Cheapest V8 2 seater?

[CM2020]

Shifter1 said:

CM2020 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

CM2020 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

CM2020 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

CM2020 said:

The weight is part of the reason I'm ok going older. You can't find anything even semi modern with a V8 which doesn't weight near 1500kg. That is lightweight for modern standards. Sure, you pay a price as older cars are what we could call crash and you are dead. But life is short anyways.

Just not as fun with a heavier car, even if power to weight is similar. Lightweight is so much more fun. V8, lightweight and manual. Can't believe TVR were the only ones doing it, and for a price normal people could afford.

You just feel at one with the car in a TVR I reckon, and the weight plays a big part in that, plus I love how the engines generally dominate the car. The weight obviously helps in terms of not wearing the tyres/brakes out either in comparison to the newer stuff. Plus their lightness helps in terms of the mpg too, which is a nice little bonus I reckon.

You're making me want another TVR now!

Hahaha. Did you have many problems with the one you had?

By the way, a Chimaera has been suggested several times. I wonder why there was no suggestion for a Griffith ? Is the Chimaera just better or the updated version? I find the Chimaera one of the ugliest TVRs.

I did have a lot of problems with mine to be fair. I had a lot of problems regarding starter motors/boot locks/wiper motors, but I believe that is quite common with them though.

I also needed a full rebuild of the engine/new cylinder head/new crank, but that was self inflicted though because I lost oil pressure(I later found out that the oil relief spring snapped), and my missus suggested driving back home(she was pregnant at the time and we were on the way to the TVR Chatsworth gathering). So that basically ruined the engine, but that was my fault and not the cars fault. If I'd been on my own I wouldn't have moved the car once I'd seen the oil pressure drop though(because I knew that it was going to end in tears).

The repair bill came to £11k! That was back in 2009 and I could've purchased another Cerbera for that money at the time as well.

Ah, my worst TVR nightmare then. But the Cerbera has a more problematic engine than the simple Rover V8 in the earlier cars right? Although I hear the problem with the earlier cars is not really the engine but things like the electrics and other smaller but annoying things?

I think I said this before, but I quite like the idea of a Rover V8 in a sports car. They sound brilliant. I remember not long ago somebody I know talking about somebody near selling a V6 80s TVR without an engine or bad engine. The gearbox swap suggestion made me think of it. No idea if it is still there or if I can find another. But maybe this is a good cheap way of doing this? Will a Rover V8 easily drop in one of the cheaper V6 cars? Or is it a different chassis or suspension? If it all could be done very cheaply, a lot could be forgiven.

The Rover V8 is pretty robust as far as I know. The Cerb is also known for being the most expensive TVR to run as well, and given my time again I would've gone with the Rover V8 in a TVR.

The Rover V8 will go into the V6 S cars because they actually made a V8 S from the factory.

But this was not a V6 S I was talking about. It's one of the 80s pop up headlight TVRs. I think they came with V6 and Rover V8. But this was a V6, without engine or broken engine.

I could be wrong. But I think a V8 will not fit straight in a V6 wedge. I think they had to make the chassis a bit wider to accept the Rover lump. But TVR folk will know for sure.

Oh, ok. Can anybody say for sure?

[CM2020]

samoht said:

Both good looking cars but to me the Chimaera has a reminiscence of MGB about the front wing line, whereas the Griffith is an incredibly pure, dramatic shape, like a concept car they forgot to productionise.

To be honest, I like the looks of neither. Never was really a fan of the TVR looks. T350C looks nice. But that is about it.

[cerb4.5lee]

CM2020 said:

To be honest, I like the looks of neither. Never was really a fan of the TVR looks. T350C looks nice. But that is about it.

I've always liked the T350C as well. I also like the wildness of the Sag too.

[CM2020]

Geoffcapes said:

A Maserati 3200 or 4200 would fit the bill, find a good one and the horror stories are exaggerated.

Find a bad one, and they're justified.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301103...

£14k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212292...

£18k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=relev...

£15k

Any of these would ruin me to run it more than any TVR I think? Also very heavy cars. They are neither sports cars or 2 seats.

[CM2020]

cerb4.5lee said:

CM2020 said:

To be honest, I like the looks of neither. Never was really a fan of the TVR looks. T350C looks nice. But that is about it.

I've always liked the T350C as well. I also like the wildness of the Sag too.

Sagaris looks is too much for me. This is what I have always found about TVR. It's either too much, like a clown shoe, or it's just plain ugly. Has been this way since the Chimeara. The exception is the T350C.

