Topic in General Forum - Best TVR for A / B Roads

[BDM]

So in the General TVR forum they have a topic of the best handling car for A / B roads...

Seems the Tuscan hasnt been mentioned once and literally all other models have...Lol

So what are our cars actually good at? Lol...

[TVR_owner]

BDM said:

So in the General TVR forum they have a topic of the best handling car for A / B roads...

Seems the Tuscan hasnt been mentioned once and literally all other models have...Lol

So what are our cars actually good at? Lol...

Well it has to be said....the majority of Tuscans that left the factory are not too clever (ultimately) in the handling department ...

Flame suit on ..I won't be the first man in history for telling the truth.

[900T-R]

TVR_owner said:

BDM said:

So in the General TVR forum they have a topic of the best handling car for A / B roads...

Seems the Tuscan hasnt been mentioned once and literally all other models have...Lol

So what are our cars actually good at? Lol...

Well it has to be said....the majority of Tuscans that left the factory are not too clever (ultimately) in the handling department ...

Flame suit on ..I won't be the first man in history for telling the truth.

Have to agree there. From what I gather, it was supposed to be a quite soft, benign and feelsome set up (coupled with very quick and responsive steering), then they had to alter the rear settings because the rear wheels would catch the wheelarches too often on the road, then it turned out the vast majority of owners specced the car with 18" wheels and rubberband tyres rather than the 16s the car was originally set up for. The combination of big wheels, ultra-quick steering and unresolved spring/damper settings made for an erm, lively ride at speed. Maybe the aerodynamics were partly to blame too, I don't know. Stable and forgiving the Tuscan I drove back in early 2004 was not.
To compound the problem, many left the factory with all four wheels pointing in random directions.

[Mark A S]

When I bought my Tuscan, the handling on the standard coil over shocks, was shall I say, interesting, and somewhat challenging. After a recommendation, I fitted some Gaz Golds coil overs, and now it is a different car. Bumpy roads still need a bit of care, this would be down to the relatively small amount of suspension travel, but when its smoother, it hangs on like a leech on steroids!
Considering the torque and light weight, very impressive.
I love the pointy front end, understeer to me, is a dirty word. I would say, that on a smooth ish A /B road, not much else would be quicker.
Only other TVR’s I have driven are a Chim and a Cerb, both very nice, I reckon my Tuscan is better though!!
It does appear that the best handling TVR’s, do not have factory suspension

[Lucozade]

Yip mines was definately a handful down B roads until I swapped over to Gaz Golds. Although I still feel they need some tweaking as the front and backend can ground. Possibly get the ride height raised slightly.

[TVR_owner]

Lucozade said:

Yip mines was definately a handful down B roads until I swapped over to Gaz Golds. Although I still feel they need some tweaking as the front and backend can ground. Possibly get the ride height raised slightly.

Or revise the spring rates??

[GT TVR]

Well set up they are pretty good, esp. the MKII's; didn't have any trouble following a Sag with Nitrons at Zolder (and I'm no M. Schumacher). Sag/Tam supposed to be better on rougher B-roads, but mine improved a lot after a proper geo set up. Nitrons/Gaz Golds and Eibachs should improve things further.

[TVR_owner]

GT TVR said:

Well set up they are pretty good, esp. the MKII's; didn't have any trouble following a Sag with Nitrons at Zolder (and I'm no M. Schumacher). Sag/Tam supposed to be better on rougher B-roads, but mine improved a lot after a proper geo set up. Nitrons/Gaz Golds and Eibachs should improve things further.

Gerjo,
Thats why I made the statement about the majority...not all. I recgnise that the IIs were much much better and as always, can be improved.

That said, I had no problem passing the 888 shod Nitron equipped Sags at Zolder in Linda's Tamora with its 5 year old goodyear tyres and non-adjustable suspension.

If youre going to cahnge shocks I would go the Nitron route.

[GT TVR]

TVR_owner said:

GT TVR said:

Well set up they are pretty good, esp. the MKII's; didn't have any trouble following a Sag with Nitrons at Zolder (and I'm no M. Schumacher). Sag/Tam supposed to be better on rougher B-roads, but mine improved a lot after a proper geo set up. Nitrons/Gaz Golds and Eibachs should improve things further.

