My First TVR - Pictures
Discussion
Following on from an earlier thread I was asked for some pictures, hopefully you will see below pictures of "My First TVR" all taken last week just after I had driven home with a smile on my face.
A 1988 280 S, needs work, pictures make it look better than it is, but it is all mine after wanting one for 20+ years
A 1988 280 S, needs work, pictures make it look better than it is, but it is all mine after wanting one for 20+ years
AutoAndy said:
Nice S...have fun...
The pics remind me, if you don't know, there is a button under the dash, near the steering wheel which turns the gauge lights off, so when driving at night they don't reflect on the wind s on the early cars..
That's interesting - didn't Saab claim to have invented that afterwards?The pics remind me, if you don't know, there is a button under the dash, near the steering wheel which turns the gauge lights off, so when driving at night they don't reflect on the wind s on the early cars..
Hi & welcome to the best S forum! 
That looks absolutely beautiful outside and in. Great colour combo, probably my favourite!
But what is the condition underneath? Chassis and outriggers are the main things to look out for in an S.
Good luck with it, hope you get as much pleasure out of it as we all do from ours!
That looks absolutely beautiful outside and in. Great colour combo, probably my favourite!
But what is the condition underneath? Chassis and outriggers are the main things to look out for in an S.
Good luck with it, hope you get as much pleasure out of it as we all do from ours!
Believe me Andrew, we have seen a lot worse. That looks like a very decent basis for a lovely car, far better than mine when I got it (you have got real seats and a complete hood for a start!!). It does look pretty original too, so you may be lucky and find it hasnt been messed with too much! It even appears to have the original wheel and gear/handbrake levers.
The OZ wheels are original and appear to be in very good condition, a good sign that the car has been looked after at least cosmetically. Plenty of people have changed them, but equally a lot of us reckon the originals are the best. Plenty of information on this forum about wheels and tyres, I'm on Bridgestones but the consensus appears to be that Dunlop Blue Response have the edge now.
Definitely a few priority things to look at;
Posts above are right, check the bottom of the servo for rust, it is a regular problem with these cars. I am pretty sure that is the SAAB sourced servo.
Check the tubes of the rear swing arms, especially the outer one (in line with the car) these can fill with muck and rust, a real safety issue.
Check the mountings for the bonnet, the chassis at this point wasnt really strong enough and the square tube is often distorted or badly corroded. Having a mounting go could cost a bonnet...very expensive.
As far as your curved dash panel is concerned. DONT replace it! At least not until you have found the posts about these panels. They were never very good and a lot of people have approached it in different ways.
The panel lights are dimmed on the S1 by one of the three rotary switches on the dash, as BarryS1 has mentioned. It isnt always the middle one (typically for TVR!). There appears to have been a mod done to the dash so there may be some non standard wiring.....again, haven't they all!
Seat belts appear to be the original long stalks which probably dont fit you too comfortably. Many people have fitted shorter fixed stalks. There is also a very worthwhile mod to the top post mounting of the seat belt which makes them a whole lot easier to use.
Your car has the coil mounted on the plenum chamber. It can tend to fry the coil and it is best moved to over the passenger footwell, mounted to one of those bolts you can see (to ensure it is earthed).
Let us know what you find!
The OZ wheels are original and appear to be in very good condition, a good sign that the car has been looked after at least cosmetically. Plenty of people have changed them, but equally a lot of us reckon the originals are the best. Plenty of information on this forum about wheels and tyres, I'm on Bridgestones but the consensus appears to be that Dunlop Blue Response have the edge now.
Definitely a few priority things to look at;
Posts above are right, check the bottom of the servo for rust, it is a regular problem with these cars. I am pretty sure that is the SAAB sourced servo.
Check the tubes of the rear swing arms, especially the outer one (in line with the car) these can fill with muck and rust, a real safety issue.
Check the mountings for the bonnet, the chassis at this point wasnt really strong enough and the square tube is often distorted or badly corroded. Having a mounting go could cost a bonnet...very expensive.
As far as your curved dash panel is concerned. DONT replace it! At least not until you have found the posts about these panels. They were never very good and a lot of people have approached it in different ways.
