1969 TVR Tuscan V6

• Dating from 1969, this is a factory-built Tuscan V6 Lightweight
• Raced extensively in Modsports 1970 - 1973 with 24 wins and 61 Podiums
• Retired from competition around 30 years ago, remaining in storage
• Purchased by Jason Clegg who commenced a sympathetic restoration
• Ford 3.1-litre Essex V6, rebuilt with parts, help and advice from Ric Wood
• Full build spec below
• Purchased by our vendor, a TVR aficionado, around three years ago
• Fully road-registered and running well but only lightly used recently

This venerable TVR Tuscan V6 was first registered in December 1969, and despite looking like an out and out racecar, is a perfectly viable road-registered road car with a wonderful motorsport history

The car was successful straight 'out of the box' winning the 1970 Modsports Championship in the hands of Dr .Rod Longton, a General Practitioner. He took delivery of the car in factory-built form with factory options including a lightweight and modified body, a full roll-cage and Koni shock absorbers. This highly respected amateur race driver then campaigned his Tuscan V6 at the front of the field, against Healey 3000s, AC Cobras and Jaguar E-Types throughout the following three seasons, sponsored by the selling dealership - Lockhart Sportscars of Chithurst in Hampshire.

The Tuscan's Competition History for the first four seasons is recorded, as follows:
1970 - Races 19 - 1st 9 - 2nd 7 - 3rd 1
1971 - Races 19 - 1st 4 - 2nd 5 - 3rd 8
1972 - Races 19 - 1st 5 - 2nd 9 - 3rd 4
1973 - Races 12 - 1st 6 - 2nd 2 - 3rd 1

Obviously a very competitive car.

Approximately 30 years ago, CLM 99H dropped a valve during a season of hill-climbing in the hands of its second owner, Jack Dilley of Hurley in Berkshire. The car was put back in its garage and the engine removed and taken apart. It then sat there forlornly for 28 years, before It was offered to and purchased by Mr Jason Clegg.

He spent a couple of months deciding which route to follow with the car, before deciding that a sympathetic restoration was the best way forward. The body was removed and all mechanical parts were overhauled. The external bodywork and interior were left as original as possible - with various battle scars preserved and the patina of hard competition evident!  Full details of the restoration are available from our consignor but the basic build details are as follows;

• Factory built Tuscan V6 Lightweight with modified body
• Original factory roll-cage
• Ford 3.1-litre Essex V6, rebuilt with parts, help & advice from Ric Wood
• Forged pistons, gas-flowed heads, balanced bottom end, alloy timing wheel, baffled sump, roller rockers, triple downdraft Weber carbs
• Ceramic-coated 3-into-1 manifolds with custom side-exit system
• Alloy radiator & electric fan
• Rebuilt Capri 3-litre close-ratio gearbox
• Rebuilt 3.7:1 Powerlock diff
• Intrax adjustable dampers & springs
• 8" Cooper F1 wheels at the front, 10" Pearce wheels at the rear
• Period-style Michelin tyres all round.

The TVR was duly sold three years ago to a genuine TVR aficionado, who also collects historic motorbikes. As you would expect, he kept the car in tip top form, using it on the road in appropriate conditions and on suitable track days at Goodwood and elsewhere. All these outings and associated work on the car were of course recorded. The car's previous owner recognised the importance of collecting as much of the history of the car, and of the motor racing scene "Back in the day", and our vendor has added much extra content to the car’s very full provenance records. These include, a copy of the original factory build-sheet dated 28th Nov.1969, the original green logbook (showing only 2 owners!), a notebook with race specs & settings from 1974, a letter from TVR, the Bill of Sale from the first owner Dr Rod Longton to the second owner, various receipts & invoices, Race Programmes (some with this car on the cover),period photographs from various race meetings, and a number of scrutineering passes.The car also features in various articles and TVR publications throughout the years.

The car is currently brightly finished in Dark Blue over Electric Blue with a functional black interior. Previous owners have made a point of keeping the car mechanically sound but retaining it's well- used outward appearance and working cockpit. It's a fibreglass-bodied racing car and they all flex and move, because they are supposed to, and cracks in the gel-coat are inevitable. In addition, CLM 99H proudly displays the evidence of a hairpin kiss or two and the occasional cuddle, part and parcel of close club racing. It would obviously be possible to strip and repaint the car but those battle scars are evidence of a determined fight to the top step of the podium many years ago and deserve to stay.

CLM 99H has not ventured too far recently with all the restrictions but has managed a couple of Breakfast meets – at Bicester Heritage and also the Suffolk Petrolheads one and only meet of 2020! 

According to our vendor, "It always attracts lots of attention due to its rarity/racing heritage. I have thoroughly enjoyed driving it on the road over the past year and it’s unlike any other TVR I’ve owned!  This little TVR has a big character… and when it’s on a charge it sounds as though fireworks are exploding around my ears"

This is a great opportunity to acquire a 1969 V6 Tuscan, a valuable classic in it's own right but, in this case, its value is enhanced by its sheer versatility, with circuit racing, track-days and Car Club days-out all on the cards.