My Wedge Project
Discussion
Well the time has come.....
This car has been in our family since 2006. To cut a long story short it was used a fair bit until 2008 when she let us down badly on a trip to le mans and we ended up going in my dads Focus. We never really forgave her. I MOT'd it in 2012 and did 150 miles but work and other commitments meant once again she languished in my dads garage.
Last week i went to Curborough and had a few laps in my mates Chimaera, what fun we had. Anyway it got me all sentimental about the poor wedge sat in the garage and i decided that the time has arrived where she really needs to see the light of day and be enjoyed again.
I have a 911 sat in my garage which i have decided will probably be moved on, its been a fab car but after 3 years i miss all those seat of the pants moments the TVR provides. I know the wedge will test my patience, remove my knuckles, cause me many moments of insanity and panic as i put the flames out lapping around the wiring etc but i really do love the old lady. The German stuff just doesn't inspire the same passion or determined spirit.
So the car actually belonged to my dad mainly. I popped round for a coffee and some polite chit chat before getting onto the subject of the TVR. We struck a deal, i have bought her for a very reasonable price. It has no MOT or Tax and needs some commissioning work but she is now mine!
The car has had some money splashed on it by previous owners. It has RPI stage 3 heads, Carbon fibre trumpets, stainless exhaust, Roll cage, AVO shocks and new springs, Willans harnesses to name a few in the huge pile of receipts i have. It has a TVR car club sticker in the windscreen and also a compomotive one, we are lead to believe by the previous owners it was on the compomotive stand in the 80's although this is not proven. We have the MOT's going back to 1990 which concludes the mileage of 80k is probably genuine. The chassis has been checked by peninsula and is apparently in perfect condition.
So anyway, after a few beers back from the pub i thought i would throw myself back into the wedge area of the internet as no doubt i will be needing moral support and much help and advice, all of which will be very much appreciated. I am based in Darlington, County Durham if there are any fellow wedgers up this way please say hi.
Today i went over and pulled the car cover off, fitted a new battery. Checked all the fluids etc, cranked her over until we had good oil pressure. I removed the plugs and cleaned them and she fired up in all 8 cylinder glory. The grimaced unimpressed look on the OAP neighbours faces made it all worth while. I have much to do but my first port of call is to get the car road legal and then go from there. It had a major service in 2008, only about 300 miles since but i guess changing all the fluids is advisable? It has a jag LSD fitted, any ideas on type of oil required? It needs loads of little jobs completed to improve it, but i think it will be a good base for a great road/sprint car.
I will let the pics do the rest and hopefully update soon!
Cheers,
Ash.
This car has been in our family since 2006. To cut a long story short it was used a fair bit until 2008 when she let us down badly on a trip to le mans and we ended up going in my dads Focus. We never really forgave her. I MOT'd it in 2012 and did 150 miles but work and other commitments meant once again she languished in my dads garage.
Last week i went to Curborough and had a few laps in my mates Chimaera, what fun we had. Anyway it got me all sentimental about the poor wedge sat in the garage and i decided that the time has arrived where she really needs to see the light of day and be enjoyed again.
I have a 911 sat in my garage which i have decided will probably be moved on, its been a fab car but after 3 years i miss all those seat of the pants moments the TVR provides. I know the wedge will test my patience, remove my knuckles, cause me many moments of insanity and panic as i put the flames out lapping around the wiring etc but i really do love the old lady. The German stuff just doesn't inspire the same passion or determined spirit.
So the car actually belonged to my dad mainly. I popped round for a coffee and some polite chit chat before getting onto the subject of the TVR. We struck a deal, i have bought her for a very reasonable price. It has no MOT or Tax and needs some commissioning work but she is now mine!
The car has had some money splashed on it by previous owners. It has RPI stage 3 heads, Carbon fibre trumpets, stainless exhaust, Roll cage, AVO shocks and new springs, Willans harnesses to name a few in the huge pile of receipts i have. It has a TVR car club sticker in the windscreen and also a compomotive one, we are lead to believe by the previous owners it was on the compomotive stand in the 80's although this is not proven. We have the MOT's going back to 1990 which concludes the mileage of 80k is probably genuine. The chassis has been checked by peninsula and is apparently in perfect condition.
So anyway, after a few beers back from the pub i thought i would throw myself back into the wedge area of the internet as no doubt i will be needing moral support and much help and advice, all of which will be very much appreciated. I am based in Darlington, County Durham if there are any fellow wedgers up this way please say hi.
