Developed in 1971, the TVR M series was produced between 1972 and 1979. As a replacement for the outgoing Vixen and Tuscan models, the M series was built on a brand-new chassis with updated body styling. Sticking with TVR’s usual engine and drivetrain layout, the M-series cars were designed with a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and utilised a body-on-frame construction. The bodies themselves were built from glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), helping to attain a rather light weight of right around 1,000 kgs. The cars could be specified with your choice of three engines: a 1600cc Ford straight 4, a 2500cc Triumph straight 6, or a 3000cc Ford Essex V6.
This particular 3000M has been cared for by the same owner for the past 45 years, having purchased the car in 1978. Maintained to an incredibly high standard over its lifetime, it currently sits in excellent overall condition, and is just 60,619 miles from new; only a reported 2,500 of which were by owners before the current. Mostly original but updated in some areas to a period-correct standard, this 3000M remains in stunning visual condition and is mechanically ready to take on more miles. QA2TxHMYHdDaHuo7jTVN5NzJVuVEW9WxKOmDg3hE.jpg812.16 KB
The History and Paperwork
Last MOT passed on 14 April 2022 with no advisories
Current V5c present
3 previous owners, including the current owner
Owner states no accidents in history
Current owner purchased car in 1978
Driven less than 250 miles in the last 10 years
Updates completed in past (owner states in the early 1980s):
Body lifted for chassis painting; original chassis was said to be zinc plated
Steel timing gear (replaced the original fibre gear, a common weak point on the Essex V6)
Fast road cam
6-branch stainless steel exhaust system
Updated shock absorbers
Copper nickel brake pipes
Work completed more recently:
New steering wheel (2006)
Outriggers renewed (2012 – totalling £1,440.00)
Work completed in 2020 (totalling £8,000): Vinyl roof re-covered using special high-temperature contact adhesive
Sunroof rebuilt
Renovated rubber bumpers with new metal inserts
Interior recarpeted
Door cards re-covered
New brake drums, discs, and shoes
New battery with new leads and quick-release terminals
12-volt power output socket installed in centre console
New water pump and radiator re-cored; with new silicone water hoses
New horns
New electric aerial mast
Silver on black number plates
Racing-style mirrors installed
Full back-to-glass repaint completed by Central TVR, with body colour in Jaguar Platinum and colour band in Mercedes Mono Silver
TVR 3000M graphics inside colour band are painted, not vinyl sticker
New fuel tank sender
New brake master cylinder
Speedometer overhaul May 2023 (totalling £143.00 – adding an additional 24 miles to the odometer during testing, which were not driven )
The current owner purchased the 3000M in 1978, after having undertaken a 360-mile trip to retrieve the vehicle from its second owner at the time. At this time, it was still its original brown colour, with cream colour band. As the proud new third owner of the car with around 2,500 miles when purchased, the current owners (a husband-and-wife team) toured the UK and Europe for around 10 years, taking many trips to Le Mans, Venice, and driving over the Italian Alps.
After putting a fair few miles on, in the early 1980s they felt the 3000M needed a few touch-ups and performed the updates as stated above, breathing a bit of life back into the car and setting the chassis up with a bit of protection –future-proofing—if you will, with a repainted chassis, steel timing gear, and copper nickel brake pipes. Additionally, a couple of performance and driver-feedback improvements were made with the updated shock absorbers, exhaust system, and a more aggressive cam.
With light-but-regular use from the mid-eighties, in 2020 the vehicle was entrusted to Central TVR for an in-depth restoration, completing the items listed above totalling £8,000.00. A full 12 months later, the car was returned in outstanding visual and mechanical condition, with a fresh new silver and platinum paint job, and an exceptional new vinyl roof. It’s carried on very light duty since, and has been kept in its immaculate condition to now.
Invoices are present for work completed, some correspondence between shop and owner, old MOT records, TVR owner’s manual, Ford engine manual, and historic photos of the restoration are present, as well as a fair few hand-drawings where the owner was working out the graphic design and colourway for the vehicle. In addition, there’s a magazine article about this very car, published in Sprint magazine’sMay 2022 issue.msordUW11YqiGhKR4xOAhrIMmfmx2cStHlCpgPWh.jpg574.56 KB
The Interior
Interior has been recarpeted to a high standard
Overall very good condition interior
Owner states all gauges, buttons, and knobs work as expected
While the vehicle itself is over 48 years old, sitting down into the cockpit, it definitely doesn’t feel aged; thanks in part to the owner’s diligence in caring for the interior, and part to the high-quality retrim. As far as ergonomics, the instrument panel and gauges are all easy to read excellently placed. From a tactile standpoint, everything is organized in a way that makes sense, and all controls are within easy reach.
We can report that the carpet and door trim updates were both installed and specified to a very high standard indeed, and the colourway perfectly fits the vehicle’s timeless elegance. While there are some very small signs of use shown in the original, as well as the retrimmed elements, primarily the gearshift itself, and a few small and hardly noticeable imperfections seen in the leather and seat material, the majority of the interior appears to have very little wear.
The carpets remain in great shape, and show little-to-no signs of wear. The headlining is also in great shape, but with some small marks present along the rear of the sunroof, which could benefit from a deep clean. The black soft top material used in the sunroof is in excellent condition with no tears or leaks to report. The soft top sunroof operation works as it should with little effort and smooth operation. In addition, the boot, which is essentially just a small shelf area behind the passenger compartment, is in a clean and tidy state, with carpets in great condition, and a couple small storage compartments with lift-up carpeted covers.
The owner tells us that all aspects of the vehicle’s interior are in working order, including all gauges, buttons, and knobs. They also inform us that with a recent repair to the speedometer, the vehicle is reading 24 additional miles than the car has actually driven, due to the professional testing done to confirm accuracy of the gauge. XeWfz0x6cQ7fsQhlqdGocyhQjbps2YZojgaWR0eR.jpg401.61 KB
The Exterior
Full back-to-glass repaint completed by Central TVR, with body colour in Jaguar Platinum and colour band in Mercedes Mono Silver
Vinyl roof re-covered to very high standard
Glass in great condition with only normal marks as to be expected
While the paintwork is of an excellent colour, it has been changed from the original brown and cream colour from the factory. That is not to say it isn’t an improvement, far from it. The silver and platinum paintwork with beautiful hand-painted TVR 3000M graphics on the sides are an incredibly complimentary colour to the black interior and top. There are some very minor chips from the road seen on the lower bits of the front bumper, but this is just about the only imperfection we could find on the paintwork whatsoever.
The trim is in great condition, with rubbers and seals all performing their duties. Light lenses are in good usable condition, but the taillights do show some overspray or other light-coloured spatter as pictured, which could likely be polished off. The window glass is in excellent condition with a few very small marks from the road, but less then would be expected. The wheels are equally in great shape, but do some a few small marks here and there, but only when you get up very close.
The underside is in an excellent condition as well, having been protected in the past, and suspension bushes replaced with poly bits previously. There’s no signs of rust having set in, only some minor surface corrosion present, but most parts are painted and clean. The current owner states that the vehicle has been garage kept under their ownership, and this is clear.4DzBdfqzegTXU39SPnjJU4MR4fgEZ0J5eDBd44kp.jpg654.09 KB
The Mechanics
2,996cc Ford Essex V6, originally with ~136hp and ~191 lb-ft of torque
Owner states that clutch, gearbox, cooling system, and engine are all in great condition having been maintained well
The suspension is functioning exactly as it should and holds the road well
Engine bay clean and tidy
The engine fired right up without hesitation, with no signs of unusual noises or any other unexpected sights or sounds. Having moved the car around a bit ourselves for the photos, we can report the mechanical workings of the engine and drivetrain were smooth and to-the-point, with a refreshingly stiff medium-heavy clutch and precise steering and gear selection.
The engine bay is clean and tidy, but there are some signs of use on both front inner-wings; some scratching as pictured. The owner has also installed a homemade rubber bumper for the bonnet to rest on when closed, so as to pad the meeting points—as you do with TVRs. The under-bonnet heat resistant material is in great shape, with some signs of use but overall intact and looking nice. The engine itself shows very shiny valve covers, but there are some marks present. Overall, there were no leaks seen and nothing out of the ordinary. We did notice one area as pictured where the inner fender was cracking where it connects to the bodywork.
The owner reports the vehicle handles the road well, is as sharp as you could hope for, but still comfortable enough to manage long distances without breaking your back. It’s a clear vintage sportscar, but it feels tight and ready to be driven hard; it’s surprisingly nimble thanks to its light weight.
The current owner states there’s no known issues with the vehicle as it is currently, and there’s no work needing to be done at this time. The vehicle accelerates, brakes, shifts gears, and handles exactly as to be expected from a TVR. With that being said, the owner says it’s ready to be driven as it’s meant to be driven and enjoyed.1Pq5ET8vOwXlIkLedfSWSQ0Mk5pANFfeGlYgqEpT.jpg532.4 KB
Summary
This one is a truly great example of a 3000M which has been owned, lovingly, and enjoyed to its fullest by its current owners over nearly half a century. Maintaining and keeping a vehicle this pristine over that many years is no easy task, but this one is a true survivor and carries the TVR nameplate proudly.
The owners, who are reluctantly selling the TVR, leave us with this:
The car is quite original and unspoilt, even to the quality radio/cassette player. Only its requirement for an enthusiastic, physically flexible owner causes us to offer it on, for future enjoyment of such a person…
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
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