The move from tvr to Aston Martin
Discussion
Hey all.
I just thought I would write a post to tell you all about my move from Tvr's to Aston.
I have owned two Tvr's, one Chimera 4.5 and one Tamora, I grew up with Tvr as my father use to Hill climb a Grantura then owned a 1600m and a 3000m. I have always loved the cars throughout all their turbulent times.
I parted with my Tamora about four years ago, I fancied owning a few German cars !!! I know, I feel ashamed to say but we all make mistakes !!!
But I knew deep down I have always been pround of British cars and have always wanted an Aston Martin. "who doesn't !!!?
So when I started to look i went to a main dealer to "try before you buy !!!" just to see how they compare to previous cars that I have owned.
Firstly they hit the nail on the head for looks and feel. no German cars have "passion" or "emotion" like Aston or Tvr.
Now I have always like a big V8 so was excited about getting into a Vantage, now on my budget i could afford a 4.3l so thats what I took out. but was disappointed at its performance, the ride is fab but it doesn't have the same ballistic pace of a Tvr which makes your heart pound in your chest, So I came away a tad unsure what to do. a few weeks later I went and test drove a 4.7l Vantage which was a totally different drive !!! even though the bhp only went from 380 to 420 it felt and drove like a lot more but the difference in price was to great so back to the drawing board. !!! hmmmm.
Now I was doing a bit of checking into other ways of upping the performance of Astons without smashing the bank !!! for me supercharging was out of the question as there our none which seem to be reliable or do not bugger up the drivability of the car most seem to stop the ABS from working along with the traction control !!! and then I came upon a company which could do exactly that.
After a lot of deliberation, conversations and meetings I decided to buy an Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 and improve all the points which I felt needed improving.
"jessica" has been converted to a 4.7L along with a Bamford Rose/quicksilver complete sports induction and exhaust system plus a lightweight flywheel and twinplate clutch !!!
This means 460bhp with 480nm torque. "yum yum !!!!" Show me the roads !!!!!
This is a significant jump in power and performance, quite possibly the most powerful V8 Vantage in the world !!! "without the aid of superchargers !!"
The engine pulls from low speed and it is the torque increase that is most noticeable. The in-gear acceleration and how you can overtake on motorways without having to shift down is ridiculous !! and it is the way it howls to the redline not feeling like it ever runs out of steam it truly has been transformed.
My own engine block was converted to 4.7L displacement – so I keep my original engine number. Inside is a machined from billet crankshaft, steel connecting rods and forged pistons, the cylinder heads have been ported and skimmed and have been fitted with larger valves. On top of that it has a light weight flywheel and a twin plate motor sport clutch.
I have not lost any functionality as it uses the standard ECU which means that you can drive it with out any fear or in trepidation, it really is a wonderful transformation.
I now have all that I wanted firstly a piece of "British class !!" A car I can drive without the worry of breaking down which looks and sounds absolutely Fab but also goes as hard if not harder than my previous Tvr's !!!
All of which still cost me less than buying a 4.7 L Vantage !! which also makes it feel a little more special.
So for those who have thought about changing to an Aston there is a way which isn't to costly and at the end of it you will be smiling just as much as you do now but not waiting for the AA !!!
I have written a thread in the Aston Forum called "time to get serious" which goes a little more into detail.
I just thought I would write a post to tell you all about my move from Tvr's to Aston.
I have owned two Tvr's, one Chimera 4.5 and one Tamora, I grew up with Tvr as my father use to Hill climb a Grantura then owned a 1600m and a 3000m. I have always loved the cars throughout all their turbulent times.
I parted with my Tamora about four years ago, I fancied owning a few German cars !!! I know, I feel ashamed to say but we all make mistakes !!!
But I knew deep down I have always been pround of British cars and have always wanted an Aston Martin. "who doesn't !!!?
So when I started to look i went to a main dealer to "try before you buy !!!" just to see how they compare to previous cars that I have owned.
Firstly they hit the nail on the head for looks and feel. no German cars have "passion" or "emotion" like Aston or Tvr.
Now I have always like a big V8 so was excited about getting into a Vantage, now on my budget i could afford a 4.3l so thats what I took out. but was disappointed at its performance, the ride is fab but it doesn't have the same ballistic pace of a Tvr which makes your heart pound in your chest, So I came away a tad unsure what to do. a few weeks later I went and test drove a 4.7l Vantage which was a totally different drive !!! even though the bhp only went from 380 to 420 it felt and drove like a lot more but the difference in price was to great so back to the drawing board. !!! hmmmm.
Now I was doing a bit of checking into other ways of upping the performance of Astons without smashing the bank !!! for me supercharging was out of the question as there our none which seem to be reliable or do not bugger up the drivability of the car most seem to stop the ABS from working along with the traction control !!! and then I came upon a company which could do exactly that.
After a lot of deliberation, conversations and meetings I decided to buy an Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 and improve all the points which I felt needed improving.
"jessica" has been converted to a 4.7L along with a Bamford Rose/quicksilver complete sports induction and exhaust system plus a lightweight flywheel and twinplate clutch !!!
This means 460bhp with 480nm torque. "yum yum !!!!" Show me the roads !!!!!
This is a significant jump in power and performance, quite possibly the most powerful V8 Vantage in the world !!! "without the aid of superchargers !!"
The engine pulls from low speed and it is the torque increase that is most noticeable. The in-gear acceleration and how you can overtake on motorways without having to shift down is ridiculous !! and it is the way it howls to the redline not feeling like it ever runs out of steam it truly has been transformed.
My own engine block was converted to 4.7L displacement – so I keep my original engine number. Inside is a machined from billet crankshaft, steel connecting rods and forged pistons, the cylinder heads have been ported and skimmed and have been fitted with larger valves. On top of that it has a light weight flywheel and a twin plate motor sport clutch.
I have not lost any functionality as it uses the standard ECU which means that you can drive it with out any fear or in trepidation, it really is a wonderful transformation.
I now have all that I wanted firstly a piece of "British class !!" A car I can drive without the worry of breaking down which looks and sounds absolutely Fab but also goes as hard if not harder than my previous Tvr's !!!
All of which still cost me less than buying a 4.7 L Vantage !! which also makes it feel a little more special.
So for those who have thought about changing to an Aston there is a way which isn't to costly and at the end of it you will be smiling just as much as you do now but not waiting for the AA !!!
I have written a thread in the Aston Forum called "time to get serious" which goes a little more into detail.
I had a DB5 in silver with a special roof that opened when I pressed a button on it's side. If I pushed it went slow but if I launched it down the steps it went really fast until one day it's wheels fell off... I binned that Aston because it was weak and could not take a child's punishment. Maybe if I updated the wheels to hotwheels it would of lasted a whole lot longer.
I shall be popping into toysrus to update to a DB9.
I have not posted this on the Aston forum.
I shall be popping into toysrus to update to a DB9.
I have not posted this on the Aston forum.
C3BER said:
I had a DB5 in silver with a special roof that opened when I pressed a button on it's side. If I pushed it went slow but if I launched it down the steps it went really fast until one day it's wheels fell off... I binned that Aston because it was weak and could not take a child's punishment. Maybe if I updated the wheels to hotwheels it would of lasted a whole lot longer.
I shall be popping into toysrus to update to a DB9.
I have not posted this on the Aston forum.
I shall be popping into toysrus to update to a DB9.
I have not posted this on the Aston forum.
No doubt the aston is a nice car, more like my BMW than my TVR though......
I had it from a Lotus indy, who wanted an Aston itch scratching, he was told by an Aston indy when he went fishing, i quote...
"Think TVR but twice as bad" i am not joking.
Good thing about TVR's is with chewing gum and gaffer tape you can usually get going again, but with an Aston, "step this way sir"....
"Think TVR but twice as bad" i am not joking.
Good thing about TVR's is with chewing gum and gaffer tape you can usually get going again, but with an Aston, "step this way sir"....
If you've had a cerb a good few years you will by now have paid out some large bills but thats what it costs to run something special. When astons go pop they cost mega bucks to put right. The OP was willy waving which is a shame as it spoilt a good Aston forum thread. Now where did I put my sticky tape?
From the nice man who sold me my Tuscan, on what he bought afterwards:-
J_S_G said:
And, after 10 years of lusting after a DB7, a real feel for my dream car; it's awful:-
It doesn't go round corners.
It's thirsty.
It's made of left over bits of Ford, only they seemed to pick all the bits that don't actually work. Or even look right together. And we won't even start on the £1,500.00 bill I got landed with for an oil and filter change when I got back.
The thing is, when a TVR goes wrong, it generally costs a thousand pounds or so to get it back on the road. But when an Aston is running fine, it *still* costs a thousand or so pounds just to keep it on the road. So as quickly as it was bought, it was sold.
Back to Blackpool bathtubs for me.
Although not to take this too far out of context, he did eventually end up with this...It doesn't go round corners.
It's thirsty.
It's made of left over bits of Ford, only they seemed to pick all the bits that don't actually work. Or even look right together. And we won't even start on the £1,500.00 bill I got landed with for an oil and filter change when I got back.
The thing is, when a TVR goes wrong, it generally costs a thousand pounds or so to get it back on the road. But when an Aston is running fine, it *still* costs a thousand or so pounds just to keep it on the road. So as quickly as it was bought, it was sold.
Back to Blackpool bathtubs for me.
I'm quite interested in who did the engine work at a price that made it financially viable to buy a 4.3 and have it converted instead of going for a 4.7, and what sort of guarantee the OP has that the end result will be more relaible than a factory TVR (or as reliable as a std Aston even)...
Don't get me wrong, I'm an aftermarket man through and through but it sounds strange to post about buying an expensive car and having a rather extensive engine conversion done on it (and having a dig on reliablity of other cars at the same time) and not mention the company that did the conversion if it wasn't Joe Bloggs Under The Archway Performance Tuning...
Don't get me wrong, I'm an aftermarket man through and through but it sounds strange to post about buying an expensive car and having a rather extensive engine conversion done on it (and having a dig on reliablity of other cars at the same time) and not mention the company that did the conversion if it wasn't Joe Bloggs Under The Archway Performance Tuning...
I was under the impression it was a Bamford Rose job.
The 'handbag' is strong in this thread;)
I think people have to accept that there are two types of Tiv owners. Those for whom the Tiv is the car that they want above all others and the money aspect isn't a factor (as in not being swayed by pricing) and them others who own because they tend to be cheap to buy as a stepping stone to the Aston, Porker or Fezza that they are really after.
The 'handbag' is strong in this thread;)
I think people have to accept that there are two types of Tiv owners. Those for whom the Tiv is the car that they want above all others and the money aspect isn't a factor (as in not being swayed by pricing) and them others who own because they tend to be cheap to buy as a stepping stone to the Aston, Porker or Fezza that they are really after.
Who in their right mind would butcher an Aston, Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche or anything at that level ?
I no longer believe in a long term future "classic" market, apart from works of art that look as good in a gallery as on the road - Daytona, Miura, Cobra 289, 70s RSR, Mas birdcage etc. (Hydrocarbons legislation in future), but even if I'm wrong depreciation will be vicious for anything modified. In 5 years time, given the choice between an aftermarket 4.7 or a factory one, which will pull the buyers ?
With Tivs it's different because a) they tended to leave the factory imperfect, b) cheap to buy so depreciation isn't a big deal (for me at least and c)there isn't a better factory option to choose from.
Its nice that the OP has the car that he wants but I dont understand the comparison.
OK, both "british" but of slightly different eras and certainly different budgets. Im assuming the Aston must have been well north of 60k with mods etc whereas the OPs TVR was probably about 20k.
Ive had various cars since my last TVR ( E60 M5, Ferrari 575) and didnt feel the need to compare it to a Cerbera as they are completely different cars, although all fast,( and probably quicker than the Aston in the post above
) and im back in a Cerb now anyway through free choice.
OK, both "british" but of slightly different eras and certainly different budgets. Im assuming the Aston must have been well north of 60k with mods etc whereas the OPs TVR was probably about 20k.
Ive had various cars since my last TVR ( E60 M5, Ferrari 575) and didnt feel the need to compare it to a Cerbera as they are completely different cars, although all fast,( and probably quicker than the Aston in the post above
) and im back in a Cerb now anyway through free choice.Jammy Dodger said:
Who in their right mind would butcher an Aston, Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche or anything at that level ?
Me, I guess. I'm peculiar about my cars and the more I spend, the more I want it suited to what I feel it needs to offer. Having stepped from one new press car into another at times, I also developed a good feel for what a car 'needs' - seldom I find a car can't be realistically improved on without taking it outside its design limits. Also, over the years there will be technological developments to take advantage of while at the same time I feel overall, cars have been evolving in the wrong direction for me since the mid/late 1990s (enjoying Octane more and Evo less than before these days a sure sign - that or I'm descending into old fartdom ).The hard part is finding the right sort (quality, reliability and price/performance ratio) of aftermarket support for ones chosen steed.
Lots of good stuff, skills and insight around for TVRs, what's lacking IMO is the bigger picture (which in my own modest way I'm seeking to provide)
Quinny said:
I'm not going to spout off, about how much better the AM is, because in my view, it isn't.......it's just different, a whole different experience....
While at the same time I feel that after having driven a V12V and an N420 roadster among others, the AM experience is a lot closer to what stirs me in TVRs (noise, drama, intimacy, feel good factor) than for instance Corvettes which are often being touted on here as 'a better TVR'...Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff