5000M build

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my250gt said:

Arthur, excellent pics, thanks. Build is looking well good. So thats how a 302 fits, is the rest of the drive train standard (other than the 4HU lsd) or upgraded in anyway? Like the way youve done the manifolds, very TVR !! As previous poster said, this TVR looks like a new one.

Nice work on the cage around the fuel tank, good idea. I am guessing the bodyshell is going to drop over the top.

Nice wheels too!;)

Will be watching this space for more, please keep us updated.

All the best,
Phil.

The cage unbolts from the chassis. Drop the body on and re-bolt the cage through small cut-outs in the fibreglass. The gas tank goes in last. All this can been done with the rear glass in place, although I assume it would be easier with the glass out. I will need to make the fibreglass cut-outs weather tight but the present holes are quite tidy and a snug fit. I have not seen anyone with this kind of modification although I assume that others are not that excited about being bathed in gas if there was a rear end collision.

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Hi Phil,

There are a set of black centre caps in the box with a set of TVR stickers as well.

As you noted the Triumph diff. was replaced with the 4HU lsd. All else remains the same as originally built. I am not one for burn-outs and there is a higher powered 5000M just east of here that has a similar set-up with heavy use and few problems. If the existing parts are not up to the 300hp of the present V8 and fail without being abused then I will have to upgrade. I'm going to wait and see.

Arthur

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oldgeebee said:

That'a great looking chassis! I'm in the process of planning how to finish my 3000S chassis - did you just powder coat yours or is it treated in any way before that?
GB

Hi Graham,

The chassis was first zinc coated, not hot dipped but a sprayed on application before the powdercoat. The added protection couldn't hurt. It is tough because I have seen the fabricator have to grind away at a different chassis to weld on some missed brackets. I would elaborate on the process if I knew more about it.

Arthur

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another angle of the TVR Atom

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The aluminum box is the tank. Complete with internal baffles. It worked out to be larger than the original, I forget how much bigger.
Arthur

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oldgeebee said:

Hi Arthur, how did you prepare for the zinc - sand-, shot-, soda-, walnut shell- etc. blasting?
GB

The chassis was in near perfect condition aside from some surface rust. The oil leaks kept the tunnel area pristine although filthy. It was sand blasted to the remove the old paint and surface rust. You can be too aggressive with sand and even warp thinner metals with the heat build-up but the sand will expose areas that you thought looked O.K. but might need some attention. The sand blasting revealed some slightly deeper pitting on top of the square section tubing at the outer edges of the rear diff. carrier but was still sound. I was very happy with the condition of the chassis and no original tubes were removed.
There have been a couple of extra braces added at the tunnel sides near the transmission. As well as gussets added where the suspension arms are connected to the frame. I was not happy with the original hand brake action so an aftermarket unit was used that will actually apply useful braking pressure. The new unit's cable interfered with one of the upper tubes in the tunnel area so a notch was created to solve this. I will post a couple of images tomorrow that show what I have just mentioned.

Arthur

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my250gt said:

catfishdb said:

Arthur, those dont look like normal wheel studs?

They are just longer than typical and I might just leave them that way.

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Here is a better angle of the hand brake alteration.

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In the previous photo and in this one you can just see some pitting in the top of the square section tubes. It was deep enough to be visible but not terminal.

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Campbell said:

What engine have you gone for and what alloys have you got in the rolling chassis as they look rather nice too...

Cambelt

It is a typical 1986 Ford 302 H.O. V8. Only worked a minor bit. Expected output at 300hp. I always wanted the burble of a V8. You just can't beat that sound.

The wheels were purchased from my250gt, special offset 17" Compomotives.

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metisse said:

How about the temperature under the bonnet? don't you ekspect trouble's ?

Part of the reason to remove the spare was to instal a larger radiator. The headers are stainless that have been ceramic coated to lower the under bonnet temp. Of course the heat has to go somewhere so it will just get hotter under the car.

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Moto said:

Are those stainless water hoses? They do look superb.

Moto

The same fabricator that supplied the exhaust also build the stainless water lines.

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my250gt said:

What plans have you for the body shell, any mods?? What colour you going for?
Phil.

The body gets refitted next week. No plans to alter the original as of yet. One concern during the fitting of the V8 was to not have to alter the original body shell. I do like the design except for the rubber bumpers. They have slightly twisted with the rusting of the metal within the rubber mold. I was thinking of a fiberglass set painted body color.
As for body color, it is now red. Although not a bad color for this body style, red is not my favorite. I was thinking of a non-metallic color. Maybe BRG. Peter Wheeler's final Blackpool "M" looks fantastic.
I will post some images of the body shell next week.

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Erich Stahler said:

Where did you get the extra long wheel studs?
Where did you get hold of the yolks to mate TR6 drive shafts to Jaguar 4Hu diff?

Hi Erich,

I read your question earlier, I am just going thru my papers to find the supplier of the extra long studs. At the time I didn't think anything of them but I assume you like them as I do. I will get this info up soon.

The Jaguar 4HU was supplied and installed by John Wadman and Doug at TVR North America. I only remember them cutting an additional spline in the shaft to align the Triumph shaft with the Jag diff.
I will ask them what other mods were required to mate the two parts.
Arthur

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Getting ready to sort the wiring.

Arthur

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catfishdb said:

Erich Stahler said:

Where did you get the extra long wheel studs?

Apparently nothing special other than studs ordered from automotive supplier ARP. The reason for the long length initially was that we did not know how the new rims would sit and we were originally going to shorten them after fitting the wheels.

Arthur

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Phil,

The wheel offsets are almost perfect. The front drivers side just touches the suspension on full lock. A little adjustment there and all is good.
I am really pleased with the wheels. I agree that they are obviously modern looking but have not gone too far. Others might disagree but it really looks stunning with the dark wheels.

The car is currently sitting on ride height bars. The wheels fill the openings nicely. Slightly lower than the original. I will post a picture of the Bilstein coilovers as soon as they are mounted.

Thanks again Phil.

Arthur

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[quote=Astacus]The chassis colour really suits it, it looks like a flat dark grey in the photos is that right?

It is "gun metal". Darkish silvery gray, more gray than silver. Low sheen powder coat but not flat. I thought that flat would be too hard to clean.

I felt the same way about the all black look. I do like some of the colored frames I have looked at online but they can clash with the final body color sometimes.

Arthur