The TVR has a special place in the hearts of Lancashire car enthusiasts, including Russell Larcombe

The TVR has a special place in the hearts of Lancashire car enthusiasts, including Russell Larcombe

Tell us about yourself. I am a 52-year-old engineer and I currently work for BAE Systems in Samlesbury. I have lived in Blackpool for 18 years and have owned TVRs for the past ten.

Just how driven are you? My enthusiasm started in 2002 when the TVR Car Club was holding a national meetings in Blackpool called ‘Back Home.’ At that time, the factory in Bristol Avenue was in full production. Although not a member, a walk down Bristol Avenue to view all the owners’ cars was irresistible. I was captivated. Most cars had their retractable roofs in the down position so the dashboards and interiors could be clearly seen. I vowed that one day I would own a TVR.

And did you? I bought a Blue TVR Griffith 500 the following year. It had a high mileage but was trouble-free and the TVR bug bit me. I joined the Blackpool Region of the TVR Car Club and found them very friendly and knowledgeable. I was lucky enough to be filmed with car for the Men and Motors Channel. The next year I replaced it with a lower mileage example. It was purple and had a grey and purple leather interior. I enjoyed owning this car for five years and attended many events including the TVR ‘Back Home’ meetings but this time I was the proud owner of one of the cars parked outside the factory.

What are you driving now? In 2005 TVR produced the Sagaris. Originally to be a race car, it has aggressive looks with a roof bulge for a crash helmeted driver and slashes in the front wings. In 2009 I swopped my Griffith for a Sagaris in the same colour and interior

What’s it like to drive? A joy and all my spare money goes into maintaining and improving it. Unfortunately TVR production stopped in 2006 but the brand still commands a huge following. I am deputy regional organiser of the TVR Car Club tvrblackpool.com which has a range of events including runs, holidays and motor racing.

I have also launched a website which lists all the major car events on one webpage - www.ukwheelsevents.com It’s free to register and post events, pictures and videos. It already has a large following.

The print version of this article appeared in the December 2011 issue of Lancashire Life

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