First TVR
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Discussion

Howrare

Original Poster:

321 posts

234 months

Sunday 10th November 2019
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After over a year of deliberation I have finally taken the plunge and bought a bit of Blackpool beef.



96 Chimera 400 Silver over Blue, PAS and a T5 box, a solid chassis, loads of good fixes carried out, Leven bits, a huge history file and drove really nicely. Current owner gave it some beans on the test drive, and it's made me laugh sporadically during the day thinking about it. Pick it up next weekend. Chuffed.



Edited by Howrare on Monday 11th November 18:47

LewG

1,392 posts

174 months

Sunday 10th November 2019
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Enjoy, they are superb fun, it looks lovely. Mine has been sold about a month now and I definitely miss that fantastic noise smile

deeen

6,367 posts

273 months

Sunday 10th November 2019
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Good choice!

dunc69

913 posts

275 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Fantastic. Great cars. Still miss mine!

Andy665

4,159 posts

256 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Very nice indeed - the Chimera is possibly aging a little better than the Griffith to my eyes and the colour is lovely

I'm, just about to enter TVR ownership myself and has been interesting in talking to actual owners how many of the reliability myths can be set to one side and the TVR community is without doubt the friendliest I have ever come across

Edited by Andy665 on Monday 11th November 10:18

Shed TVR

143 posts

102 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Love the colour, enjoy! Put some more pictures up when you get it home thumbup

TR4man

5,520 posts

202 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Congratulations!

Am I the only one to whom the picture is blurred with the Photobucket script across it?

ollyh1988

1,065 posts

228 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Excellent choice. Chimaera was my first TVR too and a great car full stop. Enough power, amazing looks, but for me it was the noise I enjoyed the most. Mine was totally reliable despite what some will tell you about them!

SteveR1979

601 posts

169 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Andy665 said:
Very nice indeed - the Chimera is possibly aging a little better than the Griffith to my eyes and the colour is lovely

I'm, just about to enter TVR ownership myself and has been interesting in talking to actual owners how many of the reliability myths can be set to one side and the TVR community is without doubt the friendliest I have ever come across

Edited by Andy665 on Monday 11th November 10:18
Mines been great.

Keep on top of preventative stuff like leads, caps, rotor arms, etc and use it.

It'll be fine!

Howrare

Original Poster:

321 posts

234 months

Monday 11th November 2019
quotequote all
SteveR1979 said:
Mines been great.

Keep on top of preventative stuff like leads, caps, rotor arms, etc and use it.

It'll be fine!
Fingers crossed it's a good'un. It's got new dizzy, bosch leads, with heat socks around the plugs. These socks were a new one tome, but the seller knew his stuff. It's had a new cam, and chain, and a new diff. Started strong from cold, and ran fine once hot.
Apparently its an HC, or so the previous, previous owner said, but nothing in the docs to prove it. Certainly far stronger than the last one I drove, and the seller said its always felt better than his last ones.








gf15

1,038 posts

294 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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I had a 1999 500 Chim for 3 years from 2001. Absolutely loved it. From memory, it just needed a speedo sensor adjusting and a new battery.
I enjoyed every minute of ownership.
Best car I ever had.
Yours looks very sharp, enjoy!

Phil5343

179 posts

193 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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I've had 2 Chimaeras, an Etna Black 400 with Tuscan front lights, and a standard bright red 400. I used them both everyday, and aside from the red car locking me out one day they were reliable and fun. I sold the Black car due to a house move, and the red car due to my wedding!

I'll have another one day for sure, hopefully before the prices rise too much and they become unattainable.

Beautiful looking car in Silver with the Estoril wheels, enjoy!!

Shed TVR

143 posts

102 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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That's in lovely condition, looks like someone has swapped the clock for an air/fuel meter which is useful.

Any plans or are you just going to drive it?

Howrare

Original Poster:

321 posts

234 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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Phil5343 said:
I've had 2 Chimaeras, an Etna Black 400 with Tuscan front lights, and a standard bright red 400. I used them both everyday, and aside from the red car locking me out one day they were reliable and fun. I sold the Black car due to a house move, and the red car due to my wedding!

I'll have another one day for sure, hopefully before the prices rise too much and they become unattainable.

Beautiful looking car in Silver with the Estoril wheels, enjoy!!
It was a case of now or never for me, House and hitching has been done, but had to scratch the itch before the arrival of ankle biters.

Silver over blue was way done my wish list, Blue over tan was at the top, but had to follow the old buy on condition mantra, and I do really like the Estorils.

Howrare

Original Poster:

321 posts

234 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
quotequote all
Shed TVR said:
That's in lovely condition, looks like someone has swapped the clock for an air/fuel meter which is useful.

Any plans or are you just going to drive it?
That meter has been disconnected, and the chaps got a proper TVR clock to go back in. As for plans, just enjoy i think. I've booked off time for Le Mans. smile A lot of the work to get it running right has been done. May be new carpets, possibly a turned ally dash, but really just drive it. I'm lucky to live in North Wales, and I'm really looking forward to the run back through Wales when I pick it up. I could go up the M5 / 6 / 54, but where's the fun in that!

sawman

5,164 posts

258 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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Looks lovely, I am about 6 weeks in and loving every minute, at this rate I am going to have to increase the mileage limit on my insurance

Dave Hedgehog

16,276 posts

232 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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Stunning car

CarlosV8

813 posts

200 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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Howrare said:
It was a case of now or never for me, House and hitching has been done, but had to scratch the itch before the arrival of ankle biters.
I did the same thing about 10 years ago and got a silver Chimaera 400 too. It was at the cheaper end of the market and needed some work, but the only time it let me down was when the battery died. Absolutely loved that car! And one of my happiest TVR memories was driving it round North Wales on a road trip, so enjoy smile

BigGingerBob

2,153 posts

218 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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Since having and selling my Tuscan I am jealous of every TVR driver I see. Magnificent cars.
Whilst I can't speak for Chims, the reliability claims were a bit of a myth tbh. Just use it and enjoy it.
Winter is a great time too, just make sure the chassis is protected and drive!
Night time cold roof off drives are the best drives of all, especially with that noise

Howrare

Original Poster:

321 posts

234 months

Sunday 17th November 2019
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Today was the day. Didn't get off to a great start with Transport for Wales deciding that they'd carry out some engineering work and not tell anyone. Knobs

I'd been having some fairly serious anxiety about if I'd done the right thing getting this car. The chassis was going to be rotten in a week. The fuel lines were going to perish and burn me to a crisp. That all went when I saw it again, and when it started up, strong turn over and a mighty whoomp, I was very happy. It behaved perfectly all the way back home. 3rd gear 30mph to... well someway round the rev counter, was just ace. The lashing rain was less welcome, but it all felt really secure. I can't wait to get a bright dry day to stretch its legs properly.

There's a TVR on my drive! Chuffed.






Edited by Howrare on Sunday 17th November 22:54