Considering a Chim… coming from Caterham
Discussion
Each car has its merits and downsides.
As this thread is supposed to be informing a prospective new owner at this point I’d just point out the bleeding obvious but rigger replacement rather than a full body off rigger replacement and complete chassis overhaul are usually two very different things.
Riggers are the main issue but the main chassis top rails towards the rear of the engine and directly below manifolds can be known to rot mainly from breakdown of powder coat due to heat.
It’s now common to see silver or gold tape applied to these tubes as part of preventative maintenance going forward which can only be done properly via a body off.
This area is critical and very difficult to see. You need a torch a ramp and somehow look up from below to see this section of tube.
You can sometimes see rust from engine bay. If you find rust how are you going to fix that without removing body and engine, your not.
Also turn steering to full lock and you might be able to see manifolds and tube through wheel arch but again car needs to be off the floor and wheels off to fully inspect.
Your best bet is make sure the engine is stone cold and maybe feel past the manifolds and see if you can run your fingers around those tubes.
This to me is a more critical area and if it’s not addressed will be a major problem later on.
Dif Carrier area the body can rub on the top tubes and wear off the powdercoat with a similar effect so a body off is far more desirable than rigger replacement alone unless the rest of the chassis is mint.
It’s just an important distinction to make between a body off and rigger replacement alone.
If it’s rigger replacement alone that’s the area of the car I’d be most interested in and go directly too.
If that checks out then your good to carry on and often it’s late cars that suffer below the manifolds in this way so it’s very important to look here on all cars considered.
I hope that helps.
As this thread is supposed to be informing a prospective new owner at this point I’d just point out the bleeding obvious but rigger replacement rather than a full body off rigger replacement and complete chassis overhaul are usually two very different things.
Riggers are the main issue but the main chassis top rails towards the rear of the engine and directly below manifolds can be known to rot mainly from breakdown of powder coat due to heat.
It’s now common to see silver or gold tape applied to these tubes as part of preventative maintenance going forward which can only be done properly via a body off.
This area is critical and very difficult to see. You need a torch a ramp and somehow look up from below to see this section of tube.
You can sometimes see rust from engine bay. If you find rust how are you going to fix that without removing body and engine, your not.
Also turn steering to full lock and you might be able to see manifolds and tube through wheel arch but again car needs to be off the floor and wheels off to fully inspect.
Your best bet is make sure the engine is stone cold and maybe feel past the manifolds and see if you can run your fingers around those tubes.
This to me is a more critical area and if it’s not addressed will be a major problem later on.
Dif Carrier area the body can rub on the top tubes and wear off the powdercoat with a similar effect so a body off is far more desirable than rigger replacement alone unless the rest of the chassis is mint.
It’s just an important distinction to make between a body off and rigger replacement alone.
If it’s rigger replacement alone that’s the area of the car I’d be most interested in and go directly too.
If that checks out then your good to carry on and often it’s late cars that suffer below the manifolds in this way so it’s very important to look here on all cars considered.
I hope that helps.
Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 6th January 10:05
Turn7 said:
Few more questions please gents….
What are these like for holding value ? Caterhams seem to hold value really well.
Do they have LSD as standard ?
What’s the insurance like , cost wise ?
Good at holding value based on condition. What are these like for holding value ? Caterhams seem to hold value really well.
Do they have LSD as standard ?
What’s the insurance like , cost wise ?
Yes LSD but can be worn so you should feel if it works ok.
Cheap… or it used to be.
I will say that coming from a Catetham that your going to be in for a bit of a shock in the handling stakes.
That's not meant to be a downer on the Chim but it's a bit agricultural in comparison and more of a relaxed cruiser.
You probably already know this though.
Insurance was fairly cheap some years ago, I always found Footman James one of the better ones from memory.
That's not meant to be a downer on the Chim but it's a bit agricultural in comparison and more of a relaxed cruiser.
You probably already know this though.
Insurance was fairly cheap some years ago, I always found Footman James one of the better ones from memory.
Edited by Belle427 on Saturday 6th January 10:11
Turn7 said:
Thanks, very informative.
I’m a little wary of just riggers being done, as you suggest, if the riggers have rust, it’s likely elsewhere will have too.
I hate to say it but yes it’s likely but that is largely down to use and maintenance as if your chassis was protected with usually an oil based product from very early on or never driven in bad weather they can last well. I’m a little wary of just riggers being done, as you suggest, if the riggers have rust, it’s likely elsewhere will have too.
Earlier cars the powdercoat was more robust so this is not fact.
