Typhon statistics
Discussion
DonkeyApple said:
<clip> these were Le Mans race cars and the race cars did show that it probably wasn't a pure theoretical number.
Indeed, one assume that back on 2004 (was it really 20 years ago 
) when both TVRs finished they were going over 200 on the Mulsanne straight.p.s. there's always been chat about TVR stability at speed. The fastest (on the clock) that I have had my Griff was an indicated 145/150 returning from Spa and it felt fine. That was roof up, with a passenger and weekend luggage so perhaps extra weight makes a difference.
p.p.s. photo for posterity as it was such a great weekend
RichB said:
Indeed, one assume that back on 2004 (was it really 20 years ago ) when both TVRs finished they were going over 200 on the Mulsanne straight.
p.s. there's always been chat about TVR stability at speed. The fastest (on the clock) that I have had my Griff was an indicated 145/150 returning from Spa and it felt fine. That was roof up, with a passenger and weekend luggage so perhaps extra weight makes a difference.
p.p.s. photo for posterity as it was such a great weekend
The most I ever got from the Griff was a SatNav measured 172. The time the front end was lifting was running into a sea breeze to Calais at around 120ish. ) when both TVRs finished they were going over 200 on the Mulsanne straight.p.s. there's always been chat about TVR stability at speed. The fastest (on the clock) that I have had my Griff was an indicated 145/150 returning from Spa and it felt fine. That was roof up, with a passenger and weekend luggage so perhaps extra weight makes a difference.
p.p.s. photo for posterity as it was such a great weekend
What made the Griff a better car than the Typhon was the fact that the Griff was fun at 50 whereas the Typhon was boring. It was such a better car than you needed to be travelling nearly twice as fast just to have the same fun, which was rarely, if ever, appropriate.
Interesting to read that, thanks DA.
It seems they aimed to make it a 'longtail' in Mclaren speak, and combined with the more teardrop design of the roof must have increased the top speed significantly. The video mentions a cd of .32 which without a big wing seems reasonable? But surely would have been made even better by fairing in the lights.
Still sceptical over the 215mph claims though unless putting out more than 440bhp.
It seems they aimed to make it a 'longtail' in Mclaren speak, and combined with the more teardrop design of the roof must have increased the top speed significantly. The video mentions a cd of .32 which without a big wing seems reasonable? But surely would have been made even better by fairing in the lights.
Still sceptical over the 215mph claims though unless putting out more than 440bhp.
s6boy said:
Rich I didn't see your post. Were they really doing over 200, was that verified?
If so they must surely have had more than the quoted power.
They finished 21st & 22nd overall and 8th & 9th in the GT class. I can't find the speed timings now and it was twenty years ago so my memory fades but I seem to remember them saying they were exceeding 200. https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-2...If so they must surely have had more than the quoted power.
s6boy said:
Interesting to read that, thanks DA.
It seems they aimed to make it a 'longtail' in Mclaren speak, and combined with the more teardrop design of the roof must have increased the top speed significantly. The video mentions a cd of .32 which without a big wing seems reasonable? But surely would have been made even better by fairing in the lights.
Still sceptical over the 215mph claims though unless putting out more than 440bhp.
Yup. I suspect the factory engines weren't anywhere near 400 anyway. Mine came in around 440 but would have needed more torque to break 200. Took a lot of tarmac to get it a few points off the double tonne. It seems they aimed to make it a 'longtail' in Mclaren speak, and combined with the more teardrop design of the roof must have increased the top speed significantly. The video mentions a cd of .32 which without a big wing seems reasonable? But surely would have been made even better by fairing in the lights.
Still sceptical over the 215mph claims though unless putting out more than 440bhp.
The original SC set-up that was in mine was tested at 600bhp when at the factory which would have been enough but as mentioned, they just couldn't manage the heat issue nor were factory engines back then strong enough to survive for long.
An interesting anecdote was that before it was called the Typhon it was going to be called the T550 and just sold to the German retailer who had asked for a supercharged one for their market.
The number 89 car did a respectable number of laps, but the discrepancy between that and the winning R8 is eye opening, an extra 3 laps per hour!
I see they're listed as T400 not 440, was that a reference to the engine capacity, and then for the road car this was changed to horsepower?
Nice to see that the person who sold me my Tuscan in 2004 also drove at Le Mans.
I see they're listed as T400 not 440, was that a reference to the engine capacity, and then for the road car this was changed to horsepower?
Nice to see that the person who sold me my Tuscan in 2004 also drove at Le Mans.
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/67MEivoS.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/vN6YC3MW" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/vN6YC3MW.jpg)
They built that gearbox in-house. I had a go at finding it to with the Typhon and had a lot of help from Dave H at Sprint who knew a lot of what had gone on at the factory under Wheeler and then NS.
