The little things you like about your TVR
Discussion
well the fun starts by searching the flat for my keys, which is sometimes quite an interesting game, there's a few places they should be, failing that they might be in a jacket pocket, a jeans pocket...who knows! (maybe a 'problem' with having it as weekend toy!)...
then the real fun starts - jump in the lift, keys in hand, and head down to the garage - almost have a feeling of butterflies 'cause i know what's in the basement!
open the doors - obstacle 1 over, she's still there, phew... walk towards her and push the button, the lights illuminate through the car cover - battery has some juice at least... now for the unwrapping - taking the cover off is like the biggest Christmas present you've ever had and underneath a sparkly awesome looking machine! never fails to impress - and i still haven't even opened the door yet! pack the cover away and give her a quick once over to make sure no random scratches haven't emerged since the last outing and look underneath to check she's not dribbled all over the floor... finally ready to get in... it's been 10 mins and i'll still be grinning like a 10 year old! push the mirror button and i'm in... gotta love the initial smell of the car and sitting there in your own little space-pod... in go the keys - obstacle two - will she start - tense few moments as the fuel pump primes and then turn the key... 'come on please start' as the engine turns over a few time and then... - woohoo she's alive - what a sound! give the button on the back of the wheel a couple of presses and all the info shows up on the LCD... and then off! (what sort of car has this effect and i haven't even driven out of the garage yet!)
She's often a bit grumpy until nice and warm but then you're off and flying! Everything (sounds, speed, dials, controls, people's reactions, enjoyment) from then on, until returned back and parked up - and the last look back before i get back in the lift - is awesome!!
then the real fun starts - jump in the lift, keys in hand, and head down to the garage - almost have a feeling of butterflies 'cause i know what's in the basement!
open the doors - obstacle 1 over, she's still there, phew... walk towards her and push the button, the lights illuminate through the car cover - battery has some juice at least... now for the unwrapping - taking the cover off is like the biggest Christmas present you've ever had and underneath a sparkly awesome looking machine! never fails to impress - and i still haven't even opened the door yet! pack the cover away and give her a quick once over to make sure no random scratches haven't emerged since the last outing and look underneath to check she's not dribbled all over the floor... finally ready to get in... it's been 10 mins and i'll still be grinning like a 10 year old! push the mirror button and i'm in... gotta love the initial smell of the car and sitting there in your own little space-pod... in go the keys - obstacle two - will she start - tense few moments as the fuel pump primes and then turn the key... 'come on please start' as the engine turns over a few time and then... - woohoo she's alive - what a sound! give the button on the back of the wheel a couple of presses and all the info shows up on the LCD... and then off! (what sort of car has this effect and i haven't even driven out of the garage yet!)
She's often a bit grumpy until nice and warm but then you're off and flying! Everything (sounds, speed, dials, controls, people's reactions, enjoyment) from then on, until returned back and parked up - and the last look back before i get back in the lift - is awesome!!
Edited by stimshady on Friday 17th September 12:15
Speedracer, I envy your day today, knowing what the morning brings. It amazed me (but not surprised me) how willing I became when asked to do those little errands that need doing once in a while where previously there would have been something (anything) on TV that would stop me doing as asked. Like going out for, say, a pint of milk. In my first week of ownership I went out for milk (I actually think I purposely drank all last vestige of milk in the fridge so that I had an excuse to go out in my new 450 Chim! Devious ways, devious ways!) and I called my wife to say the that I was 25 miles away, would be another half an hour and still hadn't got the milk! This was 3.5 years, 24,000 miles and a million smiles ago. Enjoy the experience and don't forget to let us know how your first day went. We will all be genuinely interested. It will bring us all back to that very first drive away from picking up our new P & J.
Good luck and treat with care. Tivs have very high 'smiles per gallon'!!
Good luck and treat with care. Tivs have very high 'smiles per gallon'!!
On a tuscan.
The handprint recognition to get in
If you have never tried it, this a a classic for people wo have never seen the car,(even very good mechanics, MOT examiners etc)
Stand facing the drivers door with the person to your left (So that they cant see your right arm) then wave your left hand across the black A frame section just behind the door window and at the same time press the button under the mirror with the other hand.
Then get them to try and of course it wont open, you need to program the car to know their hand.
You can do it quite a lot before they twig (or not at all in a lot of cases), but then just let them get in and watch the fun of them trying to get out. There hand prind no longer works
The handprint recognition to get in
If you have never tried it, this a a classic for people wo have never seen the car,(even very good mechanics, MOT examiners etc)
Stand facing the drivers door with the person to your left (So that they cant see your right arm) then wave your left hand across the black A frame section just behind the door window and at the same time press the button under the mirror with the other hand.