You have to look at those top rails on any car you consider and that will inform you of where you really stand. If those top rails are free of corrosion that’s a major bonus if riggers are replaced or not as that’s easy to do compared with the work involved in fixing main chassis tubes.
My later chassis everything was breaking down, Dif plates you could peel off the PC by hand so a good body off is ten times what a rigger job is.
I’ve noticed body off cars don’t necessarily sell for much more so if I was looking around 15k but probably more like 17k I’d be looking for body off versions only.
ETA I used my car from when it was 10 years old as a daily for nearly 10 years and drove it through winters fully believing I’d need to do the chassis someday. My car had never had chassis protection applied until I owned it but the damage was already done. I battered it in all weathers.
It was extensively rotten at 20 years of age around riggers and saved by a body off/ engine out and addressing the lack of pc around those top tubes.
Having done this work that’s so satisfying to know those tubes are protected and safe for years to come.
Sorting this area is only achieved with a body off so the most important thing to look for. Many people offer rigger replacement but this area is being ignored.
We write this stuff not to scare people off but to make them aware and poor sellers fearful lol
I only spent 10k on engine and so on knowing I couldn’t sell my car without a body off because I’ve known it was f
ked for years. Decided if I have to do chassis the rest of it must be fast and reliable to justify it.
Went mad having fun doing that but meant a body off cost much less than doing it to a knacker.
I did mine for about 3k excluding garage rental costs which was another 1.2k
But worth it for access to a ramp hoist and tools as well as spray booth so fortunate I could do most the work in house.
I’d had new ball joints and allsorts over the years of doing a rolling restoration to mostly mechanical/ electrical components brakes Dif clutch Rack joints and gators, front drop links, wishbones and stuff like that as I drove and clocked up about 38,000 miles to be precise.
So doing a body off was mostly all the things difficult to do with body on which is not very expensive in the scheme of things.
My time if I charged myself £50 hr would come into the thousands though as fully stripping the chassis and doing the work takes weeks of effort.
I managed to do almost all of the assembly alone other than removing refitting body which takes at least one extra pair of eyes and a hand on the lift button.
Once the body is off it’s like a big fat Caterham so then very easy to work on. Great fun and none of it particularly technical.
Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 6th January 12:11
CABC said:
FJ are TVRCC's insurer, worthwhile joining for the forums and magazine. (FJ insurance v.good price though I found it bizarre that FJ's quotes for my other cars were ridiculously high - same details and requested at same time.)
Tax is low at 300 too
I've used FJ in the past, but not as competitive recently, although they will give you guaranteed value for a small fee. Tax is low at 300 too
VED was just < £300 for several years, due to low inflation but it's been £325 since April 2023. From April 2024, it's £345 p.a.
Still, it's all relative, considering you'll likely spend much more on fuel, I know I do. 
Turn7 said:
Few more questions please gents….
What are these like for holding value ? Caterhams seem to hold value really well.
Do they have LSD as standard ?
What’s the insurance like , cost wise ?
Valuation wise......i quite like where the Chimaera sits amongst TVR values at the moment. They are not ridiculous expensive and are affordable as a What are these like for holding value ? Caterhams seem to hold value really well.
Do they have LSD as standard ?
What’s the insurance like , cost wise ?
2nd/weekend car. At their present price point you can "use and drive them as they should be driven"
If the values start to rise dramatically, then most will end up being "garage queens" and thats not what a TVR should be.
I visited the Classic Car Show at the NEC for the first time ever this year, and there was some fabulous cars , from various manufacturers, on display.
But i was also a little saddened to think that some of them , because of their value, would have been trailered there, and do not really see any "road use"
I drove my Chimaera, on a week long Euro trip, with 26 other TVR cars through France and Belgium and was part of a classic car meet at Spa. During this
meet i had the chance to "really drive" my Chimaera for 6 laps around Spa, and later that weekend a lap of The Ring.
If you buy a good one and maintain it properly, it should slowly and steadily increase in value, but the best advice i can give......is drive it !
Belle427 said:
A good friend of mine has a V8 Westfield, as a driving experience there isn't much better but I dont really gel with it.
I find the wind buffeting on them to be terrible without side windows in place but they spoil the experience totally.
How do owners get on with 7 type cars?
My first car was a Lotus 7, and I worked for Caterham for a brief period (before they got the rights to build their own car). I have a Chimaera 500 with a V8D built lump in it. So much fun and enjoyment, but, if I had the room (and the spare cash) I’d add a 7 to my little collection tomorrow. Or this afternoon I find the wind buffeting on them to be terrible without side windows in place but they spoil the experience totally.