The panel lights are dimmed on the S1 by one of the three rotary switches on the dash, as BarryS1 has mentioned. It isnt always the middle one (typically for TVR!). There appears to have been a mod done to the dash so there may be some non standard wiring.....again, haven't they all!
Seat belts appear to be the original long stalks which probably dont fit you too comfortably. Many people have fitted shorter fixed stalks. There is also a very worthwhile mod to the top post mounting of the seat belt which makes them a whole lot easier to use.
Your car has the coil mounted on the plenum chamber. It can tend to fry the coil and it is best moved to over the passenger footwell, mounted to one of those bolts you can see (to ensure it is earthed).
Let us know what you find!
Thanks folks, some very interesting and useful information and comments. All points will be noted and worked through.
I must confess to buying this from eBay, but I did go and see it and drive it before bidding. I am not an expert or experienced in TVR's but it did feel fairly "original", I liked the look of the Wheels and after looking at some pictures they seemed the right ones for the car/period. The Gear Knob was also a bit of a sign, I didn't really like it but did remind me of a Ford I once had. There didn't seem to be many drastic changes, things like the Seats and Interior although very dirty appeared to be right.
The two things I was aware of that are problematical is the Electrics and the Chassis. Hard for me to really comment on the electrics, that's a kind of see as I go along job, the lights do seem dim though. Gauges all work, although they are just a "guide". The chassis appeared to be good enough for now, I noticed old waxoil in some areas.
Not too much history with it but evidence of work many years ago by Mole Valley plus an invoice for a chassis rub down and waxoil treatment by another company. These are all long ago though. I will get all the basics checked over for safety once I have sorted the Tyres.
It doesn't run that well, sounds nice and the engine sounds nice, so hopefully it just needs some love from the Garage.
Easy to say a week into ownership, but I intend to be in it for the long haul. I bought my '59 Land Rover Series 2 around 7 years ago, that hasn't been plain sailing but it has been worth it in the long run, so I will draw inspiration from that.
Fortunately these are not a daily drive so they can be put away and then got back to once funds and the desire is there in sufficient quantities
I must confess to buying this from eBay, but I did go and see it and drive it before bidding. I am not an expert or experienced in TVR's but it did feel fairly "original", I liked the look of the Wheels and after looking at some pictures they seemed the right ones for the car/period. The Gear Knob was also a bit of a sign, I didn't really like it but did remind me of a Ford I once had. There didn't seem to be many drastic changes, things like the Seats and Interior although very dirty appeared to be right.
The two things I was aware of that are problematical is the Electrics and the Chassis. Hard for me to really comment on the electrics, that's a kind of see as I go along job, the lights do seem dim though. Gauges all work, although they are just a "guide". The chassis appeared to be good enough for now, I noticed old waxoil in some areas.
Not too much history with it but evidence of work many years ago by Mole Valley plus an invoice for a chassis rub down and waxoil treatment by another company. These are all long ago though. I will get all the basics checked over for safety once I have sorted the Tyres.
It doesn't run that well, sounds nice and the engine sounds nice, so hopefully it just needs some love from the Garage.
Easy to say a week into ownership, but I intend to be in it for the long haul. I bought my '59 Land Rover Series 2 around 7 years ago, that hasn't been plain sailing but it has been worth it in the long run, so I will draw inspiration from that.
Fortunately these are not a daily drive so they can be put away and then got back to once funds and the desire is there in sufficient quantities
Lovely pics reading through,I take it your car is an S2
We've just come home from a local classic car show,lots of people interested In the TVR we have the S3
There was another TVR chimera there too
O/H Rick has done quite a bit to getting the car back on the road,we still have quite a few more things to buy - like new hood &targa panels etc,otherwise it runs very well,&very comfortable ride,if I can download some of our pics I will put them on here at some point
Good luck with your car
We've just come home from a local classic car show,lots of people interested In the TVR we have the S3
There was another TVR chimera there too
O/H Rick has done quite a bit to getting the car back on the road,we still have quite a few more things to buy - like new hood &targa panels etc,otherwise it runs very well,&very comfortable ride,if I can download some of our pics I will put them on here at some point
Good luck with your car
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