Hmmm Interesting... T350T
Discussion
we are a lot more reserved over here 
T350 Guy said.
So racers/trackboys are happy with a rigid/solid feeling coupe and so are the rest of TVR customers who can enjoy the extra torsional stiffness and dynamics of a coupe with the extra air in the hair without the full covertible compromises.
Even at our local club meets there those who like the roof on and those who like the roof off!
quote]
If the roll cage is not changed then I cannot see the lift out panels making much difference to the rigidity of the chassis.
Personally, and I've made this comment to a dealer, who confirmed that a number of customers, with chims/griffiths have similar ideas. Is that in looking to replace my griffith with another full roadster, that the tamora doesn't quite do it for me in the looks department only(the tamora is a really GREAT drive).
And what might might tempt me out of my griff is a roadster that looks as good as the T350 front end, or another EVEN sexier design...........
For TVR, who do respond to customer demand in their own way, this is actually pretty easy to do. Grafting a t350 front end onto what is essentially the same car, represents a very minimal amount of work. They then might show it at the next motorshow.... Depending how many orders they get at the show, then gives them a very good idea whether the public like it or not.
Personally, it is my belief that TVR would sell a lot more roadsters this way. Either as a replacement for the tamora, or more likely as a paralell roadster (like griff/chim) it would make some sense to market then slightly differently, one softer more refined tourer type, one out and out aggresive sportscar..
In fact just like they marketed the chim/griff, which is partly why more chim sales than griff. A number of people were scared off the 'uncompromising' griff by salesmen into the slightly more 'tourer' chims with more luggage space. When in actual reality a griff 500 and a chim 500 have near (probably identical) performance AND BOTH fit two sets of golf clubs in the boot. (Admittedly the roof is a bit tighter fit in the Griff, junk the space saver, cans of foam, where would you put the punctured wheel anyway!?)
So basically pure marketing. Two great cars, the most succesful range TVR every made (share the same chassis,etc)
Tivster, sorry if I appeared a bit blunt in my original reply, but some people have a bit of a history (a lot of which has been binned) and I didn't want Mark (a relative newcomer to pistonheads)to be put off. As a newcomer he was asking sensible questions, not everyone here is expected to KNOW everything about TVR models (believe it or not), before they are 'allowed' to post, in fact part of what I've enjoyed in these forums, is giving advice(my personal opinions only) to someone who is perhaps new to TVR's, we are all adults, and are quite capable of taking different opinions aboard, and then making are own minds up.
My general personal rule of posting, is never post anything, that you wouldn't say in a pub to a casual aquaintance. Plus, as it's text only, give people the benefit of the doubt (unless history provess otherwise)as innocently intended text messages, can be quite often mis-construed with emotions that were not there.
To finish a long post, basically TVR might tempt me (and it seems a few other people) into a new roadster, if they produced one with (in out opinion) a sexier front end. That does not denigrate the tamora in any way, after all I personally have never like the looks of the Chim compared to the Griff, but chim's outsold griff's 3 or 4 times to one!!
imho due to the above marketing,
As I've had a lot of comments from Chim owners (including chim 500) owners, along those lines. They may not have realised, that car salesmen tend to try to persuade you buy cars they have in stock. If they have 3-4 chims in, and have just sold their last Griff (3/4 - 1 stock ratio probably)
Why more chims than griffs, also partly due to, in 1992 they stopped making the GRiff (4.0 4.3) for about a year, to cries of why, it was extremely popular, and ONLY sold Chims, until popular demand and delays with the new AJP V8 brought back the GRiffith 500, with a TVR Rover based V8, the AJP v8 eventually going into the cerbera. And by then, the marketing 'softer' chimara myth had taken hold, purely due to the then engine choice, no Chim 500's until later. ON the road a 4.5 chim, is just as scary as a 5.0 one. similarly 4.3 griff/griff 500
Salesmen will generally point you towards what they have in stock, and give you some marketing speak.
B
>> Edited by bjwoods on Friday 13th June 13:18
And what might might tempt me out of my griff is a roadster that looks as good as the T350 front end, or another EVEN sexier design...........
For TVR, who do respond to customer demand in their own way, this is actually pretty easy to do. Grafting a t350 front end onto what is essentially the same car, represents a very minimal amount of work. They then might show it at the next motorshow.... Depending how many orders they get at the show, then gives them a very good idea whether the public like it or not.
