TVR Chimaera 450 2002
Discussion
Pistonheads has to lot to answer for!
I'm blaming this site for some of the daft stuff I do with cars.
Obviously, nothing is ever my fault.
Prior to this car I had a 2000 Mercedes R129 SL320 as my toy car.
Feel free to lose some of your life in the story, here --> https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
As per thread title, I now have a TVR Chimaera.
I really don't know what I am doing but that's a much bigger life story than I am going to post here.
Cars keep me occupied in a way that may or may not be healthy but hey ho.
I wasn't even sure I wanted to put another car in the garage. It was easier to get the bike out without having to remove the car first.
Who doesn't need a bigger garage?
I'm guessing that if you are on Pistonheads then you suffer from the same afflication - always looking at adverts and youtube reviews and thinking, ooh, I like that.
I had narrowed it down to an MX5 or an E Type.
There were a couple of 1966 E Types in Perth that I liked the look of. US imports so LHD and hopefully rust free (ish). I hate rusty bodywork.
Despite several phone calls, left messages and an email I got no response.
Looks to be a small hobby trader possibly working from home with 10 cars still listed on C&C.
An MX5 was the sensible option and I started to include the ND as an option.
So, what did I do…..
I went to Amore Autos and drove three of the Chimaera’s they had that I liked.
Great setup and well worth a visit if your looking for a TVR.
The first one was a 500. It was a bit of a brutal assault on the senses. Five minutes in that and I was thinking a TVR is not for me!
Second was a 400 that seemed a bit tame by comparison.
They had just got in a red 450 which hadn’t been priced as yet. I liked this one and it’s history.
But I decided to leave it and headed north via Durham to see a fourth one. Another 450.
I still don’t know what I’m doing, but I bought it.
I'm the fourth owner. Owner two had it for 17 years but due to ill health it had sat unused for many years. Hence the low mileage. 20k.
Owner three had done a fair bit of work including trim, roof and respray.
It came with lots of history and receipts including the invoice from purchase in 2003 at £29,500.
It was at the higher end of prices for these at £23k but like I say, I don't know what I am doing.
It ran well on the way home although the engine is a bit fluffy below 2,000 revs which can make it a bit jerky. Very like my old 88 Range Rover.
There are a few initial things to sort ...... as always!
Driver side window doesn't meet the roof panel.
Tyres have some cracks but it came with another two sets of wheels which have two good rear tyres and two unfitted new front tyres.
The driver door opening button usually needs more than one press to open.
The stays for the rear hood section don't stay locked when the targa panlelis off.
The interior mirror shakes badly. It makes me feel sea sick when I try to use it.
On a slightly undulating country road something hit the ground hard which gave me a shock.
It has a Radio CD which sounds fine ..... until you start the car and drive. It then seems a bit pointless.
There is a CD changer in the boot but I don't think it's connected. I'll probably remove it.
Currently I'm thinking I may have been a bit hasty as I have paid extra to get one with low mileage, a new roof and new paint.
In my ownership it will be out in poorer weather (It's Scotland, it happens) so it will pick up chips quite quickly.
The red 450 at Amore might have been a better option. It was still very smart and the higher mileage isn't so important as I think the engine had been refreshed.
Anyway, I am where I am so I will start to tinker and get used to it.
Two pictures from the journey home.
I'm blaming this site for some of the daft stuff I do with cars.
Obviously, nothing is ever my fault.
Prior to this car I had a 2000 Mercedes R129 SL320 as my toy car.
Feel free to lose some of your life in the story, here --> https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
As per thread title, I now have a TVR Chimaera.
I really don't know what I am doing but that's a much bigger life story than I am going to post here.
Cars keep me occupied in a way that may or may not be healthy but hey ho.
I wasn't even sure I wanted to put another car in the garage. It was easier to get the bike out without having to remove the car first.
Who doesn't need a bigger garage?
I'm guessing that if you are on Pistonheads then you suffer from the same afflication - always looking at adverts and youtube reviews and thinking, ooh, I like that.
I had narrowed it down to an MX5 or an E Type.
There were a couple of 1966 E Types in Perth that I liked the look of. US imports so LHD and hopefully rust free (ish). I hate rusty bodywork.
