The Wedge Project

Author
Discussion

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Here is my new car (collected today) and something to keep me busy over the summer. It is a 1982 TVR Tasmin 280i 2+2, one of only 47 ever built. It blew its gearbox 4 years ago and has been standing ever since.

My first job after getting it home was to give it a good wash and scrub to get the moss and grime off it, and open it up to air out the soaking carpets.



The engine bay full of rats nests and looking pretty sorry





And after a quick clear out



Interior needs some work smile









Thankfully the chassis is all good



After filling it up with fresh petrol, checking the oil and spark and stealing the battery from the girlfriends car it started up and ticked over smoothly. The throttle linkage is a bit gummy but not a bad start for only having it home for 3 hours smile It is bloody noisy though! cool

Unfortunately then rain stopped play



The plan is to get it mechanically perfect with a new gearbox, clutch and brake overhaul, and also give it a thorough service and going over. It also needs the electrics sorting out as only about half of the switches do anything as it stands.

After that the damage on the front needs sorting and I hopefully plan on getting it resprayed in its standard Ford Midnight Blue. I will also strip and repair / refurbish the interior and get it back to its former glory.





Edited by AceOfHearts on Friday 21st March 16:10


Edited by AceOfHearts on Friday 21st March 16:12

robrobc

197 posts

191 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Outstanding Purchase.
Will follow this with interest.

Rob

Ragnarson

15 posts

121 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Looks like a beauty which you look in your work

gforceg

3,524 posts

178 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
You've put a PH sticker on it already!? Or was that part of the package?
Good luck with it.

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
gforceg said:
You've put a PH sticker on it already!? Or was that part of the package?
Good luck with it.
Part of the package smile

The last two owners have been ph'ers

PaulB81

883 posts

159 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Lovely car. Good luck with it smile

T5GRF

1,972 posts

263 months

Saturday 22nd March 2014
quotequote all
Well done for saving it, lovely car!

The Nur

9,168 posts

184 months

Saturday 22nd March 2014
quotequote all
I'm not really in to older TVRs but this one... this one is intriguing.

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Pulled the seats and some of the interior out yesterday and started drying out and shampooing the carpets. Today I will hopefully make a start on getting the gearbox out.

I drained the gearbox oil yesterday and there was no metal in it, so could possibly be an easy fix. Fingers crossed.




Usget

5,426 posts

210 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Bookmarked - I like following projects like this. Good luck OP.

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Almost got the gearbox out today. Just 2 more bolts between the gearbox and bellhousing (you have to split them as the chassis is too tight to get them out together). The last 2 bolts are totally inaccessible though so have started removing the box to try and get more room. Here is what it is like now, will carry on tomorrow.



AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Monday 24th March 2014
quotequote all
Gearbox finally out today. I had to remove the clutch and exhausts to get enough clearance to get it out though. What a pig of a job!

Have just dropped it off at a local gearbox specialist so they are going to pull it apart and find out what's wrong with it and quote me for repair. I pulled the covers off before taking it there and it looks like new inside, so hopefully it would be an easy fix.






AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
More progress today smile

Modified a spanner to allow me to adjust the door aignment





I also removed the damaged front bumper



Allowing me to see the state of the bodywork damage







It will not be getting sorted out anytime soon as i need to get the mechanicals perfect first, but good to see what i am dealing with smile

Kitchski

6,514 posts

230 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
Top work that man! I've always liked the 2+2, and we never see any at work!

I also have a 2.8 engined TVR albeit it the 280S rather than a 280S. Currently in the process of stripping it down to refurb the chassis. Literally pulled the engine out before I left for home today.

Will watch with interest! Straight off....do the exhausts run ABOVE the gearbox?!

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the comments, i'm surprised how much of a positive reception the car is having!

Yep the exhausts are above the gearbox, good for ground clearance but i'm sure it will be bad for heat soak into the cabin hehe

This car was apparently the third off the production line, and I cant see any mention of the high level exhausts in the Steve Heath book so I guess it was not a common routing and was changed quite early on.

Edited by AceOfHearts on Tuesday 25th March 20:31

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Wednesday 26th March 2014
quotequote all
New gas struts fitted front and rear. A bit too stiff but fit perfectly and a 1/4 of the price the tvr specialists are selling at. They are from a Corsa C. Surprising how much better the car 'feels' when you don't have to prop the bonnet open with a lump of wood smile

s p a c e m a n

10,752 posts

147 months

Wednesday 26th March 2014
quotequote all
Careful, if the struts are too strong they'll start warping and breaking the fiberglass. A few people have fallen foul of that on chimaera boots.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 26th March 2014
quotequote all
Nice car! I had a 350i a few years ago and still miss the old thing. They are really interesting cars smile

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Thursday 27th March 2014
quotequote all
Just had a call from the gearbox place, and they have found some issues. Bitten the bullet though and getting them to rebuild it.

Not cheap especially when factoring in I will be putting in a new clutch too, but at least I know it will be good rather than guessing on a used box.

This car had better be good when I'm done! hehe

AceOfHearts

Original Poster:

5,818 posts

190 months

Friday 28th March 2014
quotequote all
Waiting for the gearbox to be rebuilt, thought I would make a start on the electrics biggrin

Most of it is working now