Hello Everyone !
Hello Everyone !
Author
Discussion

Hargo

Original Poster:

111 posts

264 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Morning all,

Just thought I'd say hi to everyone now that I am a new TVR owner.

I've been a TVR fan for many years and have lurked around these boards for some time now

Last weekend I took the plunge and traded in my trusty VW Golf for a 1987 350i FHC in red with black leather.

Drove down ( from Newcastle ) to Reading and back in a day. Down in the Golf, back in the TVR. I was more comfortable coming back than I was going down !!

The TVR's basically sound, just needing some cosmetic tlc but mechanically seems fine and luckily the chassis was rust proofed by RT not so long back.

Was off work last week and most of it was spent with general fettling and fixing ' important ' things like the interior lights ......

Big thanks to Tony ( Uriel ) for riding shotgun and putting up with half of a spare rear bumper in his lap all the way back !

It's now my reliable, comfortable, economic eveyday car .......... so expect lots of " Help, car stranded on the A1 " posts

Cheers

Al

Uriel

3,244 posts

273 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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FrenchTVR

1,844 posts

289 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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Hello, welcome to the fold. Hope you enjoy your new steed as much as I enjoy mine.

Mick

wedge girl

4,688 posts

261 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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Post some pictures when you get a mo.

We find the wedge to be reliable, I've broken down twice on the M25 in the last 6 months and it's always been the other car.

dickymint

28,340 posts

280 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Welcome to the mad house. Hope to see you at BBWF 2005 if not before.
Any help you need just post it up, they're a great bunch on here - take it you've found the Wedgepages site here..www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk/
PS nice to see another year-round Wedger (you'll need some thermals though )

Gerry Attrick

614 posts

271 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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Good to hear from you. We all look forward to hearing about your driving exploits, problems (not too many, I hope)and advice. Pleased to hear of yet another Wedge being used as an every day steed.

Hargo

Original Poster:

111 posts

264 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies !

The only major problem I have at the moment ( just touching some wood now ! ) is that heater is a tad on the cool side.

I know that it will never be in the same league as what the golf was but I think it could be better.

I spent an hour or so on Saturday flusing and back flusing the heater matrix. The water was pretty much clear from the start.

After refilling / connecting I let it run for a about 10 minutes and it got warm but it's not when driving.

The only thing that's odd is that the water temp gauge normally sits aroung the 70 c mark. The radiator fan cuts in at about 80 c. I'll probably get loads of people replying that they wish there's was that low !! Is it possible that the engine isn't getting hot enough to make the heater hot ? ?

Thanks again

Al

nigel_350i

119 posts

257 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Welcome to the joy of wedgeing

Uriel

3,244 posts

273 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Bah! Heaters are for pufters. You should be in a Chimaera not a Wedge!


*joking: No offense intended to gays or Chim drivers...honest

FrenchTVR

1,844 posts

289 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
My heater works ok but seems very ineffective when moving. Not helped by draughts etc. Just for reference the heater fan is the same as used in late eighties/early nineties Vauxhall Nova's. I set mine to only use the faster two speeds.

Mick

jchase

572 posts

281 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
A-ha,

I just bought a 1986 Red FHC 350i last week - and my heater is rubbish too! The one in my 1981 Black FHC 280i worked great though. (after a backflush).

I can't find the heater valve on the 350i anyone know where it lives ?


-Jim

dickymint

28,340 posts

280 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
jchase said:
A-ha,

I just bought a 1986 Red FHC 350i last week - and my heater is rubbish too! The one in my 1981 Black FHC 280i worked great though. (after a backflush).

I can't find the heater valve on the 350i anyone know where it lives ?


-Jim


If you have one i think they were fitted under the bonnet near the catch. A few people here say their heater works really well but both mine are crap.
i want to take my thermometer to BBWF 2005 to clear this up once and for all !!

stainless_steve

6,041 posts

280 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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arcturus

1,495 posts

285 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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Welcome aboard.

My 86 350i heater is much less useful than a chocolate fireguard, but like yours flushes through clean every time.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

306 months

Monday 6th December 2004
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Welcome.

I have just fitted a rather expensive valve to the top heater hose to bleed the system. £2.01 There goes this months pie money

Plumbers supply. T piece with 1 1/2 inch pipe and a cap with a release cap like a tyre valve cap. Seems to bleed the system a treat. Heater now works better and that nasty air lock gone.

Pity the fan switch is knackered.

selmer

2,760 posts

264 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Life hasn't been the same since I bought mine in the beginning of August. Every drive now has an element of excitement. Something that has been missing in my driving for over ten years.
Hope you have fun.

Hargo

Original Poster:

111 posts

264 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Thanks again for all the replies guys ( and girls ! )
When I did this on one of the VW forums with the Golf I think I had 1 reply !! They must be a different breed .......

I'll have a look for a control valve in the heater pipes but I was under the impression that on the later cars the water runs through the matrix constantly and a flap is used to allow / block hot air through the vents. Please fel free to correct me .....

Jim - Was it the 350i FHC that was on ebay for a while ?

Jeff - Sounds like an excellent idea, that can be this weekend's job, bit pricey though .....

Cheers

Al.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

306 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
Al, took me half an hour. Bit of soldering required to make it up and I have a copper pipe cutter which makes it easier. I cut out a section of the heater pipe and inserted the new copper bit. The system was already drained down a bit to install the stainless swan neck I bought a while ago to replace the manky leaking steel one. (was going to fit it earlier but work etc got in the way. Fits a treat Tim)


Ps, I used a screw cap to seal the pipe. Couldn't make me mind up over a ball valve etc but this seemed easier. Hope iy doesn't unscrew

>> Edited by jmorgan on Monday 6th December 20:15

grahamw48

9,944 posts

260 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
So there's supposed to be a heater on my car ?

Amazing !

I'm off to have a look !

dickymint

28,340 posts

280 months

Monday 6th December 2004
quotequote all
grahamw48 said:
So there's supposed to be a heater on my car ?

Amazing !

I'm off to have a look !


Its a myth you wont find it