TVR Vixen S2 1969 WFD 400H

[1969tuscan]

1969tuscan said:

. Out today in wfd 400h. On the combined north east / tees valley run to Castle howard With some nice tvr like minded people ,think about 130 mile round trip over moors some pretty rough road surfaces but wfd400h took them in its stride exceeded my expectations , thanks for all the good comments

[limjamrace]

That is nice of you to say so Samolt..

Hope Keith can keep up information of its progress..

With the original 1600 x flow WFD had an awful ride at 30 -40 mph but beyond that it became fine and did the handling as one would expect..I guess with the extra weight of the V6 the sprung weight stops it bouncing..

Have you had any thoughts of setting it up suspension wise and the tyre choice..

Has anyone had any experience of replica Dunlop SP Sports which seemed to be the favourite choice in period if i remember right.

[1969tuscan]

Suspension worked fine David since I lifted it a smidgen it never bottomed , and there was some quite rough road surfaces , and clears those pesky speed bumps , and quite a comfortable ride , I will have to sort some new tyres tho ,guy in the Tuscan in the picture had a new set of 165/15s on his so are still available

[1969tuscan]

[limjamrace]

My another beauty ..The side slats rather than the Mk 4 Zodiac type really make the side view hairy to my mind..

With recent events regarding the Imp scene i really think i should have taken the Vixen route except in the way of the race Stiletto..
In the 1980`s days back then i attended a couple of events with the local TVR set..Although i went with the Avenger Tiger i had it was so much more my scene ar the time..
Only takes a serious lotto win now though to reunite my small farm with outbuildings and start getting stuck into my ambitions..

[1969tuscan]

. Another photo from the tees valley cobweb run to
Castle Howard Over the moors

[1969tuscan]

. Picture of wfd400h with previous owner a young looking David’ I take it it was comeing
Out of one of the many garages it was laid in since the 80s am I right David

[limjamrace]

Yes i had two garages at that place since i was about eighteen in Elm Park ,Essex..My first ever car evolved from there from standard imp to special saloon.

Decided to bring the WFD closer to home at the time in Harold Hill..Surprisingly it was safer there than Elm Park in the end as that row of garages were gradually being burnt out by vandals

[1969tuscan]

.
Another picture of wfd400H taken at the Aycliffe car show

[limjamrace]

So pleased the Marigold and Tan interior go so well..

The original spare wheel cover was seemingly lost in black over the period of past ownerships it seems..
Yet i feel you were so lucky to inherit the rest of the interior intact and in such good shape..

What WFD needs now is it being prepared for Hillclimb and Sprints MSA competitions..
I could save up for a licence and share the Vehicle with you.lol

[1969tuscan]

Yes when I said I was leaving the tan interior with the marigold there was a few remarks about the choise wether they would go together but I prefer the tan to black and it’s different and I think goes well, sorry David can’t Share my baby with anyone, and certainly won’t be ragging it up a hillclimb track ,ha” ha” full points for trying tho

[limjamrace]

That is a good shot of the interior.
.
Good that it still has that Triumph emblem on the centre of the steering wheel..I wonder who originally put that on it..
Those seats although not with a safety head rest were so comfortable for me and it is just like looking back 40 years ago..
I can smell the combination of vinyl and at the time i didn`t realise leaking petrol from the enormous tank..
Ah memories !

I do have somewhere i think the GRP section parts of the transmission tunnel i cut out to clear the V6 Zodiac tubular exhaust manifold i slipped in..You may have noticed the narrowing of the tunnel inside where the pedals are..

Standard Vixens (1600 x flow) had a loop over the rear of the engine to add stiffness there i cut that out for the V6 as well but reinforced underneath the rear of engine i think..The loop was cracked anyway as is normal to happen if i remember right to what was told to me..

[1969tuscan]

As far as I know David the vixens had triumph steering columns fitted from factory and the centre horn button would of been factory standard , as for the tunnels when I got wfd400H all holes and even the heater box cut out had been glassed in so I’ve had to recut all of them .

[1969tuscan]

Forgot to say all pedals had been changed to ford to acomadate the cable clutch for the colone v6. The original pedals came
With the car but we’re very heathrobinson make shift affairs but from what I’ve seen
On other cars that’s what they were like from factory

[1969tuscan]

. No spare wheel or cover came with car had to buy wheel and tyre and cover off eBay

[1969tuscan]

[limjamrace]

Ahh..I did the glassing up as i positioned the V6 Essex far back and i think the heater box was in the way.
Thinking that the exhaust would be enough to keep warm inside i omitted it.

That inertia seat belt i remember well..

Remembered something else the other day...The Nearside door used to open for some reason at about 80 mph (??) !
On one occasion i was out with friends one of which had a teenage sister who wanted to ride in WFD to the pub where will were going..She was a bit concerned that the door started to open at about 30 deg..

That cable clutch conversion must have been a bit of head scratcher..

[limjamrace]

Did you manage to get the heated rear screen working?
I think i managed to see only a portion demisting in my time..

[1969tuscan]

Door doesn’t come open at speed anymore ,Heated rear screen still only partially working but ha you can’t have everything , at least it’s a glass screen , I’m still trying to source a 6cylinder electronic Rev counter without paying a fortune their asking for them , no rush can live without one till one turns up

[limjamrace]

My ambition would you believe was to compete in WFD so the glass rear window was ear marked for a perspex affair for lightness..
From my record of failed attempts into getting into Motorsport perhaps it was good not to have progressed that way..
The conversion from V6 Essex and overdrive gearbox from 1600 x flow did enough to subside things on WFD..

I did manage to remove the front screen in laminated and change the screen rubber without damage but pushing out that goldfish bowl would have been a disaster i reckon if it had broken..Hate to think how much they are now..