First Chim, first post

[fieryfred]

Evening All as Jack Warner used to say. A bit of back ground info i had a 350i wedge 35 years ago followed by an S taken in part ex for an Evante. Subaru then took over. I was looking for a Challenger E type & got diverted to a Sebring. These all depend on who built it. TVR is a factory built kit car well maybe. Cost wise i could buy 3 TVRs for one Challenger or 2 for one Sebring. So without research i bought a Chim, silly me, i thought all the problems would have been solved, its a 1999 car with hidden hinges Oh. I stumbled across these pages & theres loads of info no doubt going back years. I never had a mayor problem with previous TVRs. The Chim however threw up a few un expected ones. At 5'-6" i never had a problem seeing the bonnet or using the seat belt. The Chim had me sat too low & the seat belt fouled the targa when dropped & the seat belt was easier to use with the door open. After 60 miles the taco went ape, i checked the connections & eliminated electrical interference with rubber tube. Back in the car & bought a length of 25mm square tube & 4 end caps & 50 x 6 flat bar for £5.50 from Northallerton. Back home & the seats came out, the saggy bottom was held in place by cable ties. Only done 50K but one owner must have been a fatty. Seats raised by 25mm & a nut, visabilty restored. Hack saw & file out brackets made to extend seat belt mount. Who at TVR made the seat belt rise at 15 deg & then back to its top mount rubbing the carpet. Seat belt guides fitted to the head rest, makes the seat belt easy to get to & use. If your shoulders stick above the height of the seat attach the guide to the underside of the head rest or just us tape to stop it slidding down the head rest stem. Now i can drive & see what else crops up. No doubt this is all old hat & someone will shoot me down in flames. But i could not find any off the shelf kit to solve my problems. Seat re builds can wait until winter.
Regards
Fred.

[Classic Chim]

Nice job Fred.
Challenger. I had the original build manual off the guys who made them in Corby when I was 21 upyears old some 30 odd years ago.
I'm a member of the Challenger Owners Club to this day.
I got my partner pregnant and that was the end of that.
The prices they fetch now.
So I got a Tvr instead.

[fieryfred]

Oh i can just imagine you getting her pregnant in a Challenger, original knicker dropper. Total Headturners bought the cars from the Challenger web site before i had a chance to view & added 15K to the price. Went down to see & the only way i can describe the owner is a Spiv. I see you have to click on the first photo to see my others, i will get better given time.

[Classic Chim]

I never owned one, she got pregnant before I could spend my money on one.
Visited Corby and their small unit/ factory and had a good two hours with the guys learning about them and even got garage space sorted. As my girl was having a baby and I needed to settle down,,,, I raced 500cc motor bikes for two years instead.
Great cars though

[wseed]

Do you have a link to the seat belt mounts and guides? Mine too stop the rear hood folding down and the guides sound like a great idea. Might even stop me having to remind my other half not to trap the belt in the door.

[fieryfred]

Paul the lad who makes the guides is making me a set 35mm longer. So if you wait until next week i will road test both versions using the crash test dummy who can tangle & wreck anything. The length see finds impossible to mess up will get the thumbs up. These are laser cut polished stainless i am happy as is but Paul likes a challenge as does the crash test dummy.

[ChilliWhizz]

Classic Chim said:

I raced 500cc motor bikes for two years

Jeez Al, that must have been tiring, probably didn't do your lungs much good either running behind those things....

[TR4man]

ChilliWhizz said:

Classic Chim said:

I raced 500cc motor bikes for two years

Jeez Al, that must have been tiring, probably didn't do your lungs much good either running behind those things....

[Classic Chim]

ChilliWhizz said:

Jeez Al, that must have been tiring, probably didn't do your lungs much good either running behind those things....

4th, 3rd and a 2nd in my first meeting on a 500 in the men's. Balls of steel, then fell off for two years and discovered the human body was indeed fragile
Other than a few finals yep, not the best at it by a long stroke
Ive been thinking about this,,,, I made nearly every final of every meeting I did, usually the unlimited so 2 and 350 machines aswell as the 500's
You were pretty rubbish if you didn't make that final on a 500 although the lower cc riders were nutters
I wish I was young again

Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 29th July 20:24

[fieryfred]

Do you have a link to the seat belt mounts and guides? Mine too stop the rear hood folding down and the guides sound like a great idea. Might even stop me having to remind my other half not to trap the belt in the door.

I used the crash test dummy seen modelling the prefered length of seat belt guide. Photos shows the belt resting & in use.


I made the seat belt extensions show in earlier photos, but Paul at www.stainlessforclassics.co.uk will make you a set of stainless ones. I will provide him with a drawing if anyone needs them.
She was right in saying we are not all flexible primates & why is putting a seat belt on such a faff on. Now we have no hood down catching & the belts are easy to reach.
I have no connection with Paul i just bought the guides from him & he is willing to listen. His e mail is [e-mail]
Regards
Fred.

[fieryfred]

Forgot to add photo of seat belt extenders with hood down.


This also stops the belt dragging on the carpets. But the young flexible dudes will not need them & the old scroates will probably allready have them.

[FoxTVR430]

Hi fieryfred,
Your seat belt guides and extenders are just what I need.
How should I contact Paul? directly via the mail you posted above? and what reference should I use?
Cheers
Simon

[fieryfred]

You can contact Paul direct via e mail or the web site his mobile No is 07779 498176. He is based in Selston Nottinghamshire.
The crash test dummy loves the mod's she said with people looking she felt like a plonker trying to fasten her seat belt. Now she is an elegant Penelope Pitstop. Well not through my glasses, but dont tell her or i will get cold shoulder & tongue.
Just mention the TVR Chim & Paul will know what you want.
Regards
Fred.

[Buggy]

Just bought a set from eBay.

[FoxTVR430]

Buggy said:

Just bought a set from eBay.

Linky please

[N7GTX]

Buggy said:

Just bought a set from eBay.

So have I, very handy for us old scrotes as Fred says.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-Chimaera-1993-2003-P...

[ChilliWhizz]

It's official......... N7GTX is an old scrote

[QBee]

Where are you based, Fred? I am in Notts too these days, though I used to live in Naarferk like Chilli.
By the way Chilli, we are rocking up in your back garden, or "Snetterton" as others call it, on 23rd August to burn rubber and fuel. Just a select few this time, plus me. Naarferk boy John Halstead organised it, and Nick will be there in his GT5 Ginetta - if you have a helmet and balls of steel he is offering passenger rides in the car. Alan will be there in the GTF Sagaris too. Are you free that day? To anyone else who wants to watch, entry is free and you can come and join us in the pits. A passenger ride pass is £30 for the day, bring or hire a helmet

[fieryfred]

I am based near Northallerton, yeah gods own country North Yorkshire.
Dales to the Left Moors to the right here i am stuck in the middle with a view. The seat belt guides on ebay are from where i got mine, even got a photo of my Chim on the add. I am going to send Paul a sketch of the seat belt extenders so he can knock up a few if required. Its years since i have been to Snetterton think Percy Tait, crasher Croxford, Mike the Bike, Mooneyes etc. I would like to pay a visit & i dont scare easy unless the brakes fail heading toward the pit wall. Oh i can scare you dead easy, take my glasses off & floor the throttle voice guidance required.
Regards
Fred.

[motul1974]

I'd certainly be up for a set of extenders, as the current set up is really f@#king annoying me!