Cars TVR Griffith 200 race car

[Andy-R]

Hi guys, a friend of mine has created a scratch made TVR Griffith 200 race car that is already fully in game and pretty much ready to go other than perhaps a few tweaks and some skins. The only thing really missing is suspension and aero physics so he is looking for someone who has the know-how to approximate lift/drag and set it up in aero.ini and also to work out (model if necessary) the suspension angles/measurements from photos, I've done quite a lot of net surfing for this mod and have a lot of hopefully relevant images bookmarked. Another steam friend I spoke to seems to think I have pretty much everything that would be necessary to create a pretty accurate representation of the suspension in AC.

If anyone has experience doing this and would be interested in helping out with the mod then please either reply here or send me a PM

 

[Ryno917]

I can't be of any help on the physics stuff - could maybe do a handful of skins if I can find some time - but I'm super excited to hear this is in progress! Love that ugly little thing.

 

[AccAkut]

looks rather straight forward but it would be best if you could get someone to measure the distances for you, a centimetre here and there can change everything. Photos alone are hard to judge angles and stuff on.
Maybe try joining some owners club forum and ask for detail there

 

[Andy-R]

looks rather straight forward but it would be best if you could get someone to measure the distances for you, a centimetre here and there can change everything. Photos alone are hard to judge angles and stuff on.
Maybe try joining some owners club forum and ask for detail there

I've tried Pistonheads and also tried contacting Nigel Reuben of Nigel Reuben Racing who preps all the cars for modern historic racing but no joy. There are some reference pics on NRR website though.

Thanks for taking the time to look for and post that image but it isn't a Griff 200. The chassis is different and so are the suspension components. I wonder if that is a Griffith 500.

I think the best case scenario will be modelling by photomatch using some known dimensions to get the scale right and failing that guestimating lengths and stuff just from photos.

 

[Andy-R]

I can't be of any help on the physics stuff - could maybe do a handful of skins if I can find some time - but I'm super excited to hear this is in progress! Love that ugly little thing.

Thanks Ryno, I will pass the offer on to the author

 

[mclarenf1papa]

I've tried Pistonheads and also tried contacting Nigel Reuben of Nigel Reuben Racing who preps all the cars for modern historic racing but no joy. There are some reference pics on NRR website though.

Thanks for taking the time to look for and post that image but it isn't a Griff 200. The chassis is different and so are the suspension components. I wonder if that is a Griffith 500.

I think the best case scenario will be modelling by photomatch using some known dimensions to get the scale right and failing that guestimating lengths and stuff just from photos.

Photomatching is nice to get it within 1-2cm or so, but it’s never going to be super accurate (even if you have multiple angles and it mostly looks the part).

 

[Andy-R]

Photomatching is nice to get it within 1-2cm or so, but it’s never going to be super accurate (even if you have multiple angles and it mostly looks the part).

Yeah I'm sure you are right. Unfortunately being a 1965 race car information is almost nonexistent. There is a homologation paper and little snippets of info here and there but nothing concrete. I have an interchangeable parts list for the Triumph parts on the car and a diagram with measurements of the TR4 steering arm they used which should prove useful.

These old race cars vary so much car to car as well. I read about one that is apparently mostly stock and there is a picture of it cornering and leaning like crazy, where others were heavily modified with wide arches and widened track. One even ran a GT40 engine rather than the 289 HiPo. Some had rear drums others rear disks.

It is the authors first mod and I think first time using 3D software so I'm not sure if he wants to attempt 3D modelling the chassis and suspension using photos. There are some characteristics that the end result needs to have. The cars suffered from excessive bump steer and came from the factory with quite a nose down stance. So I guess if the photomatched steering arm doesn't cause a fair amount of bumpsteer then we know something needs changing. There will be a lot of guess work for sure. It is already good fun with Cobra suspension and 250GTO aero

 

[garyjpaterson]

The cars suffered from excessive bump steer and came from the factory with quite a nose down stance. So I guess if the photomatched steering arm doesn't cause a fair amount of bumpsteer then we know something needs changing.

If that chassis pic Accukat posted is correct, then yeah the front looks (hard to tell from this angle mind you) to have pretty wild bumpsteer - looks like the steering rack is positioned quite high, which I guess they weren't able to move, and I suppose not the budget to fabricate new uprights.

Sorta looks like that from the front, so plenty of toe out on compression.

The rear seems like it would have no bumpsteer at all with that wishbone configuration.

 

[Andy-R]

The picture AccAkut posted isn't a Griffith 200, my guess it is a Griffith 500. The 60's Griffith also has double wishbone suspension front and rear, it has 2 springs and dampers at each corner at the back though.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/2013/02/1965-Griffith-Series-200/3722181.html?amp=1

http://www.nigelreubenracing.com/gallery.php

 

[Emery]

Flashback! When I started autocrossing in 1988, there was a local Portland, Oregon, TVR club that hosted an autocross each year until that particular council of clubs terminated (1992?).

Anyway, there were 3-4 TVRs that would regularly show up. Nowadays about the only lead you can get on seeing one would probably be at Portland's annual All British Field Meet (http://abfm-pdx.com/2018). Unfortunately I'm heading to Bend for an autocross this weekend and can't follow up.

 

[Emery]

Check the comments in https://bringatrailer.com/2015/10/10/tvr-based-1966-griffith-series-200-project/
This site identifies the same car as a 400 (?) https://barnfinds.com/2400-miles-a-v8-1965-griffith-400/

See post #4 in https://www.s2ki.com/forums/car-talk-73/tvr-griffith-200-400-a-1108030/

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[Andy-R]

Check the comments in https://bringatrailer.com/2015/10/10/tvr-based-1966-griffith-series-200-project/
This site identifies the same car as a 400 (?) https://barnfinds.com/2400-miles-a-v8-1965-griffith-400/

See post #4 in https://www.s2ki.com/forums/car-talk-73/tvr-griffith-200-400-a-1108030/

​

What was sold in the US as a 200 was sold in the UK at the same time as a 400 or vice versa, I cant remember which way round.

There are Griffith 200's with the Grantura rear end (like the model in AC) and also 200's that had the Kamm tail rear end and Cortina rear lights the same as the 400.

There seems to be a fair bit of confusion around this.

 

[Andy-R]

Here are a couple of screenshots of the car in AC

 

[AccAkut]

Nice
Looks a bit bubbly around the front lights and wheel wells, but really cool. Just a kitbash of British car parts and a big yank V8

 

[Andy-R]

Yeah something of a parts bin special, there's quite a lot of TR4 and Herald just in the suspension alone. I think of this car as "like a Cobra but more so" even smaller British sportscar & same big V8. It seems the whole idea came about when Jack Griffith was at a dinner with Carroll Shelby and Jack said he could/would make a car to out perform the Cobra. Apparently TVR used a hammer to modify the Grantura Mk3 chassis to make the big engine fit The first engine Griffith tried to squeeze in was out of Mark Donohue's AC Cobra.

 

[bsmooth]

Very cool car, actually got a ride in one of these years ago, it was for sale. I think it had a 6 cylinder in it. Fiberglass body too I think. Had a great exhaust note too.
Back in the 80's it was around for sale around $3000. But the bodies were notorious for getting cracks in them.
Also has a very similar look to a cheetah as well.

 

[Andy-R]

I should probably have mentioned here that a few people very kindly offered to help with this project and that there is no longer a need to find a tame physics guy at the moment!