Griffith ran a car repair workshop in the US for patrons such as Gerry Sagerman and Mark Donohue who had both driven a TVR Grantura at Sebring International Raceway in 1962.

Griffith's first attempt was to put the Ford V8 engine from Mark Donohue's AC Cobra into a TVR Grantura.

[citation needed] The brakes remained stock, but the car was fitted with slightly wider tyres.

The Griffith Series 200 could either be fitted with a 195 hp (145 kW; 198 PS) 289 cubic inches (4.74 L) overhead-valve Ford smallblock V8 engine as standard (of the type fitted to Ford Mustangs of the era), or an optional "K-code", "high-power" or "HiPo" V8 of similar displacement that put out 271 hp (202 kW; 275 PS), like those fitted to the contemporary Shelby GT350.

[1] The immense power, short wheelbase, and light weight of the cars allegedly made them difficult to handle.