Today i went over and pulled the car cover off, fitted a new battery. Checked all the fluids etc, cranked her over until we had good oil pressure. I removed the plugs and cleaned them and she fired up in all 8 cylinder glory. The grimaced unimpressed look on the OAP neighbours faces made it all worth while. I have much to do but my first port of call is to get the car road legal and then go from there. It had a major service in 2008, only about 300 miles since but i guess changing all the fluids is advisable? It has a jag LSD fitted, any ideas on type of oil required? It needs loads of little jobs completed to improve it, but i think it will be a good base for a great road/sprint car.
I will let the pics do the rest and hopefully update soon!
Cheers,
Ash.
Cheers Jon! Really enjoyed blatting about Curborough in your Chim, hope to bring the wedge to the next one. I have emailed you a few times but it seems to bounce a lot, have you blacklisted me? 
Gave the car a good wash yesterday and tonight investigated some electrical gremlins as per my other post. The wiring is actually in decent condition apart from the radio wiring. The previous owner obviously didnt have a solder iron and enjoyed using about 20 scotchlocks just to fit the radio. It had bits of wire attached to bits of wire all using the scotchlocks. I have removed the lot, made a new loom and soldered it all in place.
Hoping to get it sorted tomorrow. MOT booked Thursday. Have been looking at the wiring diagrams and the three warning lights not working are fed from the same fuse, the same fuse also feeds the horn which is working so i reckon there is a break in the wiring, will bridge it tomorrow and see what happens.
Gave the car a good wash yesterday and tonight investigated some electrical gremlins as per my other post. The wiring is actually in decent condition apart from the radio wiring. The previous owner obviously didnt have a solder iron and enjoyed using about 20 scotchlocks just to fit the radio. It had bits of wire attached to bits of wire all using the scotchlocks. I have removed the lot, made a new loom and soldered it all in place.
Hoping to get it sorted tomorrow. MOT booked Thursday. Have been looking at the wiring diagrams and the three warning lights not working are fed from the same fuse, the same fuse also feeds the horn which is working so i reckon there is a break in the wiring, will bridge it tomorrow and see what happens.
M3333 said:
It has a jag LSD fitted, any ideas on type of oil required? It needs loads of little jobs completed to improve it, but i think it will be a good base for a great road/sprint car.
If you're sure it's an LSD then any 80W/90 gear oil that states it's OK for friction clutch diffs will be fine... it's not exactly space-age technology 
If it is an LSD then it should have a little metal tag with 'PL' embossed nto it, retained by one of the diff's rear cover bolts... another similar tag nearby will tell you the ratio (e.g. 3.54).Wedg1e said:
M3333 said:
It has a jag LSD fitted, any ideas on type of oil required? It needs loads of little jobs completed to improve it, but i think it will be a good base for a great road/sprint car.
If you're sure it's an LSD then any 80W/90 gear oil that states it's OK for friction clutch diffs will be fine... it's not exactly space-age technology If it is an LSD then it should have a little metal tag with 'PL' embossed nto it, retained by one of the diff's rear cover bolts... another similar tag nearby will tell you the ratio (e.g. 3.54).M3333 said:
Great stuff, thanks. I have just seen some pictures of the Tag looking at your website. I found a receipt in the history for an LSD from a Jag specialist so ill get under and have a look. Once it is tested ill form a proper 'to do list' and get cracking. Just want to get all the fluids etc changed for peace of mind.
I think the only fluids worth changing would be the fuel and brake/ clutch systems. Engine, gearbox and diff oil won't go off with being sat, nor is it hygroscopic (unlike brake fluid). Your cash of course, but I'd be wanting to find out what might break when I drove it first...Glad you found the webbie useful
Wedg1e said:
I think the only fluids worth changing would be the fuel and brake/ clutch systems. Engine, gearbox and diff oil won't go off with being sat, nor is it hygroscopic (unlike brake fluid). Your cash of course, but I'd be wanting to find out what might break when I drove it first...
Glad you found the webbie useful
Website is great, lots of useful info Glad you found the webbie useful
I hear what your saying, no massive rush to change any of it but i feel changing all fluids is fairly cheap sensible maintenance. The engine has been serviced a few times during our ownership, infact the engine oil is still clean from its service in 2008 but i have no records of diff or gearbox oil being changed since the early naughties. It also has PAS so i am not sure whats involved in changing that fluid, that is one i may leave if its a total pain as the oil looks clean.
Hopefully sort the electrical gremlins tomorrow.
I insured it yesterday, £97 fully comp even with 6 points on my license, very suprised at that.
Wedg1e said:
I think the only fluids worth changing would be the fuel and brake/ clutch systems. Engine, gearbox and diff oil won't go off with being sat, nor is it hygroscopic (unlike brake fluid). Your cash of course, but I'd be wanting to find out what might break when I drove it first...
Glad you found the webbie useful
Check the levels though in case something has leaked out over time...Glad you found the webbie useful
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