Gerjo,
Thats why I made the statement about the majority...not all. I recgnise that the IIs were much much better and as always, can be improved.

That said, I had no problem passing the 888 shod Nitron equipped Sags at Zolder in Linda's Tamora with its 5 year old goodyear tyres and non-adjustable suspension.

If youre going to cahnge shocks I would go the Nitron route.

Yeah, but then you ARE some sort of M. Schumacher; you'd probably would have passed them in the S Turbo.
Shocks: waiting for Tony's try out.

[Chequred Demon]

Thought we were talking A/B roads ?

Having both Tuscan 4L and Chimp 4L and living in Norfolk, which has the most appalling roads I would say they are remarkably similar. The Tuscan has Racing Reds and 18" spiders with Bridgestone Potenzaa as opposed to the Chimps standard set up. The Chimp is less harsh and a lot less twitchy, but I have the Tuscan set up this way. The Tuscan grounds out at the back and the Chimp does not. The Chimp is far more relaxing but a bit "floaty". The Tuscan is not it grips the road with force, you do have to concentrate, really, really hard and you feel every change in road surface through your hands and spine. The Tuscan rattles and squeaks and the Chimp hardly at all. The Tuscan brakes once warm are much better, but the Chimps are good enough for road use.

After 20 minutes on B roads in the Tuscan I am fed up, but you can last all day in the Chimp.

Speed wise I would say they are about the same on most roads, but the Chimp is tuned to produce the power of a 4.6L but with the torque 1000rpm up the rev range at 4,500rpm. I think it would be difficult for either car to get away from the other.

[TVR_owner]

Chequred Demon said:

Thought we were talking A/B roads?

We were, apologies for side-tracking.

[da_murphster]

I struggle to believe that handling wise all the T models (and sag) are fundamentally that difference - its the same chassis!? Aero will make a difference but I don't believe any TVR saw a wind tunnel.

What I think does make a difference is the factory set-up and shocks.

Be interesting to see a benchmark test - same driver, same circuit, same spec (eg nitrons and same geo readings) on a timed lap.

[spartridge]

Lack of posts probably says more about the average Tuscan owner than the car itself...


No complaints on handling of my car from me BTW.

[Griffithy]

Hi,

Having the luck to choose between our Griff 500 and the Tuscan S Mk1 I would prefer the Griff for fast road fun anytime.
If I want sensation and supercar-aura then its the Tuscan.
Having both on Gaz suspension and Steve Heath goodies the Griff is perfectly sorted and phantastic on the fast roads handlingwise and powerwise anyway. I am still trying all different settings on the Tuscan suspension but to no real joy yet(compared to the Griff).
To find out if the Griff is, and not only feels, faster on same roads I would have to chase myself in each car, which of course is sadly not possible.

When anyone have found the perfect Gaz settings for the Tuscan Mk.1 I would be gratefull to learn.

Regards, Griffithy

[GT TVR]

Griffithy said:

Hi,

Having the luck to choose between our Griff 500 and the Tuscan S Mk1 I would prefer the Griff for fast road fun anytime.
If I want sensation and supercar-aura then its the Tuscan.
Having both on Gaz suspension and Steve Heath goodies the Griff is perfectly sorted and phantastic on the fast roads handlingwise and powerwise anyway. I am still trying all different settings on the Tuscan suspension but to no real joy yet(compared to the Griff).
To find out if the Griff is, and not only feels, faster on same roads I would have to chase myself in each car, which of course is sadly not possible.

When anyone have found the perfect Gaz settings for the Tuscan Mk.1 I would be gratefull to learn.

Regards, Griffithy

Interesting. My Griff was well set up with special dampers etc etc but my T2 is in a different league, if not 2 leagues up. The big difference is the cornering, A or B road, the T2 goes round any sort of corner at amazing speed and with such ease, it amazes me every time. And it's still on standard dampers and tyres.