3000S NOT A SIMPLE CHOP-TOP
As well as having a revised windscreen frame, door tops and rear styling, the 3000S’s dashboard also differs from the fixed-head M-Series cars.
Producing the 3000S was no mean feat; the existing Taimar’s chassis, engine and bonnet were retained, with just about everything else being modified or bespoke.
The windscreen frame is a Jensen-Healey item, cut down by four inches by a group of ex-Jensen employees at Jensen Special Products in West Bromwich. Very early cars had a joining piece at the top of the screen, revealing where the frame had been widened, prior to bespoke frames being produced.
JSP also produced the sidescreens and hood frames, which were supplied to the Car Hood Company in Coventry, who designed and supplied the fabric hood.
The revised windscreen frame impinged on the M-Series dashboard, resulting in the rev counter and speedo being repositioned either side of the central bank of three auxiliary gauges.
The first dozen production cars afforded no access to the boot, but a few returned to the factory to have boot lids cut out, and the very first 3000S retained the 3000M’s TR6 tail lamps from the 3000M. External bootlid hinges are from the Hillman Imp.
The aim of the 3000S was to renew public interest in TVR ahead of the launch of the make-or-break Tasmin, which had accrued significant development costs – partially because it was so radically different, but also because a lot of the established bought-in mechanicals – Essex powerplant, TR6 suspension – were either no longer readily available or about to be phased out.
In many ways, then, the 3000S can be considered the M-Series’ swansong, but it also created the unceasing customer demand that open-top TVR sports cars have enjoyed for the past 40 years.