Dropped my Tam off today for final upgrade..

Dropped my Tam off today for final upgrade..

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chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
My Tam is having its final upgrade over the next week, after the 4.3 and other gubbins, Quaife LSD, the final part of the drivetrain, the gearbox, is being changed to close ratio, care of Readman Racing. I dropped the Tam off to CWR (ex David Gerald) this morning, to remove the box and send it up north.

After this, there is nothing else to upgrade, am just going to enjoy it, I cannot think of anything else I could possibly do to make it better!

I started a topic a while ago, 'Do we ever stop, when is enough, enough', well, I think I have finally reached that point!

Strange, the one thing I was convinced I wanted, I never got, the CF airbox.

My stepson followed me to Redditch, to bring me back, and it was so funny, he told me that he thought a load of rocks were hitting his roof when behind me, but it was just my exhaust (with decats) popping and banging! hehe

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

265 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
chris watton said:
My Tam is having its final upgrade over the next week, after the 4.3 and other gubbins, Quaife LSD, the final part of the drivetrain, the gearbox, is being changed to close ratio, care of Readman Racing. I dropped the Tam off to CWR (ex David Gerald) this morning, to remove the box and send it up north.

After this, there is nothing else to upgrade, am just going to enjoy it, I cannot think of anything else I could possibly do to make it better!

I started a topic a while ago, 'Do we ever stop, when is enough, enough', well, I think I have finally reached that point!

Strange, the one thing I was convinced I wanted, I never got, the CF airbox.

My stepson followed me to Redditch, to bring me back, and it was so funny, he told me that he thought a load of rocks were hitting his roof when behind me, but it was just my exhaust (with decats) popping and banging! hehe
Dom's MBE wink gets rid of crappy stone age electrics

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
billynobrakes said:
Dom's MBE wink gets rid of crappy stone age electrics
I did ask Dom about that (naturally..), but he did say that benefits would be minimal. The 4.3 is running like a dream right now, and I cannot see how spending another £3k on that could possibly make it noticeably better.

Apparently, that MBE system suits the older TVR's better, so I was told (how these things work is beyond me, so I have to rely on people who know more to advise..)

What I do know however, is that my Tam is now an absolute pleasure to drive.

KSV

454 posts

146 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
I'm sure you will find more things to do it's only a matter of time. idea

Out of interest how much was the gear box upgrade and can it be done on a standard speed six.

Thanks Colin

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
KSV said:
I'm sure you will find more things to do it's only a matter of time. idea

Out of interest how much was the gear box upgrade and can it be done on a standard speed six.

Thanks Colin
Absolutely! it is not a long job to take the gearbox only out (bell housing and clutch remain untouched and stay on the engine). In all the upgrade is around the £1k mark, which includes changing anything else in the gearbox that needs changing (bearings, seals etc.)

I had the CR gearbox on my first (standard 3.6) Tamora, too.

I didn't expect this to be done so soon, I emailed Readman Racing expecting a long wait, perhaps October, so thought I'd book it in now - but they said that, if CWR in Redditch can get the box to them for Anglesey this weekend, they'll take the box, upgrade it and send it back late next week!

KSV

454 posts

146 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
Thanks Chris

Sound like a worthwhile upgrade and that is a very quick turnaround. worth thinking about.

Colin

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

265 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
chris watton said:
I did ask Dom about that (naturally..), but he did say that benefits would be minimal. The 4.3 is running like a dream right now, and I cannot see how spending another £3k on that could possibly make it noticeably better.

Apparently, that MBE system suits the older TVR's better, so I was told (how these things work is beyond me, so I have to rely on people who know more to advise..)

