390SE - Prototype

390SE - Prototype

Author
Discussion

Avocet

800 posts

261 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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I seem to remember a story about an attempt on the "lap record" of the M25 just after it became a full circle...

Avocet

800 posts

261 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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...and something about a full-head rubber devil mask...

streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

255 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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Oh yes!!! Questions will be asked. Keep 'em coming Ian!

Gaffer

7,156 posts

283 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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Ask about the time he ripped the passanger seat out to bring Dad an engine back from NCK...

Oh and say Hi to him for me please.
Claire

TaSmania

782 posts

269 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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Streaky,
What colour is it?
In my Land Rover EMS days we used to assist TVR, [especially when we & thus they were swapping from Flapper (4CU) to Hot Wire (14CUX)] & TVR loaned us an early 390 which had a later engine in it and the hot wire system - around 1991 I think - could it be the same one? It was Silver/Grey at the time (if I remember correctly)and had the twin rear exit pipe set up
GB

Avocet

800 posts

261 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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The factory had a green and silver 350 with twin tailpipes round about then - it's possible they might have put a later engine in it for the purposes of this exercise and then taken it out again.

digga951

488 posts

281 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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I bought the green and silver 350i from the factory in 1997 and still own it now. It has the twin exhausts exiting from the right hand side of the rear valance. I was told at the time that the engine may have been uprated or of a larger capacity. It is the flapper type and is not the original unit as the engine number did not tie up with the log book upon purchase. Incedently, Anyone know how to tell the engine size from the engine number?

streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

255 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
quotequote all
Mine was black from Day One - see my profile - with Burgundy interior, and red 390SE decals on the sides and a red TVR decal on the nose-cone. The nose-cone decal is believed not to have been replaced after a run in (literally) with a milk-float between '91 and '95. The red side decals are now silver, no idea yet when or why they were replaced.

The Fast Lane article shows the car with twin pipes, but it had a single 'sewer' in 1991 (at least) through to today.

The engine is original (number ties up with 'VIN' plate).

>> Edited by streaky on Thursday 25th September 15:57

The red decal was lost when the 'experimental' 400 style bonnet was fitted. The car still has this.

The twin pipes were converted to single when the rear suspension was converted to A-frame in mid-1985 (1st one to be converted) by Chris Schirle.

>> Edited by streaky on Thursday 23 October 02:16

TaSmania

782 posts

269 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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Digga,
On the non AR/NCK engines i.e. the original Land Rover engine numbers were often 35D***** indicating 3.5, 46D***** indicating 4.6. Thats as much as I know

streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

255 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
quotequote all
TaSmania said:
Digga,
On the non AR/NCK engines i.e. the original Land Rover engine numbers were often 35D***** indicating 3.5, 46D***** indicating 4.6. Thats as much as I know
Well the engine number on mine starts '30' ... and it ain't three litres! This (Morgan) site provides a (partial) list of Rover V8 engines supplied to manufacturers : www.gomog.com/allmorgan/v8enginenos.html

TaSmania

782 posts

269 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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Could be an old engine? Looking at my Range Rover old log books the theory adds up but my old P5B had a wacky starting number so could be anything! like I said limited knowledge but it is odd that they use the pre D number as the same as the cc on some Land Rover engines and not other RV8's. Perhaps it was when they went from SD1 (Rover) to only Land Rover use of the engines when the numbering system changed. If your really keen to get to know the cc you could go dramatic and drop a head off and measure the bore/stroke ratio and calculate it or remove the plug and fill with fuel (unreliable method) using a pippet or just enjoy the grunt and don't worry about the cc!
GB

danny hoffman

1,617 posts

268 months

Thursday 25th September 2003
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I think there is a list of engine numbers on RPI's site

rev-erend

21,534 posts

290 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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streaky said:
I just spoke with Chris, who confirmed that B 402 WFV was the factory development car. I'm looking forward to hearing some of his tales about it.

An article for Sprint is certainly on the agenda.


Streaky - could you email me Chris Shirle's number - as I now someone who wants to talk with him about the SEAC development work he did.

Thanks.

firefox1712

1,772 posts

261 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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Yes -

That could be useful for info on my car too!

firefox

Gaffer

7,156 posts

283 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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I have Chris's details.
Mail me offline if you want them.

Claire

rev-erend

21,534 posts

290 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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Firefox .. you have mail.

For the record : Chris Schirle is at DG Motorsport.

firefox1712

1,772 posts

261 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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Thank you -

To both Claire and The Reverend

firefox

streaky

Original Poster:

19,311 posts

255 months

Thursday 22nd January 2004
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IME Chris isn't good at answering e-mails (although they are passed on to him), but he is very helpful over the telephone - Streaky