Barn Find 80s Classic British Sports Car Rescue

[@R-T-F-M]

I used to sell and fit those Vecta immobiliser units and they worked by cutting the fuel, ignition and normally the starter circuits. All cuts were well hidden and used black wires on all connections. If the unit is still installed and someone has cut the wires to the key (which used a laser cut balanced resister that matched a resister inside the main sealed unit), you will need to trace the wires from the key, back to the main unit (a black box about 5x5x25mm), then from there trace all the wires out to the circuits that have been cut so they can be reinstated. This is a very long job as these were designed to prevent a thief stating a car within 2 hours. Good luck.

[@jfro5867]

Get in touch and have a day out on another episode, get on telly!

[@R-T-F-M]

I’d be happy to try and help if the Vecta unit is still installed, I.e there is still wiring going up to where the key plugged in and has been cut off. I’m only about 1hr away.

[@jfro5867]

Well, go for it, see if you could get involved, be a cool thing to do 👍

[@AnonymousAndy2]

Same, I used to fit high end car security from 80’s till early 00’s. You need to find the ECU then trace all the wires & reconnect as they were originally. Be aware that sometimes one circuit would be an earth just to make life more complicated if you were trying to hot wire the car 😂

[@Funkyboozer]

Same. I’ve been in the car security business since 1994 and we used to fit the Vector systems. I still find them every so often on classic cars. The trick with a good immobiliser is how it’s fitted. In all these years I’ve bypassed hundreds of immobilisers and they generally take between 2 minutes for a poorly fitted system, to about 30 minutes if it’s been fitted really well. Then a bit more time tidying all the loom and putting it back together obviously. I’ve seen plenty of mechanics and owners just chop off the receptacle plug thinking that’ll bypass it, so the immobiliser could still be in the car somewhere. If not, check the crank sensor.

[@TheSpectre223]

8:47 - You know, as a biker I'd sorely love to see a motorcycle spin-off series for the Barn Finds, same concept but bringing someone who knows their bikes and is handy with a spanner along. There's so many more bikes hidden away because they're a lot easier to stash in a corner. Let's bring them back into the fold eh?

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

We have considered it....

[@1971wizzard]

Absolutely… bikes are big… a collaboration with a bike nut… would be a brilliant spin off…💯

[@eliotmansfield]

Perhaps some 80’s 90’s bikes - for all us fat 50 year olds with nostalgic memories of their first bikes

[@VolkerHett]

That Guzzi would be a good start, back then the 850 Le Mans with the small fairing was my dream bike.

[@spatchist]

Isn't there a KZbin algorithm related issue with motorcycle videos ? - Matt Farah refers to these issues pretty frequently. I think it's why some people end up with second channels. That said I know of an 850 LeMans that's been stored (!) for so long one of the front discs has rusted in half.

[@martinlaver007]

TVR owner here. Great to see someone putting one back on the road. Always thought the S was a great looking car.

[@kings3803]

Yer I great looking car.

[@porscha901]

Tvr car club is a must for any owner

[@zairomolino4074]

Yeah S2 is quite a thing. As far as sports car goes hardly can get better.

[@alxgu198]

Great looking car, especially the rear end 👌 In my opinion the Griffith is the best looking TVR, followed by Cerbera.

[@davidf2281]

Great episode, best of the last few. Love the whimsical editing, and holy heck that car scrubbed up well; the deep red is luvverly. Also -- if my mental arithmetic is correct -- Nigel is wearing his 82 years very well indeed!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Not bad for a chain smoker!

[@jamiedufrayer5461]

Aspirational now I know that 😂

[@PHDarren]

@@TheLateBrakeShow If he's a leather worker that's done his own tanning then the kind of chemicals he uses has probably preserved him.

[@PerdixDesignLtd]

I think he did the tanning on Keith Richards, so his work clearly lasts well

[@johnbb99]

@@PerdixDesignLtd :)

[@burnleynick]

I worked at TVR from 1989-2006. As a 17 year-old I fitted the headlamps, rubber bumpers and indicators, the wheelarch liners and those chunky bits of rubber on the inside edges (amongst other things like doing the butty run for the final assembly line workers!). I loved working there, I ended up test-driving/rectifying Tuscans, Tamoras, T350s and Sags. Thank you so much for bringing back some great memories.

[@burnleynick]

Brilliant

[@lynxshade1367]

"I was quite happy to admit I was speeding", You can tell the previous owner really enjoyed that car, fair play to him.

[@paulsslightlyactivelife]

Looked gorgeous once the dust layer was off. Bet it's a lot of fun to drive. Would be nice to have a compilation of latest updates on past barn finds to see how they're doing with their latest owners.

[@notso100]

Jonny's look at the camera when he says "I had never taken it over 100..." Classic!

[@Jimbobsgarage]

Glad you managed to keep the Thora Hird in until you got to the services Jonny - you must have had a right sweat on! 😂

[@lateflyer2182]

As a previous TVR S owner it is good to see someone looking to bring this one back onto the road. Mine was a year older on a F plate in blue and was a S1.5. Pity you didn't get it started and would love to see in a follow-up video. Mine had the same "photocopy manual" so that is likely to be original before you think of throwing it away!

[@Roguescienceguy]

So in your honest opinion, how much chance do you give this particular one at actually still having a descent subframe?

[@user-dj6ty9be1l]

Nigel's speeding story is brilliant! 😂

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Zero Fs given by Nigel!

[@user-dj6ty9be1l]

@@TheLateBrakeShow 🤣🤣🤣

[@fastEdCanuck]

That cleaned up nice, what a beautiful colour.

[@kramnam4716]

love the previous owner! what a star. not many like him left sadly .

[@Nathan.Guthrie]

I love my TVR, you will never find another group of owners more in love with and who use their cars as much as we do. For most of us these are lifelong cars, not simply stepping stones or part of vast collections. I cant wait to see this put back on the road and enjoyed! Not much is too far gone in the TVR world.

[@lewis72]

That's a 2.9i Cologne V6. It looks exactly the same as the 2.9i in my Granada. The 2.8i has a boxier chamber on top.

[@parkdigwig3447]

Are you sure that people just don’t ring you up to clean their barns?! 😂 Awesome job every time.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

We are starting to wonder...

[@alanmorgan8647]

If I told you there's an old car stashed in my attic....;-)@@TheLateBrakeShow

[@MrG61-u9k]

I worked at the TVR Centre Barnet at the time this car was built, I recognise the Reg No, the alarm sticker in the window is Braybrook car alarms, they were based in Harpenden Hertfordshire and fitted all our alarms, there's a good chance my friend fitted it! S1 2.8, S2 2.9, S3C was the 2.9 with catalyst. 👍

[@user-wb6qj8yf1s]

Wasn’t there also an S3 before the S3c with updated interior but no catalyst? What was the difference between the S1 and S2 apart from the 2.9 of the S1.5?

[@MrG61-u9k]

@@user-wb6qj8yf1s It's hard to pin down changes as they were constantly evolving, I still have nightmares about getting bonnets to line up and open properly, wiper mechanisms jamming up, fuel senders leaking, roof leaks, repacking exhaust silencers, steering column lower bushes falling apart, sumps rubbing through on the anti roll bar, roof panel repairs, fitting fuel coolers, I'm sure there's more 😀

[@user-wb6qj8yf1s]

My Dad had a S3C that was about a year old that he bought from the TVR centre so maybe you worked on that?

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Johnny's face when the owner said he had it up to 100mph 😂😂 another fantastic video Johnny and what a beautifal car and a beautifal deep once all the muck was jet washed and cleaned off.

[@chriswilkinson1991]

Nigel, cigarette in hand, what a legend!

[@fastEdCanuck]

Looks like a 2.9 plenum from my memory of looking at them in the few Scorpios I saw back in the day here in Canada.

[@mk1fan1974]

Yes 2.9. The 2.8 didn't have independant ports serving each cylinder but the 2.9 did hence the different intake plenum.

[@ianashton1593]

Had three TVR’s, first was an S same as the one in the video but it was blue. Second was a V8S which was mint, same burgundy as the car in the video but it cream leather trim and body coloured piping. The last one was a Griffith 500. All were purchased from David Gerald TVR and they were totally reliable. My favourite was the V8S which had exhausts like drain pipes and sounded awesome. Still regret selling that and wish I still had it ! Great video, bought back some good memories 👍

[@D5DRIFT]

What a glorious car, and nigel is lovely to listen to. Sounds like he has a bank full of stories i could listen to all night

[@martinboulden4388]

Yourself and Harry create the best content for cars in the UK. ❤

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Many thanks, muchos appreciated

[@tomcollins4374]

Agreed 100%

[@DDLovett]

I went to school with a lad whos dad worked for tvr. I think he was called John Box and must have been quite senior in the company. He used to bring home a brand new unfinished tvr on trade plates every night. Back in the early 80's i would lust after the brand new 350i on his drive without an interior, just a bucket seat fastened in. Good memories.

[@slacko1971]

One of the very few days out that I remember as a lad with my father was to the Birmingham motor show the year that the 350i was released. I still have the picture of me standing next to it, best car of the show, it looked so futuristic.

[@baldofraggins5948]

As soon as you started washing the car I thought the cut off jeans were going to come out 😂 Great episode 👍

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

This will NOT become a thing.

[@baldofraggins5948]

@@TheBadLieutenant Anything for the likes

[@Dudleymiddleton]

That dashboard is beautiful! So is the car!

[@lucadean2055]

Great film as always. Bit of an abrupt ending but you must have had a goose-neck by then.

[@AH-fg8dk]

The Late Brake Show + the famous fleece + TVR = A definite like from me 😂👍

[@MatthewPoxon]

Great video, good to see a TVR being saved. Good luck with getting it up and running.

[@antonhoward9027]

You are the best for barn finds Jonny, you have a great way of enthusing people. Save tha Guzzi, it's my dream bike. Oh, and good to see someone smoking lol.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

For me the TVR T350 is one of the most Beautiful cars ever built!

[@StevensPaul]

Lovely Color. In my line of work as scrap dealer I come across stuff all the time. This past Tuesday I picked up SIX cars from the same family that had purchased them new. There's a pair of 86 Celica/Supras BOTH five speeds another 1978 Celica ST Convertible,a 1977 Corona Sedan with the 20R Engine,a 1988 Mazda RX7 Convertible with a 5-speed, and a White 66 Mustang with a Black Vinyl Roof which was bought new but as a "Leftover." All were running around for the most part until pretty recently. The best part? They were all Free, the Family just wanted them gone. Remember these are NEW Mexico cars with zero rust 😜😉. I like my job 😉.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Wow. I'm in the wrong company...

[@StevensPaul]

@@TheLateBrakeShow That English Climate isn't doing you or those cars any good ya know......😜!

[@Weissenschenkel]

Of course I get a bit sad when cars don't fire up, but I can understand that when there's too many electric/electronic parts involved. Great content as always, Jonny! ❤

[@therandoms.enoughsaid.1662]

i love finding an old car that hasn`t been started for a long time & tinker with it & get it running, it`s a great feeling when you hear it fire.?

[@The-Sea-Dragon-1977]

“Have fleece will travel…” Class. Please do a follow up video when it runs. 👍

[@kamidphish]

Car washing to smooth jazz. Where's the Barn Find Spotify play list?

[@besenzon1]

Stunning car. Especially the interior 😍

[@sch-corp]

You are such an incredible story teller, Jonny. Please never stop making these episodes!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

We won't, promise.

[@TomSedgman]

At 9:44 johnny manually pumping up the tyre reminded me very strongly of Benny Benassi's Satisfaction music video

[@MrGMawson2438]

Looks lovely after you cleaned it

[@markburton3306]

I owned a 1990 S2 which I bought in 92. Sadly had to sell it in 94. What a fantastic car

[@jimosborn3411]

Good solid leg action there on that tyre foot pump OTSOTs

[@thefleecer3673]

C'mon Johnny, you have us hooked now, you’ve gotta do a part 2!!!

[@tomibby]

it really is lovely seeing a wash making that much of a difference to a car, lot's of potential here, looking forward to see what the future holds

[@rockervdrive]

Felt good seeing how nicely it cleaned up. Beautiful little convertible! Hopefully it’ll fire up.

[@dangerpoole]

Like the way you bypass the fuel systems, with a length of wire you can bypass the cars electrical systems and supply power directly to the ignition system as a fudge for these scenarios. It's almost always the electrics that stop you from acheiving startup and if you had an auto electrician with you it's really a very simple bypass. Keep the barn find vids coming Jonny, I love em!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Thank you Richard. Yeah, I am learning and about to assemble a much more efficient tool kit for these types of bypasses.

