New to this..........

[Essexbloke]

Hi there, i'm new to this........

I've (actually it's the wife's), a 1989 S1.....

we bought it reasonably cheap, as it needs a few bits sorting out.....

(that's why i've joined here....)

Can anyone offer me some advise.....

The car has just failed it's Mot on the rear suspension arm being , well basically rotten....

TVR are quoting extorsionate prices to replace....can anyone help????

we also need to look at the interior (seats in particular), i've been told that other model seats may firt straight in.....is this true??? can anyone recommend replacements either standard or upgraded at a reasonable price????

i look forward to getting involved in the TVR scene.....

Thanks.....

[spivvy]

contact tower view i think the replace trailings arms

www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=7805&f=11&h=0&hw=trailing+arms
they was a discussion about these and pricing
seats not sure



>> Edited by spivvy on Thursday 15th April 13:17

[Roy C]

Rotten trailing arms are the achilles heal of S series TVRs. S1 trailing arms have not been made for some time, but later types will fit if you replace both.

Contact Tower View

[M@H]

89 on an S1 eh.. thats pretty late for a 2.8 engine.

You'll find loads of stuff on the trailing arms if you do a Forum Search on them, a common problem

Cheers,
Matt.

[Pies]

Whats wrong with the seats

Oh and welcome to the S club

Sorry i cant help at the mo

[Podie]

Check out Pies www.tvrsseries.com for general S series stuff, and searching the forums here is a good way of finding out most things... someone has usually seen the problem before.

Where abouts in Essex are you based? (assumption based on your login name)... second sunday of the month is the Mid-Essex meet... and probably one of the largest TVRCC meets in the country..

[V8Smith]

Essexbloke said:

Hi there, i'm new to this........ I've (actually it's the wife's), a 1989 S1..... we bought it reasonably cheap, as it needs a few bits sorting out..... (that's why i've joined here....) Can anyone offer me some advise..... The car has just failed it's Mot on the rear suspension arm being , well basically rotten.... TVR are quoting extorsionate prices to replace....can anyone help???? we also need to look at the interior (seats in particular), i've been told that other model seats may firt straight in.....is this true??? can anyone recommend replacements either standard or upgraded at a reasonable price???? i look forward to getting involved in the TVR scene..... Thanks.....

Welcome to the S club, hope you enjoy the car.

The Griff/Chim & Cerbera seats fit straight into the S Series as upgrades and are easy to fit. What colour seats are you after?

Mike

[essexbloke]

Jees....wasnt expecting that quick a response, thanks all, right then where do we start....

Erm, right we're in North Essex, (as north as you can go to give you a clue).

who, what, when, where is this Mid Essex club then, i've not had much luck with the general TVRCC, all they seemed interested in was geting my money to join before they could speak to me, (didnt leave me with a very good impression of them).

We've had the car for about 3 years now, only done approx 750 miles since we bought it, NEVER comes out in the rain (cos have to clean it...)

I'd post a picture, but i cant work out to at the moment.

when we bought the car, the interior (door panels, dash, transmission tunnel had all been badly hand painted (yup...hand painted), by the previous owner, and the seats are badly worn/borderline dead.

so all together a really sound car eh.....(just kidding, we love it really)

so how much should we be paying for a set of replacement seats? Anyone got a set for sale? if so , we'd be looing for Navy blue, but would consider others at the right price...

Speak to all soon.....

EB

(thanks)

[essexbloke]

M@H said:

89 on an S1 eh.. thats pretty late for a 2.8 engine. You'll find loads of stuff on the trailing arms if you do a Forum Search on them, a common problem Cheers, Matt.

Got me all confused now......the car is registered 1989 F and the log book states 280, so i'm assuming it is an S1.....is there anyway to track it's history using the chassis no with TVR just to b certain??

(bit late now if not eh!!!)

[V8Smith]

essexbloke said:

so how much should we be paying for a set of replacement seats? Anyone got a set for sale? if so , we'd be looing for Navy blue, but would consider others at the right price...

I think I can get hold of some Navy Cerbera seats if you are interested, but I think they are around £300-£350 I will ask! The newer Chim/Griff seats are around £200-£400 depending on where you get them from, if you can find a pair.

Mike

[Essexbloke]

Are we sure they simply bolt in as replacements????
(not doubting you), just dont wanna be drilling holes all over the place)

Very interested in these Navy seats, are they in good condition? any chance of digi piccies??? where are they in the UK??, is it poss to have them sent?? if so how much extra, or would they need to be collected??

Oh so many questions, but deffo interested.....

[tvrgaas]

essexbloke said:

Got me all confused now......the car is registered 1989 F and the log book states 280, so i'm assuming ...!!)

Get the Bible and read the bit about the S1.5. Steve used S1.5 to describe the transition between a pure S1 and a pure S2. Late 88 early 89 was a development phase.
Two clues
Engine:- if you have a rectangular ali box on top of the engine with FORD cast in it - 2.8 If you have a long rounded thing with EFi on it its a 2.9.
Bumpers:- do you have a chrome strip above the black bit? S2 do, S1 don't. But nothing is as simple as that and your car could have been built and sold/registered a few months later.

