There’s a long history of cramming Ford V8s into tiny TVRs, and while today Good price or nothing The 280i isn’t quite the classic we’d expect, but it still sticks to that historical precedent. Let’s decide whether we’ll follow its price.
Yesterday Datsun 200SX 1977 It’s such a great car that you’d expect Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett to jump out of it and hand you a cold can of Fresca. At $12,000, the Datsun’s price tag isn’t exactly old, nor is it acceptable to the 74 percent of people who’ve wrecked it with No Dice losses.
TVR, the up-and-down British sports car manufacturer, was founded in 1946 by Trevor Wilkinson. The company name is taken from the first, fourth, and last letters of Trevor’s name. I guess it’s a good thing his parents didn’t name him Augustus, or today we might be thinking about the ASS 280i. Instead, TVR 280i 1986 offers less fluff and more rare insight into what this plucky automaker was up to in the eighties, oddly enough, more than two decades after Trevor Wilkinson left the company.
In fact, this isn’t just a look at a TVR from that era, as the ad says the car has been completely restored, updated, and reconditioned. Part of that process involved replacing the car’s original 2.8-liter Cologne fuel-injected V6 (hence the 280i moniker) with a 5.0-liter V8 from a Mustang GT. Behind it is a Ford AOD four-speed automatic transmission. The seller says it’s been recently rebuilt and is still under warranty.
Other changes include a steering rack from a Mustang II instead of a Cortina, a new hood, said to be taken directly from a Jolly Olde, refinished basketweave alloy wheels, new tires, and new floor mats throughout.
The TVR line began as the Tasmin in 1980. Designed by Oliver Winterbottom, a stylist who never met a look he didn’t like, it wasn’t well received when it was launched. The design was tweaked throughout its life and the name was changed to reflect the engine size. In the years since, it has gained a cult following for representing the forward-thinking styling of the 80s rather than the classic designs of later TVRs.
This one benefits from the less conspicuous Euro models’ hoods instead of the standard US rubber stroller bumpers. The paint job alone reportedly cost $15,000 and looks great. It’s adorned with new decals, including a 280i badge on the trunk lid, which we all know is a lie. The fiberglass bodywork underneath also appears to be flawless.
The cabin, which was tighter than a Scotsman’s wallet, had new upholstery and new wood on the dashboard. One interesting feature of these cars was the Surrey roof. It was a convertible roof built in two parts—a soft-folding rear section and a hard “Targa” section over the seats. The middle section could be removed separately from the rear section, giving the car three positions—closed, Targa, or fully convertible. It was a rather innovative solution, and was copied by a handful of other smaller manufacturers.
While mileage is probably not as important as a restored and re-engined car, it should be noted that this TVR has only 24,000 miles on the clock. It also has proper documentation and California plates with what appears to be a 2024 plate, although it will likely never pass emissions testing here. If this is a California-compliant car, all the better.
But could it be worth more? The seller is asking $19,500 for this TVR, which is double the price of these cars when they are not restored but are in pretty good condition and still have a V6 engine. This car is clearly worth more for both condition and construction, but is it worth double the current price?
What do you say? Is this V8-powered, turnkey-looking TVR worth $19,500? Or is that just asking too much for the little car?
You decide!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslistor go This if the ad disappears.
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