Chris Overton's
Grantura - 18085
Last
updated - 09/04/2010
OLO 4E
Chassis Number 18/085
Engine number GBUH67226
This car was the demonstrator and press car for the
main dealer, Barnet Motor Company. Martin Lilley and his father Arthur owned
Barnet Motor Company. The sales manager of the garage at the time was racing
driver Gerry Marshall who raced the famous TVR Griffith 400 MMT 7C . I worked at the garage on Saturdays
whilst a student and knew the car which was built with a close ratio overdrive
gearbox being first registered on 24th May 1967. The car for a short
time was also registered with the special number plate MRK 4 but was
reregistered OLO 4E when sold.
The car was purchased in 1988 from the fifth owner who
had the car for 14 years. It had been off the road with broken rear suspension
for six of those fourteen years and before his ownership had been painted MG
yellow ochre. It was intended to return the car to the original colour, a
metallic dark green and on stripping the paint from the body during the
three-year restoration evidence of two rear end crashes was revealed. I believe
the first accident was the crash at a wedding referred to in the book Success
Against The Odds by Peter Filby on page 131. The second accident was probably
when it was painted yellow and received the trailer lights on the rear instead
of Cortina “Ban the Bomb’. The body was cut from the chassis using an angle
grinder, all TVR’s up to the Vixen S2 introduced in October 1968 having their
bodies bonded to the chassis. Although there was some rust it was mainly
confined to the outriggers. New tubes were welded in and the chassis zinc and
powder coated. The body was re-bonded on for originality and because it helps
to stiffen the structure of the car. New rear aluminium uprights for the rear
were fitted and new dampers and bushes all round. The steering rack was
overhauled as were the brakes with new calipers, pads, master cylinder and pipe
work. The engine was rebuilt in a period
SE specification with gas flowed head, fast road cam and a 45 DCOE carburettor.
The interior needed a new dashboard, carpets, headlining and door trim. All the
hard to find trim parts like the chrome strips on the grilles and the aluminium
windows surrounds were fortunately still on the car. Since 1991 when the
restoration was completed it has taken part in many classic car runs, has twice
been National TVR concours winner and appeared in two magazine articles.
Current Owner:
Chris Overton (UK)
To
contact the owner, please route inquiries through the registar.
Registar:
serel@zeelandnet.nl