Is there anything on this car that is not difficult to do??
Discussion
Having taken most of this car to bits and put it back together I am well aware of the acrobatics, the double jointed and contortionist postures needed to do most jobs on it, and how much time and patience doing anything on this car needs.
So set out to change the sparks today, what could be difficult about that?
After going through every permutation of shaft lengths, standard spark sockets, in 3 different socket sets of different sizes, what a palaver, especially drivers side closest to the back of the engine. Then trying to get my bunch of saveloy fingers down between the wing and the rocker cover to locate the plug ends and push back on the HT leads (no extenders). 8 plugs? took me close to 2 hours to do, most of that time on the driver's side due to the heater pipes next to the rocker cover.
I really don't blame TVR garages charging what they charge, even for a 6000-mile service if they need all day just to do just the basic bits.
Don't get me started on the fuel lines I did last month, or the diff oil and exhaust manifold bolts.
So set out to change the sparks today, what could be difficult about that?
After going through every permutation of shaft lengths, standard spark sockets, in 3 different socket sets of different sizes, what a palaver, especially drivers side closest to the back of the engine. Then trying to get my bunch of saveloy fingers down between the wing and the rocker cover to locate the plug ends and push back on the HT leads (no extenders). 8 plugs? took me close to 2 hours to do, most of that time on the driver's side due to the heater pipes next to the rocker cover.
I really don't blame TVR garages charging what they charge, even for a 6000-mile service if they need all day just to do just the basic bits.
Don't get me started on the fuel lines I did last month, or the diff oil and exhaust manifold bolts.
No.
1 - If it's accessible it's tywrapped to something bigger, siliconed down to something with razor sharp grp edges, or is one of the road wheels.
2 - If it's partly accessible it's usually obscured by something else (see 3).
3 - If it's completely inaccessible it's held down by a mixture of metric and 'other' pre-war nuts that need special spanners, triple joints and one of those special 3/8" extensions Halfords just sold out of.
Even something like changing the oil filter is a juggling act through the chassis tubing.
Easiest job so far : changing steering wheel. Comfortable seating position, one allen key, minimal knuckle damage.
But it's worth it
1 - If it's accessible it's tywrapped to something bigger, siliconed down to something with razor sharp grp edges, or is one of the road wheels.
2 - If it's partly accessible it's usually obscured by something else (see 3).
3 - If it's completely inaccessible it's held down by a mixture of metric and 'other' pre-war nuts that need special spanners, triple joints and one of those special 3/8" extensions Halfords just sold out of.
Even something like changing the oil filter is a juggling act through the chassis tubing.
Easiest job so far : changing steering wheel. Comfortable seating position, one allen key, minimal knuckle damage.
But it's worth it
glow worm said:
Try renewing your heater hoses .... TVR put them in before the engine, so it's fun and lots of lost knuckle skin
Tried that after a leak at the top end by the fuel hoses. It was easier to graft 2 feet onto the existing one than to try and get the whole thing out. Bodge I know, but effective, I wasn't going to take the heater pipes out from the passenger footwell again.
Plenum and trumpet base removed serp heater hoses are relatively straight forward to change just run clean water though the circuit 1st with heater valve open so as you remove pipes inside you dont get strong coloured coolant trying to stain your carpets but just harmless water 
but yes far easier with motor out 
but yes far easier with motor out Edited by Sardonicus on Sunday 25th June 10:19
i think you guys are exaggerating a little, i work on modern cars every day for a living and i consider my tvr a breath of fresh air compared the them! its that "back to basics" approach that i love about tvr's. i recently removed my brake master cylinder [considered to be one of the worst jobs on the car] and found it not so bad to do. not ribbing you guys but honestly these cars aren't so bad to work on and in my opinion worth every minute of inconvenience they can throw at you. just my two cents worth. i wonder if the new TVR's will be so repairable?
TwinKam said:
This^^^
I too was thinking along the lines of, 'You obviously haven't tried to work on 'modern' cars then....'
...but NZ beat me to it.
Absolutely correct. As for spark plugs, just use a 3/8 Drive spark plug socket and a slightly longer handled swivel head ratchet, it works a treat !I too was thinking along the lines of, 'You obviously haven't tried to work on 'modern' cars then....'
...but NZ beat me to it.
phazed 11.83 said:
Absolutely correct. As for spark plugs, just use a 3/8 Drive spark plug socket and a slightly longer handled swivel head ratchet, it works a treat !
Beat me to it The right tool for the job is a very good point
Moons ago I was lucky enough to work with an ex Raf mechanical genious,, his secret seemed to be total and utter patience and never loosing his cool. That and taking his time seemed the secret to his success. I had this old Jag and he helped me restore most of it, he'd say nothing's hard on a Jag but usually involves removing half the car to get at the little problem you have, it just takes longer and from that day I've rarely chucked spanners about
just find another solution or find more patience, I used this remit when doing manifolds,,, decided it would take two hours per one and the fact it did was ok. jazzdude said:
Is there anything on this car that is not difficult to do??
Getting it to swap ends is not difficult to do.... it's particularly easy on damp tarmac or loose surfaces. In fact, it's a manoeuvre that requires little skill or driver input, and can be easily achieved even if you're paying little or no attention to what you're doing. Successful recovery can be particularly rewarding, especially if you actually contributed to said recovery, or a simple 'thank feck' often suffices if you didn't... Also, despite the fact that God had (probably) nothing to do with it, he is often given credit if no damage occurs following your often high speed and highly entertaining pirouette along Her Majesty's highway.I myself have (obviously) never accomplished the aforementioned manoeuvre, other than on those occasions when it was an intentional and planned event (obviously).
