Well here she is.....
Discussion
Hi folks
Today was the day I picked the Chimaera up, I have just returned home from a faultless (ish) 2.5 hour drive home.
What a car, I am grinning from ear to ear. I hate the words 'epic' and 'awesome' but they are the only words I can use to describe it. Coming from an MX-5, it's a different world, so bleedin quick, just a flex of the big toe and of it goes. Someone recently asked if 450BHP was necessary, well, no it isn't, 250BHP is enough for me thanks.
Pictures in just a minute, I'll tell you about the car first:
1998 Chimaera 450
Metallic Black with black leather interior
FSH
51,000 on the clock
Non PAS
Uprated head unit and 6-Disc changer
Only modifications (so far) are:
Pre Cats removed
Sleeved exhaust
Trickle charger in boot
Leven Interior Kit
Leven Oil Filler cap
Mark Adams Chip and set up (Graphs state 248BHP @ 5242rpm and 277lbft @ 4125rpm)
The chap I bought it from also had a box of bits that came with the car – Serp' belt, Bulbs, Fuses/Relays, Oil, Coolant, Steve Heath Bible etc. - A 3 layer cover, Unused spare and a few other bits and bobs.
I can see myself going through an awful lot of V-Power over the next coming months, it drives really well and the lack of power steering is not something that bothers me at all. Although, I did come across 2 little problems.
1. The cigarette lighter doesn't work. Why didn't I check? Who knows. It looks fairly corroded though so hopefully that's it.
2. I think it may have the Hot Start problem
I pulled into the services to stretch my legs and after a few minutes I went back and it wouldn't start. My heart sank 
I remembered what I had read about the Hot Start issue (this was after 1.5 hours solid motorway cruising and around .80 leptons), so I went and had a leak, bought a drink and when I retuned to the car it fired straight up.
Anyway, I am booked into TVRS (South West) on Tuesday for a summer service and MOT. I'll get Colin to have a look and sort it out.
Plans so far, Stainless dash, Leven Wipers, Fix Broken numberplate..... and that's about it – don't laugh, I am naïve, as if I won't think of anything else.
Right then, pictures:
Today was the day I picked the Chimaera up, I have just returned home from a faultless (ish) 2.5 hour drive home.
What a car, I am grinning from ear to ear. I hate the words 'epic' and 'awesome' but they are the only words I can use to describe it. Coming from an MX-5, it's a different world, so bleedin quick, just a flex of the big toe and of it goes. Someone recently asked if 450BHP was necessary, well, no it isn't, 250BHP is enough for me thanks.
Pictures in just a minute, I'll tell you about the car first:
1998 Chimaera 450
Metallic Black with black leather interior
FSH
51,000 on the clock
Non PAS
Uprated head unit and 6-Disc changer
Only modifications (so far) are:
Pre Cats removed
Sleeved exhaust
Trickle charger in boot
Leven Interior Kit
Leven Oil Filler cap
Mark Adams Chip and set up (Graphs state 248BHP @ 5242rpm and 277lbft @ 4125rpm)
The chap I bought it from also had a box of bits that came with the car – Serp' belt, Bulbs, Fuses/Relays, Oil, Coolant, Steve Heath Bible etc. - A 3 layer cover, Unused spare and a few other bits and bobs.
I can see myself going through an awful lot of V-Power over the next coming months, it drives really well and the lack of power steering is not something that bothers me at all. Although, I did come across 2 little problems.
1. The cigarette lighter doesn't work. Why didn't I check? Who knows. It looks fairly corroded though so hopefully that's it.
2. I think it may have the Hot Start problem
I pulled into the services to stretch my legs and after a few minutes I went back and it wouldn't start. My heart sank I remembered what I had read about the Hot Start issue (this was after 1.5 hours solid motorway cruising and around .80 leptons), so I went and had a leak, bought a drink and when I retuned to the car it fired straight up.Anyway, I am booked into TVRS (South West) on Tuesday for a summer service and MOT. I'll get Colin to have a look and sort it out.
Plans so far, Stainless dash, Leven Wipers, Fix Broken numberplate..... and that's about it – don't laugh, I am naïve, as if I won't think of anything else.
Right then, pictures:
ybt1982 said:
Cheers for the comments guys 
). After lots of searching and reasearch he discovered that it was Diamond Black, code: 1654B.
Should be on the build page in the service manual non?SILICONEKID340HP said:
What is the colour ?
