Jomar
1955 brought around the first beginnings of a production TVR. Ray Saidel, a resident of New Hampshire placed an order for a TVR rolling chassis to form the base of a sports-racer he planned to sell. He specified that the car must be light, strong, have independent suspension, and most importantly be able to carry the powerful but lightweight Coventry Climax engine. In an effort to lower the center of gravity of the car, and thus improve handling, the new car adopted a backbone style chassis which allowed the seats to sit on the floor instead of a frame. This basic chassis design became a hallmark of all TVRs, and is still used to this day. The car incorporated independent front and rear suspension of a trailing link design, taken from the front suspension of a VW Beetle.
The first car was an open roadster with a sleek, elegant body. However, it was not long before coupe versions of the car were fashioned as well, penning many characteristic TVR lines for years to come. The roadster was first presented at the 1957 New York Auto Show, with Saidel being appointed the first TVR/Jomar distributor in the world. The public was so taken with the car that a flood of orders were received, far to many for TVRs limited production capabilities.