What I do know however, is that my Tam is now an absolute pleasure to drive.
I have spoken to Dom and he says because it gets rid of the stone age electricary it allows much smoother running of the engine and therefore it releases the horses and torque better so makes it faster, also you have traction control so no loss of grip and also launch control so going by that you must get more controllability of the car so it must be an advantage , well that's what I as told

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
billynobrakes said:
I have spoken to Dom and he says because it gets rid of the stone age electricary it allows much smoother running of the engine and therefore it releases the horses and torque better so makes it faster, also you have traction control so no loss of grip and also launch control so going by that you must get more controllability of the car so it must be an advantage , well that's what I as told
Gary, just stop it! hehe

Maybe one day - but right now, I have ticked off everything I had on my original 'Bucket List', and then some! When I first bought the car, I knew I wanted the 4.3 and CR box, and I bought it fairly cheap with those in mind, a 'blank canvas' to sculpt it into something that was my perfect Tamora

It would be all too easy not to stop, and plough almost the same money again into the car, but for the next year at least, I plan to pile on the miles (and smiles) and enjoy the fruits of all the goodies already installed on/I the car. I have to admit that the Quaife LSD helps a lot in keeping the rear in check, and I never race away at traffic lights (anymore) anyway.

In any case, if I were to spend another £3k on what my wife already calls 'The Money Pit', I would be in serious trouble!

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

265 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
chris watton said:
Gary, just stop it! hehe

Maybe one day - but right now, I have ticked off everything I had on my original 'Bucket List', and then some! When I first bought the car, I knew I wanted the 4.3 and CR box, and I bought it fairly cheap with those in mind, a 'blank canvas' to sculpt it into something that was my perfect Tamora

It would be all too easy not to stop, and plough almost the same money again into the car, but for the next year at least, I plan to pile on the miles (and smiles) and enjoy the fruits of all the goodies already installed on/I the car. I have to admit that the Quaife LSD helps a lot in keeping the rear in check, and I never race away at traffic lights (anymore) anyway.

In any case, if I were to spend another £3k on what my wife already calls 'The Money Pit', I would be in serious trouble!
No chris you have got it all wrong, you must put in Dom's MBE, just so you can report back to me and tell me what you think, just have a nice word with your good wife and I am sure it will be alright wink

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
billynobrakes said:
No chris you have got it all wrong, you must put in Dom's MBE, just so you can report back to me and tell me what you think, just have a nice word with your good wife and I am sure it will be alright wink
hehe

NO!

I really am genuinely happy with the Tam now, I don't think spending another £3k will make me any happier with it, TBH. Anyway, I have a Corp tax bill to pay for next month....

There will always be much faster stuff out there, so chasing ever larger BHP figures is ultimately futile, the car is already too fast for my limited talents, I'm just happy I have 'tailored' the Tam to suit me.

Having said that, I do plan to have a bespoke remap and dyno run at Dom's at some point...

ChazUwe

245 posts

235 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
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Final upgrade... We'll see wink

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
ChazUwe said:
Final upgrade... We'll see wink
Anything else would be 'tinkering at the edges', and I think I've done that to death already. (LED's, ICE etc.)

Perhaps little things like SS braided brake hoses when the rears need changing, and I would like my callipers rebuilt and re-painted properly at some point (still smarting from the reality of me spending £360 on having them repainted and they did such a piss poor job frown ), and it will need periodical front end re-sprays. But nothing else major, it's all been done, mechanically and cosmetically, at least.

Anyway, I have a chimney in need of reinstating, and a new combi boiler before Winter.....

BuzzBillsberry

1,306 posts

231 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
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Finished with your upgrades? You'd best not speak Track v Road about their new trick suspension..... adjustable from inside the car with the press of the button: touring,fast and race settings.....oops said too much already.

Buzz

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
BuzzBillsberry said:
Finished with your upgrades? You'd best not speak Track v Road about their new trick suspension..... adjustable from inside the car with the press of the button: touring,fast and race settings.....oops said too much already.

Buzz
You having that done, Buzz?

Zippee

13,458 posts

234 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
chris watton said:
Anything else would be 'tinkering at the edges', and I think I've done that to death already. (LED's, ICE etc.)

Perhaps little things like SS braided brake hoses when the rears need changing, and I would like my callipers rebuilt and re-painted properly at some point (still smarting from the reality of me spending £360 on having them repainted and they did such a piss poor job frown ), and it will need periodical front end re-sprays. But nothing else major, it's all been done, mechanically and cosmetically, at least.

Anyway, I have a chimney in need of reinstating, and a new combi boiler before Winter.....
Chris - Time to just enjoy it now mate smile
You have a pretty much perfect car, anything else is just window dressing so get out there and drive...
What have you done to your ICE by the way?


chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
Zippee said:
Chris - Time to just enjoy it now mate smile
You have a pretty much perfect car, anything else is just window dressing so get out there and drive...
What have you done to your ICE by the way?
I agree!

When I bought the car (fairly cheap, a blank canvas), I knew exactly what I wanted to have done to it to make it 'mine', as in, if I were to spec a brand new Tam today, this is how I would have it.

It was while researching to see if another Tam was viable, I realised just how healthy the aftermarket scene is now, and it was then, before I even bought it, that I decided I want the following:

4.3 and renewed cooling system (and clutch/flywheel)
If the car has the hideous Bison interior, have it re-trimmed in real leather.
Adjustable suspension, so I can slightly increase the ride height.
CR gearbox (as I loved it in my first Tam)
Quaife ATB LSD (after sampling one in my wife's car)

To me, it is like a new car! I have no idea what the real mileage was because, as with a lot of T cars, the speed transducer was intermittent at best, but now, it doesn't matter regarding mileage/history so much.

I have now done all that, and then some! I have no compulsion to tinker with it any more, if I did feel that way, that would mean that I am still not happy with it, and if I am not happy with it now, I never would be!

For the ICE, I bought a Pioneer single DIN flip out (touch) screen, along with sat nav, DAB and reverse camera. I changed the four speakers for better ones, and had a powered sub added behind the seat, here: (Although that isn't exactly where I asked them to put it..)




This is the unit and associated add ons:
http://caraudiosecurity.com/avh-x7700bt-single-din...

ETA - If I were to change one thing with the benefit of hindsight, I would have chosen a different trimmer, as I was less than happy with some of the work carried out.


Edited by chris watton on Thursday 6th August 10:32

alex_gray255

6,313 posts

205 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
BuzzBillsberry said:
Finished with your upgrades? You'd best not speak Track v Road about their new trick suspension..... adjustable from inside the car with the press of the button: touring,fast and race settings.....oops said too much already.

Buzz
Oh, dear... You should not have said that...



TVRinBFG

1,457 posts

284 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
Looks good Chris - although nobody believes you've finished upgrading it yet! ;-)
Re the stereo flip out screen, do your knuckles catch it when changing into 1st, particularly 3rd when driving fast, 5th? And have you got the mirror link, so that your phone apps work on the screen - if so, how good?

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
TVRinBFG said:
Looks good Chris - although nobody believes you've finished upgrading it yet! ;-)
Re the stereo flip out screen, do your knuckles catch it when changing into 1st, particularly 3rd when driving fast, 5th? And have you got the mirror link, so that your phone apps work on the screen - if so, how good?
Cheers smile

No, I have never even touched the unit when changing gear. I do leave the screen in the open position though, most of the time.

I don't have mirror link, just a small reverse camera fixed to the rear and connected to the reverse switch and screen.

The unit even reads out your texts, I didn't know this until the other week (and I've had it a year!), I wondered what the hell was going on. hehe

I can see that being a problem if you have another woman!

Andy_mr2sc

1,223 posts

176 months

Thursday 6th August 2015
quotequote all
You'll love the gearbox Chris. I rebuilt mine earlier this year with a Reedman CR kit and uprated synchros and it's awesome. Keeps the engine in the power zone all of the time and hits 60 in first!
I'm sure you will be told this by your garage but make sure you change your gearbox oil after 500 miles. I've just changed mine and it's surprising the amount of bits floating in it!