[@TomMountainbiker1994]

Id love a TVR as a 2nd car. Fantastic looking and sounding things :)

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

Do it. You won't regret it

[@TomMountainbiker1994]

@@SNORKYMEDIA maybe one day haha ive got a m140i taking my money atm a weekend car but ill sell that and get a classic one day

[@Visoko314]

Great vid and a lovely car! May I refer you to the venerable Allen Millyard’s spark plug cleaning method? He doesn’t recommend scrubbing them as it abrades the surfaces. He recommends simply burning carbon off with a blow torch and check gap when cooled. 👍

[@jonathanbeale3978]

The Halfords sponge of many scratches. Excellent work Jonny

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Oi!

[@Wonky4925]

I knew a guy who was a body worker at TVR, he used to stencil a Gary Numan face somewhere on an inner panel on every car he worked on..

[@daisypaul]

Wow beautiful loved the yellow mini in the back tooo

[@pm8465]

Loved the car and loved the bike. Someone has already suggested doing some barn find motorcycles. My vote for help with motorcycles has got to be Allen Millyard. That guy just seems to breath on them and they start up.

[@PenryMMJ]

TVR "threatening" to come back is a great choice of words. They are great cars, but it's a rollercoaster. You'll love it, you'll hate it, you'll love it again, you'll want to set it on fire, you'll do enough work on it that you'll be able to sell it to another victim.....and then you'll buy another one.

[@plummz]

Great video. Pretty rare sight these days. I live near where this was filmed and weirdly saw the exact model and colour of TVR at a petrol station last week. It looked and sounded beautiful. Then I noticed it was absolutely pouring petrol out of the fuel tank straight onto the exhaust! Welcome to the wonderful world of TVR ownership

[@ianjobernsdrivinginstructor]

WD40 product placement? Hopefully, they have seen this and will sponsor the Barn Find series. Another great watch and thank you for providing everything a 'car bore' could wish for!

[@jimmair4370]

That is one lovely old boy who’s sold that car, it’s the kind of thing you dream of finding an old classic that the owner is happy to see go to somebody who will put it back on the road with their blessings. Hope the fella that bought it knows how special that is. Too many people using old cars as cash cows these days, the dream is to keep the dream alive!!!

[@ideasforu358]

Beautiful color and interior. I wish it started. Feels unsettling and craving for more.

[@monnimonnickendam7289]

Another great story, even Old Bill loves a TVR😆

[@IncognitoChild]

From approximately 1992 through 2004 I used to look after the S-series for the TVR Car Club. So if you looked in the Sprint magazine for a contact, you would have got me on the other end of the phone. Fabulous bonnet latches I've never seen that on any other car👍😎

[@alanpaulick7815]

Thanks for sharing this awesome story.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

I've just recently started to watch your channel on a regular basis, it has made it's way into my weekly essential viewing! Great stuff! Keep up the good work!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Welcome aboard TLBS

[@Sir-Prizse]

I like the car, great colour. Roadsters have always had this attraction for me.

[@jonburrough1452]

Smitten by this channel en plus. No airs. No graces. Just bloody good episodes one after another. Cheers Jonny

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Thank you so much. Welcome aboard TLBS

[@JoeMcCarthy99]

Time machine interior! Immaculate.

[@johnsampey344]

You summed it up perfectly. And the workmanship is top class too. Moto Guzi do a nice 1200 V twin if you wanted to go mad.😅

[@edwowen]

Great vid! My Uncle who taught technical drawing at Blackpool College helped with the technical drawings for the manual on the TVR S! I got a tour of the factory with him and Peter Wheeler when I was about 12, and remember thinking "this is all a bit chaotic" 😀😀

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

This is fantastic trivia. Thank you.

[@theleebros8716]

Thank you, Jonny! LOVE every Late Brake episode, but please please please get DeWalt to sponsor a wireless DXAEJ14 Power Source/Compressor unit, to reduce your foot-pump tyre inflating time to a few minutes (don't be relying on the owners' units!). You could just buy one, but...

[@mikebull1972]

Another well produced video! Shame it didn't run on the day but I had a feeling this one wouldn't when things like immobilizers started to be mentioned. She cleaned up brilliantly, though. Nigel was a legend! 🤣

[@angeloah]

Pro tip here, at least one take away beyond entertainment. The work/health balance, does what he loves for work, job keeps the activity brisk. Well done Mr. Smith.

[@EllieDe]

This has made my day. Been waiting for a TVR. Hopefully production starts soon in Wales 🤞

[@jamesharvey7421]

my father has the s3 same engine 1992 in ruby red. our car has the citreon wing mirrors, sherpa van indicators and the header tank is from an sd1! you got to love tvr. great to see!

