Nickel or Gold??
Discussion
All advice welcome!
I'm planning my finances for putting my p& j back on the road in the new year. Among the jobs list is a new suspension and rather than rebuild/ replace the original, I had planned to go with Gaz Gold Pro kit. I have now seen advertised Gaz Nickel adjustable suspension. They say over 700 kits have been installed on TVRs. Has anyone here had experience wuth them?
I would never be 'tracking' my car, so 'fast road' use is probably a fair description of me ( slow cruise with occasional outbreaks of smiles would be closer!!)
Like many others at the moment, money is too tight too mention so any saving will make it easier to get her back on the road.
Your thoughts appreciated.
Cuffia.
I'm planning my finances for putting my p& j back on the road in the new year. Among the jobs list is a new suspension and rather than rebuild/ replace the original, I had planned to go with Gaz Gold Pro kit. I have now seen advertised Gaz Nickel adjustable suspension. They say over 700 kits have been installed on TVRs. Has anyone here had experience wuth them?
I would never be 'tracking' my car, so 'fast road' use is probably a fair description of me ( slow cruise with occasional outbreaks of smiles would be closer!!)
Like many others at the moment, money is too tight too mention so any saving will make it easier to get her back on the road.
Your thoughts appreciated.
Cuffia.
We're fortunate to have 2 Griffs - one with Nitrons, one with Gaz Gold Pro's. Despite efforts to convince me the Gaz Golds are as good this isn't the case IMO but then they are half the Nitron price.
The difference in the 2 is quite noticable and if I were replacing I'd save up the extra and go for the Nitrons, with Eibach uprated springs (400 front, 325 rear as a good road set up). I have to have the Gaz's on a very hard setting otherwise the car is realy unstable and feels as though it'll kill me. I've recently been told they were too high so dropped 2 clicks all around and it was terrible, back up again and acceptable.
FFG
The difference in the 2 is quite noticable and if I were replacing I'd save up the extra and go for the Nitrons, with Eibach uprated springs (400 front, 325 rear as a good road set up). I have to have the Gaz's on a very hard setting otherwise the car is realy unstable and feels as though it'll kill me. I've recently been told they were too high so dropped 2 clicks all around and it was terrible, back up again and acceptable.
FFG
Happy with my GGP especially, when I set the rear dampers softer than the front, after initially being the other way around. There is a stretch of the A22 I sometimes open the car up along and it is incredibly bumpy and lumpy for a main road and the car feels really well connected and not as others have described the ride/handling with the gaz product.
People who have had both seem to recommend the difference, plus there is a new Gaz shock system that has had good reviews. Depends how much you want to spend, plus make sure they are properly set-up.
People who have had both seem to recommend the difference, plus there is a new Gaz shock system that has had good reviews. Depends how much you want to spend, plus make sure they are properly set-up.
Another vote for GGP's here.
Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
Grey Ghost said:
Another vote for GGP's here.
Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
I'm certainly no driving god and do not track days, but do like the 1/4 mile sprints, but when you drive the 2 back to back you can really tell the difference. Mine has been set up by C of G in Atherstone (the GGP's) and Andreas 500 (with Nitrons) hasn't. I guess if you've come from 50k+ mile, 15 year old originals then anything is a big step forward.Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
FFG
CuffiaDB said:
All advice welcome!
I'm planning my finances for putting my p& j back on the road in the new year. Among the jobs list is a new suspension and rather than rebuild/ replace the original, I had planned to go with Gaz Gold Pro kit. I have now seen advertised Gaz Nickel adjustable suspension. They say over 700 kits have been installed on TVRs. Has anyone here had experience wuth them?
I would never be 'tracking' my car, so 'fast road' use is probably a fair description of me ( slow cruise with occasional outbreaks of smiles would be closer!!)
Like many others at the moment, money is too tight too mention so any saving will make it easier to get her back on the road.
Your thoughts appreciated.
Cuffia.
I purchased some Gaz nickels around 3 years ago and since then they have been a pile of crI'm planning my finances for putting my p& j back on the road in the new year. Among the jobs list is a new suspension and rather than rebuild/ replace the original, I had planned to go with Gaz Gold Pro kit. I have now seen advertised Gaz Nickel adjustable suspension. They say over 700 kits have been installed on TVRs. Has anyone here had experience wuth them?
I would never be 'tracking' my car, so 'fast road' use is probably a fair description of me ( slow cruise with occasional outbreaks of smiles would be closer!!)
Like many others at the moment, money is too tight too mention so any saving will make it easier to get her back on the road.
Your thoughts appreciated.
Cuffia.
p.I have changed the ride height and suspension settings so many times and had the 4 wheel alignment done twice..new bushes etc etc etc.There comming off this winter and the only place for them is the bin..Mine have 50 settings and only found 2 or maybe 3 which are just ok..
Edited by SILICONEKID340HP on Friday 28th October 16:12
Grey Ghost said:
Another vote for GGP's here.
Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
I have also been extremely happy with my GGP's.Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
But you have to listen to FFG.
If he has two Griffs one with Nitrons & the Other with GGP's then I would say he is far better qualified than the all the rest of us put together to comment on how the two products compare.
Like FFG says it's all relative, if you are moving from old Billies to GGP's it's no wonder you'll feel a big improvement.
When I bought my Chim it had Billies and some very worn ARB drop links, the suspension bushes were getting tired & the rear ARB bracket fractured at some point too.
To sort it all out I fitted GGP's, Leven drop links, new metastatic suspension bushes with later thrust washers, and had a full geometry set up by wheels in motion on their state of the art Hunter Hawkeye laser rig.
The car was simply transformed.
Then after the GGP springs had fully settled I adjusted the rear ride height up by 20mm so it now has the correct nose down attitude, this gave further noticeable improvements in high speed stability.
I now have just replaced both ARB brackets with uprated ones & also took the opportunity to fit poly bushes to the front & rear ARBs at the same time.
Tomorrow will be my first chance to test out what I feel are my final improvements to the suspension set up.
Fingers crossed it will be better than ever, lets hope for dry roads.
Chimpafrolic said:
Grey Ghost said:
Another vote for GGP's here.
Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
I have also been extremely happy with my GGP's.Had them fitted by TVR Power in March and set up for fast road spec. I haven't had to adjust them at all and am very happy with the ride offered and cornering ability of the car now
Bottom line to me was would the investment in Nitrons make the driving experience any better to someone with my "driving skills".............and the answer was a resounding no
But you have to listen to FFG.
If he has two Griffs one with Nitrons & the Other with GGP's then I would say he is far better qualified than the all the rest of us put together to comment on how the two products compare.
Like FFG says it's all relative, if you are moving from old Billies to GGP's it's no wonder you'll feel a big improvement.
When I bought my Chim it had Billies and some very worn ARB drop links, the suspension bushes were getting tired & the rear ARB bracket fractured at some point too.
To sort it all out I fitted GGP's, Leven drop links, new metastatic suspension bushes with later thrust washers, and had a full geometry set up by wheels in motion on their state of the art Hunter Hawkeye laser rig.
The car was simply transformed.
Then after the GGP springs had fully settled I adjusted the rear ride height up by 20mm so it now has the correct nose down attitude, this gave further noticeable improvements in high speed stability.
I now have just replaced both ARB brackets with uprated ones & also took the opportunity to fit poly bushes to the front & rear ARBs at the same time.
Tomorrow will be my first chance to test out what I feel are my final improvements to the suspension set up.
Fingers crossed it will be better than ever, lets hope for dry roads.
Having said that when the car goes back to TVR Power in March for it's annual service, MOT and fettle I will be asking Dom to check the drop links, ARB's and bushes and replace them with some uprated items if the need is there........or even if the cost is sensible
I really should get out on a track day with a few of you guys and compare notes by exchanging passenger rides.