Despite several phone calls, left messages and an email I got no response.
Looks to be a small hobby trader possibly working from home with 10 cars still listed on C&C.
An MX5 was the sensible option and I started to include the ND as an option.
So, what did I do…..
I went to Amore Autos and drove three of the Chimaera’s they had that I liked.
Great setup and well worth a visit if your looking for a TVR.
The first one was a 500. It was a bit of a brutal assault on the senses. Five minutes in that and I was thinking a TVR is not for me!
Second was a 400 that seemed a bit tame by comparison.
They had just got in a red 450 which hadn’t been priced as yet. I liked this one and it’s history.
But I decided to leave it and headed north via Durham to see a fourth one. Another 450.
I still don’t know what I’m doing, but I bought it.
I'm the fourth owner. Owner two had it for 17 years but due to ill health it had sat unused for many years. Hence the low mileage. 20k.
Owner three had done a fair bit of work including trim, roof and respray.
It came with lots of history and receipts including the invoice from purchase in 2003 at £29,500.
It was at the higher end of prices for these at £23k but like I say, I don't know what I am doing.
It ran well on the way home although the engine is a bit fluffy below 2,000 revs which can make it a bit jerky. Very like my old 88 Range Rover.
There are a few initial things to sort ...... as always!
Driver side window doesn't meet the roof panel.
Tyres have some cracks but it came with another two sets of wheels which have two good rear tyres and two unfitted new front tyres.
The driver door opening button usually needs more than one press to open.
The stays for the rear hood section don't stay locked when the targa panlelis off.
The interior mirror shakes badly. It makes me feel sea sick when I try to use it.
On a slightly undulating country road something hit the ground hard which gave me a shock.
It has a Radio CD which sounds fine ..... until you start the car and drive. It then seems a bit pointless.
There is a CD changer in the boot but I don't think it's connected. I'll probably remove it.
Currently I'm thinking I may have been a bit hasty as I have paid extra to get one with low mileage, a new roof and new paint.
In my ownership it will be out in poorer weather (It's Scotland, it happens) so it will pick up chips quite quickly.
The red 450 at Amore might have been a better option. It was still very smart and the higher mileage isn't so important as I think the engine had been refreshed.
Anyway, I am where I am so I will start to tinker and get used to it.
Two pictures from the journey home.
Edited by Yogioes on Thursday 5th August 17:03
Lovely 
Good choice, a late model with the faired in headlights, so one of the last.
- Window doesn't meet the roof - there is an adjuster under the window seal somewhere around the middle - gently pull the seal back and twiddle with a flat head screwdriver.
- something underneath banged hard - probably the seat bolts hanging down, especially if it's been setup lower than factory - when they hit you do feel it as it is directly onto the seat.
get used to unexpected conversations, rubberneckers and youths asking you to rev it!
- Window doesn't meet the roof - there is an adjuster under the window seal somewhere around the middle - gently pull the seal back and twiddle with a flat head screwdriver.
- something underneath banged hard - probably the seat bolts hanging down, especially if it's been setup lower than factory - when they hit you do feel it as it is directly onto the seat.
get used to unexpected conversations, rubberneckers and youths asking you to rev it!
Thanks for the responses.
My other daughter saw it today and reminded me that I wanted something less conspicuous and not a convertible.
It would appear I had forgotten I had said that.
Had my first run in the rain today.
Jings!
That got the adrenaline going a bit.
Reminded me of sliding about in my RS2000 30 odd years ago!
Think I need to find a very wide open space to get a better feel for it.
My other daughter saw it today and reminded me that I wanted something less conspicuous and not a convertible.
It would appear I had forgotten I had said that.
Had my first run in the rain today.
Jings!
That got the adrenaline going a bit.
Reminded me of sliding about in my RS2000 30 odd years ago!
Think I need to find a very wide open space to get a better feel for it.
I did indeed.
I found him to be very helpful and a pleasure to deal with.
He told me has had over 30 TVRs but really needs an automatic.
I got the impression that he just enjoys buying cars, tidying them up a bit, selling and buying another.