Then get them to try and of course it wont open, you need to program the car to know their hand.
You can do it quite a lot before they twig (or not at all in a lot of cases), but then just let them get in and watch the fun of them trying to get out. There hand prind no longer works
Why I love my TVR.
walking back to her in the rain, getting in and starting her up, the rain water on the bonnet starts to gather together as you move off, and runs up and down the curves, getting bigger till it spills down the vent and hits the exhaust sending a puff of steam up like a dragon breathing
dropping or picking up my daughter and being told, get the roof off so my friends can see me, by my 10 year old daughter
how she pops and bangs in town making people jump or being asked to rev her
how she always puts a smile on my face, no matter what the troubles in the world are, she brings happy memories to the fore.
how she is always there waiting for me, proud strong powerful and very loud and very very British Build Sports Car
Oh TVR love
once bitten, never free.
Colin L
PS: Silver Chimaera's are the fastest and best looking!!!
walking back to her in the rain, getting in and starting her up, the rain water on the bonnet starts to gather together as you move off, and runs up and down the curves, getting bigger till it spills down the vent and hits the exhaust sending a puff of steam up like a dragon breathing
dropping or picking up my daughter and being told, get the roof off so my friends can see me, by my 10 year old daughter
how she pops and bangs in town making people jump or being asked to rev her
how she always puts a smile on my face, no matter what the troubles in the world are, she brings happy memories to the fore.
how she is always there waiting for me, proud strong powerful and very loud and very very British Build Sports Car
Oh TVR love
once bitten, never free.
Colin L
PS: Silver Chimaera's are the fastest and best looking!!!
Oldred_V8S said:
The soft green glow from the instruments, whilst driving with the roof off, on a dark summers night along the smooth sweeping roads of Sussex.
Oldred, I reckon that the green glow is actually something you picked up on a recent visit to Sizewell B!! It also causes double posting! TVR S3: I love how low down you sit, normal sized cars are next to you in traffic jams, like a golf, and it looks like a people carrier.
I love the howl of the V6 at around 5000rpm, and if you're driving through a road with tall buildings either side the sound is amplified!
I love the basic dials and dash, who needs toys when the drive is that fun!
Best of all I love the 'bang-for-buck' value.
I love the howl of the V6 at around 5000rpm, and if you're driving through a road with tall buildings either side the sound is amplified!
I love the basic dials and dash, who needs toys when the drive is that fun!
Best of all I love the 'bang-for-buck' value.
The fact that every time I walk past it I have to look back and give it a second look...
The fact that I still can't quite believe that I own such a brilliant car...
The fact that I still smile every time I get in it and it hasn't got old or staid...
The fact that it still exceeds all of my expectations...
The fact that it has been at least as reliable if not more so than friends' and colleagues' euroboxes despite their typical 'Clarksonesque' views of TVR reliability...
The fact that even tho it has been very reliable, I still anxiously scan the temps and pressures whenever sat in traffic...!
A true priviledge to own.
If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up!
The fact that I still can't quite believe that I own such a brilliant car...
The fact that I still smile every time I get in it and it hasn't got old or staid...
The fact that it still exceeds all of my expectations...
The fact that it has been at least as reliable if not more so than friends' and colleagues' euroboxes despite their typical 'Clarksonesque' views of TVR reliability...
The fact that even tho it has been very reliable, I still anxiously scan the temps and pressures whenever sat in traffic...!
A true priviledge to own.
If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up!
I love the smell of old leather inside the car when the roof is on and particularly the smell inside my garage. The oil, greese, petrol fumes always reminds me of visiting classic car garages as a kid.
I love the noise at 2600 revs especially when going through tunnels with the top off as it booms back in to the cabin. Oh and I do enjoy opening the doors in public using the under side of the wing mirror. You can almost hear the conversation in the car parked behind you in the petrol station "did you see how that cars door opens!"
Although I love seeing other tivs on the road, not seeing one makes the car feel rarer and special especially when you see 20 porkers in the same time period.
I love the noise at 2600 revs especially when going through tunnels with the top off as it booms back in to the cabin. Oh and I do enjoy opening the doors in public using the under side of the wing mirror. You can almost hear the conversation in the car parked behind you in the petrol station "did you see how that cars door opens!"
