SEAC Rescue

[grahamw48]

Really useful info'.

[The Hatter]

I've got a replacement wiper motor... thanks Phil!

Leigh, next step on the engine will be stripping it to the valley gasket so I can check all the rockers/pushrods/cam. I can do that in the garage when the weather's bad so it'll have to wait while the weather's good; at the moment I can push it outside so that I can open the doors and work on the interior.

Today I took the pedal box out; you wouldn't believe how awkward it was. The handbrake is very fragile and was siezed to the pedal box, the clutch and brake master cyl push rods were siezed solid including the clevis pins, even the bonnet release put up a fight. Got there in the end though:



Even the bulkhead's Kevlar...

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

You going to keep it standard or fit a pedal box

[Transmitter Man]

Leigh,

Is there such a thing as a 'fairly simple' retrofit pedal-box suitable for our wedges,maybe one from AP?

Phil
420 SEAC

[adam quantrill]

While you have the accelerator pedal out, deburr the hole where the cable attaches, as it's a common place to chafe the cable.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Transmitter Man said:

Leigh,

Is there such a thing as a 'fairly simple' retrofit pedal-box suitable for our wedges,maybe one from AP?

Phil
420 SEAC

Not 100% sure yet, still looking into it as would like one in the Racer.

There are quite a lot of designs out there so should be easy-ish, all depends on what you want to spend.

[Transmitter Man]

Hover your mouse over these pics:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?um=1&hl=en&...

You know what may fit - I don't

Phil
420 SEAC

[The Hatter]

I'm going to keep the pedal box standard assuming I can get the bits I need; namely clutch and brake master cylinders. The rest looks like it'll clean up OK. New pedal rubbers would be good though, anyone know where to get them?

The accelerator cable was about the only thing that came out easily... but predicably enough it's frayed at the pedal end and the nut where it passes through the bulkhead was almost cut through by the cable running over it - that's why it came out easily. I'm hoping new cables are available; anyone know where from or even if it's off another vehicle (SD1?). I'll de-burr the new one...

I feel there's going to alot of 'anyone know where to get ....' questions coming from me!!

Martin.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

The Hatter said:

I

The accelerator cable was about the only thing that came out easily... but predicably enough it's frayed at the pedal end and the nut where it passes through the bulkhead was almost cut through by the cable running over it - that's why it came out easily. I'm hoping new cables are available; anyone know where from or even if it's off another vehicle (SD1?).

Martin.

For the racer I bought a kit of ebay, came with a long length of cable inner and outer sheaf and every end you can think off.

That way you can make it how you want it, not make what you have fit.

I think it was this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Universal-Throttle-Cable-Kit...

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Transmitter Man said:

Hover your mouse over these pics:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?um=1&hl=en&...

You know what may fit - I don't

Phil
420 SEAC

Yes I've already had look at some, but there are so many design's so going to have to have a measure and work out what's the best fit.

I may end up cutting most of the current body area out, and completely re-designing it, as this will help with exhaust clearance also.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Finally got a bit of time to pop over and have a quick look as this very rare car, from looking at it is does seem to be a development car for the racer, would make sense as it's cheaper to test stuff in a road car, than pay for track time.
It does not have a normal TVR engine number, but seems the right age for the car, so maybe was a special by JE or Andy Rouse. maybe worth posting the Engine number up on the V8forum to see if anyone there recognizes the number series.

Was also nice to put a face to a name.

[The Hatter]

Hi Leigh, It was a pleasure to meet you and to go over to your workshop. I'm very envious of the space and equipment you have! Good luck with the race car next weekend at Snetterton... I'm hoping to make it to Brands in a few weeks time.

I do think my car is some kind of development car, it seems to bridge the design gap between the race car (84 ish?) and the production SEACs in 86; it has features from both plus some peculiarities of it's own.

[adam quantrill]

For the frayed cable end you can re-solder the end nipple on, and this works fine.

I did this on the 400SX and it has been together for 2 years since. It got frayed on the very sharp edges of the pedal slot.

[The Hatter]

Good idea Adam that's exactly where it's frayed. I'll try what you suggest.

[The Hatter]

Made more progress; seats are savable, I've freed all the adjuster mechanisms and replaced the rusted support wires with nylon tie wraps - not perfect but it does the job. The leather's very tight but I'm hoping it'll loosen with feed and time.



Centre instrument panel was very corroded, heater sliders were jammed by rusted expanded steel



I'm getting there though... instruments are next.



I've settled on a general approach to the car; for example I could have got a new centre console panel cut and replaced the instruments but my feeling is that I should repair and rejuvenate as much as possible and try and keep the car original. More work perhaps but I think it'll preserve the car's character - It'll never be concours but it'll be usable and fun in my book.

[Wedg1e]

The Hatter said:

Made more progress; seats are savable, I've freed all the adjuster mechanisms and replaced the rusted support wires with nylon tie wraps - not perfect but it does the job. The leather's very tight but I'm hoping it'll loosen with feed and time.

Interesting... your seat runners have the link that unlatches both runners to allow them to slide. Most cars have the latch on one side only (both my '80 Tasmin and my '87 390 had/have them that way).
The one-sided latch means that the seats can squirm around. For my Tasmin and Esprit I found Maestro seat runners had the dual-sided latch but the rails were too far apart to fit the Wedge seats, so I chopped and rewelded the link arm to make them fit. Looks like either TVR did the same for yours or there was another BL car that had narrower seats with the dual latch...

Here's the Esprit seats being modified:

http://www.wedgeneering.co.uk/Lotus%20Esprit%20p8....

[Wedg1e]

The Hatter said:

...my feeling is that I should repair and rejuvenate as much as possible and try and keep the car original. More work perhaps but I think it'll preserve the car's character - It'll never be concours but it'll be usable and fun in my book.

I'm with you - you don't want the car to be too perfect, you'll be scared to drive it and the slightest blemish will have you fuming. My car won 'Rattiest heap in show' at last BBWF but it's still broken down less in the last 11 years than some shinier ones

[dixiebabes]

Wedg1e said:

I'm with you - you don't want the car to be too perfect, you'll be scared to drive it and the slightest blemish will have you fuming. My car won 'Rattiest heap in show' at last BBWF but it's still broken down less in the last 11 years than some shinier ones

Here here these cars are there to be driven!

Dix

[rev-erend]

What about that stupid handbrake mechanism !

I would much prefer a proper handbrake on mine - god and some old codger
at TVR only knows why they decided to hand an umbrella handbrake.

It's useless and when you do use it at a hill junction - you have your
teeth next to the steering wheel.

[The Hatter]

The Seats are MG Montego/Maestro and are wider than the normal TVR fit; the narrower centre spine of the SEACs makes this possible. I guess that's the whole reason for the narower spine? You can see on my car where the body has been hacked around to fit the narrower chassis, I'm not sure if later SEACs had a body mould that fitted the chassis or if they were all hacked about.

It also forces the handbrake away from the between seats position and under the dash, I'll see how effective it is when I put it all back together...