[@Paul-67]

Great watch Jay, keep the automotive history coming.

[@jl1912]

Really enjoyed this. TVR's are fantastic. This brought back some great memories. Good luck with getting it back on the road.

[@WeeShoeyDugless]

Would love a follow up on this car.... and the Bristol belonging to Robert👍👍

[@Patriiiiick]

I'm sweating just looking at Jonny in that fleece. Edit* Oooh, that Guzzi.

[@starfox_wr-45e93]

Shout out to lazy coppers. You're a god send... at times

[@kevingreen9983]

Why is it at the age of 48 I can’t retain any new information. But I can tell you just from the alarm fob that it’s a Spyball SPK660 CAT 1 alarm. 😂

[@user-gc1zn5mn4p]

Interesting car--I saw one at a local car show in the U.S.. Good attempt to get it running; keep at it.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Cheers v much. It is sometimes frustrating that we try various methods, but can't always get them fired up.

[@simond5208]

I remember lots of time spent ogling the TVRs at The Chequered Flag, Chiswick in the late 80s/early 90s. These always stood out - Peter Wheeler made British low volume sports cars available to tall people! I'd love to see some barn find catch up episodes to see how they turned out. This one would be great and I really need to see the Volvo estate again.

[@martinmees878]

Watching this in full knowledge that you have a brown beast knocking at the back door. Ironically, i'm also watching this whilst curling a tusk!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

You bad man

[@JulianPhilipNicolls]

Glad you eventually got to see your friend off to the coast after this.

[@nomdeplume798]

My cousin had a 3000M from around 1974. Unlike the Taimar it didn't have a rear hatch so putting luggage in the back was a bit of a trial. His had the 3 litre Essex V6, although others had the 2.5 straight six Triumph motor and re-emerged a few years later with the Rover V8. The style can be traced back to the older Grantura, Griffith and Tuscan from the '60s.

[@simonrogers417]

A very nice Trevor !!

[@d33b33]

I also would have oiled the bores before the starter test, but I'd have completely missed that spectacularly deteriorated air filter. Good spot on that. It's almost as if Jonny's done this sort of thing before. ;) What a nailbiter of a video!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

We did squirt penetrating oil down the bores and turn over with plugs out.

[@d33b33]

@@TheLateBrakeShow Non-native speaker here "I also" is "Just like you did" not "In addition to the things you did". Non-sarcastic thank you for pointing this out, it was a Dutchism that was difficult to spot.

[@chrisatty]

Car looks great after a wash. Hope you can sort out the electrics, on the next one. Cheers

[@SimonWallwork]

I had a white 280S- we called it the teabag...

[@ChrisFEJackson]

Thank you Johnny, look forward to more. Hope to see it soon.

[@birdolla4441]

I was looking into buying one of TVR's cars late 70's. An article in a car magazine intrigued me with a statement that "they couldn't get it to loose control when cornering no matter how hard they tried" I never did get one though because I moved to USA rt after

[@dcallan812]

TVR built some great looking cars that were fast for the time. Great video 2x👍

[@rpjwhite]

She scrubbed up lovely.

[@colinhare4722]

Just taken my Tuscan on a 3000 mile European trip. Not a single problem. In fact it's more reliable than my previous Porsche Boxster in general!!!

[@grayfool]

Very nice car. You have to do a follow up on some of these barb finds Johnny. I'm sure everyone would love to know what happened to them.

[@WeeShoeyDugless]

Yes, same here. Come on Jonny, get on with it😂😂

[@2loudspeakers]

Beautiful car, lovely colour too

[@airthreypark]

I love these shows...... the anticipation is palpable.

[@Twisted_RC]

My Dad had a 2.9 S2 when I was younger. We went on loads of road trips and car club meets. Brilliant car and memories 👍

[@chrisp4899]

I remember the rubber discs that fitted between the alloy wheels and hub they were supposed to keep brake dust off the wheels!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

They worked!

[@hughoxford8735]

My uncle had an s3. The interior and the roof I remember especially.

[@cafe405]

Ooohhhhh, i love a wedge, but that S looks in great condition after a wash, hope it gets brought bck to life.

[@chaycock65]

It is a an S1.5 - S1 dash and the 2.9 engine, improved rear trailing arms

[@girlindigo8]

I really hope TVR do come back. Fingers crossed