what griff?

[tom tom]

Dad has decided on a griff! i think he will be contacting rob ingleby (spelling) as recommended. He wants a pre cat car and is thinking of a 4l.


does anyone have any opinion on the different engine sizes(regarding reliability, performace etc) and are there any other issues to think about? oh yeah - can you get pre cat 500's or one's early enough that the cat can be legally bypassed?

tom

[oggs]

Tom tom, Adrian Blyth has a pre cat for sale Here worth a look as well as asking Rob and James Agger

I take it he liked Rob's griff then.

[tom tom]

thanks oggs, he loved your car too, it was a very hard decision as they say! does james agger have a website?

tom tom

[HarryW]

tom tom said:

thanks oggs, he loved your car too, it was a very hard decision as they say! does james agger have a website? tom tom

Try here

Harry

[tom tom]

HarryW said:

Try here Harry

Thanks

So does anyone have any ideas about the differences between 4 and 4.3l engines? or has the topic been covered before?

[beano500]

tom tom said:

does anyone have any opinion on the different engine sizes(regarding reliability, performace etc)

Later the better gets you all the little improvements and better build quality as a general rule with TVRs. BUT: any well looked after early car will be just as good (and sound even better)

tom tom said:

can you get pre cat 500's or one's early enough that the cat can be legally bypassed?

Technically all 500s have cats.......


......it's just that the cats can sometimes fall out and even mysteriously reappear about MOT time.....


Sports exhausts are also favourites, although the standard set up is enough for most! Anything more can get wearing on a long run!

[DustyC]

This one!
www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=23725&s=3
Get this one its lurvely
(No its not mine!)

There was one pre-cat 500 for the UK and I believe that it was possible to order a 500 without cats if you lived in the channel islands. So there may be newer legal ones around.
Dont quote me on that though as they may need to be converted when brough back and they will be few and fair between anyway.

Just get the one I mentioned above

[burriana500]

Gotta say - that is a good by the looks of it - 50k miles over three years is a good omen

[tom tom]

very nice car you've got there - why are you selling?however i think he might be set on a pre cat car - although i'm not sure (ill teach him how to use a computer saturday and he can speak for himself )

beano500 said:

Technically all 500s have cats....... ......it's just that the cats can sometimes fall out and even mysteriously reappear about MOT time.....

I have read that if cars are made 'after August 1995 they get a CAT test.' (article)
and the 500 was launched in aug 2003 so does that mean that cats on cars up to 1995 can be removed with no problem? It also says that no car needs to have a cat regardless of age...

[tom tom]

whoops - just remembered reading why you are selling!

[DustyC]

tom tom said:

I have read that if cars are made 'after August 1995 they get a CAT test.' (article) and the 500 was launched in aug 2003 so does that mean that cats on cars up to 1995 can be removed with no problem? It also says that no car needs to have a cat regardless of age...

The Griffith 500 came out in 1994. (L reg is the earliest I believe).
Chances of finding a non modified, non cat Griff 500 are so remote its not even worth trying to look for one.
However, all 4.0, 4.3 and 4.5 Griffiths are cat free cars (known as precats).
These cars were all produced before (or possible in) 1994.
After 1994 all new cars had to have a Cat.

Basically if you buy a TVR with a Cat then you have to leave it in. Taking it out will mean you fail the MOT.

Their are ways around this but they are illeagal.
Then again, so is taping the charts from Radio 1 on a Sunday afternoon and keeping the tape for more than 3 months.

The advantages of a precat car is that they make a noise that was invented in hell and fine tuned in heaven.
Having said that, the 500s still sound bloody fantastic even with the cats and standard exhausts.
Where in the country are you? If you are close to me (South Coast) I'll show you what a standard 500 can do.
If not then get along to a TVRCC meet and Im sure there will be lots of people willing to show you exactly what their cars sounds and go like.

[jam1et]

I suppose the ideal car for your dad sounds like the 4.3 - it sounds superb but has the power approaching the 500. Few were made though (even fewer 4.5's) so good luck in finding a decent one! I held out for 8 months trying to find an unmolested 4.3 but couldnt wait any longer and ended up with a 4ltr. I particularly wanted a pre cat for the noise. Also note the following equation: 500 - cats + sports exhaust still doesnt = precat sound

Agree about comments of build quality though - the later the car the better it gets.

>> Edited by jam1et on Friday 28th May 11:43

[tom tom]

thanks for the info - not that near the coast - up near luton... but we did pop along to the northants ph meet a couple of weeks ago and that was an amazing experience. We saw griffman's pre cat and that was stunning but then again so was BB's 500 ... and oggs' chim ... oh and gbbird's cerb...

i have to say simons 500 sounded really nice but i think it has a lot of mods( correct me if im wrong)

anywaythanks again for the advice and i'll pass it on to dad

[DustyC]

Have to agree that Simons balistic banana does sound fantastic, like some kind of bomber plane!
I think its just a sports exhaust but no doubt he'll be along later to tell you exactly why it sounds like that.

[pebbledash]

DustyC said:

Basically if you buy a TVR with a Cat then you have to leave it in. Taking it out will mean you fail the MOT.

I think the wording of the MOT testers handbook, only states that a car after the cut off point MUST PASS the Cat test, I don't think it actually states that the cat MUST be there, but removing the cats makes passing the test tough..

www.bobmckay.co.uk/cattest.html

TheWeb said:

Advanced emission (CAT) test: CAT test is an unfortunate term which leads many to think that the MOT is testing the Catalytic converter fitted to later vehicles but this is not so. The MOT is testing emissions, so if the emissions from the tailpipe meet the requirements the vehicle passes. Whether a CAT is fitted is irrelevant. The deciding factor is the vehicles date of first registration. A "Cat" may be fitted to a vehicle which only needs to meet the two gas test and if the emissions are satisfactory, it passes. A "Cat" may have been removed and the vehicle is required to meet the "Cat" test standard by virtue of its first registration date. If the emissions meet the standard then it passes. Many advanced design engines will meet the "Cat" requirements with a standard exhaust but of course may be emitting other pollutants not subject to the MOT.

>> Edited by pebbledash on Friday 28th May 14:27

[griffman]

hi tom tom, glad to see your dad is making the jump, griff pre cat is the way forward, and dont think he will be disapointed either. remember mine has done 92,000 miles and is in pretty good shape, so its down to service history and general condition.p.s hope you enjoyed your blast the other weekend!