430 Introduction

[bluezeeland]

Hi gents,

After having owned a number of M series car, thought it was about time to go a bit more 'beefy'.

At present there is still a very nice 3000S in the garage (see profile) and she deserves a stable-mate.....

I was dreaming about a Griff for a number of years, and some weeks ago this came up;



Its a non-BV 1993 430, has had a nose-job, ACT cherry bombs/all s/s and some other goodies (you might notice she's LHD, I'm in Belgium)

Needless to say I am a happy chappy !

She will be delivered in September only, for various reasons (long story....)

As of that time there might be the odd tech-question..........will have a read-up of the 'Bible' too !

greetings

Frank

[Barreti]

Hi Frank and welcome not only to the Griffith forum but to the Pre-cat club.

Our early cars are called pre-cats because they were manufactured before 1st Aug 1992 at which time UK legislation demanded catalytic converters be fitted to all cars.

TVR were savvy to the impact this would make to their cars and registered a number of 4.0 and 4.3 cars as manufactured before this date (whether they were actually manufactured at that time remains a bit of a mystery)

Here ends your first lesson Frank and I apologise if it sounded like one

You have a fine looking car there and it is the only other pre-cat I've seen apart from mine with a later '500' front end.
Do you know its history?

Welcome aboard and please keep us informed of progress and don't hesitate to ask questions about anything you are unsure of.

Edited by Barreti on Thursday 26th June 15:33

[TVR Beaver]

Barreti said:

it is the only other pre-cat I've seen apart from mine with a later '500' front end.
Do you know its history?

Edited by Barreti on Thursday 26th June 15:33

It looks like a std pre-cat to me?.. what's the difference?? (I need educating!! )

very nice looking car BTW.. and a fantastic colour!!

[Barreti]

Pre-cat cars have only a quite narrow slot at the front and the high beam lights are in recesses rather than being on the edge of the 'mouth'

If you look sideways on the pre-cat front is very flat whereas the later front has a bit of an overhang at the top edge.
You can just make this overhang out in Franks photo.

[ThePrisoner]

Ian , i'm not sure. This Griff has the bottom lights encased/surrounded in to the front panel, and look to be recessed. Maybe Frank means its had a front Paint Job. Either way its a super colour for a Griff.

[Quinny]

Ian...... Get yourself off to specsavers....

[RichB]

Barreti said:

Pre-cat cars have only a quite narrow slot at the front and the high beam lights are in recesses rather than being on the edge of the 'mouth'

If you look sideways on the pre-cat front is very flat whereas the later front has a bit of an overhang at the top edge. You can just make this overhang out in Franks photo.

However, unlike the pre-cats Griff 500s had the whole intake area opened out with the driving lights mounted inside the mouth and a bar upon which the number plate is fixed. Here endeth the second lesson

[Quinny]

RichB said:

That's clearly not a 500 nose.

The wheels must've got him all confused

[ThePrisoner]

RichB said:

However, unlike the pre-cats Griff 500s had the whole intake area opened out with the driving lights mounted inside the mouth and a bar upon which the number plate is fixed. Here endeth the second lesson

Poor old Ian, that's just rubbing his nose in it.

[RichB]

He can always put it down to old age...


... that's what I do

[bluezeeland]

Causing a stir already, and the car is not even in the garage........

anyway,

Evening peeps,

Txs for the positive comments !

I indeed meant the nose was resprayed (but do admit you had me worried for a second....)

As apparent the wheel centres are not with the car (present owner 'forgot' to take em on delivery of the rims, silly man !) So, if anyone has a spare set knocking about, please pm me

There is other issues too, chief of which are the outriggers and a wheeping diff (BTR ?, example picture might be good...) which will both be rectified prior delivery in September (one reason for the delay)

This is a pic of the engine bay, please comment (it needs detailing I know !)



greetings

Frank

[cavebloke]

It's a catted pre-cat! The exhaust is an interesting hybrid with bolts going manifold to Y piece instead of the 500s normal straps (maybe someone can say if the early 500s were this way too). Apart from the bolts, it looks more like a 500 exhaust than a pre-cat. So it looks like a pre-cat but sounds like a 500.

[bluezeeland]

Bit puzzled now........

Owner reported it to be ACT cherry bombs (which are the manifolds, or the Y piece ?)

In any case, it does sound rather sedate (which is not so say it is silent )

[RichB]

I always assumed Cherry Bombs refers to the tail silencers.

[Colin RedGriff]

Yes the ACT cherry bomb is the section from the end of the y piece backwards. The central silencer is replaced by a pair of cherry bombs.

[bluezeeland]

I see, yep, checked ACT' site. Actually the whole of the exhaust is s/s, headers, Y piece, so total lenght

Could it be some money was spend on a complete new system, including cats (2+1) ? not forgetting the car was delivered in Germany (very 'green' peeps overthere...)

[ThePrisoner]

RichB said:

He can always put it down to old age...


... that's what I do

[cavebloke]

Hard to see in these shots but it looks like you got the nice pre-cat rocker covers on the engine with TVR cast into them. I love these on my car.

[RichB]

bluezeeland said:

Could it be some money was spend on a complete new system, including cats (2+1)?

Not meant to be a daft question but would a car without catalysers have Lambda sensors?

[bluezeeland]

cavebloke said:

Hard to see in these shots but it looks like you got the nice pre-cat rocker covers on the engine with TVR cast into them. I love these on my car.

Yes they are, they could do with a respray, thinking of wrinkle-paint....