra.
On paper, everything looked good. The small Ford V-8 was good for 271 horsepower. In combination with the 1,400-pound TVR Grantura Mark IV chassis, this made a powerful sports car package. Learning from the Griffith 200, the 400 also boasted:
- A new independent rear suspension system
- Unequal wishbones all around
- Better final gearing to match with its four-speed manual transmission
The goal of beating Carroll Shelby's Cobra at its own game wasn't out of reach for Griffith.
The lighter import never achieved the million-dollar auction-block glory of the modified AC roadster. But it could go toe-to-toe with it on a circuit.
The 289 cubic-inch V8 sourced from Ford pushed out 271 horsepower.
The TVR Griffith on the Drag Strip
The TVR Griffith Series 400 in the 2015 eBay listing features a unique racing history. It bypassed road courses. Instead, it claimed top drag-strip honors by holding three consecutive AHRA records in 1965, 1966, and 1967. In fact, the car saw no road use at all until 2005.
At the time of the listing, the car still had its custom orange paint job, AHRA stickers, and an odometer just above 2,400 miles. If ever there was a time-capsule race car, this is it.
The 289 cubic inch V8 sourced from Ford pushed out 271 horsepower.
Sadly, events out of his control forced Jack Griffith out of the business. This happened to so many boutique sports car builders of his period.
In this case, the problem was a dock strike on the east coast of the United States. That made it impossible to import the fiberglass TVR bodies from England where they were built.
TVR only produced 59 Griffith Series 400 cars before the dealership shut down sales. So the Series 400 is one of the least common racers on the market. And a very desirable piece of British-American co-automotive history.
Eagle-eye auto enthusiasts and historians should have kept tabs on this Griffith Series 400. Perhaps we lost track of the car listed on eBay, but brochures like a 1964 racing spec sheet - opens in new window or tab. is available.
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