[CM2020]

KTMsm said:

I've got a TR7 V8 I'd sell for £5,995 some micro blistering but solid

I'll stick it on classic cars for sale shortly

Thanks. But I'm not sure I'm ready to step into an old Triumph. Price seems good though, if all is fine with it. But before buying a TR7, maybe considering a 80s TVR is a better option? With a TR7 V8 you surely get most if not all the TVR negatives and none of the positives?

[CM2020]

After looking and looking around, plus based on suggestions here, the 2 most fitting options based on 2 seats, V8, manual, not too heavy, nice or at least not offensive to look at and fun to drive seem to be a Corvette C4 or a 80s TVR. If you add not ruinous to run and not wanting to kill you all the time, probably the only option is the Corvette C4?

I like the idea of a C4. What puts me off is the cheap GM feel. That is basically the inside. Outside I like the looks. I like the sharp looks more than the melted looks of a C5. I also like the looks of the interiors more in the C4. Both the 80s or 90s interior. Both C4 or C5 feel cheap inside. It seems a C4 would handle better than a TVR and be more competent too. Never driven the TVRs I'm considering here. But I did the C4 and liked it.

The 80s TVR are not bad looking. Interior also looks better and probably feels better than a Corvette. Point of TVR is running costs and the whole wanting to kill you all the time. I don't want to buy a V8 manual to cruise. But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

[Belle427]

Maybe an RV8 squeezed into an Mx5, a bit pointless though.
They do a V6 conversion for them but don’t know if it’s possible.

[CABC]

CM2020 said:

But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

there are a lot of "XXX are famous for" sayings. mostly vastly exaggerated. if you have no feel for what a car is saying to you and you want to press the throttle hard all the time with the nannies keeping things on the black stuff, then yes, it's not for you. FE cars rarely snap, even MR cars don't snap at public road speeds. For sure, put a younger hot hatch guy into a Trevor and things might go wrong, but it would not be an unexpected "snap".

[Shifter1]

CABC said:

CM2020 said:

But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

there are a lot of "XXX are famous for" sayings. mostly vastly exaggerated. if you have no feel for what a car is saying to you and you want to press the throttle hard all the time with the nannies keeping things on the black stuff, then yes, it's not for you. FE cars rarely snap, even MR cars don't snap at public road speeds. For sure, put a younger hot hatch guy into a Trevor and things might go wrong, but it would not be an unexpected "snap".

Snap might be interpreted in different ways. But all those videos of Mustangs, Camaros and other powerful V8s RWD cars spinning around and crashing just after leaving Cars and Coffee parking lot on YT would "prove" you wrong.

I think I know what the OP is on about, and it is kind of like he is saying. There are cars which don't mind be pressed, regardless of power or being RWD. TVRs are normally not that type of car. I say this with full disclosure that I have not driven every single TVR model ever made. Bu the few I did, yeah.

[tr7v8]

Belle427 said:

Maybe an RV8 squeezed into an Mx5, a bit pointless though.
They do a V6 conversion for them but don’t know if it’s possible.

My MX5 Indy had a Mk1 MX5 with an LS in it. So RV8 must be easy. The boxes are pretty strong so can handle the power

[CM2020]

tr7v8 said:

Belle427 said:

Maybe an RV8 squeezed into an Mx5, a bit pointless though.
They do a V6 conversion for them but don’t know if it’s possible.

My MX5 Indy had a Mk1 MX5 with an LS in it. So RV8 must be easy. The boxes are pretty strong so can handle the power

You do all the work, spend all that money and in the end, you still have a MX5. Not what I'm aiming for honestly. But thanks for the left field suggestion.

[CM2020]

CABC said:

CM2020 said:

But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

there are a lot of "XXX are famous for" sayings. mostly vastly exaggerated. if you have no feel for what a car is saying to you and you want to press the throttle hard all the time with the nannies keeping things on the black stuff, then yes, it's not for you. FE cars rarely snap, even MR cars don't snap at public road speeds. For sure, put a younger hot hatch guy into a Trevor and things might go wrong, but it would not be an unexpected "snap".

So you are saying they are not a hand full, and ruinous to run? They are perfectly fine for blasting fast down a B road and competent at that?

[KTMsm]

I've driven possibly 1000 different cars, none have had snap oversteer except highly modified / race cars

I've owned probably 10 TVRs - they are exactly the same as any other RWD car, with an LSD they go sideways, that's the fun part but if you can't drive, don't drive one quickly or in the wet. A big turbo is far harder to predict than a V8

The only one that caught me out was a race Ginetta that swapped ends when I changed down for a corner - I didn't know it had a 2 way LSD (before driving it I didn't even know a 2 way LSD existed)

I'd rather own a V8 MX5 than a TVR - the MX5 is far better engineered and little things like the hood, heater and wipers work properly

[CM2020]

KTMsm said:

I've driven possibly 1000 different cars, none have had snap oversteer except highly modified / race cars

I've owned probably 10 TVRs - they are exactly the same as any other RWD car, with an LSD they go sideways, that's the fun part but if you can't drive, don't drive one quickly or in the wet. A big turbo is far harder to predict than a V8

The only one that caught me out was a race Ginetta that swapped ends when I changed down for a corner - I didn't know it had a 2 way LSD (before driving it I didn't even know a 2 way LSD existed)

I'd rather own a V8 MX5 than a TVR - the MX5 is far better engineered and little things like the hood, heater and wipers work properly

Fair enough. Can I take snap back? I wasn't talking about snap oversteer or anything. I was just referring to their reputation of being a hand full if not somewhat unpredictable and difficult to drive fast, specially on B roads.

But I must disagree this would be the same as any RWD car. I don't think the MX5 for example is like this. I think it has to do with too much power for the chassis, or an unbalanced car and so on.

But do these 80s Rover V8 TVRs have a LSD?

About MX5 with V8 swap, I'm just not willing to go through that amount of trouble and expense. Dropping a Rover V8 in a V6 TVR, which might have been made for it already is one thing. Doing a swap like a V8 in a MX5 is another entirely. I want to buy something and drive.

[CM2020]

Shifter1 said:

CABC said:

CM2020 said:

But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

there are a lot of "XXX are famous for" sayings. mostly vastly exaggerated. if you have no feel for what a car is saying to you and you want to press the throttle hard all the time with the nannies keeping things on the black stuff, then yes, it's not for you. FE cars rarely snap, even MR cars don't snap at public road speeds. For sure, put a younger hot hatch guy into a Trevor and things might go wrong, but it would not be an unexpected "snap".

Snap might be interpreted in different ways. But all those videos of Mustangs, Camaros and other powerful V8s RWD cars spinning around and crashing just after leaving Cars and Coffee parking lot on YT would "prove" you wrong.

I just had this video suggested to me by youtube. Probably because I'm searching non stop for TVR reviews and the like:

It reminded me of your post.

[cerb4.5lee]

CM2020 said:

Shifter1 said:

CABC said:

CM2020 said:

But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

there are a lot of "XXX are famous for" sayings. mostly vastly exaggerated. if you have no feel for what a car is saying to you and you want to press the throttle hard all the time with the nannies keeping things on the black stuff, then yes, it's not for you. FE cars rarely snap, even MR cars don't snap at public road speeds. For sure, put a younger hot hatch guy into a Trevor and things might go wrong, but it would not be an unexpected "snap".

Snap might be interpreted in different ways. But all those videos of Mustangs, Camaros and other powerful V8s RWD cars spinning around and crashing just after leaving Cars and Coffee parking lot on YT would "prove" you wrong.

I just had this video suggested to me by youtube. Probably because I'm searching non stop for TVR reviews and the like:

It reminded me of your post.

You need to buy a Cerbera and bin the 2 seater idea off I reckon!

[maz8062]

CM2020 said:

After looking and looking around, plus based on suggestions here, the 2 most fitting options based on 2 seats, V8, manual, not too heavy, nice or at least not offensive to look at and fun to drive seem to be a Corvette C4 or a 80s TVR. If you add not ruinous to run and not wanting to kill you all the time, probably the only option is the Corvette C4?

I like the idea of a C4. What puts me off is the cheap GM feel. That is basically the inside. Outside I like the looks. I like the sharp looks more than the melted looks of a C5. I also like the looks of the interiors more in the C4. Both the 80s or 90s interior. Both C4 or C5 feel cheap inside. It seems a C4 would handle better than a TVR and be more competent too. Never driven the TVRs I'm considering here. But I did the C4 and liked it.

The 80s TVR are not bad looking. Interior also looks better and probably feels better than a Corvette. Point of TVR is running costs and the whole wanting to kill you all the time. I don't want to buy a V8 manual to cruise. But TVRs have always been known as cars you should not take by the scruff of the neck. They are famous for snapping and "killing people". I don't expect it to be a MX5 on B roads. But if I can't push it without risking my life or you got to be Lewis Hamilton, no much point for a sports car.

One of these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301293...

Knight rider

Do they do them in manual?

Each to their I guess.

[KTMsm]

maz8062 said:

One of these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301293...

Knight rider

Do they do them in manual?

Each to their I guess.

Hand in your man badge

That's a Corvette and Knight Rider was in a Trans Am (the earlier Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit was far cooler IMO)

[maz8062]

KTMsm said:

maz8062 said:

One of these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301293...

Knight rider

Do they do them in manual?

Each to their I guess.

Hand in your man badge

That's a Corvette and Knight Rider was in a Trans Am (the earlier Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit was far cooler IMO)