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Chatsworth House TVR Club Event 2010
Home to the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth house once again played host to the regional TVR meet for 2010.
As in previous years much anticipation surrounded the expected and final number in attendance and by lunch time the number had already exceeded six hundred, well on the way to last years total of 676.
Despite a wet start we enjoyed the drive up in to Derbyshire in the Carizma Chimaera which, as it's first outing of the year, ran superbly.
By mid morning the damp start gave way to sunshine and the tranquillity of the Chatsworth lawn rumbled with the distinctive tone.
It was again fantastic to see so many beautiful examples of the marque on display. Many thanks to the TVR club organisers and the Cavendish family for an excellent outing at a fantastic venue.
Chatsworth house and gardens are open daily all year (except Christmas) for more info visit www.chatsworth.org
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
This convincing replica of the Ferrari 250GT Spyder California was commissioned and built for the 1986 Paramount Productions motion picture Ferris Bueller's Day Off starring Matthew Broderick as the high-school slacker. When Ferris decides to skip school one day, his friends go with him; the father of one of them owns a Spyder California. You can guess the rest...
Only 100-or-so Spyder California's were made between 1958 and 1963. Genuine examples are rare and worth a king's ransom, so it is perhaps understandable why Paramount chose to use a replica a rather than the real thing. Sleekly styled by Pinin Farina, its classic lines combine elegance with aggression in equal measure. The Spyder California was directly descended from the 'Tour de France' competizione model and was powered by the same Colombo-designed 3.0-litre V12 engine producing anywhere between 240 and 280bhp.
The Car
This car was manufactured by Modena Design & Development, of El Cajon, California using a bespoke chassis - of the same 102.3" wheelbase as the LWB Spyder California - featuring independent front suspension, live rear axle and disc/drum front/rear brakes. The glassfibre body incorporates a steel cowl brace, steel door inners and steel boot lid, while power is provided by a Ford 4.7-litre V8 engine with automatic transmission.
The Carizma touch
Delivered to us via enclosed transporter and rolled out carefully the GT oozed style and presence immediately, as if under the studio lamps from which the GT was once lit our workshop brightened and bristled with excitement for our latest project.
Although relatively sound, time had taken it's toll. The body was in need of attention and some adjustments required. We could not wait to get stuck in. It was decided that the best way forward was to strip back, reprime and repaint in the original Ferrari red.
The results speak for themselves. The car was sold in April 2010 by Bonhams London for a large, five figure sum - more than double it's guide price. Click here to see a video of the auction.
New Accident Repair website launched
To coincide with the relaunch of our main site, we've also developed a sister site dedicated to our full Accident Repair Services....Why not check it out
Chatsworth House TVR Club Event
Just got back from the annual TVR Club gathering at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire - a great day with an excellent turn out of cars...292 was the final count we hear!
We took the Chimeara and a beautiful Griffith belonging to James Agger which was for sale. The roofs were down all the way and it was a really good drive...abount an hour from where we are. It was nice to end up in convoy with a bunch of other TVRs as we made our way up the M1 and through Chesterfield.
For those of you who didn't go, there was a really good mix ture of cars ranging from Tasmins and S3's right up to a handful of Sagaris'. We even saw some cars painted in colours we hadn't seen on TVRs before.
All in all it was good to see such a large number of TVRs in one place, all parked together. It was also good to meet new people from other clubs who had travelled a lot further than us.
Well done to the organisers and we are both looking forward to next year!
Some of our favourite sites
Shiltech Performance Cars
www.shiltech-ferrari.com
James Agger Autosport
www.jamesagger.com
TVR Car Club - East Midlands
www.tvrcc-eastmidlands.co.uk
Creative Mash - Design, Marketing & Web
www.creativemash.co.uk