Hi all,

Having recently posted the “TVRs make me slightly crazy” thread, I am on the look-out for a TVR.

I was initially thinking Chimaera (450 or 500) as I LOVE the Rover V8 rumble and retro looks. I have never had a soft-top and quite fancy some roof-off action. In terms of budget, I currently have £12k cash saved and have an option to save a little longer or get a loan.

Having sat in various TVR models at my local dealers and having browsed the PH classifieds for some time, I am realising that speed6 cars are just creeping into budget.

I had a fleeting yet EPIC virtual love affair with one particular car – a TVR Tamora in Nachtblau (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1224225.htm) which was slightly over budget but possibly the best looking car I have ever seen.

So, Tamoras then…

There doesnt seem to be much talk about Tamoras on PH. Are these held in high regard by TVR circles, or thought of as the baby of the group?

How would owning/driving a Tamora compare to a Chim500?

Would I be more likely to find the wrong side of a hedge in a Tamora compared to a Chim500?

Whats your thoughts?

The Speed6 is not the most reliable of engines and will eventually need a rebuild if not already done. This can be rather expensive.

This will not help but mine has done nearly 30k no re-build and there are others around with higher mileage.

I was thinking of getting a Tamora after I smashed my Tuscan earlier this year but dropped on a good priced Mk2 Tuscan convertible in the end.

I had a test drive in a Tamora and was very impressed. My previous Tuscan had been sorted and was very good but the Tamora felt realy planted. My understanding is that they are maybe the best sorted as far as geometry and suspension are concerned.
My main issue was with the small boot as I travel a lot. I could stand a samsonite hard case up in my Tuscan but no way in a Tamora.
Some people have commented that they dont like the rear end design but thats personal choice. I think that they are a great TVR in a long line of great TVR's.
As said, if the Speed Six engine hasnt had a recent rebuild then be careful but the rebuilds of recent years make significant improvements to the engine which we are all enjoying the benefits of.

If you go for a Chimaera then you wont be disappointed. Also a great car. Still miss mine. Go for as new as you can afford and make the normal checks.

Good luck,
Tony.

The Tam is a magnificent car. I took one out for an article for Sprint and was overwhelmed by it. It gives so little impression of speed that you find youself 25% over the limit still thinking that you are well inside it.

The steering is especially good. The best I've ever driven. The clutch, even without considering the power it has to transmit, has superb feel and for me just the right travel. The brakes are spot on and the road holding is amongst the best you will find.

The only thing I would criticise - and something I would find it hard to live with - is the contrarotating dials.

I interviewd John Ravenscroft about the Speed 6. He said that despite their initial problems with the engine, they had very few issues with the 3.6. It was all 4.0. Last year he told me that although he knew he must have done, he could not remember having to work on the smaller engine in the early days.

However, the Speed 6 has a very high bmep so you should not expect the same reliability as a Mondeo 2.0. It will 'go' at what you might consider low mileage.

I'd suggest that for 12k you might be happier with a good quality Chim rather than a bottom of the market Tam.

Small boot??? It is if you have hard cases, but we spent a month in Europe a few years ago with everything in the boot packed in soft cases and carrier bags. It's interesting how large the nooks and crannies are in the boot because of the shape of the back end, which allows lots of bits and pieces to be crammed in.

The problem is when you have the roof down, boot fully packed, then it starts to rain......that's happened a few times!

We've had our Tam for more than 6 and a half years now, and we love her. The only way we'll sell her is if we run into significant financial problems, as she is a joy to drive.

Julian

hi , i went from a Chim 400 to a Tam and i will never look back,
Best thing i ever did , as long as you buy a good one and look after it then it should be ok,
look for a shed loads of receipts from reputable garages
if it seems too cheap then keep well clear , but just because its expensive dont mean its any good,
do as much research as you can , and look at a few ,
see how the seller treats it, ask them to take you for a spin ,
if they give it any beans before it has warmed up for a good 15 mins, just say goodbye and walk away ,

You wont regret it ,

i think the tamora is probably the best handling tvr that they built, ( i havnt driven a sag, so sorry sag owners ) power delivery is awesome, good throttle control. grip and steering are superb, it gives confidence on the road. ( will bite you mind ).
i drove a 4.0 version . so probably a little quicker than a 3.6.



went to le mans this year and saw this one !
good colour combo.

Interesting comment SEN 18. Could you elaborate a little?

I might know the route you are going down - my friends new E46 M3 is an amazing machine. Very quick and everything is screwed together well etc but I found it to be so effective that it became a little dull/predictable. (Don’t get me wrong – I would like to own an M3 one day, but a TVR will come first!)

Is this the kind of thing you mean?

16 TVRs?!?! Sounds like a man that knows his TVRs!

With such a rave review from someone who clearly knows a good TVR from a not-so-good one, I am suprised that Tamoras are not talked about more on here.

I will continue to keep my eyes open for a good one and keep the savings topped up!