Although I love seeing other tivs on the road, not seeing one makes the car feel rarer and special especially when you see 20 porkers in the same time period.
All the above plus, the quirkiness (is that a word) of the knobs and controls, a colleague in work sat in the car and then found he couldnt get out, the thrill you get when you put your foot on the accellerator and hear the glorious noise of the V8.The shear presence of the car, this week pulled up in a street to find directions and 3 passing kids, about 9yo shout wow cool car mister.
Lsst week coming up to a juction a guy with is son shouts nice car throttle it mate.
I dont even have to order my beer now as when I approach my local they can hear me coming and my beer is waiting on the bar, so there you have it probably the best car in the world.
Lsst week coming up to a juction a guy with is son shouts nice car throttle it mate.
I dont even have to order my beer now as when I approach my local they can hear me coming and my beer is waiting on the bar, so there you have it probably the best car in the world.
Bin enjoying this thread & I remembered a passage that was written by 'Andymadmak' on here a few years ago....just takes me there. Adrenalin, noise, smells the lot............enjoy.
Andymadmak said:
Driving a TVR Wedge
and then there's the bit about making rapid progress across country................
Hard work? yes, but sheer exhileration when you get it right, terror when you get it wrong.
Let me explain, my house to Alfreton goes something like this.....
Turn right out of my drive, proceed gently down the narrow, bumpy road that leads to the main Alfreton road. Its about 1 mile this bit, so its nice to finish off warming the engine up before I play hard...
The wedge gurgles and snuffles on this bit, like it is waking up. I can smell the exhaust. It's running rich as it warms up. It makes driving smoothly a bit of a challenge, especially given the bumpy road. I wave at the Chim owner just down the road from me. He ALWAYS grins as I go by. I never hear him pass my house...
Reach the main road. Engine Ts and Ps all good. Road clear. PLAYTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Turn right, there's a pub opposite the turn, and it's a sunny evening so people are outside enjoying a quiet drink. Only, it's not quiet any more.
I give it some throttle, The rear squats and moves a foot or so to the left as I make the turn. A dab less steering lock and we're straight again. 2 seconds later and it's time for second gear, the noise is huge, Someone has dropped their beer. 3 seconds later it's doing 60 and pulling very hard. Into third and the exhaust note takes on a menacing, hard edged throb as a 14 year old wedge spots a Toyota Supra ahead. (the last of the twin turbo models, late 1990s vintage) No chance to overtake, so I slow to 60 behind the jap tin top. I hold fourth gear and the noise bounces off the dry stone wall to my left. He's noticed me, the Toyota driver. His car has some flash rims on and an exhaust that makes the wedges look no bigger than a Nissan Micras. I can't hear it though.
Through Tansley, I can read his mind. He's waiting for the NSL zone that starts on the hill after the village. He keeps glancing in the mirror. Doing 45mph now, I select third and wait.
He goes, so do I. Wedge tail squats noise rises. redline, fourth pulling very hard now, He's not getting away, not by a long chalk. In fact the wedge is staying with him very easily. There's a right hander coming up. Its open, good sight line, up hill. I take the appropriate line exiting in third gear. Toyota man has slowed a bit too much and is struggling to get momentum on the exit. I keep it tight and blast past him, riding a humungous tidal wave of noise. Into 4th and the egine is on cam again immediatley. I hold the throttle down as I crest the rise. The car goes light for a second, but then I am going very fast now. The Toyota is 200meters back. He's working hard. I come up on some traffic. There's a blind bend ahead so I slow down. I know there's a nice down and up double S bend ahead followed by a short downhill straight and a 90degree right. Toyota man is back on my arse. I wait for the clear spot and blat past the traffic before braking hard for the double S. Toyota man is all over me now. I think he has more grip maybe? Short straight to the 90 right which I take in second. Got to be careful here, easy to get it sideways on the exit. The engine is popping and snorting on the over run. Toyota very close on the exit, hit throttle hard, to 6000 rpm in second, snatch third but not before the wedge emits a mighty pop from the exhaust. I smile to myself cos I know that Toyota man has just had is front bumper flame kissed! Except he hasn't cos the wedge has already opened up a good 50 meters on him.
Nice flat open section of bends next. Right, left right left, hold the throttle down throught the last two. In third at 5000rpm you get understeer on the last turn in.
Slow for Wessington. School here, so no faster than 25mph, even at night, cos you never know when kids will be playing. Toyota man blasts past me doing about 60 in the 30 limit. He's waving as if he thinks he's won some huge victory!
Pah! we'll see about that once we can get to safer roads again.
Leave the village after a nasty downhill left hander. Short straight to another 90 right. Going very hard now. The tail goes light as I brake for the right hander. I get back on the power and the wedge rockets though the corner in a wonderful power drift. I have got it wrong there before and nearly ended up in the hedge, this time though it's perfect.
Accelerate hard, towards the next left hander that opens into another perfect set of S bends to a railway bridge.
I can see Toyota man ahead, quarter mile distant.
I power thought the bends, straight lining most of them (vision is good) braking only for the last right hander before the bridge and the steep climb beyond.
Back on the throttle, 5000rpm and the noise is fantastic. Wedge is alive, I swear, under the bridge in a blur of air pressure and echoes. Closing on Toyota. The V8 is giving everything now as it propels me up the hill. Exhaust note is hard, menacing.
I'm back on his tail now.
Stop at the T junction. Engine Ts and Ps all good
He goes right. I go right. Lots of opposite lock to keep things straight as we accelerate, but he's going nowhere, and he knows it. Traffic Lights I turn left, he goes straight, but stops as I turn past his rear. I slow to hear him point at the wedge and yell "Thats F***in awesome, what is it? "
I watch his blinged jap car drive away. He won't ever suffer from water leaks, mouldy carpets, sticky light pods of rumbly diffs. But neither will he forget the day a blue, wedge-shaped mystery car blew away his P&J.
Thats wedge ownership.
and then there's the bit about making rapid progress across country................
Hard work? yes, but sheer exhileration when you get it right, terror when you get it wrong.
Let me explain, my house to Alfreton goes something like this.....
Turn right out of my drive, proceed gently down the narrow, bumpy road that leads to the main Alfreton road. Its about 1 mile this bit, so its nice to finish off warming the engine up before I play hard...
The wedge gurgles and snuffles on this bit, like it is waking up. I can smell the exhaust. It's running rich as it warms up. It makes driving smoothly a bit of a challenge, especially given the bumpy road. I wave at the Chim owner just down the road from me. He ALWAYS grins as I go by. I never hear him pass my house...
Reach the main road. Engine Ts and Ps all good. Road clear. PLAYTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Turn right, there's a pub opposite the turn, and it's a sunny evening so people are outside enjoying a quiet drink. Only, it's not quiet any more.
I give it some throttle, The rear squats and moves a foot or so to the left as I make the turn. A dab less steering lock and we're straight again. 2 seconds later and it's time for second gear, the noise is huge, Someone has dropped their beer. 3 seconds later it's doing 60 and pulling very hard. Into third and the exhaust note takes on a menacing, hard edged throb as a 14 year old wedge spots a Toyota Supra ahead. (the last of the twin turbo models, late 1990s vintage) No chance to overtake, so I slow to 60 behind the jap tin top. I hold fourth gear and the noise bounces off the dry stone wall to my left. He's noticed me, the Toyota driver. His car has some flash rims on and an exhaust that makes the wedges look no bigger than a Nissan Micras. I can't hear it though.
Through Tansley, I can read his mind. He's waiting for the NSL zone that starts on the hill after the village. He keeps glancing in the mirror. Doing 45mph now, I select third and wait.
He goes, so do I. Wedge tail squats noise rises. redline, fourth pulling very hard now, He's not getting away, not by a long chalk. In fact the wedge is staying with him very easily. There's a right hander coming up. Its open, good sight line, up hill. I take the appropriate line exiting in third gear. Toyota man has slowed a bit too much and is struggling to get momentum on the exit. I keep it tight and blast past him, riding a humungous tidal wave of noise. Into 4th and the egine is on cam again immediatley. I hold the throttle down as I crest the rise. The car goes light for a second, but then I am going very fast now. The Toyota is 200meters back. He's working hard. I come up on some traffic. There's a blind bend ahead so I slow down. I know there's a nice down and up double S bend ahead followed by a short downhill straight and a 90degree right. Toyota man is back on my arse. I wait for the clear spot and blat past the traffic before braking hard for the double S. Toyota man is all over me now. I think he has more grip maybe? Short straight to the 90 right which I take in second. Got to be careful here, easy to get it sideways on the exit. The engine is popping and snorting on the over run. Toyota very close on the exit, hit throttle hard, to 6000 rpm in second, snatch third but not before the wedge emits a mighty pop from the exhaust. I smile to myself cos I know that Toyota man has just had is front bumper flame kissed! Except he hasn't cos the wedge has already opened up a good 50 meters on him.
Nice flat open section of bends next. Right, left right left, hold the throttle down throught the last two. In third at 5000rpm you get understeer on the last turn in.
Slow for Wessington. School here, so no faster than 25mph, even at night, cos you never know when kids will be playing. Toyota man blasts past me doing about 60 in the 30 limit. He's waving as if he thinks he's won some huge victory!
Pah! we'll see about that once we can get to safer roads again.
Leave the village after a nasty downhill left hander. Short straight to another 90 right. Going very hard now. The tail goes light as I brake for the right hander. I get back on the power and the wedge rockets though the corner in a wonderful power drift. I have got it wrong there before and nearly ended up in the hedge, this time though it's perfect.
Accelerate hard, towards the next left hander that opens into another perfect set of S bends to a railway bridge.
I can see Toyota man ahead, quarter mile distant.
I power thought the bends, straight lining most of them (vision is good) braking only for the last right hander before the bridge and the steep climb beyond.
Back on the throttle, 5000rpm and the noise is fantastic. Wedge is alive, I swear, under the bridge in a blur of air pressure and echoes. Closing on Toyota. The V8 is giving everything now as it propels me up the hill. Exhaust note is hard, menacing.
I'm back on his tail now.
Stop at the T junction. Engine Ts and Ps all good
He goes right. I go right. Lots of opposite lock to keep things straight as we accelerate, but he's going nowhere, and he knows it. Traffic Lights I turn left, he goes straight, but stops as I turn past his rear. I slow to hear him point at the wedge and yell "Thats F***in awesome, what is it? "
I watch his blinged jap car drive away. He won't ever suffer from water leaks, mouldy carpets, sticky light pods of rumbly diffs. But neither will he forget the day a blue, wedge-shaped mystery car blew away his P&J.
Thats wedge ownership.
pwd95 said:
Bin enjoying this thread & I remembered a passage that was written by 'Andymadmak' on here a few years ago....just takes me there. Adrenalin, noise, smells the lot............enjoy.
Great stuff. Felt like I was in the passenger seat with him!! Andymadmak said:
Driving a TVR Wedge
WELL WRITTEN STUFF
Thats wedge ownership.
WELL WRITTEN STUFF
Thats wedge ownership.
The TVR badge fell off the horn button on my way home tonight.
I know it is just its way of saying it missed me after being tucked up in the garage while I was on holiday.
It regularly makes things go wrong, just to get me into the garage so it isn't lonely. It such a little monkey
We are as one, me and my Griffith.
I know it is just its way of saying it missed me after being tucked up in the garage while I was on holiday.
It regularly makes things go wrong, just to get me into the garage so it isn't lonely. It such a little monkey
We are as one, me and my Griffith.
Popping the button and watching as the door slowly rises to reveal the Wedge; sitting there, eager, fuelled up and waiting. The smell of petrol and oil. Sliding into the seat, like putting on an old pair of shoes that fit perfectly. The solid thunk of the door as I close it. The feel of the gear knob as I make sure she's in neutral. The initial turn of the key and the priming of the pump. The chatter of the starter motor as I turn the key, the eventual thunder from the engine as she hunts around for idle (we'll ignore the lazy follower as the clattering only lasts a second or two).
The snick sound as I engage first gear and the burble as the revs rise and I pull out onto the drive. A quick press of the Garage remote and I know the chain drive for the garage door motor is clunking a bit, although I can't hear it over the sound of the V8 burping through the stainless twin pipes.
Set off for work, but go first to third for the first couple of changes as the old LT77 doesn't really like being cold.
Nice and steady for the first couple of miles to warm her up, then start to give her some beans; God I've missed that exhaust note.
See a few other rag tops on the way to work; they all turn to look at what the hell's making all the noise...
Every drive is an event.
A TVR is not just a car; it has the power to stir the soul.
The snick sound as I engage first gear and the burble as the revs rise and I pull out onto the drive. A quick press of the Garage remote and I know the chain drive for the garage door motor is clunking a bit, although I can't hear it over the sound of the V8 burping through the stainless twin pipes.
Set off for work, but go first to third for the first couple of changes as the old LT77 doesn't really like being cold.
Nice and steady for the first couple of miles to warm her up, then start to give her some beans; God I've missed that exhaust note.
See a few other rag tops on the way to work; they all turn to look at what the hell's making all the noise...
Every drive is an event.
A TVR is not just a car; it has the power to stir the soul.
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