1974 TVR $2500M

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Partial restoration of a one owner, 26,104 mile car. The original owner broke the key off in the ignition and the car sat undriven for 15 years from 1987 until 2002 when I purchased it intending to restore it. At that time the car was sitting on it's factory original tires. It has 5 of the T-slot type aluminum wheels.

Currently the car is mostly dismantled. The frame and suspension have been sand blasted and painted with two coats of POR15 and one coat of "Hardnose Blue" paint, also from the POR15 company. The suspension has been re-bushed with Prothane polyurethane bushings and re-installed. Quite a bit of additional cleaning and repainting of various parts has also been done. The original TR6 inline 6 motor has the factory Stromberg carbs and does not show any abnormal wear internally. It is also completely disassembled. The fiberglass body has some slight damage that will need attention before painting. Windshield, back glass and door windows are all intact.

The car is 100% complete with the exception of the driver's seat. An online log with pictures of the work done so far can be viewed at www.offshorediver.com/tvr .

The TVR 2500M is a great car and was probably the salvation of the TVR car company in the 70's. This car deserves better that I can do for it with the limited time I have to put into it. This car is sold as-is, where-is. Additional questions may be addressed to brasshat@offshorediver.com . Please be aware that I work away from home and your email may take a few days to get answered.


5 T Slot wheels came with the car. They are in very good condition with the exception of one which is notched on the outer rim. The notch is about the size of a finger tip. Does not appear that it would affect the ability of the wheel to hold air. These wheels will need cleaning and polishing.
Transmission in background is un-worked upon aside from shift lever and shifter lever retaining cup which have been blasted and painted black. The gears feel tight with practically no backlash. After all, it only has 26K miles on it.


The instruments have aluminum bezels which have oxidized a little around the edges as a result of the car sitting locked up for 15 years in the southern Louisiana climate. One indicator light is broken, but all are glazed from time and will need replacement.

The engine is a little gummy from sitting so long, but the cylinder bores are bright and shiny. Bearing journals don't show any wear.

The body will need a little work. It will need painting and some small fibergalss repairs. The original bumpers were the rubber kind which rotted away during the 15 years the car sat undriven.

All lights are intact and undamaged with the exception of one broken mounting stud on the right rear tail light. Windshield, back glass, side windows and window mechanisms are complete and intact.

Steering felt tight before disassembley. Wires are labeled to match corresponding wires from harness. No broken stalks or switches; just a little rust.

This 40mm crack is in the passenger side trailing edge of the front wheel well. It is the most serious fiberglass repair that will be needed.

The dash board and instrument panel are almost as-new. the steering wheel is in good condition except for the original leather wrapping which is now more or less a layer of dust adhering to the core.

Prop shaft and half axles have all been blasted and repainted. Also shown here is the top half of the transmission mount which has been blasted, POR15'd, and painted to match the frame. The bolts used here and throughout the suspension are new grade 8 cadmium coated with stainless washers and nyloc nuts.

Some engine parts as they are now. Valve cover, oil pan, timing chain cover, and motor mounts have all been blasted and painted. The engine has been completely disassembled. The parts have been oiled and wrapped for storage because I never decided for certain to re-use this motor. Main bearings and rod big-end bearings showed some wear, but man was it slight. Same with the rings - looked almost new. A wiser man than I would not have taken the motor apart.

Engine, right side.

Engine, left side.

The car has these electric fans which I have been told are stock from TVR, but I have not seen them on any other TVR. The mount has that factory original cobbled together by hand look just like the rest of the car, so maybe. They worked when removed from the car.

The frame has been blasted and painted with two coats of POR-15 and then a coat of a chip resistant industrial paint called Hardnose Blue - also from the POR15 people.

The differential is un-touched aside from cleaning and painting. It feels good and tight and has no play. It is re-installed with new bushes and new grade 8 bolts.

Parking brake taken apart, blasted, painted and re-installed with original cables cleaned and painted and re-used.

The brake lines are cleaned, painted and re-installed from the splitter out to all four corners.

Rear hub carriers have been cleaned and re-installed. The bottom swing arm mounting bolt on the carriers is horrendously difficult to remove. They had to be cut out. Replacements were fabricated from ETD150 which is apparently harder than grade 8 yet less brittle. Threaded to match the bolts used elsewhere in the suspension.What a saga that all was.

All the suspension is back on the car. Everything was blasted and then painted same as the frame. The new bushes are polyurethane from Prothane. Each swing bolt has two stainless steel washers to prevent paint damage. Tie rod ends are new. Upper ball joints are new. Brake rotors have been turned. The left side rotor is approaching it's nominal thickness, but the right side is still plenty thick. Steering rack has been rebuilt and re-installed. Still needs tie rods. Both front hubs have been blasted and painted black. Same with vertical links. Trunions were hand cleaned and polished. Anti-roll bar and end links blasted, painted, and re-installed with new bushes.

The engine's internals right after disassembley.
Thos two little thrust washeers you see between the crank and the cam have no visible wear at all. This motor had no measurable crank float.

Everything was tagged and numbered according
to which hole it came from.

The pedal box has been blasted and painted and is ready for installation. Brake indicator switch is the original and functions prefectly. Parking brake cable in background.

Front springs, rear springs and perches, blasted and painted (regulator turned down for blasting springs as I was told you can mess them up if you blast them with much force; guess it's the equivalent to a major peening. Hell, I don't know. Never heard that before).

This is the gas tank before it came out. This picture also shows well the condition of the glass and wood inside the car.



And finally, the Webasto sun roof. This will need re-covering. The hardware is all more or less as new, but speckled with oxidation spots.

Yours, if the price is right.