So, if you're in search of something 'that is not difficult to do', I would highly recommend the high speed pirouette (or even the low speed one but this should consist of at least two rotations to be properly entertaining).
Hope this helps anyone reading my highly informative info (drivel) to get greater enjoyment from their TVR... As PW himself said, slow in, fast out, and if you can safely swap ends in the process without endangering others or your P&J then you are well on your way to be being a driving God. Like what I am....
Off for a refill now...
Chilli
I get your point about the simplicity of these cars. Apart from fitting my own car stereos in the days before din plugs in my youth I had never done any of my own maintenance.
So with a set of sockets and spanners I am still amazed at what I set out to do and what I have achieved with this car. If it was not such a simple thing I would not have touched it, my other cars all go to the garage to be done.
My point is the ACCESS, do do even the most simple task you need so much patience when your fingers or hands can not get to that nut or bolt that's in plain and easy sight.
Today I took off the alternator as its bearings decided to sing tunes. Two bolts they said. Got them out but I can't for the life of me see how I am going to get that nut at the back under the alternator back on again without loads of deposits in the swear tin.
So with a set of sockets and spanners I am still amazed at what I set out to do and what I have achieved with this car. If it was not such a simple thing I would not have touched it, my other cars all go to the garage to be done.
My point is the ACCESS, do do even the most simple task you need so much patience when your fingers or hands can not get to that nut or bolt that's in plain and easy sight.
Today I took off the alternator as its bearings decided to sing tunes. Two bolts they said. Got them out but I can't for the life of me see how I am going to get that nut at the back under the alternator back on again without loads of deposits in the swear tin.
very true and without all the "special" tools i have accumulated over the years some of these jobs would be very daunting.
re. the nut you are concerned about refitting i find that if you take a screwdriver or rod of some sort that the nut will easily slide over
slide the nut up to the handle and hold it there, position the other end of the screwdriver/rod on the end of the bolt where you want it to end up then let go of the nut and watch it slide down and sit at the end of the bolt then spin it with you finger or another screwdriver
to get it started iyswim? good luck and keep on TVRing.
re. the nut you are concerned about refitting i find that if you take a screwdriver or rod of some sort that the nut will easily slide over
slide the nut up to the handle and hold it there, position the other end of the screwdriver/rod on the end of the bolt where you want it to end up then let go of the nut and watch it slide down and sit at the end of the bolt then spin it with you finger or another screwdriver
to get it started iyswim? good luck and keep on TVRing.
NZ fan said:
very true and without all the "special" tools i have accumulated over the years some of these jobs would be very daunting.
re. the nut you are concerned about refitting i find that if you take a screwdriver or rod of some sort that the nut will easily slide over
slide the nut up to the handle and hold it there, position the other end of the screwdriver/rod on the end of the bolt where you want it to end up then let go of the nut and watch it slide down and sit at the end of the bolt then spin it with you finger or another screwdriver
to get it started iyswim? good luck and keep on TVRing.
The nut in question is under the alternator, at the back where you cant see it and is also set in under the wiring connections. I will be amazed if I can get a screwdriver to slide the nut down at the right angle to get anywhere near that bolt.re. the nut you are concerned about refitting i find that if you take a screwdriver or rod of some sort that the nut will easily slide over
slide the nut up to the handle and hold it there, position the other end of the screwdriver/rod on the end of the bolt where you want it to end up then let go of the nut and watch it slide down and sit at the end of the bolt then spin it with you finger or another screwdriver
to get it started iyswim? good luck and keep on TVRing.
I am just hoping that somewhere I can just about get a finger to it (with the nut superglued to it) and spin the bolt on the other side until it bites. Otherwise, I can see that the water hose next to it might have to come out, so I can come in from the side.
jazzdude said:
NZ fan said:
very true and without all the "special" tools i have accumulated over the years some of these jobs would be very daunting.
re. the nut you are concerned about refitting i find that if you take a screwdriver or rod of some sort that the nut will easily slide over
slide the nut up to the handle and hold it there, position the other end of the screwdriver/rod on the end of the bolt where you want it to end up then let go of the nut and watch it slide down and sit at the end of the bolt then spin it with you finger or another screwdriver
to get it started iyswim? good luck and keep on TVRing.
The nut in question is under the alternator, at the back where you cant see it and is also set in under the wiring connections. I will be amazed if I can get a screwdriver to slide the nut down at the right angle to get anywhere near that bolt.re. the nut you are concerned about refitting i find that if you take a screwdriver or rod of some sort that the nut will easily slide over
slide the nut up to the handle and hold it there, position the other end of the screwdriver/rod on the end of the bolt where you want it to end up then let go of the nut and watch it slide down and sit at the end of the bolt then spin it with you finger or another screwdriver
to get it started iyswim? good luck and keep on TVRing.
I am just hoping that somewhere I can just about get a finger to it (with the nut superglued to it) and spin the bolt on the other side until it bites. Otherwise, I can see that the water hose next to it might have to come out, so I can come in from the side.
wedge the nut into the closed end of a combination spanner with tape piece of card/paper etc then pass this down behind the bracket/alt whilst turning the long 11mm headed bolt into the waiting nut you have prepared Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff