starting the hunt !.......back in the fold
Discussion
Hi Folks
I sold my old S'series (that i owned for 10 years !)about 5 years ago and am now getting very tempted back to TVR.
Today I looked at Tuscans and ended up loving a 4.5 Cerb - Could I ask a couple of questions about the car.
1. The light pods at the front have visible lines around the light pod rather than blended in to the glass fibre wings, is this normal on a 2001 car ?
2. My 'S' had to have lots of work and eventually new outriggers, with the chassis. I am told the post 2000 chassis treatment was vastly improved, is this correct ?
3. Why does nobody seem to clean up the over-runs of glue on the interior, Im seeing this alot and it annoys me ! just random patches of araldyte type glue visible in patches where the trim finnishes. Possibly bad DIY from an owner i guess.
Anyway, thanks for your help. Looking forward to coming back to the expensive TVR world..... they are more pricey than when I left the TVRCC 5 years ago...... no comments about the article thankyou !!! ha haaa
I sold my old S'series (that i owned for 10 years !)about 5 years ago and am now getting very tempted back to TVR.
Today I looked at Tuscans and ended up loving a 4.5 Cerb - Could I ask a couple of questions about the car.
1. The light pods at the front have visible lines around the light pod rather than blended in to the glass fibre wings, is this normal on a 2001 car ?
2. My 'S' had to have lots of work and eventually new outriggers, with the chassis. I am told the post 2000 chassis treatment was vastly improved, is this correct ?
3. Why does nobody seem to clean up the over-runs of glue on the interior, Im seeing this alot and it annoys me ! just random patches of araldyte type glue visible in patches where the trim finnishes. Possibly bad DIY from an owner i guess.
Anyway, thanks for your help. Looking forward to coming back to the expensive TVR world..... they are more pricey than when I left the TVRCC 5 years ago...... no comments about the article thankyou !!! ha haaa
1. Yes, unblended headlight pods is how a 2001 4.5 would have left the factory. In 2000 the 4.5 got unblended pod headlights to differentiate it from the 4.2 and speed six which still had the big single lights at this time. It wasn't until later that all cars got the updated lights and they started to blend them in.
2. Powder coating was improved but the chassis can still rot if not looked after. It's worth having a good look at the chassis whatever the year of car.
3. A lot do have glue where it looks like the leather has shrunk, it's a pain to get off but not impossible.
Good luck with your search, prices are on the up so get one now before they go through the roof!
2. Powder coating was improved but the chassis can still rot if not looked after. It's worth having a good look at the chassis whatever the year of car.
3. A lot do have glue where it looks like the leather has shrunk, it's a pain to get off but not impossible.
Good luck with your search, prices are on the up so get one now before they go through the roof!
I just noticed that on the Full List of TVR models thread it lists Cerbera, Cerbera MkII and Cerbera MkIII. I didn't realise a 'MkIII' Cerbera existed (officially or by popular convention). I'm fully aware that between different Mks of the same TVR model the lines can be a bit blurred - and even within the same Mk - but am I right in thinking the versions differ approximately as follows:
Cerbera (1996-1999) - single lens headlights, Cerbera seats, original Chimaera/Fiesta combined rear light units, black A-pillars, orange front/side repeaters, backlit rear plate. Choice of 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkII (1999-2002) - unblended 'Tuscan' light pods, Tuscan seats, later Chimaera/individual rear lamps, body-coloured A-pillars, spiders, clear front/side repeaters, front-lit rear plate. Choice of 4.0 Speed6, or 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkIII (2002-2006) - as per MkII, but with blended light pods.
Are there any significant differences missed? As someone vaguely in the market for Cerb (and will be more seriously later in the year) I'm genuinely interested.
Cerbera (1996-1999) - single lens headlights, Cerbera seats, original Chimaera/Fiesta combined rear light units, black A-pillars, orange front/side repeaters, backlit rear plate. Choice of 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkII (1999-2002) - unblended 'Tuscan' light pods, Tuscan seats, later Chimaera/individual rear lamps, body-coloured A-pillars, spiders, clear front/side repeaters, front-lit rear plate. Choice of 4.0 Speed6, or 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkIII (2002-2006) - as per MkII, but with blended light pods.
Are there any significant differences missed? As someone vaguely in the market for Cerb (and will be more seriously later in the year) I'm genuinely interested.
