Autocar TVR Article

[peteA]

In this weeks Autocar there is an article about TVR...OK, it predominantly about the griff (there is a thread on the griff forum) but there is a panel ''Elwoods view on other TVR models''

Elwood being Doug Elwood from David Gerald TVR.

The only cerbera mention is not exactly positive!

''For TVR this was such a hugely ambitous and complex car, but they're getting old now and a lot of cars are with people who don't know how to look after them. Chassis corrosion is an issue in older examples and very expensive to fix. The V8's are more expensive but the straight sixes are better to drive''

Worth buying Autocar for a read and it is a generally positive article but not sure about the Cerb comments....especially the last bit!

[Gazzab]

''For TVR this was such a hugely ambitous and complex car, but they're getting old now and a lot of cars are with people who don't know how to look after them. Chassis corrosion is an issue in older examples and very expensive to fix. The V8's are more expensive but the straight sixes are better to drive''

It isnt a complex car though! Expensive to manufacture though.
Chassis issues are the same on all TVRs. Not a cerb specific issue.
Straight sixes are 'better' to drive, not sure what that means. Easier as a day to day car but we all know the probs that come with the engines, as well as mechanical issues they are also lacking torque.

[peteA]

Gazzab said:

''For TVR this was such a hugely ambitous and complex car, but they're getting old now and a lot of cars are with people who don't know how to look after them. Chassis corrosion is an issue in older examples and very expensive to fix. The V8's are more expensive but the straight sixes are better to drive''

It isnt a complex car though! Expensive to manufacture though.
Chassis issues are the same on all TVRs. Not a cerb specific issue.
Straight sixes are 'better' to drive, not sure what that means. Easier as a day to day car but we all know the probs that come with the engines, as well as mechanical issues they are also lacking torque.

Yep - pretty much sums up what I thought...I've been in a SP6 Cerb but never driven one so don't really have an opinion one way or the other about which is 'better' - why not say they are different? Which was presumably the point of producing them both in the first place...

[The Surveyor]

The SP6 Cerb was always marketed as the softer 'touring' spec. Softer on the damping and a little less 'balls-out'. I've driven PateA's Cerb and there is a huge difference in character to my SP6 Tuscan, couldn't be drawn on which is 'better' but as said above, they are just different.

With the Cerb Chassis, isn't there an issue with the fixings of the roll-cage which makes a body lift more complex, or have I just read some other press bullsh*t ?

The article in this months Classic and Sports Car is well worth a read too..

Paul

[shpub]

The Surveyor said:

With the Cerb Chassis, isn't there an issue with the fixings of the roll-cage which makes a body lift more complex, or have I just read some other press bullsh*t ?
Paul

Nope. Depends on how much chassis repair is needed but alignment to take the roll cage built into the body is critical - get it wrong and the body won't go back on. There is also the small matter that the chassis is glassed into the body at a couple of points, you can't do a partial body lift to replace the outriggers only. The cars also rust in the transmission tunnels so if the outriggers have gone, then it is likely that the tunnel will need some TLC as well.

It took me about 2 days to remove most of the interior to get all 40 odd bolts free to lift the body. Add another couple of days to put it all back.

Doing a Griff/Chimaera or even a Wedge is a lot easier and less time consuming - for that read less expensive.

[JensenA]

I can see where he is coming from, he's giving advice to an audience of 'Normal' car enthusiasts, people who are coming from mainstream models and are now finding the Cerbera's are bargain basement cars that can be had for the same price as a 6 year old Golf Gti. So in that context he's got it right. Compared to it's contempary models, ie the Griffith and Chimaera, the Cerbera was a complex car, and it was a big step up for TVR.
Iv'e never owned a car which has cost me so much money. or had so many problems - 90% of them 'niggles'). But like most of the established owners on here, I'm an enthusiast, so all the problems and expense are exactly as I expected, and so they just haven't been an issue. It's the best and most rewarding car I've ever owned - I love it

[peteA]

JensenA said:

I can see where he is coming from, he's giving advice to an audience of 'Normal' car enthusiasts, people who are coming from mainstream models and are now finding the Cerbera's are bargain basement cars that can be had for the same price as a 6 year old Golf Gti. So in that context he's got it right. Compared to it's contempary models, ie the Griffith and Chimaera, the Cerbera was a complex car, and it was a big step up for TVR.
Iv'e never owned a car which has cost me so much money. or had so many problems - 90% of them 'niggles'). But like most of the established owners on here, I'm an enthusiast, so all the problems and expense are exactly as I expected, and so they just haven't been an issue. It's the best and most rewarding car I've ever owned - I love it

I know what you mean about a general audience but he could have made the cars sound a bit more exciting...ditto the more modern stuff...Tuscans, etc.

How about - cult car, blistering performance, great looks, 2+2 practicality (?) but watch running costs, chassis and electrical gremlins.

The same guy is in the classic & sportcars article the surveyor (Hi Paul) mentions and he states 'SP6 cars are less coveted'..?

Both good articles though - then again, arent classic & Sportscar & Autocar (and Pistonheads) all part of the same group?

[JensenA]

I agree Pete.