This petrolhead has big dreams for his 1965 TVR

I have participated in drag racing with a Skyline, a Nissan 200 SX and Mitsubishi Lancers. Although I enjoy all racing, bikes offer quite a different racing experience. It is very dangerous, but fortunately if you do drop the bike, race tracks offer enough clear space and serious injuries are a rarity.” Dicky originates from Ermelo and moved to Mbombela in 1989 and then to Malalane in 2011 where he worked in the motoring industry. Three years ago he opened his own pre-owned dealership. And then, in September 2019, he was told about a 1965 TVR lying under a tree at a lodge in Malalane. “At first I thought this was a joke. Most of the spares for this car were with the car,” said Dicky. Nobody really knows where it came from or how long it has been lying in this spot. But he bought it from the owner of the lodge. Although it is still possible to obtain parts from England, it is expensive so it was decided that he will, wherever possible, redesign and manufacture missing body parts. The rear window was one of those. The TVR has a modular chassis and frame so it is light and relatively easy to work with. The chromoly technology is fairly old but of high quality and yes, “it did present some challenges though,” he said. It was decided to fit a Mazda 2.0-litre turbo-charged engine. This was done with the support of well-known performance specialist Martin van der Merwe of HMD. Body (fibreglass) and paintwork were done by Dicky.   “It is really rare to find any of these cars outside of England. Peter Bailey of Bailey Cars in Gauteng is fairly knowledgeable on the TVR brand, but even he was not aware of this car or when it had been brought into the country. We could not find any identification numbers on the chassis either so it is difficult to trace the history of this particular car,” he said. “We know though that the TVR was originally designed and built to compete against the American Cobra – so as a race car, it has always been a popular choice. My intention also, is to use this car for drag racing,” said Dicky. The current power output of the Mazda engine has not been determined as yet but the turbo will enable them to create the power they require – which would be, for starters, around the 220kW. With a one bar pressure setting on the turbo, the engine will produce about 300kW. The TVR weighs about 750kg so with this type of power to weight ratio, it would offer equal to Audi R8 performance. “Martin is about to put the car on a dyno for the final engine tuning and then we have a couple of minor things to finish. Then drag racing will be its primary function and I can’t wait,” he said. Dicky’s all-time favourite cars are the Nissan 200SX and the 300ZX. He is also working on a Rambler Hornet Sportabout V8, but this car would be for normal driving and enjoyment only. Will he sell the TVR? “At the right price – I will,” he concluded.