SACO - didn't you seen my PM about this car?
After you told Ray that it was a Grantura I sent you the following to avoid any misinformation:
QUOTE
Hi Alain
The TVR Gem wasn't a prototype for the Grantura, which was in production from 1958/60 (Mk 1), 1960/61 (Mk 2), 1961/2 (Mk 2A), 1962/4 (Mk 3), 1964/6 (Grantura 1800S) and 1966/7 (Mk 4 1800S). It was replaced by the Vixen S1 in 1967.
The Gem dated from 1967 and was Tommy Entwhistle's idea of what the eventual replacement for the Vixen (itself a development of the Grantura) might be like. It was powered by the 3-litre Ford V6 which was eventually to power the Vixen-bodied Tuscan V6 and was initially fitted with an aluminium body, which was then replaced by a glass-fibre one. Its chassis was a development of the LWB Vixen S2 chassis (first used on the ill-fated 1965 Trident prototypes) but adapted to incorporate fully rose-jointed double wishbone independent suspension. Entwhistle had planned to race the Gem in the 1967 season but the car wasn't ready in time, although in unfinished prototype form it did put in an appearance at a few race meetings that year; those who saw it assumed it would be the next new TVR, but that was never to be, as the Vixen/Tuscan developed into the M-series cars, which did have a version with that Ford 3-litre V6. Entwhistle was very disappointed indeed that his ideas never came to fruition, but although the car looked quite good from the rear that blunt front-end was never going to be acceptable as a TVR design!
So by the time the Gem appeared the Grantura was already out of production..
Regards
Norman
UNQUOTE
The car has nothing at all to do with the Tridents of course (which, Ray, were not in production from 1964-6 as only 4 were made - 3 coupés and 1 convertible - all of them prototypes and all in 1965).
The Gem was also not based on a Grantura but the stretched 7'6" chassis which became the standard Vixen S2/Tuscan LWB and Tuscan V6 chassis. Don't confuse Grantura Plastics (the bodymaker owned by TVR which made all TVR bodies including this one) with the TVR Grantura. Further it wasn't an official TVR prototype but TVR Racer Tommy Entwhistle's idea of where TVR should go next..
The car still exists: I saw it at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2011.