The gearbox had a habit of not working and there is a story of the orange car pirouetting through Blackpool due to the box locking it up. It was scrapped so no longer exists.
The gearbox had a habit of not working and there is a story of the orange car pirouetting through Blackpool due to the box locking it up. It was scrapped so no longer exists.
s6boy said:
The number 89 car did a respectable number of laps, but the discrepancy between that and the winning R8 is eye opening, an extra 3 laps per hour!
I see they're listed as T400 not 440, was that a reference to the engine capacity, and then for the road car this was changed to horsepower?
Nice to see that the person who sold me my Tuscan in 2004 also drove at Le Mans.
Of course that does not necessarily mean it was being lapped every 20mins. I seem to remember one (or both) of the TVRs were stationary for long periods. You cannot work out top speed from the final placings chart. I see they're listed as T400 not 440, was that a reference to the engine capacity, and then for the road car this was changed to horsepower?
Nice to see that the person who sold me my Tuscan in 2004 also drove at Le Mans.
s6boy said:
The number 89 car did a respectable number of laps, but the discrepancy between that and the winning R8 is eye opening, an extra 3 laps per hour!
I see they're listed as T400 not 440, was that a reference to the engine capacity, and then for the road car this was changed to horsepower?
Nice to see that the person who sold me my Tuscan in 2004 also drove at Le Mans.
The numbers relate to power (as in a number fabricated by pro bullsI see they're listed as T400 not 440, was that a reference to the engine capacity, and then for the road car this was changed to horsepower?
Nice to see that the person who sold me my Tuscan in 2004 also drove at Le Mans.
tter Wheeler )The T400 was a 4L and the T440 was, I believe stroked to 4.2. Although, I've a feeling the grey T440, the LNT 1 car, turned out to be 4.0. The T550 (Typhon) was a supercharged 4.0.
I've not watched the YT thing about the red car but saw a tile that mentioned 4.4L that was never a cc of the time.
The problem with a lot of TVR history is similar to that of many great sports car manufacturers in that the owner simply lied brazenly at the time and as is always the case half the audience devoutly believed and the other half had no evidence to support their opinion and by the time any evidence did come to light no one cared any more and stuff had just become law.
Which reminds me, the car had the sensors fitted for traction control which the red one should also have as they're a 2001 addition under PW who was busy saying TC was for fannies and he wouldn't fit it to TVRs while he was busy trying to work out how to get it to work via the basic MBU brain in the cars.
RichB said:
f course that does not necessarily mean it was being lapped every 20mins. I seem to remember one (or both) of the TVRs were stationary for long periods. You cannot work out top speed from the final placings chart.
Of course, embarasingly I hadn't considered time stopped in the garage 
DonkeyApple said:
The numbers relate to power (as in a number fabricated by pro bullstter Wheeler )
The T400 was a 4L and the T440 was, I believe stroked to 4.2. Although, I've a feeling the grey T440, the LNT 1 car, turned out to be 4.0. The T550 (Typhon) was a supercharged 4.0.
I've not watched the YT thing about the red car but saw a tile that mentioned 4.4L that was never a cc of the time.
The problem with a lot of TVR history is similar to that of many great sports car manufacturers in that the owner simply lied brazenly at the time and as is always the case half the audience devoutly believed and the other half had no evidence to support their opinion and by the time any evidence did come to light no one cared any more and stuff had just become law.
Which reminds me, the car had the sensors fitted for traction control which the red one should also have as they're a 2001 addition under PW who was busy saying TC was for fannies and he wouldn't fit it to TVRs while he was busy trying to work out how to get it to work via the basic MBU brain in the cars.
Not sure if the race cars ran with restrictors or not, but i know of 1 race car and 1 engine built to race spec which have each made 425-430 on 2 different dynos (rolling roads) so even the 440hp numbers isnt too far out (in tvr terms at least).tter Wheeler )The T400 was a 4L and the T440 was, I believe stroked to 4.2. Although, I've a feeling the grey T440, the LNT 1 car, turned out to be 4.0. The T550 (Typhon) was a supercharged 4.0.
I've not watched the YT thing about the red car but saw a tile that mentioned 4.4L that was never a cc of the time.
The problem with a lot of TVR history is similar to that of many great sports car manufacturers in that the owner simply lied brazenly at the time and as is always the case half the audience devoutly believed and the other half had no evidence to support their opinion and by the time any evidence did come to light no one cared any more and stuff had just become law.
Which reminds me, the car had the sensors fitted for traction control which the red one should also have as they're a 2001 addition under PW who was busy saying TC was for fannies and he wouldn't fit it to TVRs while he was busy trying to work out how to get it to work via the basic MBU brain in the cars.
Gazzab said:
s6boy said:
What spec was the engine fitted to your car Donkey Apple?
Was fitted or is fitted? Doesn’t he have a raving green FFF head ? Gassing Station | T400R/T440R & Typhon | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff