Chimaera Tuning - also HC Upgrade?

[lukerogers]

Hi Guys

I have just bit the bullet and purchased a 1996 Chimaera after years of thinking about it. I have loved all TVRs since my childhood and I'm so excited now I have one on the driveway - god I should really grow up!

The car I bought needs plenty of work but is fairly solid, 48k, 2 owners and I'm keen to restore it to it's former glory including respray, interior re-trim and engine tuning/improvement.

Over the years I fear that the engine has lost some horses as the car dosn't seem quite as poky as my 2006 BMW 330d. Can anyone give me advice on how to get the engine back to its original power?

I was also wondering if there is a way of converting the standard 4.0 engine to the HC?

Thanks chaps!

[SILICONEKID345HP]

lukerogers said:

Hi Guys

I have just bit the bullet and purchased a 1996 Chimaera after years of thinking about it. I have loved all TVRs since my childhood and I'm so excited now I have one on the driveway - god I should really grow up!

The car I bought needs plenty of work but is fairly solid, 48k, 2 owners and I'm keen to restore it to it's former glory including respray, interior re-trim and engine tuning/improvement.

Over the years I fear that the engine has lost some horses as the car dosn't seem quite as poky as my 2006 BMW 330d. Can anyone give me advice on how to get the engine back to its original power?

I was also wondering if there is a way of converting the standard 4.0 engine to the HC?

Thanks chaps!

Welcome to the TVR World . The HC was a factory option which gave the car a bit more power . The engine had double valve springs and the cam from the 500 ,HC means high lift cam .

Unless you can paint your car and re trim you will be spending about six K for a professional job .

If i could go back from experience i would of gone for the most expensive one i could afford because bringing these cars back cost a fortune .

Edited by SILICONEKID345HP on Tuesday 17th March 20:05

[OleVix]

SILICONEKID345HP said:

Welcome to the TVR World . The HC was a factory option which gave the car a bit more power . The engine had double valve springs and the cam from the 500 ,HC means high lift cam .

Unless you can paint your car and re trim i you will be spending about six K for a professional job .

If i could go back from experience i would of gone for the most expensive one i could afford because bringing these cars back cost a fortune .

HC also has different pistons with valve reliefs in them to account for the high lift cam

[J400GED]

lukerogers said:

Hi Guys

I have just bit the bullet and purchased a 1996 Chimaera after years of thinking about it. I have loved all TVRs since my childhood and I'm so excited now I have one on the driveway - god I should really grow up!

The car I bought needs plenty of work but is fairly solid, 48k, 2 owners and I'm keen to restore it to it's former glory including respray, interior re-trim and engine tuning/improvement.

Over the years I fear that the engine has lost some horses as the car dosn't seem quite as poky as my 2006 BMW 330d. Can anyone give me advice on how to get the engine back to its original power?

I was also wondering if there is a way of converting the standard 4.0 engine to the HC?

Thanks chaps!

Welcome aboard Luke.
I'm sure you'll love it and will find more and more to do to it over time.

Pics are always good

Ignore Daz's negativity, he's one of a kind

[lukerogers]

Here she is.

Thanks for the comments guys. Are there any garages who can do this modification to the engine though?

[SILICONEKID345HP]

J400GED said:

Welcome aboard Luke.
I'm sure you'll love it and will find more and more to do to it over time.

Pics are always good

Ignore Daz's negativity, he's one of a kind

I`m not being negative ,Do what you feel , a new paint job and interior does cost a packet .

It does suit some people especially if you are handy and enjoy doing it your self .

Happy tinkering

[carsy]

lukerogers said:

Are there any garages who can do this modification to the engine though?

If your wanting a drive in / out package try TVR Power, midlands way. http://www.powersperformance.co.uk/upgrades/

If your taking the engine out and stripping it yourself you have loads of options.

[A900ss]

Stick the car on a dyno and that will tell you how much power it's putting out.

It will be a very different drive to a 330d so may have the ponies there, you just need to work a bit harder to find them.

[OleVix]

lukerogers said:

Here she is.

Thanks for the comments guys. Are there any garages who can do this modification to the engine though?

Nice colour! If I were you I'd enjoy the car this spring/ summer and wait with big surgery stuff 'til winter time. It always takes longer than expected. And if you're rebuilding your engine to HC spec, you will need new pistons, cam, headwork, engine rebalancing etc... lots of work and medium gain. You'd be better off buying a complete 4.6 or 4.8 short engine from V8tuner or similar for 2-3k, its fully balanced, hi comp pistons, crossbolted bottom. Get your heads ported and bigger valves put in. Port and open up your intake to 45mm, get a plenum with 45mm trumpets. You will probably spend 5k. Youll have 290-320 hp with the torque to boot, very nice revving and reliable.

A supercharger or turbo kit will also run you 5k at least, but without the added security of a rebuild.

[Mr Supercharged]

OleVix said:

lukerogers said:

Here she is.

Thanks for the comments guys. Are there any garages who can do this modification to the engine though?

Nice colour! If I were you I'd enjoy the car this spring/ summer and wait with big surgery stuff 'til winter time. It always takes longer than expected. And if you're rebuilding your engine to HC spec, you will need new pistons, cam, headwork, engine rebalancing etc... lots of work and medium gain. You'd be better off buying a complete 4.6 or 4.8 short engine from V8tuner or similar for 2-3k, its fully balanced, hi comp pistons, crossbolted bottom. Get your heads ported and bigger valves put in. Port and open up your intake to 45mm, get a plenum with 45mm trumpets. You will probably spend 5k. Youll have 290-320 hp with the torque to boot, very nice revving and reliable.

A supercharger or turbo kit will also run you 5k at least, but without the added security of a rebuild.

Possibly true, but amongst all that you will have to decide whether to remap the ancient lucas ECU at large expense or to ditch it and install an aftermarket ECU to release all the benefits of modification, the costs mount up but if you're handy with a car here is a little helping out I wrote to allow you to do it yourself and save a lot of cash.

http://www.tvr-car-club.co.uk/ecu.pdf

Surprisingly only 2 people ever contacted me after writing that for September 2013 Sprint Magazine. I concluded that it was either that well written it left no unanswered questions or that it appeared so complicated it put everyone off?

[OleVix]

You can program the 14cux your self now if you have the knowhow, or someone like Blitzracing can burn you a new chip, based on 430BV, 500, your own wideband logging etc.

[j&ms]

Mr Supercharged
"Surprisingly only 2 people ever contacted me after writing that for September 2013 Sprint Magazine. I concluded that it was either that well written it left no unanswered questions or that it appeared so complicated it put everyone off? "

It was well written. After reading your article I used it for reference but went down the Meagasquirt route. Also I took your recommendation for the JE trigger kit.

[pwd95]

Mr Supercharged said:

Surprisingly only 2 people ever contacted me after writing that for September 2013 Sprint Magazine. I concluded that it was either that well written it left no unanswered questions or that it appeared so complicated it put everyone off?

I remember reading that too. Way too bold a task for me & the lack of time etc. I handed mine to Lloyd Specialist developments down in Warminster. They do a drive in/ drive out CANEMS installation. Very professional top job too.

http://www.lloydspecialistdevelopments.co.uk/tvr-c...