XK120FHC said:
Gazzab said:
The unblended pods were standard in 2000/1'ish for the 4.2 and 4.4 with the speed six retaining the single pod lamp.
Only 4.5s got the unblended pods, any you've seen on a 2000/01 4.2 must have been retro fitted.mr shifty said:
I just noticed that on the Full List of TVR models thread it lists Cerbera, Cerbera MkII and Cerbera MkIII. I didn't realise a 'MkIII' Cerbera existed (officially or by popular convention). I'm fully aware that between different Mks of the same TVR model the lines can be a bit blurred - and even within the same Mk - but am I right in thinking the versions differ approximately as follows:
Cerbera (1996-1999) - single lens headlights, Cerbera seats, original Chimaera/Fiesta combined rear light units, black A-pillars, orange front/side repeaters, backlit rear plate. Choice of 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkII (1999-2002) - unblended 'Tuscan' light pods, Tuscan seats, later Chimaera/individual rear lamps, body-coloured A-pillars, spiders, clear front/side repeaters, front-lit rear plate. Choice of 4.0 Speed6, or 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkIII (2002-2006) - as per MkII, but with blended light pods.
Are there any significant differences missed? As someone vaguely in the market for Cerb (and will be more seriously later in the year) I'm genuinely interested.
The above isn't quite right.Cerbera (1996-1999) - single lens headlights, Cerbera seats, original Chimaera/Fiesta combined rear light units, black A-pillars, orange front/side repeaters, backlit rear plate. Choice of 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkII (1999-2002) - unblended 'Tuscan' light pods, Tuscan seats, later Chimaera/individual rear lamps, body-coloured A-pillars, spiders, clear front/side repeaters, front-lit rear plate. Choice of 4.0 Speed6, or 4.2/4.5 AJP V8.
Cerbera MkIII (2002-2006) - as per MkII, but with blended light pods.
Are there any significant differences missed? As someone vaguely in the market for Cerb (and will be more seriously later in the year) I'm genuinely interested.
The v8 4.2 came out in 96. The 4.5 a year or so later. The s6 in 98 I think. These were all basically the same car bar the different engines (and some differences in brakes, wheels and suspension).
The Tuscan seats, unblended lights, new pillars, different roll bar etc were introduced in 2000 ish. As above the speed 6 retained the original lights. Then in circa 2002 they blended the front lights in (and I think the s6 model may have also adopted the newer lights at this point).
Gazzab said:
XK120FHC said:
Gazzab said:
The unblended pods were standard in 2000/1'ish for the 4.2 and 4.4 with the speed six retaining the single pod lamp.
Only 4.5s got the unblended pods, any you've seen on a 2000/01 4.2 must have been retro fitted.
The quad headlights were originally only intended for the 4.5 to make it stand out as the top model. It was only later when they started to blend them(about 2002) that all model got quad lights.
The problem is that so many people have upgraded them there are probably more modified ones out there than original factory ones, I think that's why everyone always gets it's slightly wrong.
Edited by XK120FHC on Friday 31st July 15:27
Well having owned tvrs for most of the Cerbera period (including 3 cerbs) I am really surprised to learn that and that is the first time I have ever seen a 4.2 from that period with older lights (including during the time they were being produced). Although the number of 4.2s made during that period was probably quite small as the s6 and 4.5 took the lions share of orders afaik. Is this just one example or the only example I wonder?
Gazzab said:
Well having owned tvrs for most of the Cerbera period (including 3 cerbs) I am really surprised to learn that and that is the first time I have ever seen a 4.2 from that period with older lights (including during the time they were being produced). Although the number of 4.2s made during that period was probably quite small as the s6 and 4.5 took the lions share of orders afaik. Is this just one example or the only example I wonder?
There are more than one like this, I've seen a few. Your right they did make more 4.5s and SS around this time which is why you hardly ever see a mk2 4.2 with big single lights, that and most have probably been upgraded. I used to live up the road from the factory and was a bit of a cerbera geek at the time
. I remember Dave Oxley telling me about the new lights for the 4.5 model in 1999, they were definitely just for the 4.5 to begin with.XK120FHC said:
The quad headlights were originally only intended for the 4.5 to make it stand out as the top model. It was only later when they started to blend them(about 2002) that all model got quad lights.
To confuse matters further, the "4.2" from the later era have 4.5 bottom ends!Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff