Griffin, Griffith, Apollo, Vetta Ventura et al were all Frank Reisner/Intermeccanica cars. Without recounting the whole history, here is the Wiki quote: "Frank Reisner, a former chemical engineer raised in Canada and educated in America, built a production facility that later produced the Apollo and Vetta Ventura. Reisner, on holiday in Italy in 1959, decided that he loved Turin and set up shop there as Intermeccanica producing tuning kits for Renaults, Peugeots, and Simcas. The Apollo/Vetta Ventura project was the dream of a young California engineer, Milt Brown, who desired to build an American answer to European GTs, such as the Aston Martin DB4 and Ferrari coupes. Brown, who was looking for a coachbuilder, met Reisner at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1960. A deal was made and the first Apollos were built by late 1963 by Intermeccanica. Intermeccanica made and trimmed the steel bodies in Turin and then sent them to Oakland, California, where the drivetrain was installed. The prototype's design was by Milt Brown's friend, Ron Plescia, but the nose was too long and the rear vision limited, so Reisner commissioned former Bertone stylist Franco Scaglione to revise it. The finished car, sold by International Motorcars of Oakland, was well received and had famous owners such as Tony Curtis and Pat Boone. Thirty-nine Apollos were built when production stopped in mid-1964. Reisner kept his options open by supplying the shell to a Texas company, which sold it as the Vetta Ventura. Reisner later developed projects such as the Griffith, the Murena GT, and the Italia by Intermeccanica. Intermeccanica went on to produce the Veltro 1500, the Griffin (which was really an Apollo 2+2), an Apollo 5000, the Phoenix, and the Omega a**** others. This car was featured in The Love Bug, a 1969 Disney movie. Most of this car's styling came from the famous Jaguar E-type." Got my hands dirty working on Vetta Venturas at Tom Johnson's Performance Incorporated on Mockingbird Lane in Dallas in the mid 1960's. Put Buick aluminum V8's in rolling ch***is, painted and finished out the interior etc. Valve covers on the Buick cleared the spring towers. ETA Tom Johnson is Delmo Johnson's brother. Delmo of Corvette road racing fame. Delmo's contemporaries were Hap Sharp, Bill Fritts, Carroll Shelby etc. Bood
no,that was a bradley i believe,sorta like a delorean but fibergl***,had factory electric push ****on gullwing doors,,,
Well, I know where there is a Griffin gl*** body and frame in a barn out in no-wheres-ville Rhode Island! The owner removed the Hipo 289 that was in it and put it in a MGTD. The story he told me was this car is the original number 6 or 7 car off of the production line. He received it from a friend of a friend on Federal Hill in Providence. I did ask if it was for sale, and he was reluctant to give me a price. Said it would be worthless for me to buy and that when the conversation ended. I guess I asked to many questions because he kept asking if I was "on the Job" anyway thats when I was ******ed off of the property with the GIANT wrought iron fence locked up behind me LOL. Chuck
The Griffin is a GRIFFITH and is not in any way an Intermeccanica car. The correct name is a TVR Griffith which was originally a TVR Grantula that used various pommy engines.[ whenever supply was available ] The TVR name comes from TreVoR Wilkinson the companies founder In the 1960s, American motor dealer Jack Griffith decided to put a 289 V8 engine from a Cobra he owned into a TVR Grantura, in much the same way that V8s were first transplanted into AC Cobras (It is in honour of Jack Griffith that the TVR Giffith was so-named). Jack Griffith became the USA importer of TVR cars Jack Griffith was also the importer of Intermeccanica cars[ minus engines ],hence the confiusion here. The 2 marques are entirely separate en***ies TVR is still manufacturing sportscars to this day Yes the Lucas electrics are fun at night "Joseph Lucas Prince of Darkness"
I have no contact info on this guy, I only stopped on a wimb because I saw a 66 T-bird in the back yard, I will be completely honest, this gent made it very clear that he didn't need the company, any new friends, nor does he like people to stop by. But, I am quite good friends with a guy who lives about 2 houses up, so I will have him keep an eye out and so will I when I stop by my buddies house. I know this story sounds hard to believe, but if you know the area out in the woods of Exeter/ West Greenwich RI you know what I am saying Chuck
"John Delorean bought the original SV1 prototype after Bricklins self-***led car company went into bankruptcy"
Jack Griffith got his steel bodies from Intermeccanica in Italy. Look it up if you have to slick. I was there. Bood
That is true with the exception that there were no 68 Tiger's. Production of the MarkII stopped in June of 67 after Chrysler bought the Rootes Group that produced Sunbeams and they couldn't very well continue production with a Ford motor. There were 534 production MkII's with the 289 built. BTW it was Jensen who did the ch***is for the Tigers.
Yes, there are 1968 Tigers. True, they were made in 1967, but back then it was common for the (foreign) car to be ***led as the year puchased. I had a "1963" Alpine that was made in 1960. While Jensen "made" the Tigers, they modified Alpine shells pulled from regular production. Something Tiger owners don't like to admit. Bill
First of all, there was a Griffin Apollo (the 2+2 prototype) and a TVR/Griffeth (for Jack Griffeth). 2 different cars. (as noted above). Bood, you built my car. I would love to buy you a beer some time. I am currently restoring it.
OK ,I stand to be corrected. Jack Griffith was the importer of both Marques.[ he fitted the engines in the USA the production numbers are for Intermeccanica Produced Cars; Griffith GT = 14 Griffin [ Apollo 2+2 ] = 1 prototype [not really a production unit] TVR Produced Cars;[ from 64 to 67 ] Griffith 200 = 192 Griffith 400 = 59 Griffith 600 = 10 It sounds like automotive folklore Jack Griffith called them "Griffith 200's" etc, but TVR in Britain called them TVR Griffiths [ no way ***ociated with Intermeccanica ] Similar to Ford, AC, and Shelby claiming the Cobra to themselves One of the Intermeccanica Cars would be worth gold today [ if the traditional Italian biodegradable bodywork has survived ]
I own a TVR 2500m with a 5.0 in it. It was inspired by the griffith's. I total blast to drive. See pics in my albums. Oh yea it weighs 1900# with me in it!!! T slot wheels were 14x6 originally, rears are now 15x7, hub caps were not offered
TVR Griffith is a Fibergl*** bodied 289 powered version of TVR Grantura which came as the 200, 400 and later the 600: For the most accurate information on these cars check out Mike Mooney's book - Mike was one of the three original test drivers of this car along with Mark Donohue and Len Bailey of Ford GT40 fame: www.mikemooney.com/Griffith_200_400_600.php
That TVR in RI will be for sale someday....when it goes through a police auction after the Fed's are done with it and the property owner. That's the only way anything is coming off that property....
I had a 289 Griffith years ago and also owned a 260 Tiger, The Griffith was very tail happy but once you got used to it you could have some fun in it, The Tiger however was an aweful thing, way too heavy at the front and under steered like mad, the race ones were probably setup much better but the production cars wern't great i'm afraid.
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