How do owners get on with 7 type cars?
But better days will come and burbling down a country Lane roof off and sun on your back wind in your hair to a nice pub for lunch in a car like a TVR with its inherent power lurking there for all to hear is never going to weaken.
I had some great meetings with other owners by just meeting in some country pub car park and nattering then a blast through a few villages.
Get 6 cars doing that and the place stops in wonder as a bunch of TVR respectfully rumble past and it reverberates around every building. You realise then how bloody marvellous they really are.
Then you can do as above and pop on to any great circuit and get upto 150 if your sure about it
I too went to France and the boot space is bloody ace.
Lotus represent the best in driver engagement and not for the faint hearted.
Tvr offer a similar experience that’s more comfortable and warm inside, fast on acceleration once in a staraight line ( unless you enjoy drifting) but slower in the turns but no less demanding. The fairly quick action of the steering is a TVR trait which is a great thing as it’s very direct if a lot of concentration needed at speed because any movement and the car will react very quickly.
Tyres are a big thing as would be well set up Nitron shocks which up until now have been seen as the best so it takes a good few things to get a TVR singing but if you do it’s a great little car.
I had some great meetings with other owners by just meeting in some country pub car park and nattering then a blast through a few villages.
Get 6 cars doing that and the place stops in wonder as a bunch of TVR respectfully rumble past and it reverberates around every building. You realise then how bloody marvellous they really are.
Then you can do as above and pop on to any great circuit and get upto 150 if your sure about it
I too went to France and the boot space is bloody ace.
Lotus represent the best in driver engagement and not for the faint hearted.
Tvr offer a similar experience that’s more comfortable and warm inside, fast on acceleration once in a staraight line ( unless you enjoy drifting) but slower in the turns but no less demanding. The fairly quick action of the steering is a TVR trait which is a great thing as it’s very direct if a lot of concentration needed at speed because any movement and the car will react very quickly.
Tyres are a big thing as would be well set up Nitron shocks which up until now have been seen as the best so it takes a good few things to get a TVR singing but if you do it’s a great little car.
Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 6th January 13:26
Belle427 said:
.......................I'm at a cross roads in car ownership now, enjoy having a toy sat in the garage but it's such a waste really not using it much due to weather.
This is exactly where i was in early 2023. Having owned my Chimaera for 15 years, i felt it was time for a change. Not getting any younger so the days of me crawling under the car every winter are over.
Forgive me all, not a TVR but i just had to buy this. Cannot wait till summer for a nice long Euro trip.
https://thumbsnap.com/GYCxh5Ju
TJC46 said:
This is exactly where i was in early 2023. Having owned my Chimaera for 15 years, i felt it was time for a change.
Not getting any younger so the days of me crawling under the car every winter are over.
Forgive me all, not a TVR but i just had to buy this. Cannot wait till summer for a nice long Euro trip.
https://thumbsnap.com/GYCxh5Ju
Very nice….Not getting any younger so the days of me crawling under the car every winter are over.
Forgive me all, not a TVR but i just had to buy this. Cannot wait till summer for a nice long Euro trip.
https://thumbsnap.com/GYCxh5Ju
Belle427 said:
I'm no Pork expert but is that a 981 Cayman?
Lovely car.
Indeed it is. 981 Cayman GTS Flat six 3.4ltr 340BHP.Lovely car.
Anyway back on topic.
To the OP, i wish you luck in your search for a Chimaera. I owned one for 15 years and loved every minute of it.
They don't drive like any modern car, best described as an adventure every time you drive it.
Worth every penny, just for the noise alone.
Edited by TJC46 on Saturday 6th January 16:22
miniman said:
I think the slight premium that you’ll pay with a TVR specialist like Schmoo, James Agger, Amore etc is probably worthwhile if you don’t know the cars. Certainly my experience with James was exceptional and all of Amore’s stock looks fantastic when I’ve been there.
As Ive said on another thread I bought from James (Chimaera) in December and very pleased with it and the buying experience and after sales queries too. The other place whilst very good wasn’t the same quality as JA in my honest opinion. To be clear no affiliation to JA and more than happy to pay the premium for the attention to detail in prep pre sale, heres mine living outside, no choice 
Like this....
https://www.jamesagger.com/listings/1995-m-reg-tvr...
Although the MOT history is a little vague...
https://www.jamesagger.com/listings/1995-m-reg-tvr...
Although the MOT history is a little vague...
Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 7th January 17:55
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