Wong's car history.
Discussion
Here's my fairly interesting car history, i will start from roughly 1993. My first car I purchased was before I passed my test. I think it was 1993. I brought a 1.6 Talbot sunbeam for my 16 th birthday. The car had been restored and pimped up a little with forest arches , ti spiler and weller wheels. I later fitted some cobra buckets. 
Sorry about the poor pics, it is a picture of a photo. I had a couple of dodgy incidents in this car before I had passed my test or being old enough to drive. It had a habit off loosing the rear wheels, on one occasion me and a couple of mates were batting through Cannock chase at around 60 mph. The next thing we know we are spinning down the road, when the car finally stopped we had a look at the rear and the wheel stud's had sheared of flush with the drum. This happened twice, on both rear wheels. I never did get that sunbeam on the road, I sold it to buy my next project.
I always liked capri's as a youth, all my mates had 950 pop plus fiesta's. There is no way I was driving such a girlie car. The funny thing is the capri was no more to insure and it had a wind back sunroof and a bulge in the bonnet and i had the ponytail to go with it. The capri I purchased I had seen flying around our area for some time, it was a white 1.6 laser with starmag alloys (I like the starmags now) . The car had a pancake k n filter and to me at 17 it looked and sounded amazing. I purchased the capri and swapped the wheels, i had brought some brand new compomotives for the sunbeam. I pu the comp's on the capri and the starmags on the sunbeam and sold it for £400
The capri did have the laser stripes on it when I purchased it (I have no photos of this). I smashed the capri up 3 times. I never took it off the road even after 3 crashes. I eventually saved up the cash to get it repaired and painted. I brought a new bonnet, grill, front panel, wings and 2 new bumpers all brand new from ford. I can't remember what it cost at the time. All the body work including a full paint job was completed at a local body shop sometime in 1996 I think. Oh I have forgot I passed my test in 1995 on my third attempt at the age of 18, I had picked up a lot of bad habits driving the sunbeam under age.
I kept the capri on the road for a year or so, I did love that car. Nothing could prepare me for the roller coaster ride I had with my next purchase. I can remember the day I clamped eyes on it, at the time I didn't know what it was but I knew I had to have it. I can remember walking out of the front door at work and hearing a rorty carb intake. I turned to look down the street and a red streak flew past me with for sale in the window. That evening I was looking through the classifieds at the car's for sale and something caught my eye. Fiat Strada Abarth 130 TC and it was priced at £1200, I just had this feeling that that was the car I had seen earlier. To cut a long story short I viewed it the next day and in pure gut feelin I brought it for £1150. Not sure how many of you know of these cars but at 19 it had a lot of power back in 1996. It also handled like it was on rails. That car got me in to a lot of trouble, I totted up 9 points in 1 week including a trip to court. A police senator clocked me doing 107 on the m5. I got 6 points in court for that. That was my first true love for cars and made me the petrol head I am today. I will always have a soft spot for strada's. Oh that car cost me a arm and a leg to keep on the road and the parts were like rocking horse doo at that time.
s
t I have missed a car, I haven't got any pics but I did by a red alfa sud 1.5 ti cloverleaf for a short time. Loved the car but it was fubared. From memory the carpets were green
Those seats were std fitment on the 130tc
I was lucky enough to have both the capri and the strada on the road at the same tome for a while. Its hard to see on the pics but both cars reg plates started with B27
I sold the capri sometime lata for £500 and took the fiat off the road, I had dreams of restoring it but I didn't have the skill. This leads me on to my next purchase, I needed something a little cheaper as I was trying to save for a astra gte 16v and at the time the prices started at 4k. My next car was a Toyota corolla gti 16 v, nice little car and it coped with my crazy flat out driving style rather well.
