Jack Griffith and his plan to outperform Carroll Shelby’s Cobra

The snarling Ford V8 powered TVR Griffith stems from a competitive rivalry between American Jack Griffith and Carroll Shelby. Legend goes that at a dinner between the two, Griffith declared that he could build a car to outperform Shelby’s AC Cobra.

Griffith was running a workshop in New York, and amongst his clients were TVR USA importer Gerry Sangerman and former TVR racer Mark Donohue. While servicing Sangerman’s Grantura and Donohue’s Cobra, the V8 was offered up to the Grantura and Griffith’s concept was born.

TVR aided Griffith’s endeavour by altering the chassis to accept the V8 engine before shipping rolling chassis to the USA, and Griffith began producing the TVR Griffith 200 in 1964. 192 cars were sold and in 1965 a slightly revised Griffith 400 model was launched with 59 of those being sold.

The TVR Griffith was also marketed in the UK, debuting at the January 1965 Racing Car Show in London. In the hands of a few British racers, the Griffith found its way onto the race tracks of the UK during 1965 with moderate success.

Thanks to the lightweight rolling chassis paired with the effective and tractable Ford 289 V8 engine, the TVR Griffith stood up to Jack Griffith’s original declaration of producing a car to outperform the Cobra. This has rung especially true in historic racing, with TVR Griffiths often proving exactly this in Pre ’66 GT races at tracks from Goodwood to Spa.

This car

This Griffith 200, with chassis number 200/5/013, was completed by TVR experts Nigel Reuben Racing for Graeme Langford to their top specification, as used by the likes of Mike Whitaker to great success in Pre ’66 GT racing over the last 15 years.

Finished in Old English White with a black centre stripe, Langford first campaigned the Griffith at the 2019 Spa Summer Classic, winning both races. With a Peter Knight built Ford 289 engine, Borg-Warner T10 gearbox and limited slip differential, the Griffith’s drivetrain delivers power, torque and control.

In the current ownership, the Griffith has been prepared by ERA Motorsport. Set-up has been further optimised by GSD Racedyn’s analysis, bearing fruit on track. In 2024 the Griffith has raced twice, taking two wins.

First was the Goodwood Members’ Meeting where driven by Miles Griffiths, it claimed the victory in the Graham Hill Trophy against Cobras and E-Types. Having set second fastest time in qualifying, Griffiths won the 25 minute race by 2 seconds over Alex Buncombe’s Cobra, setting a time of 1:24.189 in the process.

The second was in the 3 hour long Pall Mall Cup race at the Donington Historic Festival, piloted by current BTCC ace Jake Hill and ERA Motorsport’s Kyle Tilley. The duo had qualified 2nd, just 0.001 behind the similar Griffith of Whitaker and Davison and went on to win with a 6 second margin at the end of the 3 hours from the Cobra Daytona Thomas and Cottingham.

With the Peter Knight Ford 289 engine, the Griffith has the power plant of choice and the car still presents like it’s only just been restored. Fitment of a VBox Lite system supports driver improvement, especially useful when two or more drivers are sharing the same car. Current FIA HTPs remain valid until December 2030 and continued preparation by ERA Motorsport is an option that can be factored in to the sale.

Perhaps the Pre ’66 GT class’s biggest unfair advantage, the TVR Griffith benefits from its low weight, strong and powerful engine fitment, short wheelbase agility and large fuel capacity, meaning that it’s not only a primary contender for shorter races but also the likes of the Spa Six Hours endurance epic.