The car came with four 16” Imolas and a set of Ford Cougar wheels with TVR logos on the centre caps. I’ll try and sell those.
PS. May be up north for you, but 180 miles south for me :-)
I found him to be very helpful and a pleasure to deal with.
He told me has had over 30 TVRs but really needs an automatic.
I got the impression that he just enjoys buying cars, tidying them up a bit, selling and buying another.
The car came with four 16” Imolas and a set of Ford Cougar wheels with TVR logos on the centre caps. I’ll try and sell those.
PS. May be up north for you, but 180 miles south for me :-)
Edited by Yogioes on Friday 6th August 10:24
Edited by Yogioes on Friday 6th August 10:25
Congratulations and welcome to the fold. Chimaera's are fantastic and I still think unvalued, I do love the look of the MK3 lights 
There is loads of advice under the Chim section of the forum but best thing to do is check the dates on the tyres. a lot of low mileage cars have dangerously old tyres.
If they are more than four years old I would throw them away and get some new ones.
Enjoy it!!
There is loads of advice under the Chim section of the forum but best thing to do is check the dates on the tyres. a lot of low mileage cars have dangerously old tyres.
If they are more than four years old I would throw them away and get some new ones.
Enjoy it!!
A little update.
Been out in the car a few times getting to know it. Even a sedate drive is quite an experience.
Going out on my motorbike seems quiet and relaxing after being in the TVR.
List of issues so far ......
Open the door and the window does go all the way up.
But, then I find the next problem. The rear edge is catching on the material of the roof hoop and will no doubt wear through it quite soon.
The alloy frame looks like the top at the front should be further forward but the top of the glass lines up with the roof panel.
To me, it seems like a kind of 3 D puzzle of adjustments.
So, like a good meddler I decided to sort out the missing bolt. Raked through my collection to find a suitable bolt and penny washers (It's how they are built)
Could not get the driver side bolt to fit through the hole.
Shortened the bolt
Still could not get it to fit.
Removed it and refitted the dash without that bolt.
Other than that, I'll do some of the basic service tasks.
And, importantly, get all the history paperwork sorted into a folder.
On a brighter note, I have offset some of the purchase price by selling the Ford Cougar alloys that came with the car.
Before deducting ebay fees I got ........ £20.55
Woo Hoo
Been out in the car a few times getting to know it. Even a sedate drive is quite an experience.
Going out on my motorbike seems quiet and relaxing after being in the TVR.
List of issues so far ......
- Uneven running below 2k. This is a bit irritating and I find that I keep it in 3rd in the 30 limits. I have spent many hours reading threads about ECU upgrades etc but I will start with some basic checks and go from there.
- Drivers window. I previously thought that it didn't go all the way up but its not as simple as that.
Open the door and the window does go all the way up.
But, then I find the next problem. The rear edge is catching on the material of the roof hoop and will no doubt wear through it quite soon.
The alloy frame looks like the top at the front should be further forward but the top of the glass lines up with the roof panel.
To me, it seems like a kind of 3 D puzzle of adjustments.
- Rattle in the dash top. I read up about the dash top removal. Should be three nuts, mine had one wing nut, one with no nut and the one on the drivers side .... No bolt!
So, like a good meddler I decided to sort out the missing bolt. Raked through my collection to find a suitable bolt and penny washers (It's how they are built)
Could not get the driver side bolt to fit through the hole.
Shortened the bolt
Still could not get it to fit.
Removed it and refitted the dash without that bolt.
- Suspension a bit too firm perhaps. I have adjusted the Gaz Golds back to 4 clicks and will see how that goes.
- Too low. I think the suspension is set too low so I will have a go at adjusting that.
- Steering feels a wee bit odd sometimes. Perhaps the UJ needs replaced.
- 2020 MoT had an advisory for NS Track Rod End and 2021 MoT had an advisory for play in NS Steering Rack inner joint. The car came with a new Track Rod End so I will have a look and see what's actually required.
- The bottom of the passenger seatbelt is a wee bit frayed so will probably replace that before the MoT.
- It's leaving a small puddle of fluid on the garage floor so I'll need to sort that.
- Wobbly interior mirror
- Which wheels to go with and which tyres.