After the corolla I purchased a Toyota celica gt , i enjoyed that car and it had pop up headlamps. I paid 3k for that car, cleaned it up and sold it a couple of months lata for £3800. Sorry no pics of the celica. Now I had saved enough money, I started my search for a astra gte 16v. These cars at the time were the car to own around here. I wanted a aubergine car but they were rare, I eventually purchased a low mileage grey one from a lady near the east mids airport. I paid £4500 for it, that was a lot of money for a 19 year old lad back in 1998. I loved that car and felt like a king driving it, it was very fast back in the day and such a sweet engine. I spent a lot of money on that car including momo arrow alloys and a full paint job, yes I smashed that up aswell. At this time I still had the fiat on the drive. From memory I sold the GTE around 18 months lata for £4500
My next car was a bit of a surprise purchase as I didn't really fancy one at all, but this was no ordinary gti.
There was a legendary car around here in the 90's, such a fast car. I can remember pulling up behind it in the strada a couple of times and this little gti just flew down the road like it had been fired out of a sling shot. The car in question is a d reg Peugeot 205 gti 1.9 turbo technics with 225 bhp and in near concourse condition. If I could still own any of my older cars it would be the pug. The car was converted at turbo technics when it was only 6 months old. It had switchable boost, a button on the dash that just said boost (cool). Pressing that button made the car feel that quick we nicknamed it the time machine. A great car that I miss dearly.
These crap pics do not do the car justice at all, it was a minter.
I have beer to drink now, I will update soon with the next cars on the list including, gtir, golf's, corrado's, integrale, cosworth's and tvr's
Sorry about the poor pics, it is a picture of a photo. I had a couple of dodgy incidents in this car before I had passed my test or being old enough to drive. It had a habit off loosing the rear wheels, on one occasion me and a couple of mates were batting through Cannock chase at around 60 mph. The next thing we know we are spinning down the road, when the car finally stopped we had a look at the rear and the wheel stud's had sheared of flush with the drum. This happened twice, on both rear wheels. I never did get that sunbeam on the road, I sold it to buy my next project.
I always liked capri's as a youth, all my mates had 950 pop plus fiesta's. There is no way I was driving such a girlie car. The funny thing is the capri was no more to insure and it had a wind back sunroof and a bulge in the bonnet and i had the ponytail to go with it. The capri I purchased I had seen flying around our area for some time, it was a white 1.6 laser with starmag alloys (I like the starmags now) . The car had a pancake k n filter and to me at 17 it looked and sounded amazing. I purchased the capri and swapped the wheels, i had brought some brand new compomotives for the sunbeam. I pu the comp's on the capri and the starmags on the sunbeam and sold it for £400
The capri did have the laser stripes on it when I purchased it (I have no photos of this). I smashed the capri up 3 times. I never took it off the road even after 3 crashes. I eventually saved up the cash to get it repaired and painted. I brought a new bonnet, grill, front panel, wings and 2 new bumpers all brand new from ford. I can't remember what it cost at the time. All the body work including a full paint job was completed at a local body shop sometime in 1996 I think. Oh I have forgot I passed my test in 1995 on my third attempt at the age of 18, I had picked up a lot of bad habits driving the sunbeam under age.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:25
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:33
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:40
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:42
I kept the capri on the road for a year or so, I did love that car. Nothing could prepare me for the roller coaster ride I had with my next purchase. I can remember the day I clamped eyes on it, at the time I didn't know what it was but I knew I had to have it. I can remember walking out of the front door at work and hearing a rorty carb intake. I turned to look down the street and a red streak flew past me with for sale in the window. That evening I was looking through the classifieds at the car's for sale and something caught my eye. Fiat Strada Abarth 130 TC and it was priced at £1200, I just had this feeling that that was the car I had seen earlier. To cut a long story short I viewed it the next day and in pure gut feelin I brought it for £1150. Not sure how many of you know of these cars but at 19 it had a lot of power back in 1996. It also handled like it was on rails. That car got me in to a lot of trouble, I totted up 9 points in 1 week including a trip to court. A police senator clocked me doing 107 on the m5. I got 6 points in court for that. That was my first true love for cars and made me the petrol head I am today. I will always have a soft spot for strada's. Oh that car cost me a arm and a leg to keep on the road and the parts were like rocking horse doo at that time.
s
t I have missed a car, I haven't got any pics but I did by a red alfa sud 1.5 ti cloverleaf for a short time. Loved the car but it was fubared. From memory the carpets were greenEdited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:54
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:56
Those seats were std fitment on the 130tc
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:58
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 19:59
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:00
I was lucky enough to have both the capri and the strada on the road at the same tome for a while. Its hard to see on the pics but both cars reg plates started with B27
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:03
I sold the capri sometime lata for £500 and took the fiat off the road, I had dreams of restoring it but I didn't have the skill. This leads me on to my next purchase, I needed something a little cheaper as I was trying to save for a astra gte 16v and at the time the prices started at 4k. My next car was a Toyota corolla gti 16 v, nice little car and it coped with my crazy flat out driving style rather well.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:11
After the corolla I purchased a Toyota celica gt , i enjoyed that car and it had pop up headlamps. I paid 3k for that car, cleaned it up and sold it a couple of months lata for £3800. Sorry no pics of the celica. Now I had saved enough money, I started my search for a astra gte 16v. These cars at the time were the car to own around here. I wanted a aubergine car but they were rare, I eventually purchased a low mileage grey one from a lady near the east mids airport. I paid £4500 for it, that was a lot of money for a 19 year old lad back in 1998. I loved that car and felt like a king driving it, it was very fast back in the day and such a sweet engine. I spent a lot of money on that car including momo arrow alloys and a full paint job, yes I smashed that up aswell. At this time I still had the fiat on the drive. From memory I sold the GTE around 18 months lata for £4500
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:22
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:23
My next car was a bit of a surprise purchase as I didn't really fancy one at all, but this was no ordinary gti.
There was a legendary car around here in the 90's, such a fast car. I can remember pulling up behind it in the strada a couple of times and this little gti just flew down the road like it had been fired out of a sling shot. The car in question is a d reg Peugeot 205 gti 1.9 turbo technics with 225 bhp and in near concourse condition. If I could still own any of my older cars it would be the pug. The car was converted at turbo technics when it was only 6 months old. It had switchable boost, a button on the dash that just said boost (cool). Pressing that button made the car feel that quick we nicknamed it the time machine. A great car that I miss dearly.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:33
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:34
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:35
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:36
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:37
These crap pics do not do the car justice at all, it was a minter.
I have beer to drink now, I will update soon with the next cars on the list including, gtir, golf's, corrado's, integrale, cosworth's and tvr's
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Saturday 7th February 20:41
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 16:49
Next car was a pulsar gtir, I had always liked them. Selling the pug is still my biggest car regret,i should never of sold it. I sold the pug to a old mate for £5000 sometime around my 24 th birthday. You know when you are making a mistake but for some reason you just do not stop yourself. I had looked at many gtir's but they were all black, I fancied a red car but they were hard to come buy. I eventually found one for sale at a place called dk imports in leek. I had only seen pictures on there website as the car was still in Japan. I drove up to leek had a chat and left a deposit, the car was £7000 with 40 k on the clock. The car had the standard 14 inch wheels which at the time I hated. I ordered a set of khan style five spoke 17 inch alloys before I picked the car up. I got the car before my 25th birthday so the insurance cost me a fortune, it cost me £1600 at the time. I think it was roughly 2003.
I had a lot of fun in the gtir, it was a great car to drive in the snow. I still think to this day it has been the car that has drank the most fuel.
I sold the gtir about 9 months lata as I fancied another 205. I sold it for £6500 from memory.
I ended up buying a standard mint 205 1.9 gti in white, with plans to fit a gti6 engine with throttle bodies. I used the pug for a phew months and I made the decision that no matter what I did to it this car was never going to be like my old turbo technics. Sorry no photos of the white gti.
I heard on the grapevine that a kid was selling a mk 2 golf g60 edition 30, and he wasn't far from me. I had always had a soft spot for golfs but I had never owned one. I arrange a viewing and brought the car. It was a aubergine edition 30 with bbs split rims and navy blue electric recaros. The car looked very nice. I sold the white pug a month or so lata for £2500.
I kept in touch with the kid I purchased the golf from and we became mate's. He sold the golf to buy another ford sierra sapphire cosworth. I liked the golf but it just lacked a little bit of excitement, it was better to look at than it was to drive. My now mate (Luke) who I had brought the golf off wasn't getting on with the cosworth. To cut a long story short we did a deal and I drove away in my boyhood dream, an old rusty ford sierra. A little story about the first cosworth, i took it for its mot and got a nasty shock. Both the rear chassis rails had rotted away, its shocking to think i had been driving around like i had stolen it in that condition. My mate who mot'd the car re built both chassis rails. You live and learn, i was paranoid about chassis rails after that.
I had a lot of fun in the gtir, it was a great car to drive in the snow. I still think to this day it has been the car that has drank the most fuel.
I sold the gtir about 9 months lata as I fancied another 205. I sold it for £6500 from memory.
I ended up buying a standard mint 205 1.9 gti in white, with plans to fit a gti6 engine with throttle bodies. I used the pug for a phew months and I made the decision that no matter what I did to it this car was never going to be like my old turbo technics. Sorry no photos of the white gti.
I heard on the grapevine that a kid was selling a mk 2 golf g60 edition 30, and he wasn't far from me. I had always had a soft spot for golfs but I had never owned one. I arrange a viewing and brought the car. It was a aubergine edition 30 with bbs split rims and navy blue electric recaros. The car looked very nice. I sold the white pug a month or so lata for £2500.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 09:40
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 09:51
I kept in touch with the kid I purchased the golf from and we became mate's. He sold the golf to buy another ford sierra sapphire cosworth. I liked the golf but it just lacked a little bit of excitement, it was better to look at than it was to drive. My now mate (Luke) who I had brought the golf off wasn't getting on with the cosworth. To cut a long story short we did a deal and I drove away in my boyhood dream, an old rusty ford sierra. A little story about the first cosworth, i took it for its mot and got a nasty shock. Both the rear chassis rails had rotted away, its shocking to think i had been driving around like i had stolen it in that condition. My mate who mot'd the car re built both chassis rails. You live and learn, i was paranoid about chassis rails after that.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 09:58
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Monday 9th February 16:22
ManOpener said:
Nice to see you made no effort to upgrade your camera between 1993 and 2003!
Interesting collection of cars though.
Yeah, never been one for gadgets, pity now though. As you can tell they are all pictures of old photos. The original pics I have are good enough though. I have never owned my own cameraInteresting collection of cars though.
The Nur said:
Great car history and thanks for spending the time to post it all but for god's sake, it is spelt later.
Sorry.
Sorry, a bit of txt speakSorry.
I eventually sold the cosworth after a year or so, not sure why. I ended up buying a tornado red mk 2 golf rallye. This was a great looking car, however it was very slow and we nick named it the big red slug. I sold the rallye and brought the cosworth back. It had been chavved up a little by its previous owner, white dials, rs sunstrip that type of crap. But it was nothing I couldn't pull off and burn. It was great to have power again, stage 1 cosworth's are roughly 270 bhp, it does not sound much in todays world, but they use the power very well and they were fairly low weight. Some time lata I sold on the cosworth and purchased a green corrado vr6, such great cars. I really enoyed my time with the corrado. Sorry I have no pics of the rallye or corrado
My next car was another white sapphire cosworth, this is a car I knew off and promised myself I would buy it if it ever came up for sale. The new cosworth was in amazing condition, it had a 500 style intercooler, green injectors and 25 psi of boost. This made for a really fast car. I kept the car as it was for a while, I just added a rs 500 style splitter and 17 inch anthracite compomotive mo's. The car looked stunning on those mo's.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 16:56
The Nur said:
Great car history and thanks for spending the time to post it all but for god's sake, it is spelt later.
Sorry.
Sorry, a bit of txt speakSorry.
I eventually sold the cosworth after a year or so, not sure why. I ended up buying a tornado red mk 2 golf rallye. This was a great looking car, however it was very slow and we nick named it the big red slug. I sold the rallye and brought the cosworth back. It had been chavved up a little by its previous owner, white dials, rs sunstrip that type of crap. But it was nothing I couldn't pull off and burn. It was great to have power again, stage 1 cosworth's are roughly 270 bhp, it does not sound much in todays world, but they use the power very well and they were fairly low weight. Some time lata I sold on the cosworth and purchased a green corrado vr6, such great cars. I really enoyed my time with the corrado. Sorry I have no pics of the rallye or corrado
My next car was another white sapphire cosworth, this is a car I knew off and promised myself I would buy it if it ever came up for sale. The new cosworth was in amazing condition, it had a 500 style intercooler, green injectors and 25 psi of boost. This made for a really fast car. I kept the car as it was for a while, I just added a rs 500 style splitter and 17 inch anthracite compomotive mo's. The car looked stunning on those mo's.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 16:58
Fast For mag feature November 2004
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Thursday 12th February 20:37
I had this cosworth for 3 years, in this time I had a low comp engine built for, had a close loop lamba live map from turbosystems and upgraded the brakes to a hi spec 330 mm big brake kit. I also had a new breather system built to replace the poor bailey system. This was a great car and I would say the fastest car I have owned / driven. The car made roughly 400 bhp. I do not remember anything passing it, including sports bikes. The mid range power was shattering. This cosworth was featured in fast ford magazine November 2004. I sold this car to buy a lancia delta integrale, this did not go to plan and for some reason I ended up with this
A techno violet e36 m3 evolution, I never really got on with this car and for the small amount of time I had it , it cost me more in repairs than any other car I have owned. The vanos failed within 3 months, this was a £1500 repair. The m3 did not last long and i was soon on the hunt for another cosworth. Here we have the third and last cosworth in my car history
This was a serious car, low comp, t38 turbo, ported head, uprated cams and a 8 injector set up. This made 450 bhp and 380 lb ft of torque. It was just not as good as the previous cosworth, amazing condition though, it had won gold cup trophies at concourse level before i owned it. The big change i did make to the car was to remove all the spec r alloy tanks, i just did not like the quality. The picture of the engine bay is after all my modifications.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 17:06
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 17:07
A techno violet e36 m3 evolution, I never really got on with this car and for the small amount of time I had it , it cost me more in repairs than any other car I have owned. The vanos failed within 3 months, this was a £1500 repair. The m3 did not last long and i was soon on the hunt for another cosworth. Here we have the third and last cosworth in my car history
This was a serious car, low comp, t38 turbo, ported head, uprated cams and a 8 injector set up. This made 450 bhp and 380 lb ft of torque. It was just not as good as the previous cosworth, amazing condition though, it had won gold cup trophies at concourse level before i owned it. The big change i did make to the car was to remove all the spec r alloy tanks, i just did not like the quality. The picture of the engine bay is after all my modifications.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 17:17
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 19:22
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 19:24
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 19:25
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Thursday 12th February 20:41
I sold the last cosworth pictured around 9 months after I brought it, I just didn't get on with it. I decided to put fast cars on hold for a while and brought more of a every day car. I had my eye on a very nice looking r reg vr6 golf for sale at volkswizard in Birmingham. I booked a viewing to look at the car with my mate Luke, I can remember driving down the drive way to volkswizard and the vr6 was sat waiting for us. As soon as I saw the vr6 I knew I would buy it, it was perfect. It had a great spec with factory option fit recaro's.
I loved the vr6, it was such a good car. I had it for about 9 months and the urge for another toy was lurking its head again. That year my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he had 6 weeks to live. He died at 52,as I started to get over his death I started to think life was to short and I should buy something I always wanted.
I kept the golf and made this my next purchase, I had looked at many over the years but I never found one good enough to buy.
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/yPqa4ZOz.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/jjPaC07S" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/jjPaC07S.jpg)
I had wanted an integrale since I was a teen, they say you should never buy your heroes. I did enjoy the car but I always felt it would let me down and at that point in my life after loosing my dad my mental strength was shot. What I should of done is just left it in the garage until my head was clear. I eventually sold to vr6 to a nice guy called Will, he looked after the car as I did. I purchased the integrale in the December and I had sold it the following May, something I now regret.
I was car less for a while and I was looking around for something cheap to tat with. One Friday morning I noticed a vw corrado vr6 storm had just popped up on the autotrader website, priced at £2995 with 80k or so miles on the clock. The car was in in tamworth, I jumped in the then girlfriends (now wife) car and headed of to have a look. The car wasn't in bad shape and I just saw it as a car to sell on to make a quick buck. It was lightly modified with coilovers and tsw imola alloys. Lucky for me the owner had the standard storm alloys. I paid the asking price and drove it home. I gave it a good clean, had the standard wheels refurbed and put it up for sale a couple of months lata. The car sold for £4250.
I loved the vr6, it was such a good car. I had it for about 9 months and the urge for another toy was lurking its head again. That year my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he had 6 weeks to live. He died at 52,as I started to get over his death I started to think life was to short and I should buy something I always wanted.
I kept the golf and made this my next purchase, I had looked at many over the years but I never found one good enough to buy.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:39
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:40
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:42
I had wanted an integrale since I was a teen, they say you should never buy your heroes. I did enjoy the car but I always felt it would let me down and at that point in my life after loosing my dad my mental strength was shot. What I should of done is just left it in the garage until my head was clear. I eventually sold to vr6 to a nice guy called Will, he looked after the car as I did. I purchased the integrale in the December and I had sold it the following May, something I now regret.
I was car less for a while and I was looking around for something cheap to tat with. One Friday morning I noticed a vw corrado vr6 storm had just popped up on the autotrader website, priced at £2995 with 80k or so miles on the clock. The car was in in tamworth, I jumped in the then girlfriends (now wife) car and headed of to have a look. The car wasn't in bad shape and I just saw it as a car to sell on to make a quick buck. It was lightly modified with coilovers and tsw imola alloys. Lucky for me the owner had the standard storm alloys. I paid the asking price and drove it home. I gave it a good clean, had the standard wheels refurbed and put it up for sale a couple of months lata. The car sold for £4250.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:54
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:56
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:58
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 21:58
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Sunday 8th February 22:00
are they hosted on Facebook by any chance? Always seem to have problems with those...bazza1000 said:
Really enjoyed reading this, you've had some cool cars. Loved hearing about the Pug 205 TT that sounded like bags of fun and a seriously quick little motor!
I reckon apart from the cosworth with the jue plate it has been my favourite car to own apart from the Tuscan of course. That would be a nice garage for me the old jue cosworth, the delta, the 205 turbo and the tuscanEdited by wongthecorrupter on Thursday 12th February 20:50
After I sold the corrado i felt it was time to get a real toy again. I had been thinking of a tvr for a couple of years up to this point, but i didn't really think i had the balls to buy one. I had got sucked in to all the story's about them breaking down or catching fire. I started looking at chimaeras on pistonheads classifieds and the autotrader. I spotted a nice 1995 m reg 4.0 litre cooper green car on the autotrader, it was a lady owned car and it looked honest. I rang the seller and viewed the car the following Saturday, it was a glorious sunny day. I had my list of things to check, they are not that difficult to buy in all honesty. The main thing to look at is chassis condition on some particular years of chimaeras and griffs. The last thing i did was start it up, you should never hear it running first, the sound of a v8 tvr can easily cloud your vision. It was the first one i properly looked at but i had a good feeling about the car. We struck a deal and i collected it the following week, that was around 5 and a half years ago. I paid £6700 for the car, it had covered 63000 miles. That car had a lot of use over the next 2 years clocking up another 10000 miles. It was a great introduction to tvr ownership.
