TVR Tina

TVR is a sportscar manufacturer in Blackpool who made DIY fibreglass Specials. The typical TVR has a sleek nose, a small cockpit, and a rear which is cut off directly behind the rear wheels.
TVR Engineering was founded in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson (1923). He used tubular frames and during the '60s they mainly worked with engines of Ford, BMC and MG. In 1965 the Lilley family took over the company.
After the Trident, the TVR Tina was the firm's next attempt to widen its range to include a more graceful design. It was thought up at a time when TVR was in a bit of a pickle. Martin Lilley and Trevor Fiore felt that a small engined car might be the thing to make a more secure TVR future. Looking around A.D. 1965 at small cars that might serve as a basis, obviously the Imp Sport was chosen. Two Sunbeam Imp Sports were whisked off to Italy.

Imp based

The speed at which the concept took shape was remarkable. In November 1965 the car was a vague idea, in November 1966 TVR unveiled the Tina at the Turin Motor Show. It was a small 2+2 convertible sportscar, designed by Trevor Fiore. Its bodyshell, built by Fissore in Italy, was made of steel. (This was only for the prototype; it was supposed to be produced in fibreglass as all TVRs are). Engine, floorpan and transmission were of an Imp Sport. So were the wheel trims and most of the mechanical bits. It bore great family resemblance to the Trident: graceful simplicity in its lines and front-end. The hood gently sloping down to the bumper. Square headlamps behind perspex fairings, so as to keep the nose-line intact. Between the headlights was the tiny Tina badge: a 'Cortina' nameplate minus the 'Cor' (hastily concocted for the Turin show).
It was named after the first daughter of Gerry Marshall, who at the time was TVR's most flamboyant racer and fan.

The front-end of the Tina had come under criticism from almost all corners. It would not have gotten past American regulations, had the car ever gone on sale there. (But other TVRs before this one had been 'cleaned up' and de-tuned for the US market). And so it went back to Fissore for modification, joining its stil uncompleted fixed-head coupé sister.
Martin Lilley thought the Tina needed to appear on the October London Motor show, because of the two cars' psychological appeal to the public. Just having them there would indicate TVR's health: a company on the move. A typical last-minute panic saw both the convertible and the fastback coupé rushed into Earls Court on the show's Press Day. The nose had been re-styled: now it featured a blunt front-end, with the coupé having a single pair of rectangular headlamps, and the convertible having two smaller pairs of round lamps. They joined the TVR display of a bare running chassis, a Tuscan V8 and the first Vixen S1. The Tinas were the stars of the show. Customers were offering to leave open checks for the prototypes. After the show the telephone rang constantly at Hoo Hill (TVR's factory at the time). Just like the Trident before it, Fiore's latest beautiful design received worldwide acclaim and publicity.

Hoo Hill obviously couldn't cope with the sort of mass production that could deliver to a market this enthusiastic. And if it was to be sold for £998.- as planned, than it would have to be produced in quantity ! Therefore productioned needed to be farmed out. Rootes, Jensen and Aston-Martin were approached. Rootes did of course have the capacity in Linwood. But the Tina would have been a cheap and attractive alternative to the Alpine... This argument was not brought up as there were other problems:
The proposed production models were to be fabricated out of fibreglass and bonded to the steel Imp subframe. This wasn't very practical, but a metal body would be too heavy for the engine. Jensen was asked next, as experienced body builders. But Jensen was not so sure the car would sell in the numbers required to be as profitable as needed. If the Tina would become a volume item, then the US would have to be the major market and Jensen felt that the Americans would not go for the car in large numbers... And Aston Martin had its own financial problems at the time.

Alas

The coupé reappeared at the Turin show of 1967. A really attractive little fastback with a 100mph+ top speed and fuel consumption of 40mpg. TVR said they expected to commence production early 1968, selling each factory-built car for £998, all taxes included.
For various reasons, costs being the main one, production capacity another, the Tina never reached production. Maybe it did not need to go into production, it had served its purpose on the shows. All the same: had the British car producing giants not been so staid and unimaginative, the coupé might have been just as successful as Fiat's 850. If Rootes would have been willing to provide some of the funding in addition to the drivetrain, chances are that Jensen would have put the car into production on a contract basis. Of course Chrysler had entered the picture, having bought Rootes-shares and they weren't favourable.
Martin Lilley could only abandon the project that had consumed over £15,000.- and concentrate on his other TVR designs.

Prototypes - now

The single example left now is owned by Mr. Marshall.

Mr. Jason Beard (Modesto California) appears to be busy restoring a Tina.
" It goes from 4 to 2 and into the muffle and comes out 1. It has 2 carbs. It has an oil cooler and a brake servo. The block # on the side of the engine is 7010166. The head # is 7010180. My customer bought it like 20 years ago or so."

Driving impression

under contruction

TVR : succes against the odds / Peter Filby. - Wilton House Gentry Ltd.
ISBN 0 905064089