Both cars have Powerflex bushes and Steve Heath drop links. If you can push the budget its worth it IMO. We don't track either car so both just road cars and Mrs FFG was driving her 500 daily (for 7 years) until about 12 months back when her dad passed away so she now drives her dads old car most of the time, and you can tell the difference even normal road driving. One feels totally planted the other OK, and you would think its fine, until maybe you drove the other. One is pre cat andthe otehr a 500 but bothe have a 500 chassis so ther is little difference between the 2.
FFG
FFG
Edited by FlipFlopGriff on Friday 28th October 21:17
Thanks to all, especially FFG and greyghost.
It sounds from one post like Nickels will be a false economy. But in true petrolhead style, instead of working out how I can save money, I'm now thinking of ways to justify an increased layout!!! I was planning on GGPs being around £750-800 to install and set up. Am I right in thinking Nitrons will be more like £1200 to fit/set up?
Thanks again
Cuffia.
It sounds from one post like Nickels will be a false economy. But in true petrolhead style, instead of working out how I can save money, I'm now thinking of ways to justify an increased layout!!! I was planning on GGPs being around £750-800 to install and set up. Am I right in thinking Nitrons will be more like £1200 to fit/set up?
Thanks again
Cuffia.
CuffiaDB said:
Thanks to all, especially FFG and greyghost.
It sounds from one post like Nickels will be a false economy. But in true petrolhead style, instead of working out how I can save money, I'm now thinking of ways to justify an increased layout!!! I was planning on GGPs being around £750-800 to install and set up. Am I right in thinking Nitrons will be more like £1200 to fit/set up?
Thanks again
Cuffia.
I paid £550.00 (fitted) for my GGP's, although I must point out this was a very special deal & it was 2 years ago.It sounds from one post like Nickels will be a false economy. But in true petrolhead style, instead of working out how I can save money, I'm now thinking of ways to justify an increased layout!!! I was planning on GGPs being around £750-800 to install and set up. Am I right in thinking Nitrons will be more like £1200 to fit/set up?
Thanks again
Cuffia.
They were fitted over at the Gaz factory, so I had a factory tour and watched the final assembly and testing of my set before they went on.
I did look at Nitrons but the cost was more than double, my total budget to sort the handling out was £1000 which I think is reasonable.
I chose to use the money I saved by not buying Nitrons on sorting out the bushes, fitting the expensive but excellent Leven drop links & getting a decent geo.
I don't regret doing it this way at all, the results have been fantastic and I kept to my £1000 budget.
Sure, if I has gone to Nitrons I may have ended up with better dampers but there would have been nothing left in the kitty to resolve all the other worn components.
A good suspension set up is not all about springs and dampers, there are lots of elements that all need to be 100% spot on if you are going to realise the true handling potential.
A small bit of play in each suspension bush, a bit of wear in the drop links, slightly tired dampers ect ect.
In isolation they may not be and issue, but add up all those slightly worn components & together they conspire to make your car handle like a pig on roller skates.
I'm sure a beautiful Nitrons with knackered suspension bushes & fooked drop links would have been far worse than the cheaper GGP's with everything else in the suspension completely renewed and properly set up.
I can always upgrade to Nitrons or Gaz Monos in the future, but for now I am very happy with what I created for my grand.
Just back from a blast in the Chim with the new uprated ARB plates (one had snapped 
) & the poly ARB bushes front and rear.
What can I say?
It's the nuts!!!!!!
No more "Clack, Clack" on slow speed turn in & rock solid at 140 leptons on the M40
It goes exactly where you point it & when you hit the twisty A/B roads it darts about like a little Elise.
For just over £1000.00 and a bit of work my Chim has gone from being a rather rapid truck to a truly excellent sports car.
Who said TVR's don't handle?
Awesome
300mm WMS four pot brake kit next
) & the poly ARB bushes front and rear.What can I say?
It's the nuts!!!!!!
No more "Clack, Clack" on slow speed turn in & rock solid at 140 leptons on the M40
It goes exactly where you point it & when you hit the twisty A/B roads it darts about like a little Elise.
For just over £1000.00 and a bit of work my Chim has gone from being a rather rapid truck to a truly excellent sports car.
Who said TVR's don't handle?
Awesome
300mm WMS four pot brake kit next
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