Can You Add ABS & TC To a Chimaera?

[richarddorman]

IS THIS VERY DIFF

[oggs]

[Don]

richarddorman said:

IS THIS VERY DIFF

YES. AND EXPENSIVE.

Back when they were new some owners did investigate aftermarket systems. Its possible. But you won't like the price.

[SimonV8ster]

Think the Racelogic traction control system (which is appranantly very good) costs about 1500 quid. Can't remember if that includes fitting or not

[thegman]

why would you want to do this?

buy a 1 series bmw - it will make you happy.

[tvrbob]

Why would you buy a car that was purposely built without driver aids for people who enjoy seat of the pants driving if that's not what you want? Just buy the car you want, there's plenty to choose from.

[Al 450]

A crude traction control system would be fairly easy, ABS would be very very difficult.

[Don]

SimonV8ster said:

Think the Racelogic traction control system (which is appranantly very good) costs about 1500 quid. Can't remember if that includes fitting or not

This was the system I was thinking of. I believe PHer bluesatin has it fitted to his Ultima.

By itself it is "just" traction control and may save you from spinning up the rears in the wet but it will nowt to assist with steering and braking like ABS and nowt to get a spin back like Stability Control.

As said by others - if you want these systems buy a car with them fitted. If you want top-of-the-line systems couple to a powerful roadster you should be thinking BMW Z4M, Porsche Boxster S, or possibly a 350Z convertible maybe (don't know much about 'em)? Cars more within the budget of someone buying a Chim now might be a BMW Z3M, 986 Boxster S, Honda S2000...

To be honest half the fun of driving a Chimaera is understanding that if you up it will kill you. So don't up!

[Jasandjules]

Don said:

To be honest half the fun of driving a Chimaera is understanding that if you up it will kill you. So don't up!

Indeed, the fun is knowing that when you are making progress, it is skill (well, luck in my case) keeping you on the road.

[richarddorman]

This is fine for car No 2 but when driving all year round there is times of the your were abs and tc could be a bit useful ie snow ice frost. and to top all that lunch control would be fun to have as well

[Al 450]

richarddorman said:

This is fine for car No 2 but when driving all year round there is times of the your were abs and tc could be a bit useful ie snow ice frost. and to top all that lunch control would be fun to have as well

Launch control is also easy to fit as it's basically a rev limiter, there are also cheaper racelogic traction control systems (although crude, have a look at the Demon Tweeks website.) However ABS is actually a hindrance in snow as you'll stop quicker without it. The cars are fine to drive in all weathers as long as you are careful. The only driving aids you need are a sensible right foot and some common sense.

As others have said, if you want more practicality and electronic gizmos then buy a Z4. It won't be as quick but then that's the price you pay.

[GreenV8S]

Better to spend the money on training and practice IMO. They are completely practical winter cars as long as you drive them sensibly. But they're far less forgiving of driver error than ordinary production cars, so you can't afford to be complacent about your driving skills.

[Don]

Al 450 said:

The cars are fine to drive in all weathers as long as you are careful. The only driving aids you need are a sensible right foot and some common sense.

Sorry, Al, but I disagree. Our 450 is NOT an all-weather car. It is utterly, comically useless in the snow. I had to have two mates PUSH it up the hill and into my garage!

The weather was so dire at the time that my wife abandoned the car at the edge of our estate and got me to walk back to it and try to drive it home. It was impossible. I'm not talking opposite lock and recovering from rear wheel slides here - I can do enough of that at 15mph to get home no problem - the problem was an utter, complete lack of traction due to wide tyres and light weight.

In those conditions we now use the Vectra! Skinny tyres (relatively) FWD and front engined - no problem.

Richard - if you are considering a Chim as an everyday car you can do it. It is only in the extremely icy nasty when the council don't grit that it becomes useless. The rest of the time Al is right that being sensible will be fine. In the shitty conditions cars WITH all the toys ain't necessarily going to get you home either - unless you are talking a Rangie/equivalent.

[richarddorman]

I have a 450 chimera & a porsche 928 s4. My dad has a 459 chimera as well and a cerbera he is using the 450 as his every day car and had a near miss in the wet the other day so thats were this was coming from. my car is good days only so have no probs at all

[hugerr]

Don said:

the problem was an utter, complete lack of traction due to wide tyres and light weight.

Precisely. And traction control and ABS wouldn't so anything to change that. No road car is able to cope with heavy snow, and the wider the tyres (and lighter the body), the sooner it will become undrivable. Chains or some other form of additional traction device would help, obviously, but there will always coem a time when public transport (or staying at home) is the more sensible option.

[quote]The rest of the time Al is right that being sensible will be fine.

I agree. I drive mine quite happily in the rain, cold, ice and modest snow, and although it can get interesting at times, a degree of caution and some gentle driving gets the job done well enough.

hugh

[Al 450]

Don said:

Sorry, Al, but I disagree. Our 450 is NOT an all-weather car. It is utterly, comically useless in the snow. I had to have two mates PUSH it up the hill and into my garage!

Fair point but only as useless as most front engined rear wheel drive cars. I've seen countless BMWs and Mercs stuck on icy hills so in that respect it's as practical as they are.

To be fair I leave mine in the garage when it snows!

Edited by Al 450 on Monday 29th October 18:40

[T66ORA]

One of the Hants regulars Richie (Mariner) has Traction control fitted to his Chim 500,try contacting him via his profile, i`m sure him will give you the rundown.
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showProfile.asp...

[Don]

Al 450 said:

To be fair I leave mine in the garage when it snows!

LOL. ME TOO!

...now...didn't used to...never again...

[5LitreV8]

OK - here goes.

I know TVRs are driver's cars. I know so much of the fun comes from learning how to drive the car properly. I know that as a TVR driver, most of us feel that we are 'drivers' - proper petrol heads. In some strange way, like the fact that theyu can bite.

Trouble us, sky divers get big kicks. Most will never ever need their reserve (chute), but they carry one nevertheless.

So, if you could have ABS and traction control for free, would you not be a fool to take up the offer? I don't think the original post should be condemned.

I'm going to be the first to put my hand up here. During the two years of running a 5 litre Chimaera, I can say that I did once did lock up the wheels, no harm came of it - but I remember thinking - "Hmmm.... ABS is true emergency situations is a life saver". Please don't respond with "I use cadence breaking!". How many of us can a) Cadence break b) Cadence break under pressure!??

If it's good enough for Fezza and Lambos, well....

All just my opinion of course!

[GreenV8S]

If my TVR had TC and ABS then they'd be switched on for almost all driving on public roads and off every time it went on track. But it doesn't, and fitting them would take more time and money than IMO it is worth. I'm aware of the handling characteristics of my TVR and my own limits as a driver and drive accordingly.