Considering a Chim… coming from Caterham
Discussion
That’s a top bit of kit.
No heater but such raw cars.
If your brave enough to drive that on open roads you’ll have no issues with a Tvr ( has a great heater)
Are you a hands on the tools kind of guy or do you prefer to let experts/ garages do the work?
Turn 7 suggests your a track driver.
No heater but such raw cars.
If your brave enough to drive that on open roads you’ll have no issues with a Tvr ( has a great heater)
Are you a hands on the tools kind of guy or do you prefer to let experts/ garages do the work?
Turn 7 suggests your a track driver.
Thanks.I do like it.
Theres not many yellow with black nosebands around, and this is a 150 as well.
Im not a racer, but do track days. The handle just came after watching some MotoGP many years back.
Oh yeah, it DOES have a heater by the way....
I dont mind doing smaller jobs, but I dont have room in the garage to work on a car, plus I can be time poor as well.
Prefer to pay someone to do most of the big stuff, happier to tinker these days.
Theres not many yellow with black nosebands around, and this is a 150 as well.
Im not a racer, but do track days. The handle just came after watching some MotoGP many years back.
Oh yeah, it DOES have a heater by the way....
I dont mind doing smaller jobs, but I dont have room in the garage to work on a car, plus I can be time poor as well.
Prefer to pay someone to do most of the big stuff, happier to tinker these days.
Edited by Turn7 on Wednesday 17th January 17:51
Turn7 said:
Thanks.I do like it.
Theres not many yellow with black nosebands around, and this is a 150 as well.
Im not a racer, but do track days. The handle just came after watching some MotoGP many years back.
Oh yeah, it DOES have a heater by the way....
I dont mind doing smaller jobs, but I dont have room in the garage to work on a car, plus I can be time poor as well.
Prefer to pay someone to do most of the big stuff, happier to tinker these days.
Nut and bolt rebuild of my 7 when I was 17/18, including engine, took reciprocating bits to an engineering company then put it all back together in my bedroom with Castrol R Theres not many yellow with black nosebands around, and this is a 150 as well.
Im not a racer, but do track days. The handle just came after watching some MotoGP many years back.
Oh yeah, it DOES have a heater by the way....
I dont mind doing smaller jobs, but I dont have room in the garage to work on a car, plus I can be time poor as well.
Prefer to pay someone to do most of the big stuff, happier to tinker these days.
Edited by Turn7 on Wednesday 17th January 17:51
much to my mothers disgust… fitted with a ‘bullet’ box and mag alloy bell housing, great memories… done many track days in the Chimaera, usually leave 7’s for dead on the straights but they’re past again on the twisties 
Turn7 said:
Thanks.I do like it.
Theres not many yellow with black nosebands around, and this is a 150 as well.
Im not a racer, but do track days. The handle just came after watching some MotoGP many years back.
Oh yeah, it DOES have a heater by the way....
I dont mind doing smaller jobs, but I dont have room in the garage to work on a car, plus I can be time poor as well.
Prefer to pay someone to do most of the big stuff, happier to tinker these days.
That’s a very nice Caterham indeed. Theres not many yellow with black nosebands around, and this is a 150 as well.
Im not a racer, but do track days. The handle just came after watching some MotoGP many years back.
Oh yeah, it DOES have a heater by the way....
I dont mind doing smaller jobs, but I dont have room in the garage to work on a car, plus I can be time poor as well.
Prefer to pay someone to do most of the big stuff, happier to tinker these days.
Edited by Turn7 on Wednesday 17th January 17:51
So to me you should be considering a Tvr similar to that.
Modernised inside the engine bay for great reliability and precise mapping ( Ecu)
Tip top engine
Proper body off Chassis job.
A clean body.
The rest you can tinker with.
On my profile I have a blinding type list of things ive done, god forbid you need to go that far but it’s an indication of the areas and mods like a new intake pipe Fuel/brake lines and just stuff that some see as desirable or improve the car without completely moving away from original.
Those lists though daunting to a new owner help you when looking at prospective cars to identify just how much work has been done for you.
Headlights being one of them.
That’s a pain in the arse if you have to deal with it.
Use those lists or compile your own but my car is just a Typical Tvr that’s mostly just been kept in good condition and added to over time and stuff that’s got old replaced. The idea is to always have a sorted car so any job list is small. Start with a good car with a small list for best overall value.
Values of Tvr cars is interesting as in 2009/10 when I was looking a good original car might be 15- 25k and even if it had what looked like a good chassis it probably didn’t !
Now you wouldn’t consider a Chim at that price without having had a full body off job and probably a lot more work.
So in essence the top end cars now are about the same price but far more sorted than back then so better value and if modernised on the ignition front far more useable and more powerful than ever before.
Edited by Classic Chim on Thursday 18th January 08:11
Turn7 said:
With regard to the Diff - are they open or LSD?
If so, are they a reliable LSD and is it a plate or Torsen
Type?
LSD and boy do you need it. I think mine said "GKN" on it when I was last underneath it and pretty sure they are the Torsen type and not plated diffs. If so, are they a reliable LSD and is it a plate or Torsen
Type?
However, I'm sure someone with more chest hair will be along in a minute ....
Grantura/Readman Racing refurbed the GKN diff on my '95 for the previous owner. I've called them a couple of times, and have been given useful advice. They do a lot of these, and have a good reputation. Might be a place to ask questions from those who really know the answers.
My discovery today was that the drain plug shouldn't be tightened all the way in, just pay attention to how far in it is before removal, and add a layer of PTFE tape. If tightened in too far it will hit the crown wheel...!
I went straight back outside and wound the plug out a turn or so since I'd changed the oil yesterday (and thankfully hadn't driven anywhere yet).
Also, they said only one oil (ready for the debate?) - 'Morris Lodexol XFS 80W-140 API GL5 fully synthetic final drive or limited slip diff'. I did as I was told, found the best price on Milner Off Road, takes around 1.5L. He was quite clear on this, and said it must be changed annually.
My discovery today was that the drain plug shouldn't be tightened all the way in, just pay attention to how far in it is before removal, and add a layer of PTFE tape. If tightened in too far it will hit the crown wheel...!
I went straight back outside and wound the plug out a turn or so since I'd changed the oil yesterday (and thankfully hadn't driven anywhere yet).
Also, they said only one oil (ready for the debate?) - 'Morris Lodexol XFS 80W-140 API GL5 fully synthetic final drive or limited slip diff'. I did as I was told, found the best price on Milner Off Road, takes around 1.5L. He was quite clear on this, and said it must be changed annually.
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