tuscan racer road conversion

[lvarga]

Please advise me if the road conversion of Tuscan racers is possible. If yes is there any reliable company I can turn to and what is the expected budget?

Thank you

[Graham]

It is possible and there are a number of methods. I believe TVRolet is planning to put his through an SVA test so the results of that will be interesting.


RT Racing have done a few.


Costs, well lots... rolling chassis 15k, engine (rv8) and bits to fit 5k odds and sods another 5k.

so probably a minimum of 25k not including labour.

if you got ajp and full trim, and a good paint job then easily well over 30k.

There is one ready to go in the classifieds and thats at about 30k reputed to be a lot less than it cost !!!

G

[Terminator]

Graham said:

RT Racing have done a few.

Only one, that I know of (Richard's own car). He's working on mine but progress is 'slow' and that's putting it kindly!

[lvarga]

why is that so complicated? I thoguht it's just a few things to be done

[griff2be]

Lets see....

windscreen changed to glass
if 2 seater then relocate fuel tank, oil tank, battery and fire extinguisher
fabricate handbrake assembly
indicator repeaters
another windscreen wiper
additional lighting
most cars don't have a floor under the driver's seat
instrumentation (race cars don't have speedos or fuel guages

err - engine!!

for starters

and the small matter of getting it road registered


I think Steve Howard at Thames Valley Racing has probably done more than most - I can think of 2 road going cars and a further three 2 seater conversions off hand

[tvrolet]

Graham said:

It is possible and there are a number of methods. I believe TVRolet is planning to put his through an SVA test so the results of that will be interesting.

'tis indeed the plan, and so everything I'm building in should be SVA compliant - at least I hope it is.

griff2be said:

Lets see.... windscreen changed to glass if 2 seater then relocate fuel tank, oil tank, battery and fire extinguisher fabricate handbrake assembly indicator repeaters another windscreen wiper additional lighting most cars don't have a floor under the driver's seat instrumentation (race cars don't have speedos or fuel guages err - engine!! for starters

All of the above... Plus on the engine front, an AJP road engine won't drop in without chassis mods, nor will an RV8 or a Chevy And if you go for bigger power in a Chevy then you're looking at a different clutch and box.

So if you're doing it properly, an estimate for parts (including engine) of £10-£20K sounds in the ball park excluding the chassis. Then there's labour. I reckon I've spent over 800 man-hours on mine so far and maybe only 2/3 of the way through. I'm maybe not the quickest worker, and I'm being a bit anal over the details, but this isn't a weekend project.

The best way to look at it I'd say is as a kit car project, like an Ultima. The build and parts costs will be about the same. Then add on the extra time to take it apart and refurbish the parts before starting the build - so Ultima timescales and budgets plus 50%

WB

[darren no 7]

i have a two seater for sale with 4.5 ajp fitted.ihave usedit for track days and two tuscan races,all it needs are horns etc £20000 give me a call darren dowling (this car unbelievably fast and in excellent condition) 07958754726

>> Edited by darren no 7 on Friday 22 July 18:25

[lvarga]

Darren - please email me, I'm abroad at the moment [e-mail]

[Tuscan_No27]

I'm in the same boat as LVARGA. I've just bought No.27 from Rod B. Very pleased I am too. The plan is not to race it - sorry guys, I'm using a much cheaper Westfield for my racing thrills. I intend to SVA the car doing the bare minimum necessary to get through the test. I don't mean do it on the cheap - I just want to keep the car as close to original as possible.

But the first decision I have to make is whether to go with an AJPV8 or Rover V8. Rod gave me all the bits that go with the AJP racing engine; namely exh manifolds, pipes, and carbon airboxes. So the AJP would be an easier fit and I've found that AJP's are generally as cheap if not cheaper than RV8's. But what puts me off the AJP, are the stories of unreliability (long term more expensive) and IMHO they don't sound as nice as the RV8. I also imagine there are more specialists around for the RV8 than for the AJP.

Any comments ?

Thanks
Richard
(Northumberland)

[gun metal]

Tuscan_No27 said:

I'm in the same boat as LVARGA. I've just bought No.27 from Rod B. Very pleased I am too. The plan is not to race it - sorry guys, I'm using a much cheaper Westfield for my racing thrills. I intend to SVA the car doing the bare minimum necessary to get through the test. I don't mean do it on the cheap - I just want to keep the car as close to original as possible. But the first decision I have to make is whether to go with an AJPV8 or Rover V8. Rod gave me all the bits that go with the AJP racing engine; namely exh manifolds, pipes, and carbon airboxes. So the AJP would be an easier fit and I've found that AJP's are generally as cheap if not cheaper than RV8's. But what puts me off the AJP, are the stories of unreliability (long term more expensive) and IMHO they don't sound as nice as the RV8. I also imagine there are more specialists around for the RV8 than for the AJP. Any comments ? Thanks Richard (Northumberland)

Nice car Richard,driving this beast is awesome.I got one my own with a rv8 with blower andtotal rose joint.
I got a seacand a400 too, but the racer is my favorit.
Still I want to sell it, I rather want a cerb for everyday.
If you knew someone who wants a tuscan road legal mail me .
Regards
corno
P.S. Great fun with the Tuscan

[Chuggaboom]

Ah...the buyer surfaces.

Welcome to the fold.

I've heard it said that the SVA route might fail...as nobody has gone through it, yet "we" wait and see...& good luck if u use that route.

Contact me through Sprint if u want to hear the about what I did.

Re engine...I went for the AJP coz of fitting and alignment with its heritage...so far so good...but I was lucky being in the right place @ the right time when an engine came up for sale.

Performance from the 4.2 is stunning (2/3ds the weight of a Cerb) and it hasn't been attended to @ all from standard as yet.

It appears from other postings that others have spent a lot more than me so far...20,300 is my current tally....but this vastly depends on your contacts and ability to do work yourself.

Look fwd to seeing u @ a track day soon.

G.

[tvrolet]

Chuggaboom said:

I've heard it said that the SVA route might fail...as nobody has gone through it, yet "we" wait and see...& good luck if u use that route.

I'm planning to SVA mine - no reason I can see why it should fail (although I gather a fail on first presentation then a re-test is fairly normal). I have the SVA manual, and the only issue I can see is emissions, but as my engine is based on a '78 block (all be it with every other part new) my emmissions requirement is only for "no visible smoke"

It would be a different matter with a newer engine [block], and an AJP would definitely need cats.

There are lots of little things you have to build in, like a heated screen demist, brake fluid level warning light, parking wipers, 'safety' steering wheel etc., but nothing beyond the wit of man if you read the regulations. Plus, all these cobra replicas get SVA, and layout-wise they're pretty close to a Tuscan. Again though, they typically use chevys with old blocks to avoid any emissions testing.

In case anyone missed it, pictures of the engine/transmission in my chassis here www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=199391&f=13&h=0

WB

[Tuscan_No27]

Chuggaboom - how do I get in touch with you through "Sprint" (don't know what Sprint is) ?

And forgive the next silly question but if nobody has gone through the SVA route before, how do those that are road legal get round it.... is there another route to becoming road legal ?

I assume the main issue with the SVA is emissions ? When I had a Lotus Elise with an Emerald ECU, we used to have a special "MOT map" which was loaded in for 1 day each year - ran very lean for the test and then put the good one back again :-) Could this be an option ?

I'd be interested to hear how others have got their cars road legal.

I've been contacted by Andy at APM Automotive who told me John Reid may have some Challenge AJP engines available (no need to cut chassis etc). Is there any chance that this engine could be detuned to get it through an emission test ?

Thanks for the welcome chaps !

Hope to be at a trackday soon too !!!!

Richard

[Chuggaboom]

tvrolet said:

'safety' steering wheel

What the **** is that ?

Good luck with the SVA WB...look fwd to geting the full SP as and when.

Tuscan_No27 said:

Chuggaboom - how do I get in touch with you through "Sprint" (don't know what Sprint is) ?

Sprint is the monthly magazine of the TVR Car Club...see tvrcc.com or phone the office on 01952 822126....I'm listed in there coz I'm the "database administrator".

[tvrolet]

Chuggaboom said:

tvrolet said: 'safety' steering wheel[/quote What the **** is that ?

If I can quote section 14 part ii of thr SVA regulations:

"the steering wheel is a type approved component displaying an acceptable approval marking and is fitted with an energy absorbing featuer eg "collapsible boss" accompanied by documentatry evidence to confirm the assembly specificarion relative to the approval"

Which is summary means the standard momo (or similar) steering wheel won't get you through an SVA test. Easiest is probably to fit an 'approved assembly' [wheel and boss] off something SVA compliant like a westie, caterham or ultima...then once passed put the whatever you like back on.

Having had a westfield at one point, westfield get compliance by adding a big rubber 'pad' that covers the wheel centre and spokes. Once the car has passed you can take the pad off or fit another test.

Remember, for all SVA requirements [except those that also form per of an MOT] it's a once-only test. Once the car has passed you can do what you want with the car. You just have to read some of the kit-car build manuals and it is clear that that the procedure is 1) build for SVA, 3) pass SVA (eventualy!) 3) undo half the SVA stuff and put the car in the 'proper' spec. There is no annual re-test like an MOT - once passed you can do what you want again within the bounds of an MOT.

WB

[Tuscan_No27]

Chuggaboom said:

I've heard it said that the SVA route might fail...as nobody has gone through it, yet "we" wait and see...& good luck if u use that route. G.

So is there an alternative route instead of SVA to become road legal ?

Cheers

Richard

[fredtonge]

hi there, ther has been some thought to useing a older tuscan as the challenge chassie does not have a regsterd chassie number just an idea not to sure on the legality