Discussion
Well after 16.5 years of owner ship my beloved Cerb has finally gone to a new owner 
I had some fantastic and so fantastic times with her but I loved every single minute of it, I waved 
to her on Friday with a tear in my eye but I know she is going to a good home which is what I wanted and she will be looked after, she has gone to sunnier climates in Bulgaria so she will be a rare beasty there and get loads of admiring looks, I hope the owner gets half as much enjoyment out of her as I did, he will be putting a thread on here when he gets in two weeks time on the 28th May so say hello to him, now I am off to finish off my T350
I had some fantastic and so fantastic times with her but I loved every single minute of it, I waved to her on Friday with a tear in my eye but I know she is going to a good home which is what I wanted and she will be looked after, she has gone to sunnier climates in Bulgaria so she will be a rare beasty there and get loads of admiring looks, I hope the owner gets half as much enjoyment out of her as I did, he will be putting a thread on here when he gets in two weeks time on the 28th May so say hello to him, now I am off to finish off my T350 
Hello!
I'm Julien, the new happy lucky owner of Gary's car. I've yet to see her in the plastic (sorry, couldn't help it), but I'm incredibly excited! I've been contemplating the idea of buying a Cerbera for years, and now the day is coming.
As Gary wrote, I live in Bulgaria though I'm French. I love cars since I'm very young. I remember buying my first car book at 6... I currently own a Saab 900 Turbo 16S (my 92) which is my French car, and a Golf GTI Edition 30, my 08. I solde a 54 beetle to fund the Cerbera... and my first car has been a 69 beetle. Not very close to a Cerb, right?
I also wanted to thank you, Gary. You've been incredibly patient, understanding and helpful. I'm sure very few people would heave been as kind as you've been. I hope I'll be up to the task of keeping your car in good condition and enjoying it a lot.
To finish, the plan with the car is to repair the little niggles she has, and enjoy it! I'll make a journal here of her new life. Hopefully you'll enjoy it.
Julien
I'm Julien, the new happy lucky owner of Gary's car. I've yet to see her in the plastic (sorry, couldn't help it), but I'm incredibly excited! I've been contemplating the idea of buying a Cerbera for years, and now the day is coming.
As Gary wrote, I live in Bulgaria though I'm French. I love cars since I'm very young. I remember buying my first car book at 6... I currently own a Saab 900 Turbo 16S (my 92) which is my French car, and a Golf GTI Edition 30, my 08. I solde a 54 beetle to fund the Cerbera... and my first car has been a 69 beetle. Not very close to a Cerb, right?
I also wanted to thank you, Gary. You've been incredibly patient, understanding and helpful. I'm sure very few people would heave been as kind as you've been. I hope I'll be up to the task of keeping your car in good condition and enjoying it a lot.
To finish, the plan with the car is to repair the little niggles she has, and enjoy it! I'll make a journal here of her new life. Hopefully you'll enjoy it.
Julien
Jooles81 said:
As Gary wrote, I live in Bulgaria though I'm French. I love cars since I'm very young. I remember buying my first car book at 6... I currently own a Saab 900 Turbo 16S (my 92) which is my French car, and a Golf GTI Edition 30, my 08. I solde a 54 beetle to fund the Cerbera... and my first car has been a 69 beetle. Not very close to a Cerb, right?
Sounds like you're used to driving moderately powerful front wheel drive cars.The Cerb is not moderately powerful, and not front wheel drive, so you are correct. Please bear that in mind.
And you forget the fact I never drove an RHD car 
I'm fully conscious I'm used to drive cars that are the complete opposite of the Cerbera. I expect my first trip to be simply frightening and positively exciting. Thanks anyway for the advice. It's a big step and the learning curve will be steep, but I like that.
Moreover, there is an abandoned airfield (for small planes) in the town where I live. I plan to use it to learn how the car handles at the limit. Should be useful, I think.
Julien
I'm fully conscious I'm used to drive cars that are the complete opposite of the Cerbera. I expect my first trip to be simply frightening and positively exciting. Thanks anyway for the advice. It's a big step and the learning curve will be steep, but I like that.
Moreover, there is an abandoned airfield (for small planes) in the town where I live. I plan to use it to learn how the car handles at the limit. Should be useful, I think.
Julien
Jooles81 said:
And you forget the fact I never drove an RHD car
I'm fully conscious I'm used to drive cars that are the complete opposite of the Cerbera. I expect my first trip to be simply frightening and positively exciting. Thanks anyway for the advice. It's a big step and the learning curve will be steep, but I like that.
Moreover, there is an abandoned airfield (for small planes) in the town where I live. I plan to use it to learn how the car handles at the limit. Should be useful, I think.
Julien
That sounds great, good luck and enjoy!I'm fully conscious I'm used to drive cars that are the complete opposite of the Cerbera. I expect my first trip to be simply frightening and positively exciting. Thanks anyway for the advice. It's a big step and the learning curve will be steep, but I like that.
Moreover, there is an abandoned airfield (for small planes) in the town where I live. I plan to use it to learn how the car handles at the limit. Should be useful, I think.
Julien
It would be great to see a bit of footage of that! If you can manage to video it and post it on here! That would be awesome
Thanks for your kind replies and I know I can be a bit harsh at times with people but I have tried to help and point people in the right direction over the years and I will be lurking on here so I am not gone for good
Julien
I glad you bought her as you seem very genuine in your plans for her and that is exactly what I wanted and it has been my pleasure dealing with you
Just make sure you get the diff bush changed before you start to thrash her about and by the way she loves a good thrashing
Keep us up to date with the work you do
Gary
Julien
I glad you bought her as you seem very genuine in your plans for her and that is exactly what I wanted and it has been my pleasure dealing with you
Just make sure you get the diff bush changed before you start to thrash her about and by the way she loves a good thrashing
Keep us up to date with the work you do
Gary
billynobrakes said:
Just make sure you get the diff bush changed before you start to thrash her about and by the way she loves a good thrashing
It will become acutely annoying long before there's any chance you could do any damage. And it is really not the first job you want to tackle on a Cerb - that would be an unpleasant baptism.Hello!
no problem, I'll try to make some videos. Now is time to buy a gopro I guess
I'll keep you up to date, no problem. I will pick the car the 28th of may, and she is booked the same day for changing the bushings and for a trip on the dyno, to have an idea of the condition of the engine. Not sure though if the Dyno guy will be there. We'll see... I've seen that changing the bushes can be a pain. I'll begin with the smaller easier stuff!
Julien
no problem, I'll try to make some videos. Now is time to buy a gopro I guess
I'll keep you up to date, no problem. I will pick the car the 28th of may, and she is booked the same day for changing the bushings and for a trip on the dyno, to have an idea of the condition of the engine. Not sure though if the Dyno guy will be there. We'll see... I've seen that changing the bushes can be a pain. I'll begin with the smaller easier stuff!
Julien
Hi Julien, congratulations.
I just bought my first Cerbera although its my 6th TVR
As mentioned, just be gentle with the right foot until you've been out on the airfield.
From personal experience, they can be very unforgiving on damp road conditions.
Otherwise, perfect timing for the summer
I just bought my first Cerbera although its my 6th TVR
As mentioned, just be gentle with the right foot until you've been out on the airfield.
From personal experience, they can be very unforgiving on damp road conditions.
Otherwise, perfect timing for the summer
ukkid35 said:
It will become acutely annoying long before there's any chance you could do any damage. And it is really not the first job you want to tackle on a Cerb - that would be an unpleasant baptism.
The existing diff bush is split right through and is causing the diff to bang about so will cause damage either the mounting, diff itself all even the half shafts, Julien trust me get it changed or there will be specially if your going to put it on a rolling road then thrash her up a runway, the amount of pressure put on those components is massive and something will give if the diff bush is split and damaged ask Taylor TVR ukkid35 see you in Zolder
Calm down, the car is booked for changing the bushings the day when I'll receive it. I will drive less than 15km with the old bushings
I'll take good car of it, it's a keeper!
Thanks, so called. I'll be careful with the right pedal. Even tvr owners consider those cars to be beasts... Frightening!
The only thing I'm worried about now is if my girlfriend will like it...
Julien
I'll take good car of it, it's a keeper!
Thanks, so called. I'll be careful with the right pedal. Even tvr owners consider those cars to be beasts... Frightening!
The only thing I'm worried about now is if my girlfriend will like it...
Julien
Jooles81 said:
Calm down, the car is booked for changing the bushings the day when I'll receive it. I will drive less than 15km with the old bushings
I'll take good car of it, it's a keeper!
