difference between 390se & 400se
Discussion
The Early 390's also had a different body with separate bumpers and spoiler, but the later S2 cars had the same body as the 400SE AFAIK, but both the S1 and S2 390's Had the 350 style Dash, where the 4xxSE's had the 5 clock centre panel.
The S2 390's and Early 400SE's had NCK flapper engines, later 400SE's had hotwire engine's
I think only the 1st 25 390's had Andy Rouse Engine's
AFAIK they all the the Same LT77 Gearbox and 3:54 LSD diff. Standard Jag Rear disc's and calipers, with Princess 4 pot front calipers.
So the main difference on the later car's is mainly the dash layout, and later 400SE's being hotwire.
The S2 390's and Early 400SE's had NCK flapper engines, later 400SE's had hotwire engine's
I think only the 1st 25 390's had Andy Rouse Engine's
AFAIK they all the the Same LT77 Gearbox and 3:54 LSD diff. Standard Jag Rear disc's and calipers, with Princess 4 pot front calipers.
So the main difference on the later car's is mainly the dash layout, and later 400SE's being hotwire.
Back to front, different rear underbody aerodynamics ...wheel arches not as flaired as the 400/450's, Sills slightly different, front nosecone longer on the 390 with larger pods and round lights.
Lower front splitter is also different.
IIRC too the indicators / side lights are also different
Lower front splitter is also different.
IIRC too the indicators / side lights are also different
If this is with a view to buying I would forget the engine differences completely. In theory the 390s have much more special engines than the 400s but in practice they are very few and far between; similarly I have never known a 400 engine to be just a run of the mill 3947LRV8. For bodywork I prefer some of the 400 details such as boot hinges and roof corners but the under spoiler on the 390 looks great even if it doesn't do anything. Not many 400s were built and even fewer 390s so the theory on differences is just that really, eps given the owners mods over the years.
TVRleigh_BBWR said:
The Early 390's also had a different body with separate bumpers and spoiler, but the later S2 cars had the same body as the 400SE AFAIK, but both the S1 and S2 390's Had the 350 style Dash, where the 4xxSE's had the 5 clock centre panel.
The S2 390's and Early 400SE's had NCK flapper engines, later 400SE's had hotwire engine's
I think only the 1st 25 390's had Andy Rouse Engine's
AFAIK they all the the Same LT77 Gearbox and 3:54 LSD diff. Standard Jag Rear disc's and calipers, with Princess 4 pot front calipers.
So the main difference on the later car's is mainly the dash layout, and later 400SE's being hotwire.
Not all 390SEs had Princess calipers; mine's a late '87 and it still has the Ford setup.The S2 390's and Early 400SE's had NCK flapper engines, later 400SE's had hotwire engine's
I think only the 1st 25 390's had Andy Rouse Engine's
AFAIK they all the the Same LT77 Gearbox and 3:54 LSD diff. Standard Jag Rear disc's and calipers, with Princess 4 pot front calipers.
So the main difference on the later car's is mainly the dash layout, and later 400SE's being hotwire.
S2 390s have 5-spoke OZ split-rim wheels, the earlier cars had the same cross-spoke style as the 350 though slightly wider.
The rear under-wing comes in 3 flavours: most have the 'real' wing that hangs off the boot floor, and a separate bumper.
Somewhere early in the S2 life came the combined wing and bumper, on which the wing isn't a true aerofoil apart from the end 6" or so. There's a slot cut inbetween the 'wing' and bumper that makes it look like the early version.
Later cars had the fake wing and the bumper incorporated into the bodyshell and it's this version that became the 400SE's rear.
Nearly all, if not all, 390SEs have detachable sills, where the 400SE doesn't. The nose of the car differs between 390 and 400 due to the different headlamp pods.
There are at least three different variations on the amount of wheelarch flare on a 390 as the years went by - some have the flare as part of the front air dam, some have flared rear but unflared front and some have flares both ends... there may be others!
In theory a 390 or early 400 is 'fitter' than a late 400 or 4L Chimaera but the latter two have better driveability due to the hotwire injection. In power terms there's not much to choose but even the last wedges are touching 20 years old now so most have had some engine work carried out. Early Chimaera chassis are (or rather, can be) every bit is rotten as a wedge's now.
The Wedge is commonly regarded as one of the easiest TVRs to work on for the home mechanic. It also has better crash protection than some.
tbdgriff500 said:
thanks everyone, didn't realise there was so much. so a 400se is not worth any more then. in reality would a chim / 390se / 400se be about the same performance.
400SE normally fetch more money than a 39SE as they are there are less differences, but as they are all now very old, price is mainly dependant on condition.a 390SE/400SE that's in good fettle, will normally have more BHP than a 4.0 Chim, as the SE wedges had fully rebuilt and tuned engines (esp the NCK ones), AFAIK the 4.0 Chim Engines just had a camshaft change and different ECU chip.
My 400SE(NCK) was only slightly slower than a friends 5.0 Chim (dyno'd at 300BHP)
Edited by TVRleigh_BBWR on Tuesday 15th February 21:03
I've had two S2 390SEs both 1988 models, and a later hotwire 400SE.
Engine differences have been explained.
Front brakes: Granada MK2 Estate vented, but 2 pot on 390SEs...all of them. Princess 4-pots on the 400SE.
390s and 400s have different lights; round ones on 390s with bigger pods, and square ones with smaller pods on the 400.
Front sidelight/indicator units different also (wider on the 400).
The S2 390s have a separate front bumper. The 400 has no bumper.
The S2 390's bodywork (other than light pods) is exactly the same as the 400's, with the same flared arches.
They also have the same exhaust system...or VERY similar...being TVRs.
Suspension was originally the same.
390s have external boot hinges. 400s have internal ones.
My red S2 390 was definitely the quickest of the three cars, but as we all know, there can be up to 50bhp between supposedly similar 'standard' spec' cars.
The 400 was the most economical.
There are huge variations between individual cars anyway, as far as handling set-up, ride comfort and braking is concerned, so the more you get chance to drive, the better.
Around 100 390s of all variations built.
Around 250 400s built.
Engine differences have been explained.
Front brakes: Granada MK2 Estate vented, but 2 pot on 390SEs...all of them. Princess 4-pots on the 400SE.
390s and 400s have different lights; round ones on 390s with bigger pods, and square ones with smaller pods on the 400.
Front sidelight/indicator units different also (wider on the 400).
The S2 390s have a separate front bumper. The 400 has no bumper.
The S2 390's bodywork (other than light pods) is exactly the same as the 400's, with the same flared arches.
They also have the same exhaust system...or VERY similar...being TVRs.
Suspension was originally the same.
390s have external boot hinges. 400s have internal ones.
My red S2 390 was definitely the quickest of the three cars, but as we all know, there can be up to 50bhp between supposedly similar 'standard' spec' cars.
The 400 was the most economical.
There are huge variations between individual cars anyway, as far as handling set-up, ride comfort and braking is concerned, so the more you get chance to drive, the better.
Around 100 390s of all variations built.
Around 250 400s built.
Edited by grahamw48 on Tuesday 15th February 23:09
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