David
88/F 2.8 S1

Edit for spelling

>> Edited by tvrgaas on Friday 16th April 08:52

[RichardR]

tvrgaas said:

essexbloke said: Got me all confused now......the car is registered 1989 F and the log book states 280, so i'm assuming ...!!) Get the Bible and read the bit about the S1.5. Steve used S1.5 to describe the transition between a pure S1 and a pure S2. Late 88 early 89 was a development phase. Two clues Engine:- if you have a rectangular ali box on top of the engine with FORD cast in it - 2.8 If you have a long rounded thing with EFi on it its a 2.9. Bumpers:- do you have a chrome strip above the black bit? S2 do, S1 don't. But nothing is as simple as that and your car could have been built and sold/registered a few months later. David 88/F 2.8 S1

If I see an S on the road (which is an infrequent occurence!) my quick model at a glance guide is:

S1 - slot alloys & short doors
S2 - 8 spoke alloys & short doors
S3 - 8 spoke alloys & long doors

The wheel thing is obviously subject to variations, but this is just an initial impression thing anyway.

I've only ever seen one S4 in the flesh and it was covered with PH decals so that one was easy!

[M@H]

RichardR said:

If I see an S on the road (which is an infrequent occurence!) my quick model at a glance guide is: S1 - slot alloys & short doors S2 - 8 spoke alloys & short doors S3 - 8 spoke alloys & long doors The wheel thing is obviously subject to variations, but this is just an initial impression thing anyway.

You'd be about right too.. the grey area is with the 1.5's really of which there seem to be an awful lot. In my mind the S2 has: a 2.9 engine, Chrome strip above bumpers, electric windows, & modified rear trailing arms over the S1. If it doesn't have all of those but is a 2.9 then its an S1.5 ..anything with a 2.8 is an S1. (i'm not going near the wheels debate) Of course S1.5 is merely an informal way of expressing the S1's with a 2.9 engine before the "formal" S2 denimination to include all the items above at the same time, however is a good way to baffle the uninitiated

Cheers
Matt.


>> Edited by M@H on Friday 16th April 12:48

[RichardR]

M@H said:

Of course S1.5 is merely an informal way of expressing the S1's with a 2.9 engine before the "formal" S2 denimination to include all the items above at the same time, however is a good way to baffle the uninitiated

And, of course, if you go by registration documents and various insurance websites then 280S and 290S are actually the correct denominations!

I think it's probably a good thing that TVR switched to using mythilogical creatures instead of numbers for model names (excluding the T350 of course ).

[bridgdav]

What does the VIN number tell us...?

With all the discussions going on about car ages and types, is there anything we can find out from the Chassis / Vin / Engine numbers to determine age, type and date etc...?

Somebody must know.

[V8Smith]

Essexbloke said:

Are we sure they simply bolt in as replacements???? (not doubting you), just dont wanna be drilling holes all over the place) Very interested in these Navy seats, are they in good condition? any chance of digi piccies??? where are they in the UK??, is it poss to have them sent?? if so how much extra, or would they need to be collected?? Oh so many questions, but deffo interested.....

ALL the Griff/Chim/Cerb seats use the same runners, so do just bolt into the existing holes, I have done this recently and its very easy! The Navy Cerb seats are in very good condition, a friend was going to put them in his Griff, but has just sold it so doesnt need them. I am in Cambridgeshire so not far away, collection would be better!

I will be going to see him on Monday and will take some photos and send them over to you.

A few of us are planning to come to the next Mid Essex meet on 9th of May can you make it?

Mike

[jims2]

"then 280S and 290S are actually the correct denominations"

So mine has 8spoke OZ's, electric windows,
chrome strips on bumbers, roundy EFI thing
on engine and is a G reg but the official docs have it down as a 280S.

Just as well we all know these cars are unique.

Jim

[WonkyGibbon]

jims2 said:

"then 280S and 290S are actually the correct denominations" So mine has 8spoke OZ's, electric windows, chrome strips on bumbers, roundy EFI thing on engine and is a G reg but the official docs have it down as a 280S. Just as well we all know these cars are unique. Jim

Likewise - my 280S - is suspiciously S3 like. Engine, doors, H reg etc. Still has rotary switches though ...

[M@H]

bridgdav said:

What does the VIN number tell us...? With all the discussions going on about car ages and types, is there anything we can find out from the Chassis / Vin / Engine numbers to determine age, type and date etc...? Somebody must know.

Yep, the end of the VIN tells you a little, but not much about whether its an S1 or 2.. its an 019 actually

The last 8 digits tell you a bit about the car as follows:

EG: SADS28POHB019444

H = Year made (h 1987, J 1988, k 1989 etc)
B = Factory code (B = Blackpool)
019 = Model Number (019 being an S series)
444 = Production Number of the car produced that year (not model specific)

..although saying that, Dales S3 is apparently an 011, not an 019..

Cheers
Matt.

>> Edited by M@H on Friday 16th April 10:34