Thanks, so called. I'll be careful with the right pedal. Even tvr owners consider those cars to be beasts... Frightening!
The only thing I'm worried about now is if my girlfriend will like it...
Julien
Put your foot down, you won't hear if she doesnt I'll take good car of it, it's a keeper!
Thanks, so called. I'll be careful with the right pedal. Even tvr owners consider those cars to be beasts... Frightening!
The only thing I'm worried about now is if my girlfriend will like it...
Julien
Jooles81 said:
Calm down, the car is booked for changing the bushings the day when I'll receive it. I will drive less than 15km with the old bushings
I'll take good car of it, it's a keeper!
Thanks, so called. I'll be careful with the right pedal. Even tvr owners consider those cars to be beasts... Frightening!
The only thing I'm worried about now is if my girlfriend will like it...
Julien
Just don,t want you to have to spend loads of money putting things right, in 1st gear it will clunk when you pull away you will hear it and feel it, then nice and smooth gear changes and ease on and off the clutch and it will be fineI'll take good car of it, it's a keeper!
Thanks, so called. I'll be careful with the right pedal. Even tvr owners consider those cars to be beasts... Frightening!
The only thing I'm worried about now is if my girlfriend will like it...
Julien
Welcome!
Re: your car history; before I bought mine the most powerful car I had ever owned was a 1.8t Rover 75 with 150bhp, but the quickest was a Celica with just 140bhp. I'd driven a few quicker hire cars (mustang and the likes), a Ferrari 550 on an experience day, but on my own nothing very fast at all. I'm a keen and good driver though and despite being in M5s, an i8 and a few other cars as a passenger, I'd never experienced anything I'd call fast.
I generally don't find fast cars fast.
But these are different. I've had passengers fall out of the seat, given my wife chest pains and made one of my best mates sick just from the acceleration.
I don't know what kind of state of tune this car is in, but when you learn how to catch it right, you'll never want to drive anything else I'm quite sure. It's like a drug.
They are though, to quote the bloke who I bought mine from "A real pussy cat to drive". They're very easy to drive normally, although the controls are a bit heavier than anything you'll be used to.
Just some general friendly tips:
- Flat in 1st gear... Never. Not possible so far as I can tell, the wheels spin too much.
- Flat in 2nd gear: Only in the dry. In a straight line. On a smooth Road. On a warm day, not in shadowy bits of road early in the morning. With nothing in front for about 200m.
- In the wet or damp, accept that on the public road it's basically about as quick as an Astra and you won't go wrong. Any gear can show you wheel spin in the wet even in a straight line. Being in 4th doing 60 on the M5 applying about 20mm of throttle had mine squirming around the other day.
- Never drive with the windows up. You wouldn't walk around an art gallery with a welding mask on would you?
- Find as many tunnels as possible. Or buy a tunnel and live in it.
Re: your car history; before I bought mine the most powerful car I had ever owned was a 1.8t Rover 75 with 150bhp, but the quickest was a Celica with just 140bhp. I'd driven a few quicker hire cars (mustang and the likes), a Ferrari 550 on an experience day, but on my own nothing very fast at all. I'm a keen and good driver though and despite being in M5s, an i8 and a few other cars as a passenger, I'd never experienced anything I'd call fast.
I generally don't find fast cars fast.
But these are different. I've had passengers fall out of the seat, given my wife chest pains and made one of my best mates sick just from the acceleration.
I don't know what kind of state of tune this car is in, but when you learn how to catch it right, you'll never want to drive anything else I'm quite sure. It's like a drug.
They are though, to quote the bloke who I bought mine from "A real pussy cat to drive". They're very easy to drive normally, although the controls are a bit heavier than anything you'll be used to.
Just some general friendly tips:
- Flat in 1st gear... Never. Not possible so far as I can tell, the wheels spin too much.
- Flat in 2nd gear: Only in the dry. In a straight line. On a smooth Road. On a warm day, not in shadowy bits of road early in the morning. With nothing in front for about 200m.
- In the wet or damp, accept that on the public road it's basically about as quick as an Astra and you won't go wrong. Any gear can show you wheel spin in the wet even in a straight line. Being in 4th doing 60 on the M5 applying about 20mm of throttle had mine squirming around the other day.
- Never drive with the windows up. You wouldn't walk around an art gallery with a welding mask on would you?
- Find as many tunnels as possible. Or buy a tunnel and live in it.
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