A few questions...

[don1]

Ok, I'm looking to get my first ever Griff in a month or so.... looking around the ~10k mark, and have been keeping my eye on a few here. Questions include....
1) Has anyone replaced (tastefully) the rear lights?
2) Who does the headlight replacement that gets the Tuscan look, but keeps the perspex?
3) Does anyone know anyone thinking about selling their 30,000 mile, de-cat 4.0, a 4.3 or a 500 for that kind of money?
4) I can't seem to find out how much a full Leven dash kit costs, or how difficult it is to fit?
Apart from that, I will be signing up to the Griff pages, and looking to growl...

[Roberto Rica]

So you want to find a cheap Griffith and devalue it further?

Rob

[don1]

Excuse me? I haven't said I WANT to do, I am asking questions, nothing more. I'm certainly no Max Power, Lexus light wannabe. So thanks for such a constructive reply.

[GJR]

Hi Don & welcome.... hope you find a good car..

It's a shame when new people get such a cold reception...

I think most of your Qn's have answers either here (you can do a search) or on The Griffith Pages.

For the lights:

www.rmcbodyworks.co.uk/index.htm

and I looked on the leven site yesterday and remember seeing the ali dash..
Good luck.

G

[jeffsy]

Welcome and Good luck Don...you wont regret it

Great idea to Growl but get yer room booked NOW as there were 60 gone for the sat night 2 weeks ago!! Come on the Friday as well if you like beer, curry and a good laff!!

graham

[97octane]

Roberto Rica said:

So you want to find a cheap Griffith and devalue it further?

Rob

Ouch!
Don't be put off, buy what you think feels right.
As far as light conversions go, there are at least two threads on the Griff forum about front and rear light conversions and the relative practical and aesthetic merits of both. If you use the search facility you should be able to find them.
The Leven stalk conversion (or equivalent) is quite easy to do and Leven are very helpful, although my experience of Griff hunting is that so many cars have already had it done, you probably won't have to.
The best advice is to get the best car you can find for the money & concentrate on good mechanicals and chassis before you start getting worked up about modifications.

Rob, go get another coffee!

Alan

[v8sag]

Can't help to much as a bit far away from the action,Webb's do the headlight conversion,someone might come along with a link,IMHO they look best left alone or upgrade the feeble lamp.A dark tint film on the rears can really make a big difference depending on the colour of the car.
Good luck in your search,i'd advise spending as much your budget can stretch on a nice one,forget the goodies for a while and get to know and enjoy the car.
Wer'e not all angry Roberta's on here.

[don1]

Cheers all... will be poking about further and digging up information.
Growl is around the 18th August isn't it? I think I've been booked to play overseas that weekend, so may miss it... shame! I'll be around, asking occasional dumb-ass questions. For example - this bible. I went and got one, and it's only got a motorbike in it. "And the sound of Moses's Triumph was heard in the desert".....

[burriana]

Roberto Rica said:

So you want to find a cheap Griffith and devalue it further?

Not subtle ... as ever but Rob may have a point.

There is nothing wrong with adding your own touches to your car within reason but I do think that it would be an idea to find the best Griff you can first and then personalise it as and when funds allow. You never know, once you live with it for a while you may grow to appreciate the natural features.

I had the full Leven ally interior kit on my last one and saw the fact that the current one has original black as a negative ... along with the black dials (yeuch!) but now I appreciate them a lot more and the only upgrade I might (or might not) do is the aluminium handbrake cover.

You will have your work cut out to find a really good car for your budget (forget a 500) so one step at a time I'd say

[don1]

Cheers Al. Good advice... I've been reading that the 4.3 and 5.0's are a lot better than the 4.0 lumps. Is this true? As in better breathing, generally nicer to drive engines?

And when buying, obviously outriggers, overheating etc are the main things, as well as the driving experience (no lumps, knocks, arrow straight etc), smelly carpets etc... but if people were to look for particular things outside those, what would put them off a car?

[spend]

Roberto Rica said:

So you want to find a cheap Griffith and devalue it further?

Rob

Like putting 16" wheels on the front

Pots & Kettles?

OP its much cheaper to find a car with the upgrades you want, than to do it yourself. Many of us spend fortunes upgrading the cars, which will not be realized in resale values

Dave

[LordGrover]

spend said:

[OP its much cheaper to find a car with the upgrades you want, than to do it yourself. Many of us spend fortunes upgrading the cars, which will not be realized in resale values Dave

I was lucky; the previous owner had receipts for over £6,000 in the preceding 18 months - which meant I got a bargain!
Keep 'em peeled, there're good 'uns out there, just be prepared to search.

[burriana]

don1 said:

... but if people were to look for particular things outside those, what would put them off a car?

Look where it is kept ... does it look cherished or not.

What is the overall condition? ... a tatty interior will usually not be the only thing that is tatty.

Has it been used and hooned? ... The last owner of mine mentioned they had done an Alps trip with some friends ... I only found out later that this was the Furball 5000!!! .... now I might be strange, but the fact that it had been hooned across the Alps with some vigour I regarded as a plus point

Is the history good, are there receipts and such like in a file ... basically, has the owner bothered.

Apart from that, you've covered most of the mechanical things. If you are not an expert, have someone who is look at it for your, especially when it comes to tugging the wheels backwards and forwards as it will be odds on that the suspension bushes and dampers will be worn. These alone will cost about £1,000 to put right.

[don1]

Muchas gracias.

[burriana]

de nada

[barreti]

Eyup Don1.
Ignore Rob, he gets all up his own arse sometimes. He seems to be a generally OK guy but can seem to want to provoke for the sake of it.
Tig, your IT Rob have you stopped taking the tablets again?

Anyway, the guys on here are good eggs. I wouldn't have had the courage to do half what I've done without their support and help.

Modify the car if you want, its yours after all. Some people will hate it, others love it. Its that marmite sort of car.
I can reiterate the comments already posted about getting to know the car, the driver, its garage, the receipts etc and getting someone in the know to check it out for you. I'll also add you should get to a couple of regional TVRCC meets. You'll find plenty of people who will bore the fur off you talking about not just their Griff but anybody elses close at hand.
And if you still haven't got one come August, come on down to the Growl. I guarantee you Griff Info Overload.

Happy Hunting

Edited by barreti on Tuesday 13th March 17:36

[Roberto Rica]

Don't worry - you'll always get a straight answer from me, no old flannel - if you don't like them then don't ask - no harm intended just my honest opinions.

Rob

[jeffsy]

Don

Buy for originality - keep the same

Buy for originality - do small upgrades to improve the experience

Buy modded - keep the same

Buy modded - do small/large upgrades to improve the experience

Buy anything - keep the same or totally change it....

I 'spose the point is that its doesnt really matter and thats the beauty of it imho. Without mods half the content of this site would disappear and with it most of the debate. All we would have left is the moans about non starting, faults etc (as we cant all put threads on everytime we have a run out and say how brill it was )

Get half a dozen Griffs together and you would cover all the situations mentioned above. The answer is that there is no answer and all permutations are great and are viewed with equal measure.

Shame you can make the Growl though....

[Uncle Bulgaria]

don1 said:

Excuse me? I haven't said I WANT to do, I am asking questions, nothing more. I'm certainly no Max Power, Lexus light wannabe. So thanks for such a constructive reply.

has no one got a sense of humour anymore,

[don1]

In my defence, first reply to a first ever question (that was quite reasonable)... but still managed to push my buttons!

God help me... there's a very nice Chimp close to me for sale, exactly as I want it, at a good price....