Other than that, I'll do some of the basic service tasks.
And, importantly, get all the history paperwork sorted into a folder.
On a brighter note, I have offset some of the purchase price by selling the Ford Cougar alloys that came with the car.
Before deducting ebay fees I got ........ £20.55
Woo Hoo
Time to try and keep this up to date.
I've been using the car a fair bit and still have mixed feelings about the experience.
Took a run up to Oban and saw another Chimaera on the road. Not something I expect to be saying very often.
The driver appeared to be in a convoy with a couple of 911's and a Bentley / RR and he gave an enthusiastic wave.
As I arrived in Oban I got and flash of the lights and another enthusiatic wave from ..... a Jeep driver. I don't know if that was another TVR owner or a case of mistaken identity.
I have done some fiddling and meddling with the car.
The drivers window issue with it catching the rubber at the rear.
On further checking it looks like the rubber trim just needed rotated in a wee bit but unfortunately it is already split where the glass had pushed into it. I tried a bit of patching but it probably needs the full strip replaced right across the hoop.
The driver door button seems to have improved with use and now works first time most of the time. I'll leave that for now.
The wheel and tyre situation.
As bought, It was on 15" and 16" Estorils. The tyres have plenty of tread but also quite a lot of cracks.
I prefer the Imola wheels but the set that also came with the car are all 16" so I am looking for two 15" wheels for the front.
Two of the 16" Imola's have good Toyo's from 2019 with loads of tread so currently I have fitted them to the rear.
Not done anything about the shaky interior mirror other than try yo buy one from Racetech. Currently out of stock.
As well as occasionally hitting the road with the underside I also found that a front wheel would hit the top of the wheel arch giving a nice smell of burning rubber.
I have now raised the ride height twice and may yet add a little more clearance.
Nothing has made contact since the second adjustment.
In an attempt to smooth out the running I changed the following -
Plugs
Ignition leads - Removed the plug extenders and fitted the Accel ceramic caps
Distributor cap
Rotor arm
Ignition amplifier
Coil
That lot certainly made an improvement to the running and made the throttle pedal feel more responsive however it has not cured the fluffyness.
Shiny new distributor cap and leads
More to follow as I am having problems submitting this .....
I've been using the car a fair bit and still have mixed feelings about the experience.
Took a run up to Oban and saw another Chimaera on the road. Not something I expect to be saying very often.
The driver appeared to be in a convoy with a couple of 911's and a Bentley / RR and he gave an enthusiastic wave.
As I arrived in Oban I got and flash of the lights and another enthusiatic wave from ..... a Jeep driver. I don't know if that was another TVR owner or a case of mistaken identity.
I have done some fiddling and meddling with the car.
The drivers window issue with it catching the rubber at the rear.
On further checking it looks like the rubber trim just needed rotated in a wee bit but unfortunately it is already split where the glass had pushed into it. I tried a bit of patching but it probably needs the full strip replaced right across the hoop.
The driver door button seems to have improved with use and now works first time most of the time. I'll leave that for now.
The wheel and tyre situation.
As bought, It was on 15" and 16" Estorils. The tyres have plenty of tread but also quite a lot of cracks.
I prefer the Imola wheels but the set that also came with the car are all 16" so I am looking for two 15" wheels for the front.
Two of the 16" Imola's have good Toyo's from 2019 with loads of tread so currently I have fitted them to the rear.
Not done anything about the shaky interior mirror other than try yo buy one from Racetech. Currently out of stock.
As well as occasionally hitting the road with the underside I also found that a front wheel would hit the top of the wheel arch giving a nice smell of burning rubber.
I have now raised the ride height twice and may yet add a little more clearance.
Nothing has made contact since the second adjustment.
In an attempt to smooth out the running I changed the following -
Plugs
Ignition leads - Removed the plug extenders and fitted the Accel ceramic caps
Distributor cap
Rotor arm
Ignition amplifier
Coil
That lot certainly made an improvement to the running and made the throttle pedal feel more responsive however it has not cured the fluffyness.
Shiny new distributor cap and leads
More to follow as I am having problems submitting this .....
I sprayed some brake cleaner around the outside of the plenum and it did affect the idle so I plan to remove the plenum and refit it with some sealant.
Fluids leaking from the bottom of the engine / bellhousing.
I changed the clutch slave cylinder and was pleased to find that it was one of the sources.
Concentric slave cylinders may give a better feel to the clutch pedal but this was an easy job and only cost £40.
When my Volvo V70 slave failed it was a box out job so included a new clutch. That was over £900. I didn't do that job.
I'm hoping that the other leaks are from the sump gasket.
I am gathering together a new cork gasket, sealant, rear bolt brace bar and new fitting bolts ready to try and sort that.
I found that the boot lid would only stay up if the car was on level ground. If pointing uphill then it would hit me on the back of the head.
That made it all a bit comical trying to get the roof panel into the boot as I don't have three arms.
New boot struts cured that.
Some of the under bonnet insulation was coming away along various edges. I used a few metres of No More Nails double sided adhesive tape to fix that and so far it seems to have done the trick.
Other parts awaiting fitment -
As mentioned on a previous MoT, the N/S inner track rod joint has some movement.
I also noticed that the track rod end boot on the other side has a bit missing. Looks like it might have been caught with a grinder with a wire brush.
So, I will replace one inner track rod and both rod ends.
I'm hoping it does not need a rack!
After I have fitted those parts and settled on a ride height I will look into getting the alignment and corner weights properly sorted.
When the car was painted, the sealant around the brake master and clutch master cover must have been removed.
In my minds eye I imagined I could do a great job of sealing the brake master. Most that I have looked at have been a bit messy.
It proved to be harder than I thought it would be!
I'll settle for functional.
I have still to do the cliutch master cover which I'll leave until I'm happy that the fluid level is stable.
I have also noticed that there is a tiny amount of coolant leaking from the top of the rad. very small but should be fixed so I will need to look into repair or replacement.
I have been along to a few of the TVRCC local group breakfast meetings where one of the guys had a lovely early Tuscan which is a lovely looking car. Must resist the urge!
Fluids leaking from the bottom of the engine / bellhousing.
I changed the clutch slave cylinder and was pleased to find that it was one of the sources.
Concentric slave cylinders may give a better feel to the clutch pedal but this was an easy job and only cost £40.
When my Volvo V70 slave failed it was a box out job so included a new clutch. That was over £900. I didn't do that job.
I'm hoping that the other leaks are from the sump gasket.
I am gathering together a new cork gasket, sealant, rear bolt brace bar and new fitting bolts ready to try and sort that.
I found that the boot lid would only stay up if the car was on level ground. If pointing uphill then it would hit me on the back of the head.
That made it all a bit comical trying to get the roof panel into the boot as I don't have three arms.
New boot struts cured that.
Some of the under bonnet insulation was coming away along various edges. I used a few metres of No More Nails double sided adhesive tape to fix that and so far it seems to have done the trick.
Other parts awaiting fitment -
As mentioned on a previous MoT, the N/S inner track rod joint has some movement.
I also noticed that the track rod end boot on the other side has a bit missing. Looks like it might have been caught with a grinder with a wire brush.
So, I will replace one inner track rod and both rod ends.
I'm hoping it does not need a rack!
After I have fitted those parts and settled on a ride height I will look into getting the alignment and corner weights properly sorted.
When the car was painted, the sealant around the brake master and clutch master cover must have been removed.
In my minds eye I imagined I could do a great job of sealing the brake master. Most that I have looked at have been a bit messy.
It proved to be harder than I thought it would be!
I'll settle for functional.
I have still to do the cliutch master cover which I'll leave until I'm happy that the fluid level is stable.
I have also noticed that there is a tiny amount of coolant leaking from the top of the rad. very small but should be fixed so I will need to look into repair or replacement.
I have been along to a few of the TVRCC local group breakfast meetings where one of the guys had a lovely early Tuscan which is a lovely looking car. Must resist the urge!
Edited by Yogioes on Saturday 23 October 16:17
Interesting response Stuart.
Before buying it, I imagined that as these have been around for a long time there would be a well established list of tried and tested solutions for each problem
What I have found is that there are a whole heap of different solutions to most problems and and a whole different list of recommended solutions and conflicting opinions.
For example - who would have thought there were so many recommended ways to fit a sump pan to an old engine?
Cork
Rubber
Cork with sealant
Rubber with sealant
With or without the spreader plate at the rear bolts
No gasket, just sealant .... which leads on to ....
Which sealant - So many recommendations
Like so many things in life, you make your choice, you pay your money.
All part of the fun
Before buying it, I imagined that as these have been around for a long time there would be a well established list of tried and tested solutions for each problem
What I have found is that there are a whole heap of different solutions to most problems and and a whole different list of recommended solutions and conflicting opinions.
For example - who would have thought there were so many recommended ways to fit a sump pan to an old engine?
Cork
Rubber
Cork with sealant
Rubber with sealant
With or without the spreader plate at the rear bolts
No gasket, just sealant .... which leads on to ....
Which sealant - So many recommendations
Like so many things in life, you make your choice, you pay your money.
All part of the fun
Update time.
I have struggled with any kind of motivation to do anything over the last few months so the parts that I bought back in October have just been gathering dust in the garage.
The car has still been used fairly regularly and is going well. Mostly.
Finally decided I should get into the garage and do something.
WHEELS & TYRES
It came with a set of 15" & 16" Estoril's fitted but the tyres were old and cracked.
It also came with a set of 16" Imola's with two good Toyo's in nearly the correct size - 225/45.
The other two tyres on these were 15 years old.
It also came with two new unfitted Toyo's. on 205/50 15.
As far as I know the car was originally supplied with the four 16" wheels.
Originally I decided I wanted I wanted to fit 15" Imola's to the front and did try to source a pair.
While discussing this on various threads I changed my mind and decided to stick with four 16" Imola's.
The wheels were not in bad condition but the wee bits of flaking would always annoy me so I decided to get the refinished.
I got a pair of Uniroyal RainSport 5's in 205/50 16 for the front and I'll re-use the 225/45 16's for the rear.
I will add a picture after they are fitted to the car.
FITTING NEW PARTS
The OS track rod end had a bit buffed off the rubber. It looks like it was done the previous owner was painting bits red.
New rod end fitted.
The last MOT highlighted that the Track Rod at the rack end had some play so I changed that and fitted a new rod end.
I found it quite hard to unscrew the track rod but got there eventually.
I also fitted new rack boots while I was at it. That proved to be surprisingly difficult as there were a tight fir and there is very little room between the rack and the chassis.
Curiously, there was a little pipe fitted under thesmall end of the boot. I have never seen this before but decide to put it back.
It looks like the spray pipe from a can of WD40.
I also changed all four drop links. The rears looked like they could have been originals but the fronts had obviously been replaced before.
While the car was in the air I also added another 5mm lift on the coilovers.
SUMP GASKET
Or not as the case may be!
In an effort to stop the oil dripping from under the car I removed the sump. Not a pleasant job while lying under the car.
I have no idea if this was original, but there was no gasket, just sealant.
I decided to go with a cork gasket and have added the spreader bar between the two rearmost bolts.
I applied a very small bead of Dirko sealant to both sides.
I could not get a clear answer on the torque setting for the bolts so used my best judgement.
I put some low strength Loctite on the bolts as some of them are through holes and oil can come down the threads. Apparently.
I think I may have over tightened the bolts as the gasket appears to have been squeezed out the side a bit too much for my liking.
I'll keep an eye on it.
Obviously, Oil and filter changed at the same time.
The sump pan has some curious dents in it that were made from the inside.
Looks to me like this was done to ensure clearance for the crank. Precision stuff.
POWDERCOATING
I had the rear subframe of my Merc SL powder coated and I know there are mixed opinions about using this or paint.
Looking at the chassis of my TVR, I don't think I would use powder coating in this kind of harsh environment.
It has cracked and flaked in may areas and corrosion has started under neath it.
I think it would be fine for less hidden or vulnerable areas or for a dry weather only show car.
I intend to tidy up the small areas that are looking bad and paint them but I will wait for warmer days.
This is a section of powder coat that I pulled from (I think) the back of the engine mount.
I had noticed that the passenger side sill plate was picking up some scratches which appeared to be from the bottom of the door.
The plate could be pressed down in the middle.
I used a piece of string to cut through the existing double sided pads and refitted it with more double sided tape, using some of the spare 3M tape that I had left over from tidying up the loose edges of the under bonnet insulation.
The car was resprayed last year before I bought it and I don't recall seeing this hazy part. There is another bit like this.
Time will tell if this will be a problem.
I have now connected up the wires for the CTEK charger although it seems to have been fine when left untouched for up to two weeks.
I have struggled with any kind of motivation to do anything over the last few months so the parts that I bought back in October have just been gathering dust in the garage.
The car has still been used fairly regularly and is going well. Mostly.
Finally decided I should get into the garage and do something.
WHEELS & TYRES
It came with a set of 15" & 16" Estoril's fitted but the tyres were old and cracked.
It also came with a set of 16" Imola's with two good Toyo's in nearly the correct size - 225/45.
The other two tyres on these were 15 years old.
It also came with two new unfitted Toyo's. on 205/50 15.
As far as I know the car was originally supplied with the four 16" wheels.
Originally I decided I wanted I wanted to fit 15" Imola's to the front and did try to source a pair.
While discussing this on various threads I changed my mind and decided to stick with four 16" Imola's.
The wheels were not in bad condition but the wee bits of flaking would always annoy me so I decided to get the refinished.
I got a pair of Uniroyal RainSport 5's in 205/50 16 for the front and I'll re-use the 225/45 16's for the rear.
I will add a picture after they are fitted to the car.
FITTING NEW PARTS
The OS track rod end had a bit buffed off the rubber. It looks like it was done the previous owner was painting bits red.
New rod end fitted.
The last MOT highlighted that the Track Rod at the rack end had some play so I changed that and fitted a new rod end.
I found it quite hard to unscrew the track rod but got there eventually.
I also fitted new rack boots while I was at it. That proved to be surprisingly difficult as there were a tight fir and there is very little room between the rack and the chassis.
Curiously, there was a little pipe fitted under thesmall end of the boot. I have never seen this before but decide to put it back.
It looks like the spray pipe from a can of WD40.
I also changed all four drop links. The rears looked like they could have been originals but the fronts had obviously been replaced before.
While the car was in the air I also added another 5mm lift on the coilovers.
SUMP GASKET
Or not as the case may be!
In an effort to stop the oil dripping from under the car I removed the sump. Not a pleasant job while lying under the car.
I have no idea if this was original, but there was no gasket, just sealant.
I decided to go with a cork gasket and have added the spreader bar between the two rearmost bolts.
I applied a very small bead of Dirko sealant to both sides.
I could not get a clear answer on the torque setting for the bolts so used my best judgement.
I put some low strength Loctite on the bolts as some of them are through holes and oil can come down the threads. Apparently.
I think I may have over tightened the bolts as the gasket appears to have been squeezed out the side a bit too much for my liking.
I'll keep an eye on it.
Obviously, Oil and filter changed at the same time.
The sump pan has some curious dents in it that were made from the inside.
Looks to me like this was done to ensure clearance for the crank. Precision stuff.
POWDERCOATING
I had the rear subframe of my Merc SL powder coated and I know there are mixed opinions about using this or paint.
Looking at the chassis of my TVR, I don't think I would use powder coating in this kind of harsh environment.
It has cracked and flaked in may areas and corrosion has started under neath it.
I think it would be fine for less hidden or vulnerable areas or for a dry weather only show car.
I intend to tidy up the small areas that are looking bad and paint them but I will wait for warmer days.
This is a section of powder coat that I pulled from (I think) the back of the engine mount.
I had noticed that the passenger side sill plate was picking up some scratches which appeared to be from the bottom of the door.
The plate could be pressed down in the middle.
I used a piece of string to cut through the existing double sided pads and refitted it with more double sided tape, using some of the spare 3M tape that I had left over from tidying up the loose edges of the under bonnet insulation.
The car was resprayed last year before I bought it and I don't recall seeing this hazy part. There is another bit like this.
Time will tell if this will be a problem.
I have now connected up the wires for the CTEK charger although it seems to have been fine when left untouched for up to two weeks.
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