What's the difference between a pre cat and a 500?

What's the difference between a pre cat and a 500?

Author
Discussion

SonicHedgeHog

Original Poster:

2,534 posts

181 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
quotequote all
Obviously the engine and exhaust are different and i guess it's got the old gearbox, but what were the other main changes that came with the 500?

rigga

8,727 posts

200 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Bigger brakes.

Daggsy

892 posts

251 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Less noise in standard form.

Colin RedGriff

2,525 posts

256 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Improved heating and ventilation
TVR had worked out how to screw them together better

seaside

110 posts

125 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Colin RedGriff said:
TVR had worked out how to screw them together better
If a pre-cat is still in one'ish piece today then the Bristol Ave Boys either got it right or got lucky! biggrin
Either way, it has lasted 20+ years...

Pete Mac

755 posts

136 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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The dash, dials and switchgear are different

Barreti

6,680 posts

236 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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The 500 front end has a bigger opening with high beam lights inside the opening, whereas the pre-cat has a smaller slit opening with the lights in their own recesses.

500s had Estoril 7 spoke wheels, pre-cats had 5 spoke Amil Gottis or pretend wire 'lattice' wheels from Oz racing (nice ones, before I upset anyone with them, I just don't know how else to I've them)

There was a change to the cooling system I believe, with the early cars having just a single big radiator fan which was later changed to 2 slightly smaller fans. I'm not certain when the change happened, or come to think of it that it's actually true.

They removed some of the 'soul' when they fitted cats

Ha ha ha ha ha. Just love giving the 500 boys a dig ;-)

Hoover.

5,988 posts

241 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Minor things also to look at...

mines a v early car (march 92) with one big fan, I've seen cars made a few months latter with two

also you'll see a difference in how the carpet is trimmed in the rear around side of rear section

exhaust manifolds are totally dif, with great big flanges bolting on the Y piece

nose of car as previously mentioned

and a precat revs so much freer..... and no matter what you do to a 500 it will never sound the same as a pre act

Hoover.... precat owner hehe

Doc Toad

490 posts

149 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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SonicHedgeHog said:
Obviously the engine and exhaust are different and i guess it's got the old gearbox, but what were the other main changes that came with the 500?
2 sides of the same coin. Best looking cars TVR ever made. IMHO

Drive both, then buy a pre cat hehe

SonicHedgeHog

Original Poster:

2,534 posts

181 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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Thanks chaps. Gives me a few options.

Daggsy

892 posts

251 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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Seems to me that there is a bias towards Pre cat Griffs here.......... AND RIGHTLY SO !!! whistle

Totally agree best car TVR ever made. drivingcloud9

EGB

1,774 posts

156 months

Thursday 25th September 2014
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Take the the catalyst out of exhaust manifold on the 500 and it sounds like/better than a precat. Better damping on shocks helps drivability of the 500. Also has better air rad cooling and a stronger T5 gear box and back axle.

FlipFlopGriff

7,144 posts

246 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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EGB said:
Take the the catalyst out of exhaust manifold on the 500 and it sounds like/better than a precat. Better damping on shocks helps drivability of the 500. Also has better air rad cooling and a stronger T5 gear box and back axle.
Bet its a very low percentage still on original dampers.
Cant agree on the noise. Don't see many precat owners messing about with the exhaust noise!!
FFG

AcidRich

427 posts

227 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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Mine is a 92 and has twin fans. It was still on the original shocks until six months ago although they did look like something from Timeteam.
Owners of 'non' Pre cat Griffs and Chimps seem to like spending money to make theirs sound 'nearly' as good as mine. wink

PeteGriff

1,262 posts

156 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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AcidRich said:
Mine is a 92 and has twin fans. It was still on the original shocks until six months ago although they did look like something from Timeteam.
Owners of 'non' Pre cat Griffs and Chimps seem to like spending money to make theirs sound 'nearly' as good as mine. wink
DITTO...... My '92 430 pre-cat has twin fans (as from new). I changed all the shocks/springs last Winter, the ones that came off were original as they had a '92 date code on them. Were getting a bit 'soggy' and made the car ride high. Mine has the original Gotti style wheels which I had refurbished, they look brand new now! I like the LT77 gearbox (ex Land Rover type), I get no clonking when going into reverse and once warm its positive and smooth. Exhaust sound is awesome (as from new), I have replaced the manifolds & 'Y' piece with the original style stainless setup from ACT (look and sound great). The engine rev's so freely and accelerates like hell. I would not change it, love it....

Regards, Pete

JamesK

2,124 posts

278 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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EGB said:
Take the the catalyst out of exhaust manifold on the 500 and it sounds like/better than a precat.
Sorry chap having owned both it categorically doesn't.

I think the diff changed along the way but I'm not sure whether this was model specific or just - point in time.

Doc Toad

490 posts

149 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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+1

Going from a 500 to a precat was definitely trading up for me rofl

Wildfire

9,774 posts

251 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=inEGGozMiXs

500's don't sound like that.

biggrin

RichB

51,429 posts

283 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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Yes but aside from the engine and exhaust, bigger brakes, improved heating and ventilation, the dash, dials and switchgear, a bigger opening with high beam lights inside the opening, Estoril 7 spoke wheels, a change to the cooling system, 2 slightly smaller fans, better damping, better air rad cooling and a stronger T5 gear box and back axle, oh and they’re more powerful of course, what else did TVR do for the Griff 500 hehe

AcidRich

427 posts

227 months

Friday 26th September 2014
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RichB said:
Yes but aside from the engine and exhaust, bigger brakes, improved heating and ventilation, the dash, dials and switchgear, a bigger opening with high beam lights inside the opening, Estoril 7 spoke wheels, a change to the cooling system, 2 slightly smaller fans, better damping, better air rad cooling and a stronger T5 gear box and back axle, oh and they’re more powerful of course, what else did TVR do for the Griff 500 hehe
Made it much more common than the Pre-cat and therefore the 'Ford Escort' of Griffs? wink