RE: PH Heroes: TVR Cerbera

[touching cloth]

Miguel said:

touching cloth said:

Ferrari 355 was though (and 360/430 descendants I think).

Just found out the VW W8 engine from the Passat has a flat plane crank also; reasonably tempted by tempted by one and have even found me an estate version for the full on family Q-Car role. Would make a nice brother to the Cerb

Didn't know about the W8, but what I meant as far as Ferrari V8's was that all Ferrari V8 enginesss used in Ferraris were of the flat-plane crank type. So all 208's and 308's (GTB, GTS, GT4), Mondials, 328's, 348's, 355's, 360's, and 430's have flat-plane cranks as far as I know. The Ferrrari-developed 4.2 V8 engines used in Maseratis and the detuned 308 V8 used in the Lancia Thema 8.32 do not.

Miguel

Gotcha, the way I read your post was that you were correcting the poster and implying that Ferrari didn't in fact use a FP Crank. I don't think he was implying they use it exclusively in all engines just some, same as not all TVR V8's are flat cranked. If we list all the cars that aren't we will have ourselves a mighty list after all.

[hugepiece]

I miss my Cerbie Soooooo much!

[Bigchiefmuffin]

Apologies that I don't have the time to read through this whole thread, but I bought a 4.2 Cerbera new from the factory in 97. Needless to say, it broke down on the way home and pretty much every other time I tried to use it. In the year I had it, it went back to the garage 7 times, and it was not for minor things either - needed a new greabox, starter motor, a lot of work on the engine etc... The air con never worked ( and you would fry in the thing in the summer ) and must admit that it never even felt THAT fast. As for using it as a GT car, forget it. The whole thing would start to shake above 70 mph and would be really uncomfortable over 80. And I drove it A LOT. Despite all the time in the garage, I still did 15,000 miles in it in the year. It is a beautiful car, with a beautiful interior. It is a great toy for taking out occasionally and pampering but it is not a car in the traditional sense of getting you from A to B in one piece in roughly the time it should take...

[dinkel]

Miguel said:

. . . and the detuned 308 V8 used in the Lancia Thema 8.32 do not. Miguel

Quite right: 90 degree to make it more useable. Ask Justayellowbadge about it.

[J4CKO]

I did read that the engines can be bought again but are very expensive, so I was wondering whether anyone has ended up fitting an American V8 when the TVR unit has failed ?

[bosscerbera]

J4CKO said:

I did read that the engines can be bought again but are very expensive, so I was wondering whether anyone has ended up fitting an American V8 when the TVR unit has failed ?

Unless you're doing it yourself, it's even more expensive to transplant. Catastrophic AJP8 failure is very rare - most people source a used engine and may or may not take the opportunity to refresh it before it goes in the car. There is no problem getting bits for the AJP8 (or S6) engines.

[lucky]

I really miss mine too. It was a total beast of a car - fantastic on track days (when it didn't break down) and going for a hoon down the lanes in Surrey. Totally awesome on Le Mans trips too.

I had to sell it when I moved to the US - We have nothing like that over here

Steve

[fastgerman.com]

God I love these cars! Nearly bought a Cerb so many times but chickened out and bought M3's and now a Porsche for the reliability. A friends father who has the Chimera 4.0L HC, which has had no problems other than the fuel lines over the exhaust manifold setting alight (this was caught in time and the pipes have been re-located) and has 50k on the clock. Apparently the 4.0L V8's cause the least problems and the more the cc is increased the more likely overheating occurs.

[dinkel]

Traffic jams are not for cars you know

[Derek Smith]

I was in the middle lane of the M40 in my Chimaera only able to do about 75 as I'd lost a balance weight off a rear wheel. A blue Cerb pulled alongside and via sign language I told the driver of the vibration. He waved, declutched, dropped a gear then revved up and dropped the clutch. He left two black lines on the outside lane of the motorway. Loads of smoke as it disappeared into the distance amid a wail.

It looked tremendous. Made me go cold.

The first one I saw (outside the motor show) was in the underground car park at work. It came out of the dimness with that deep rumble (4.2). I remember just shaking my head. It was stunning.

What a car. And it's a TVR.

[Shootingbiker]

Great Article that just expands on the ledgend and makes it more wantable.

After a long time "wishing" about it I have finally got a TVR.
No messing about, it had to be the 4.5 Cerbera.
Went out with the dealer (Ex TVR) and he gave it 1/4 throttle!!
Bloody hell!
I had a go on the way back, but only feathered the gas!!
It needs a few bits and pieces doing, so still at the dealers for a while.

Not sure if I'm getting excited or frightened waiting for it!! HA-HA!

Steve

[Shootingbiker]

Great Article that just expands on the ledgend and makes it more wantable.

After a long time "wishing" about it I have finally got a TVR.
No messing about, it had to be the 4.5 Cerbera.
Went out with the dealer (Ex TVR) and he gave it 1/4 throttle!!
Bloody hell!
I had a go on the way back, but only feathered the gas!!
It needs a few bits and pieces doing, so still at the dealers for a while.

Not sure if I'm getting excited or frightened waiting for it!! HA-HA!

Steve

[copilot]

TVR Cerbera 4.5 AJP8 and "Proper" Purple.
(Just had to hear it again myself)
I just can't see what will tear me away from owning this car.
Thanks Mr Wheeler

[bosscerbera]

copilot said:

I just can't see what will tear me away from owning this car.
Thanks Mr Wheeler

Had my 4.5 (from new) for over 10 years now and that's STILL how I feel about it.

[BountyHunter]

what a fantastic article.

i remember driving a Cerb a few years back and it was an awesome experience - def on my "must own" list

what is the paint name of this colour btw ?

Edited by BountyHunter on Thursday 10th July 00:54

[BLUETHUNDER]

BountyHunter said:

what a fantastic article.

i remember driving a Cerb a few years back and it was an awesome experience - def on my "must own" list

what is the paint name of this colour btw ?

Edited by BountyHunter on Thursday 10th July 00:54

Hard to say.But from this angle it looks like paradise purple

[BCA]

Far too dark for purple paradise... its raspberry metallic/pearlescent.

[Firebird7]

For the price, how can ANY car come close to a Cerbera???! The body had me foaming at the mouth (my fav TVR shape => Smooth) from the first pictures I saw. But then I started to read about the engine design and I was TOTALLY hooked. I yapped on about it until guys at work started to roll there eyes and I got a nick-name: Flat-Plane-Crank which made me proud. I read & read about it until after some years of lusting I couldn't wait any longer. Being very amorous I bought the first 4.5 I went to see (shopped on-line for many weeks). Have owned it now for 3 weeks. This is my main commute car. It's too sweet not to drive it every day; and, the extra cost is well worth the entertainment value. Put it in for a full service a few days ago and after reading this thread I'm starting to have withdrawal symptoms! Oh yea! 1/4 throttle and I'm over the moon - laughing like a mad-man. ... What a sound! ... What a feeling! ... So glad that TVR made this car & it's engine. Hope I can keep it for a looooong time. ... Long live the AJP V8 Flat-Plane-Crank!

Edited by Firebird7 on Saturday 26th July 23:31

Edited by Firebird7 on Saturday 2nd August 08:19

[Fire99]

BCA said:

Far too dark for purple paradise... its raspberry metallic/pearlescent.

I was thinking more Amaranth Pearlescent (a Rover colour) which i have on my Chim.

[DuncanM]

d