Steve Heath bible

[ChimpOnGas]

Hoofa said:

The so called bible is a complete waste of money, should be retitled the bleeding obvious , nothing of real interest , if you expecting the Haines manual forget it. You will get more benefit reading on the web !!!!

^^^This^^^

End of

If toy town drop links and a catalog of failed attempts at converting Cerbs to LS power are your thing, then SH is your man.

There's a reason why he vanished from the scene, engineering qualifications don't maketh an engineer, more of a Walter Mitty fantasist than someone you'd want near your car if you ask me.

Another TVR specialist pretender bites the dust, and none of us should be shedding a tear

If you want a properly engineered LS conversion that works go to Top Cats.

If you want quality drop links that don't fail in six months go to Leven.

If you want a professionally written workshop manual for the enthusiastic amateur go to Haynes.

If you want a comedy raggy old collection of rubbish buy the Bible.

A Bible is either the Lords book or a generalised term for a definitive reference document that is unparalleled in its comprehensive consolidation of accurate facts.

For SH to call his near useless doorstop "The Bible" was beyond arrogant, the choice of name was in fact an horrific crime against what the trade description act stands for.

I could be more scathing but I hope everyone can see I've tried to choose my words carefully and be kind here.

All I'm trying to do here is make sure others don't waste their money.

[wuckfitracing]

FFS. I only want a copy. Calm down.

[RichB]

wuckfitracing said:

FFS. I only want a copy. Calm down.

It's incredible the hatred some people can have about a £25 book written over 15 years ago

[V8 GRF]

ChimpOnGas said:

For SH to call his near useless doorstop "The Bible" was beyond arrogant, the choice of name was in fact an horrific crime against what the trade description act stands for.

That comment shows how ill-informed you are.

SH never referred to it as 'The Bible'. That was the name that hundreds (if not thousands)of grateful owners of TVRs mostly on here, dubbed it in the early 2000s in the absence of anything else even vaguely useful from TVR.

It's easy in these days of cheap tablets, fast internet connections and efficient search engines to slag something off that helped many people when such things were science fiction. Much of the 'help' posted here after the books publication in the early days was more or less directly lifted.

Maybe he did over extend himself with regards to some of his engineering projects but again in the early days in the absence of other sources his replacements parts helped many folk.

Hindsight and all that...

Edited by V8 GRF on Friday 3rd July 10:49

[andy43]

When I had my first griff over a decade ago Steve heaths book was essential. Car went, so did book.
I've had my second tvr for six months now, and have bought another copy, despite the 'fantastic' ph search facility.
I like it - pics, an index, and decent explanations. Each to their own.
It also works much better than my iPad does when the battery's flat

[davep]

RichB said:

wuckfitracing said:

FFS. I only want a copy. Calm down.

It's incredible the hatred some people can have about a £25 book written over 15 years ago

A book that, despite its faults, does what it says it will do, that is 'bridge the gap between the Owners Manual and a workshop manual'. For people to then go off on some spiteful tirade stating it's a useless rag and not a Haynes workshop manual, is most strange.

Edited by davep on Friday 3rd July 22:49

[Topper_Harley]

Was going to buy a copy....
Too scared to now :-)

[over_the_hill]

If the Steve Heath book helps you with even one or two fairly simple jobs/fixes then it will have paid for itself.

As noted above much of the info is now readily available on line but with the book it's all in one place, avoids lots of searching - often through dross that is not relevant, and allows random access i.e. you can just have a flick through the pages.

Also before about 2005 the internet was a relative luxury at home (and even then probably on dial-up) and many workplaces were only just getting on-line so the book was really the only reference available.

I personally bought a set of replacement bonnet hinges (the quick removal type), swirl pot plug and magnetic sump plug from SH and found them to be very good quality.

[blitzracing]

Not overly impressed with it myself, certainly spent a long time trying to track down a speedo problem as the information in it was wrong with signal displays and supply voltages, so Id never have seen what it showed however long I looked!

[N7GTX]

Blitzracing's answer about sums this up. For people new to TVR and those who generally do not do much on their cars other than check the oil level or fill the washer bottle, will find any book useful to help them muddle along and attempt some minor tasks - like change a coolant sensor - that others, with their vast knowledge and understanding of cars and mechanics can fathom for themselves, will complete very easily.
Sometimes those with greater knowledge forget that all TVR owners are not mechanical geniuses and do need help with jobs that, to them at any rate, are very difficult and complex.
To the genius the book may be irrelevant. To others it may be a godsend. Just my thoughts.

Edited by N7GTX on Friday 3rd July 14:56

[mk1fan]

I have one for my S plus two Haynes manuals (one Sierra, one Granada) and they have paid for themselves.

Also have the Varley Sag book for my Tamora. Again, paid for itself already.

[ChimpOnGas]

I still say the so called Bible is a load of old rubbish...

Really enjoyed winding you all up about it too..

Buy it if you want, TBH I don't really care.

But you'll definitely be wasting your dosh, so if I've helped one decent TVR enthusiast save his hard earned money by having the balls to tell it like it is, then my work is done..

TTFN...

[RichB]

ChimpOnGas said:

TBH I don't really care.

I love it when people are so wound up by a topic that they feel they have to excuse themselves by saying they don't care, which ironically, they obviously do!

[mk1fan]

Second that.

[neutral 3]

I think the slating of Steves book ( and of him ) is Completly uncalled for.....

I was fortuneate enough to buy his old warrior Griff In May 2010 my second Griff ( jeez where has the time gone ?? ) and he kindly gave me a new copy of the revised edition, along with a set of new drop links, 2 rear tires, a new front wish bone, the cats, a new set of brake pads and more. He was easy to deal with and His absolutely charming wife is a treasure as well.

Over The Hill sums it up...if Steves book helps someone carry out one just job, then it's £ hard earned money well spent. Yes it's a bit lacking in some areas for someone who is good with a spanner, but I'm an average mechanic and it's helped me out numerous times.

[alan-87]

Willtl said:

Assuming you are talking about "The TVR Griffith and Chimera" 2nd edition, I have a copy that is in mint condition and I'll match the £25 + P&P. Let me know if interested.

If youve still got it, ill take it off your hands.

[Hoofa]

neutral 3 said:

I think the slating of Steves book ( and of him ) is Completly uncalled for.....

I was fortuneate enough to buy his old warrior Griff In May 2010 my second Griff ( jeez where has the time gone ?? ) and he kindly gave me a new copy of the revised edition, along with a set of new drop links, 2 rear tires, a new front wish bone, the cats, a new set of brake pads and more. He was easy to deal with and His absolutely charming wife is a treasure as well.

Over The Hill sums it up...if Steves book helps someone carry out one just job, then it's £ hard earned money well spent. Yes it's a bit lacking in some areas for someone who is good with a spanner, but I'm an average mechanic and it's helped me out numerous times.

Really , I wanted to change a wheel bearing ,,did it tell me in detail how to do it ... We'll sort of but only in the style of how you might tell a 12 year old how to do it , did it tell me the wheel bearing part number ? Err no, It just says and I quote " it's a job I would consider getting someone else to do "

So I should have saved the 25 quid towards the bearing job then !!

Well thanks a bunch you useless manual !!!!!

Ps my drop links didn't last either !!!

[phillpot]

Loving this, best thread for ages

[sparkythecat]

Plan B said:

ChimpOnGas said:
The so called Bible on the other hand is an extremely amateurish poorly thought out collection of very basic information collated from these pages and stolen from other sources.
______________

I think that's a bit over the top. If you are coming into Grif/Chim ownership from scratch then I think it serves as a very good intro into the subject. The publication was an early (and unique attempt) to be a reasonable single knowledge reference but never claimed to be a Haynes equivalent. Absolutely agree it doesn't contain step by step/definitive/comprehensive references typified by Haynes; however we don't have a Haynes option and this is the best we have.

I agree. The book has saved me a fair bit of time and bother over my 13years of Chimaera ownership and it still occasionally gets referenced.

[davep]

Hoofa said:

neutral 3 said:

I think the slating of Steves book ( and of him ) is Completly uncalled for.....

I was fortuneate enough to buy his old warrior Griff In May 2010 my second Griff ( jeez where has the time gone ?? ) and he kindly gave me a new copy of the revised edition, along with a set of new drop links, 2 rear tires, a new front wish bone, the cats, a new set of brake pads and more. He was easy to deal with and His absolutely charming wife is a treasure as well.

Over The Hill sums it up...if Steves book helps someone carry out one just job, then it's £ hard earned money well spent. Yes it's a bit lacking in some areas for someone who is good with a spanner, but I'm an average mechanic and it's helped me out numerous times.

Really , I wanted to change a wheel bearing ,,did it tell me in detail how to do it ... We'll sort of but only in the style of how you might tell a 12 year old how to do it , did it tell me the wheel bearing part number ? Err no, It just says and I quote " it's a job I would consider getting someone else to do "

So I should have saved the 25 quid towards the bearing job then !!

Well thanks a bunch you useless manual !!!!!

Ps my drop links didn't last either !!!

I think there's a very good reason for stating 'the bleeding obvious' and that's related to liability. When writing a 'how to' procedure for an untrained, non-specialist audience the author must assume the reader has a low level of common sense, again for reasons of liability. I'm sure Steve Heath could write a detailed procedure to replace a wheel bearing, he chose not to but to refer the reader to a specialist. He would have done himself a big favour by including a clear, unambiguous statement in the Preface and marketing blurb stating that detailed 'how to' procedures that involve hazardous materials, the possibility to harm or injure, or damage property are beyond the scope of this document.

Hoofa to correct your mis-quote the book actually states on page 205 having described the procedure: 'Taking into account the tools required and safety critical nature of the work, I would strongly recommend getting a specialist to do this job.' And you must know some very intelligent 12 year olds!

Also, I would think that the majority of TVR owners within a short period of time will realise that the car comprises a fair number of other manufacturers' parts and the respective Haynes manuals will be required to carry out further detailed tinkering.

Edited by davep on Saturday 4th July 14:51