TVR Chimaera 450S Turbo 2000 W176EOL

[rockits]

macdeb said:

Cool, so glad that you like it. Hopefully you'll look after it and treat it with respect, it can bite. Have fun
PS sorry Dean

Thanks Mac. No worries. Not your doing.

I think the double kick in the balls for me is that not only did I lose out on a lovely car but I 2 cars going in reverse that would have saved me a lot of time and hassle. If Rob hadn't have come along at the 11th hour suddenly there was no other deals or enquiries on the table and James @ Greenside was happy with the only deal he had until then.

I think I'll keep my bright ideas, thoughts and deals to myself next time. Which kind of goes against what these forums are all about really.

[RUSSELLM]

Just realised this thread is Four months old

Unlucky this time, but there’s always something else out there.

[ray von]

rockits said:

I think I'll keep my bright ideas, thoughts and deals to myself next time.

Must admit that's what I thought when I read your post on Tuesday.

[robsco]

ray von said:

rockits said:

I think I'll keep my bright ideas, thoughts and deals to myself next time.

Must admit that's what I thought when I read your post on Tuesday.

As I stated to Dean initially, I hadn’t read the thread... I just enquired on a car and made a decision, which any interested party had 10 months to do.

[rockits]

robsco said:

As I stated to Dean initially, I hadn’t read the thread... I just enquired on a car and made a decision, which any interested party had 10 months to do.

Rob, it is all done, I'm good, I've had a very good few nights sleep and am over it.

You don't need to apologise or explain. You have told me how it happened and I trust/believe you 100%.

I just like to learn from my mistakes and this is the only reason I like to understand how things went. Only so I can learn and do things different to prevent issues if there was a similar situation in the future. I can't change history.

I work in the IT/tech world so always analyse why things didn't go as they should have done. It is the way we as humans learn, improve and do better next time.

Enjoy the car 😉

[rockits]

RUSSELLM said:

Just realised this thread is Four months old

Unlucky this time, but there’s always something else out there.

Indeed, crazy. Never realised that. Shame Rob didn't see it originally as it could have saved him lots of financial pain on his Sag.

[macdeb]

robsco said:

As a TVR purist it was a step from the norm for me to look at this car, if it was an LS conversion I wouldn't have bothered. The fact that it retains the RV8 is a big plus point for me. This will always be Mac's car, it shouldn't be taken away from him what he has achieved here, all the while making it look like it could have been a factory car. It feels a bit of a cheat just buying it and driving it away after everything Mac achieved to get it to work!

Thanks Rob, I wanted to keep it RV8 and it was always my intention to keep any mod's 'factory' looking. I put the boost buttons on the steering wheel as you will need both hands holding tightly when upping boost levels so just a thumb movement. The dash top around the screen was to match the door tops so it flows around the car more than just stopping. I'd like to have gone full leather too especially that black plastic mass that is on all Griffith/Chimaera's steering columns, anyway, don't listen to me going on, it's your baby now,,,,.
do still miss it

[Cats]

Mac, would you mind giving a list of what parts are required for the 5 stud conversion that you fitted to "your" car 😜?
In particular the spiders, are they all four Tuscan fronts?
Have to say it looks stunning on Spiders.
Cheers

[robsco]

rockits said:

RUSSELLM said:

Just realised this thread is Four months old

Unlucky this time, but there’s always something else out there.

Indeed, crazy. Never realised that. Shame Rob didn't see it originally as it could have saved him lots of financial pain on his Sag.

You’re right there!

[rockits]

robsco said:

rockits said:

RUSSELLM said:

Just realised this thread is Four months old

Unlucky this time, but there’s always something else out there.

Indeed, crazy. Never realised that. Shame Rob didn't see it originally as it could have saved him lots of financial pain on his Sag.

You’re right there!

Worth the pain though. Funnily enough your loss is pretty much the same amount I have saved by not upgrading my Chimaera yet!

[macdeb]

Cats said:

Mac, would you mind giving a list of what parts are required for the 5 stud conversion that you fitted to "your" car ???
In particular the spiders, are they all four Tuscan fronts?
Have to say it looks stunning on Spiders.
Cheers

Hi no prob's, though the hubs were bought with the wheels (new) from a guy in Holland. I did however re-drill the discs to suit and that's all that was done to the hubs too. They are all Rear Tuscan spiders with a 7mm spacer fitted on the fronts to get correct track width. I had 10mm spacers milled down to 7mm as I wanted it exact.

[Cats]

Thanks Mac
So you had your standard 4 Stud discs and brakes redrilled for 5 studs?
What about springs and shocks?
Cheers

[macdeb]

I fitted 'GAZ gold' shocks, also had it corner weighted with half tank of petrol and me in the car.

[rockits]

Well it has been just about a week since my TVR world was turned upside down by losing out on Mac's very special Chimaera. I felt I had to put fingers to keyboard maybe in an attempt at a therapy session to help me get over this debacle. I thought I was over this or could get over it easily enough as I always do get over disappointments. Either a week has not been enough or I'm kidding myself. I am far from over this in reality.

I have picked out two possible alternatives in Mick's (Sapper) 400 Turbo and Mark Hunter's (CHIMV8 500) old Red 500. They are both advertised at the same price and both seem great options. I had a great chat with Mick last night and he seems a lovely guy. The seller of the Red 500 is away a lot and it has been very hard to arrange a simple viewing. As the two are within 30 mins of each other in Nottinghamshire and I am best part of 6 hours round trip away it makes sense to arrange to drive my Chimaera up to see both so I can compare all 3 and see which if the two would feel better for me.

Mick's is obviously a great example but I would need to do something to the interior as green is not something my eyes appreciate. The outside I think I can live with although it wouldn't be my first choice. I like the Mk3 lights and the Speed 12 alloys. Not 100% sure about a 400 Turbo but would need to drive it as I have never driven one. I might well love it. It has been loved, lavished, cherished and obviously is a great example. You never get 100% smack you in the face perfection but the interior can be changed.

The Red 500 is again obviously a great example now after all of Mark's works on the car. I am really not a fan of Formula Red on a Chimaera so that would mean a slight colour change/respray. Strangely enough I do like some darker pearl reds like Candy Apple Red and the like so a respray would be needed at some point but not a complete colour change as it would need to match the specific interior. Everything else is good. I don't mind the Mk1 original look although my preference is Mk2 with Speed 6 lights as I have already got!

I have spent time again getting myself to a point that I want to replace my perfectly nice 400 with an example a little bit further up the food chain as it were. I have to be honest with myself now as I am really not over missing out on Mac's old car and actually far far from it. When I said you never get perfection and there are some compromises. Now and again there is sometimes an exception. For me and my personal tastes/desires Mac's car was perfect. I do mean perfect.....I wouldn't change a thing.

I am naturally a fan of blue sports cars and think the Chimaera looks great in blues especially ones like Viper Blue. My first Chimaera was a Ferrari Chiaro Blue. I loved all of these things about Mac's car. The colour Starmist Blue, the hood being blue, the Spiders, the Speed 6 front end, the magnolia/blue interior, the alcantara dash top, door panels & steering wheel insert. Obviously everything mechanically on the car was spot on. The engine bay is a work of art. I love it's classic originality mixed with a modern updated twist. It was a late 2000 car with only 20k miles.

Everything about the car for me was spot on. I would not have changed a single thing. It was perfect. When I hear that Rob (robsco) straight away wants to change the alcantara dash top and steering wheel insert and the plastic magnolia bits, the 3 stage steering wheel buttons etc. and maybe more it breaks my heart. I would leave it exactly as it is. Testament to Mac and his abilities, skill and creative vision. It should be applauded and respected IMHO. However each to their own and everybody is different of course.

I had seen it some time ago and discounted it as couldn't justify the price to my head. When I enquired again 12 days ago and James @ Greenside offered me the deal he did I though I had just won the lottery. All my moons aligned and I couldn't believe I was going to own my perfect (and I mean perfect) TVR that I knew I would own forever until my days would end. I couldn't wait until James was to visit me on the Thursday to confirm he was happy taking my cars in part exchange. I wanted to just drive them up to him and get the deal done but I waited patiently knowing he was coming down to London anyway.

I have made plenty of mistakes in my life and some bad judgement calls and this was one that I really don't know how long I will live to regret. To be effectively 24 hours away from your perfect TVR and have your automotive world turned upside down is a horrible horrible feeling. I can't really concentrate on my work, have lost all my motivation temporarily and it has really affected me. How or why I don't know....it is only a car right?! I still don't know how or why this could happen and still don't think it has fully sunk in.

The price I was paying for the car was spot on, the part exchanges were saving me a ton of potential hassle, the price in return worked perfectly, the car was perfect. Every single little detail was perfect about the deal. I cannot compute or come to terms how this didn't happen. How did I get this wrong or mess up the automotive deal potentially of a lifetime?!

My question and therapy assistance needed. How the h3ll do you get over that?! How can a rational sensible human be feeling this way.....about a car....it is just a car right?!

Sorry all but I felt I need to get this all out there to see if anyone else has been in the same position. I need to get over this and am finding it very hard at the moment.

[Byker28i]

When I bought my Cerbera I'd been chasing a car/sorting money then it stopped being for sale. The 3 months later mine came along, which I've now had for 13 years. Somethings are meant to be that you don't always know immediately.

Forget the past and move on, you're in a buyers market currently, wait for the car you want....it'll be worth it

[robsco]

rockits said:

Everything about the car for me was spot on. I would not have changed a single thing. It was perfect. When I hear that Rob (robsco) straight away wants to change the alcantara dash top and steering wheel insert and the plastic magnolia bits, the 3 stage steering wheel buttons etc. and maybe more it breaks my heart. I would leave it exactly as it is. Testament to Mac and his abilities, skill and creative vision. It should be applauded and respected IMHO. However each to their own and everybody is different of course.

You could look it at it from another angle. Consider that the amount of work and vision Mac has put into the mechanicals, it is far beyond what most of us are capable of. Therefore the interior, which in my eyes is not quite finished, is the next step towards finishing the car. The steering wheel buttons could be mounted on the rear of the steering wheel, much more tidily, as per the trip computer buttons on T350s/Sags.

The magnolia on the dash and centre console is too yellow, and it's vinyl not leather. We all know how poor the TVR vinyl was, it cheapens the car; this isn't Mac's fault, the car was supplied new this way. The dash top is a different blue to the rearmost section by the windscreen, they are also two different materials so clash with each other. The door cards could be improved further by using leather. The stitching is all white and would look better contrasting blue against the blue carpets, which I intend to keep (but replace as the car has been letting water in at some stage). The dash veneer is cracking around the heater controls, therefore would benefit from a replacement dash.

I haven't finalised colour choices etc at this stage as there are so many options. The one thing I know is that the car will be trimmed by ex-TVR employees, whether it be DC Trim or someone else local to Blackpool.

[rockits]

Byker28i said:

When I bought my Cerbera I'd been chasing a car/sorting money then it stopped being for sale. The 3 months later mine came along, which I've now had for 13 years. Somethings are meant to be that you don't always know immediately.

Forget the past and move on, you're in a buyers market currently, wait for the car you want....it'll be worth it

Thanks....we will see what the future holds I guess.

[rockits]

robsco said:

rockits said:

Everything about the car for me was spot on. I would not have changed a single thing. It was perfect. When I hear that Rob (robsco) straight away wants to change the alcantara dash top and steering wheel insert and the plastic magnolia bits, the 3 stage steering wheel buttons etc. and maybe more it breaks my heart. I would leave it exactly as it is. Testament to Mac and his abilities, skill and creative vision. It should be applauded and respected IMHO. However each to their own and everybody is different of course.

You could look it at it from another angle. Consider that the amount of work and vision Mac has put into the mechanicals, it is far beyond what most of us are capable of. Therefore the interior, which in my eyes is not quite finished, is the next step towards finishing the car. The steering wheel buttons could be mounted on the rear of the steering wheel, much more tidily, as per the trip computer buttons on T350s/Sags.

The magnolia on the dash and centre console is too yellow, and it's vinyl not leather. We all know how poor the TVR vinyl was, it cheapens the car; this isn't Mac's fault, the car was supplied new this way. The dash top is a different blue to the rearmost section by the windscreen, they are also two different materials so clash with each other. The door cards could be improved further by using leather. The stitching is all white and would look better contrasting blue against the blue carpets, which I intend to keep (but replace as the car has been letting water in at some stage). The dash veneer is cracking around the heater controls, therefore would benefit from a replacement dash.

I haven't finalised colour choices etc at this stage as there are so many options. The one thing I know is that the car will be trimmed by ex-TVR employees, whether it be DC Trim or someone else local to Blackpool.

Sorry Rob. No disrespect intended or meant. This is a thread that I started. My latest post was to get some help to assist me in getting over the disappointment of losing out on the car. I didn't ask for your input or thoughts on what you thought of the cars spec or build. Nor for your thoughts on what you were doing with it. None of this is really helping.

May I suggest you start a new thread of your own unrelated to this one as your thoughts or opinions are not helping. They are also not relevant to what I am asking or trying to achieve here. In fact you are making it worse for me. This really isn't helpful to me and isn't what I need at the moment.

[Byker28i]

It could always be worse, there's a thread in Speed, Plod and Law where a guy is being sued £2k because he sold his Griff to another buyer...

[rockits]

Byker28i said:

It could always be worse, there's a thread in Speed, Plod and Law where a guy is being sued £2k because he sold his Griff to another buyer...

I do have some sympathy with Buyer A in this case of the Griffith. I had considered litigation but not having much success with solicitors in the past I didn't think it was such a great idea. The litigation would of course be against James @ Greenside Cars. The original deal was agreed in writing by e-mail and I have all of these e-mails with the negotiations, offers and agreement to the deal.

If it were me I accepted the first offer/deal and would honour it. James Greenside Cars chose not to. Also chose not even to contact me until after a 2nd deal was done. There was no option for me to match the deal. In a sense it is even worse than the Griffith deal quoted that I have only briefly just scanned over.

I think it is a very dangerous legal game and a Pandora's Box to open for sellers to play buyers off against each other or start accepting deals then reneging on them. Especially as a dealer rather than a private individual. I would never do this as the complications potentially have far reaching short, medium and long term consequences than the potential small potential short term gains realised initially.

There is a way to treat people and situations. In my honest opinion this was not the way it should have been dealt with. I am not saying this as crying over spilt milk or because I lost out.

It was wrong in my opinion.....morally.....and possibly legally. Question is should I try to find out??