Buying a 390SE

[chippy wedge]

After years of badgering the Mrs and boring my mates about one day owning a TVR, if all goes to plan, I will finally buy a "wedge" next year with my hard earned wedge (bet u not heard that one before). A friend of the family owns a 1989 390SE and took me for a spin at the weekend. Still haven't taken the stupid grin off my face yet! What struck me as strange (but good) is that it has the body of the 400SE rather than the 350SE. Is this rare or the norm? Anyone have any suggestions as to what to look for? It needs tlc, particularly new roof/re-spray/wheels re-polished/dash re-veneered. Any ideas where to go and rough idea on how much would be helpful. He will sell, albeit reluctantly, for around £6-6500. Thanks guys.

[2 sheds]

It could be that it has a 390 engine (3905cc) the 400 has 3950 ish, so although TVR had revised the body they were still using the last 390 engines . must be about the last one then
Maybe ?
Tim

[jmorgan]

Buyer's guide on here that will help.
www.bress.freeserve.co.uk/wedge/buyersguide.html

[sevans]

A new hood will be around £500, dash re-veneered I would have thought around £200-£300.

[chippy wedge]

Definately has the 3905cc engine as i've seen the log book. Sounds like it might be one of the last ones (I know there seems to be confusion over the chassis numbers as to where in the production line it was etc). The engine has covered over 78,000 miles. As a rough guide, how far can you go on the old engines before replacing?

[2 sheds]

might need refreshing soon , although a few have gone well over 100,000 miles with out touching them.
Tim

[jmorgan]

I would get the engine looked at if like me you know nothing about them. Not on about a strip down but a quick shufty by someone who knows. I didn't and it cost me.

[wedg1e]

My 390 had 101,000 on when I took one of the heads off to retap some threads. I found that 2 pistons had broken rings. They must have been losing some compression (one bore was fairly well scored) but I couldn't tell there was anything wrong. Some people actually told me to put it back together and forget about it!

A rebore, new pistons, crank regrind and new shells, all rod bolts, main bolts, all seals and a load of other bits that I forget, cost me £800 (I did all the spannering myself). So not impossible to live with.

Ian

[jmorgan]

I didn't want to scare. Just a few simple checks. Mine was advertsied as a modded motor (and it was). The TVR rose tinted specs probably to blame.

[boltontvr]

chippy wedge said:

What struck me as strange (but good) is that it has the body of the 400SE rather than the 350SE.

Are you sure it's a 400 body, rather than a 390? The last 390s were similar, but:
They had separate front bumpers, like 350s.
The back bumper/spoiler and side skirts can be removed.
The headlights are the round 350 type, whereas the 400, and I may be wrong here, have square headlights.
The interior is the same as a 350, i.e separate console block, rather than a nice sweeping facia.
1989 will mean it's one of the last 390s, so I suppose with TVR being like they are, it could well have a 400 body.
Anyway, just buy it. You know it makes sense.

[chippy wedge]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I am a complete dunce when it comes to mechanics so I will get an expert to look it over before I buy. Does anyone know if there is such a person in the Essex area?

PS. I am certain that it's the 400 shape having looked at many photos of others but as you say it does have the 350 dash.

[TaSmania]

Chippy,
I looked over an '89 F 390 recently for a friend. It had the 400 body but with the 350 bumper stuck on the front (it looked fine), however it had an NCK engine which was stated as 3948cc. Is the car your looking at an NCK or AR engine number? I was advised to avoid the AR engined cars - could have been tosh though!
GB
On this note chaps when did the early 390's swap from trailing arm to A frame? Did they have the big 400/450 driveshafts? Do they have a powerlock (LSD) as standard? On a base 350 looking car are the arches modified to take the 8.5" wide OZ split rims?
GB

[streaky]

TaSmania said:

[snip]On this note chaps when did the early 390's swap from trailing arm to A frame? Did they have the big 400/450 driveshafts? Do they have a powerlock (LSD) as standard? On a base 350 looking car are the arches modified to take the 8.5" wide OZ split rims? GB

Well, mine was the first to change from T/A to A-frame. When the factory took the car back from the owners of Fast Lane magazine, Chris Schirle was given the order by PW to, "FIX IT!" Two weeks later the car had a brand new rear suspension and PW took it for a 10 minute test drive. He came back over four hours later and proclaimed it, "The best TVR he'd ever driven!" CS won the approval of the 'production line' because no chassis changes were needed.

That would have been in March or April 1985 I guess. When I hear more from CS, I'll have a more accurate date.

The car was originally supplied with a Torsen differential.

Streaky

[rus wood]

390s also had JE (John Eales) engine numbers between AR and NCK

[boltontvr]

I'd read that the A frame was developed for the 390SE. So it sounds like it was developed on Streakys car.

[streaky]

rus wood said:

390s also had JE (John Eales) engine numbers between AR and NCK

Mine has a 30A Rover engine number on the 'VIN' plate that tallies with the number of the block. Built by Andy Rouse, but predates his numbering system.

[rus wood]

My 390 was supplied in October 1985 and has engine no JE1060. It was 390 no 17 and the first non AR engine (although there were rumours that JE actually built all the AR engines).
What is the date of your engine?

[NHyde]

The SEAC has a "10A" engine number which caused me some doubts when I was buying it , but checking through the history it is traceable to original registration . Tried checking with the factory ,and after Ben Samuelson had answered the phone , was put through to a lady who told me there were no records available from 1986 !!

[shpub]

The factory is now using the build data from the bible as it appears to be the most central source of this information! It has been used to establish identities in a couple of stolen car investigations. The first 390 with A frame was a LHD version around 1985 IIRC. Easy to check just by looking underneath.

[TaSmania]

Sorry to highjack chippies thread but the questions should help.
I'm looking at a D plated 390 to augment the Wedge fleet. It's miles away so was just trying to get a feel ref. A Frame, etc. From the sounds of things here it's an A frame car.
1) Would the driveshafts thus be the big 400 type?
2) LSD as standard?
3) Potentially have had a 420 SEAC lump in it as it's supposedly a 4.2!?

Interested to see piccies of Streaky's "Back end" as I converted a 350 from trailing to A Frame and it needed the rear chassis cross bar moded to take the diff cradle and the outrigger rear bar (which is angled on the A frame cars) needed to be moded to take the trailing/brake reaction bar. Some of the early cars in the line of a new model (e.g. Streaky's)are seriously interesting beasties and IMHO will be worth money in the distant future.
GB