Personally, it is my belief that TVR would sell a lot more roadsters this way. Either as a replacement for the tamora, or more likely as a paralell roadster (like griff/chim) it would make some sense to market then slightly differently, one softer more refined tourer type, one out and out aggresive sportscar..
In fact just like they marketed the chim/griff, which is partly why more chim sales than griff. A number of people were scared off the 'uncompromising' griff by salesmen into the slightly more 'tourer' chims with more luggage space. When in actual reality a griff 500 and a chim 500 have near (probably identical) performance AND BOTH fit two sets of golf clubs in the boot. (Admittedly the roof is a bit tighter fit in the Griff, junk the space saver, cans of foam, where would you put the punctured wheel anyway!?)
So basically pure marketing. Two great cars, the most succesful range TVR every made (share the same chassis,etc)
Tivster, sorry if I appeared a bit blunt in my original reply, but some people have a bit of a history (a lot of which has been binned) and I didn't want Mark (a relative newcomer to pistonheads)to be put off. As a newcomer he was asking sensible questions, not everyone here is expected to KNOW everything about TVR models (believe it or not), before they are 'allowed' to post, in fact part of what I've enjoyed in these forums, is giving advice(my personal opinions only) to someone who is perhaps new to TVR's, we are all adults, and are quite capable of taking different opinions aboard, and then making are own minds up.
My general personal rule of posting, is never post anything, that you wouldn't say in a pub to a casual aquaintance. Plus, as it's text only, give people the benefit of the doubt (unless history provess otherwise)as innocently intended text messages, can be quite often mis-construed with emotions that were not there.
To finish a long post, basically TVR might tempt me (and it seems a few other people) into a new roadster, if they produced one with (in out opinion) a sexier front end. That does not denigrate the tamora in any way, after all I personally have never like the looks of the Chim compared to the Griff, but chim's outsold griff's 3 or 4 times to one!!
imho due to the above marketing,
As I've had a lot of comments from Chim owners (including chim 500) owners, along those lines. They may not have realised, that car salesmen tend to try to persuade you buy cars they have in stock. If they have 3-4 chims in, and have just sold their last Griff (3/4 - 1 stock ratio probably)
Why more chims than griffs, also partly due to, in 1992 they stopped making the GRiff (4.0 4.3) for about a year, to cries of why, it was extremely popular, and ONLY sold Chims, until popular demand and delays with the new AJP V8 brought back the GRiffith 500, with a TVR Rover based V8, the AJP v8 eventually going into the cerbera. And by then, the marketing 'softer' chimara myth had taken hold, purely due to the then engine choice, no Chim 500's until later. ON the road a 4.5 chim, is just as scary as a 5.0 one. similarly 4.3 griff/griff 500
Salesmen will generally point you towards what they have in stock, and give you some marketing speak.
B
>> Edited by bjwoods on Friday 13th June 13:18
If the roll cage is not changed then I cannot see the lift out panels making much difference to the rigidity of the chassis.
Exactly my point, it doesn't. Now both camps can enjoy the full characteristics of the T350. Those who have a need to go fully topless can always opt for a Tamora/Tuscan.
We are spoiled for choice actually!
Jeremy, I always thought the GTS version of the 355 was a bit pointless too since the Spider and GTB seemed to cover all bases. 
Mind you, they haven't bothered with a 360 GTS have they.
Thanks BJ. This is a wonderfully civilised place if you are used to the Evo forum , Scoobynet or (heaven forbid) the Elise BBS.
I wonder if in a couple of years the Tamora will quietly gain the T350 front end treatment and get some new rear lights since it seems a pretty universal preference on here.
Mind you, they haven't bothered with a 360 GTS have they.
Thanks BJ. This is a wonderfully civilised place if you are used to the Evo forum , Scoobynet or (heaven forbid) the Elise BBS.
I wonder if in a couple of years the Tamora will quietly gain the T350 front end treatment and get some new rear lights since it seems a pretty universal preference on here.
After all said and done.. when the suns shining and everyones out to play.. the Tamora is still the best place to be in.. its just that full convertible with that glorious engine that does it for me.. unless your buying your TVR for racing.. its got to be a drop top.. just ask those ladies out there....
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