The previous owner asked the same question when he purchased the car 4 years ago (exactly 4 years tommorrow ). After lots of searching and reasearch he discovered that it was Diamond Black, code: 1654B.ybt1982 said:
Cheers for the comments guys
). After lots of searching and reasearch he discovered that it was Diamond Black, code: 1654B.
Your car looks identical to mine!!! Mine is 'Highland Pearl' which is a grey colour, but when the sun shines on it you can see green, blue, pink and other sparkly colours SILICONEKID340HP said:
What is the colour ?
The previous owner asked the same question when he purchased the car 4 years ago (exactly 4 years tommorrow ). After lots of searching and reasearch he discovered that it was Diamond Black, code: 1654B.
Your interior is also the same as mine. One of the things that sold me was the colour and the interior, it's understated, not 'in yer face', and (IMO) adds a certain sophistication to the overall appeal. I applaud your taste 
Regarding the 450bhp, is it necessary? I was the OP on that one. I also thought the standard power was 'adequate'. Well, on the drive home anyway
Have fun, and beware of rain showers....
Cheers,
Chilli
Colin L said:
Hi great looking car but confused, the tail lights are mk1 Ford fiesta units, these changed on the mk2 to the individual lights and that was on the 97 mk2 cars.
Very strange unless she was build late 96 and not reg till 98.
Colin l
Mine's an R reg, has the same rear lights as the OP's, car originally came from Fernies...Very strange unless she was build late 96 and not reg till 98.
Colin l
Having owned various flavours of MX5, a 450 Chim, and another Chim on the way, I think I can help here.
A very different proposition, the Tiv needs to be treated with care and respect, esp in the wet. No ABS, T/C etc. Lots of torque and power. Whereas an mx5 can be (and ecourages to be chucked about), a Chim needs a little more care and attention. That said, a well sorted one is still a very tidily handling car.
The MX5 is of course cheaper to run, and less likely to give you problems, but the myth that Tiv's break down all the time is not so bad as people would have you believe - kept well maintained and used frequently they can be fine.
What the Chim gives, that the Mx doesnt is a sense of occasion, and the growl of a V8.
A very different proposition, the Tiv needs to be treated with care and respect, esp in the wet. No ABS, T/C etc. Lots of torque and power. Whereas an mx5 can be (and ecourages to be chucked about), a Chim needs a little more care and attention. That said, a well sorted one is still a very tidily handling car.
The MX5 is of course cheaper to run, and less likely to give you problems, but the myth that Tiv's break down all the time is not so bad as people would have you believe - kept well maintained and used frequently they can be fine.
What the Chim gives, that the Mx doesnt is a sense of occasion, and the growl of a V8.
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
I can live with it (a TIV) having the hump every now and again - and yes, of course driving a car with twice (+) the oomph will command a little more attention at the wheel - and more than likely create a new GT likeness. This was something I looked at a while ago when I considered a mates S2000. Bigger, Comfier, more long legged / Boot, refinement and of course speed.
After having it for the weekend, I could just not see it in comparison to the notes (it would have been a £10k upgrade) for what I got - and moreover I did not like the 'drive' of it.
I wonder about the possible truckman like controls of the Tiv versus the snikety MX5. - you say the Chim "very tidily handling car" - comparable?
A couple of comments from me on your thoughts above:After having it for the weekend, I could just not see it in comparison to the notes (it would have been a £10k upgrade) for what I got - and moreover I did not like the 'drive' of it.
I wonder about the possible truckman like controls of the Tiv versus the snikety MX5. - you say the Chim "very tidily handling car" - comparable?
1. Yes, the Chimaera does require a bit more attention (just a bit) when driving it but nothing you cannot adapt to. It took me a few months to build up to any sort of speed round a corner and the car clearly didn't like that at the time
2. Overall the "drive" of the car was good (to me at least) and I knew I could sort the handling out at a later date with a few bob I had left in the kitty from my purchase budget.
3. The handling was sorted at the 1st MOT & service by TVR Power. A nice new set of Gaz Gold Pros were fitted and set up for fast road use. This completely transformed the car and it now feels planted to the road and my corner speeds have risen significantly. Having said that I am no Jenson Button but my confidence rose accordingly.
If you do decide to make the move to TVR ownership the sage like advice always offered to drive several is spot on. At least one will not handle at all, one will be perfect, with several inbetween. I bought the 4th one I viewed and drove.
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