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 08:13
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 08:24
I spent a bit of money on the green chimaera, rad tec alloy rad, silicone hoses and alloy cooling pipes. I also de catted it and had the exhaust sleeved, it sounded like hell. On a whole the car was very reliable over the 2 years of ownership, but one dodgy thing did happen. TVR in there wisdom decided to put the ecu above the battery with just a piece of carpet separating them. I can remember going around an island near trentham a little quick as we got back on the straight there was a small bang and sparks from the passenger footwell, then followed a puff of smoke. There was just a bit of old carboard separating the ecu from the battery, the cardboard slipped and the ecu shorted on the battery. My wife never stretched her legs out again in that car. Luckily there wasn't any other damage done apart from a blown ecu. We had 2 cracking years with that car, but the time had come for more power. I fancied another chimaera but I just wanted the bigger engine, I started looking at 4.5 and 5.0 litre v8's. I eventually found a nice looking red cherry pearl 450 with 33000 miles on the clock at a dealer in Bristol for £10750. At the time the 450's and 500's demanded a massive premium over the 400's. I paid £10000 for the car.
I put the green chimaera up for sale and it sold in no time, I sold it for £6750. Looking back it was to cheap. My wife was gutted when that car drove off down the road. Pictures to follow
The difference in performance between the 4 litre and 4.5 litre is night and day, there is just so much useable torque with the 450. The 450 is considered by many to be the best rover v8 to be put in a tvr. The car felt like it would pull a house down. I had the usual done to the car, alloy rad, silicone hoses and a set of gaz gold adjustable shocks.I liked the 450 but I didn't really get my use out of it and I had my eye on my most risky purchase to date. I always said I would never buy a speed six powered tvr
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/rMXzrMol.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/WGz8B9yw" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/WGz8B9yw.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/ognmQrTk" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/ognmQrTk.jpg)
I put the green chimaera up for sale and it sold in no time, I sold it for £6750. Looking back it was to cheap. My wife was gutted when that car drove off down the road. Pictures to follow
The difference in performance between the 4 litre and 4.5 litre is night and day, there is just so much useable torque with the 450. The 450 is considered by many to be the best rover v8 to be put in a tvr. The car felt like it would pull a house down. I had the usual done to the car, alloy rad, silicone hoses and a set of gaz gold adjustable shocks.I liked the 450 but I didn't really get my use out of it and I had my eye on my most risky purchase to date. I always said I would never buy a speed six powered tvr
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 19:29
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 19:32
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 19:34
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 19:39
Edited by wongthecorrupter on Tuesday 10th February 19:40
abarth130 said:
Nice to read about your 130TC - I've just bought another one after many years of not having one. I've yet to collect the car but I'll start a thread on it in the Fiat/Alfa section once I have my hands on it. See the My Little Fleet thread in Readers cars for pictures.
Nice car history, by the way. I've yet to venture into TVR ownership but it's on the bucket list. I don't own anything British and I feel I need to!
Yes I have had a look and have been meaning to comment on your 130 tc, they are great cars. Your new purchase looks in good order. I hope it is as good as you remember. Yes do it, get a tvrNice car history, by the way. I've yet to venture into TVR ownership but it's on the bucket list. I don't own anything British and I feel I need to!
I was a little to young when I owned my 130, I took care of it but it was hard. The parts were a nitemare to get hold of. I can remember waiting 6 weeks or a new manifold and exhaust for it from Italy. In the end the exhaust fell of and most of the branches on the manifold were cracked. I was 18 so I drove it everywhere like that, it used to shoot huge flames under the car. Oh it was great at that age
abarth130 said:
Hahaha. You find that anyone who has owned a 130TC has a story or two to tell. It's that kind of car. Parts wise, the situation is the same if not worse! A friend and I owned a succession of them years back and have amassed a fair collection of spares which we've wisely held onto. By the sounds of things, the car doesn't want for much. There are a few engine mods but it seems to have been done well (Guy Croft head etc) but everything is there and it has an MOT. The optimist in me says 'how bad can it be?!!' All will be revealed in the coming weeks I suppose!
It sounds like you haver got one of the best 130 tc's out there then. I used to gert my bits from a guy in derby, he had fiat / lancia bits all over his house. I can't remember his nameGassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff