New to the TVR fold...
Discussion
Hi chaps,
After wanting a TVR since I was (almost literally) blown away by one as a 6 year old, here I am 19 years later finally realising the dream! I picked up my '94 400 in black the weekend before Xmas, and have been looking for excuses to drive it ever since.
As expected, it's a pretty characterful beast compared to the 123d it's replaced, getting used to the foibles such as terrifyingly dim headlights on my country lane commute and an ignition circuit that only seems to work on alternate twists of the key!
I have a few early questions which hopefully someone might be able to help me with:
1. Where on earth do I get a replacement length of coolant hose for the part that runs between the bottom of the header tank and the radiator? It's pretty much been worn away by the jubilee clips, and nowhere seems to stock 30mm ID hose! All of the other hoses appear to be in pretty good nick, so I'm reluctant to shell out for a completely new set.
2. It is coming up for its service shortly, and I'd like to take it to a specialist for them to give it a good once-over. I'm based in Northampton, so pretty much exactly in between TVR Power and Str8Six - are either of these guys preferable, or can anybody recommend anywhere else reliable? I'm getting a clonking noise from the diff which I'm hoping is just a worn/loose mount which I need to get sorted at the same time.
3. I'm clearly going to be making the standard exhaust slightly (or lots) louder at some point this year - what is the easiest (read cheapest) way to go about this?
Thanks in advance for any answers, and here's to many happy years of TVR motoring (fingers crossed!).
Cheers,
Pete
After wanting a TVR since I was (almost literally) blown away by one as a 6 year old, here I am 19 years later finally realising the dream! I picked up my '94 400 in black the weekend before Xmas, and have been looking for excuses to drive it ever since.
As expected, it's a pretty characterful beast compared to the 123d it's replaced, getting used to the foibles such as terrifyingly dim headlights on my country lane commute and an ignition circuit that only seems to work on alternate twists of the key!
I have a few early questions which hopefully someone might be able to help me with:
1. Where on earth do I get a replacement length of coolant hose for the part that runs between the bottom of the header tank and the radiator? It's pretty much been worn away by the jubilee clips, and nowhere seems to stock 30mm ID hose! All of the other hoses appear to be in pretty good nick, so I'm reluctant to shell out for a completely new set.
2. It is coming up for its service shortly, and I'd like to take it to a specialist for them to give it a good once-over. I'm based in Northampton, so pretty much exactly in between TVR Power and Str8Six - are either of these guys preferable, or can anybody recommend anywhere else reliable? I'm getting a clonking noise from the diff which I'm hoping is just a worn/loose mount which I need to get sorted at the same time.
3. I'm clearly going to be making the standard exhaust slightly (or lots) louder at some point this year - what is the easiest (read cheapest) way to go about this?
Thanks in advance for any answers, and here's to many happy years of TVR motoring (fingers crossed!).
Cheers,
Pete
Welcome to the club. I am in Brackley (also northants) so maybe we can get together for a blast sometime
ACT sell all the hoses http://www.actproducts.co.uk/shop/tvr-cooling-hose...
I use Topcats racing, have done for 5 years now and they are fantastic , they are between Bicester and aylesbury. http://www.topcatsracing.com/
I've never used STR8IX or TVR Power but have heard many good things about both of them, and (most importantly) nothing bad.
Cheapest way to make it noisier is to have the exhaust sleeved , its around £150 , mine was done by Topcats during a service.
My headlights are poor as well, I'm shortly going to TVR Powers bodyshop to have the later versions fitted. They sit behind a perspex cover and IMHO look very nice while still maintaing the standard look (although of the later model) http://www.tvrpowersbodyshop.com/product/chimaera-...
ACT sell all the hoses http://www.actproducts.co.uk/shop/tvr-cooling-hose...
I use Topcats racing, have done for 5 years now and they are fantastic , they are between Bicester and aylesbury. http://www.topcatsracing.com/
I've never used STR8IX or TVR Power but have heard many good things about both of them, and (most importantly) nothing bad.
Cheapest way to make it noisier is to have the exhaust sleeved , its around £150 , mine was done by Topcats during a service.
My headlights are poor as well, I'm shortly going to TVR Powers bodyshop to have the later versions fitted. They sit behind a perspex cover and IMHO look very nice while still maintaing the standard look (although of the later model) http://www.tvrpowersbodyshop.com/product/chimaera-...
Edited by bigdods on Wednesday 28th December 16:20
Welcome to the fold. 
Weak headlights are standard and can be improved by either fitting 'brighter' bulbs (marginal improvement) or getting some VW Lupo lights fitted (search on here for other people who've done it) HIDs are an option but they're now part of the test from 1st Jan 2012 and may cause issues it's looking like it all depends on how the tester interprets the regs.
The starting issue sounds an odd one, and might be down to a loose connection in the ignition switch.
The hose can be bought from most TVR specialists but it's probably worth looking at ACT or getting eithr TVRPower or Str8six to have a look.
You could use either of the two centres you mention so I'd suggest you perhaps have a run out to both (as you're looking for excuses to have runs out at the moment
) and see which one you fancy using.
Louder exhaust usually involves removing the Cat(s) and/or fitting a different exhaust, as mentioned above ACT also do exhausts. If you're handy with a welder you can take sleeve the exhaust by cutting open the silencer box from the top (so teh mod can't be seen at MOT time) and either sliding (sleeving) solid tube over them or replacing the perforated pipes with 'cherry bomb' type pipes and then welding up again.
www.actproducts.co.uk
Have fun but watch the wet/slipp/icy weather till you get used to it.
Weak headlights are standard and can be improved by either fitting 'brighter' bulbs (marginal improvement) or getting some VW Lupo lights fitted (search on here for other people who've done it) HIDs are an option but they're now part of the test from 1st Jan 2012 and may cause issues it's looking like it all depends on how the tester interprets the regs.
The starting issue sounds an odd one, and might be down to a loose connection in the ignition switch.
The hose can be bought from most TVR specialists but it's probably worth looking at ACT or getting eithr TVRPower or Str8six to have a look.
You could use either of the two centres you mention so I'd suggest you perhaps have a run out to both (as you're looking for excuses to have runs out at the moment
) and see which one you fancy using.Louder exhaust usually involves removing the Cat(s) and/or fitting a different exhaust, as mentioned above ACT also do exhausts. If you're handy with a welder you can take sleeve the exhaust by cutting open the silencer box from the top (so teh mod can't be seen at MOT time) and either sliding (sleeving) solid tube over them or replacing the perforated pipes with 'cherry bomb' type pipes and then welding up again.
www.actproducts.co.uk
Have fun but watch the wet/slipp/icy weather till you get used to it.
Welcome! 
Before condemning the orginial headlights, take a look at the reflectros. If they haven't been replaced at some point the chrome layer is likely to be corroded and faded (don't try to polish them up - if you as much as look at them with a towel the chrome comes off...).
Replacing the reflectors with new ones (they're standard Bosch/AL items) made a night and day difference (sorry...
) on my Chim.
Before condemning the orginial headlights, take a look at the reflectros. If they haven't been replaced at some point the chrome layer is likely to be corroded and faded (don't try to polish them up - if you as much as look at them with a towel the chrome comes off...).
Replacing the reflectors with new ones (they're standard Bosch/AL items) made a night and day difference (sorry...
) on my Chim.Hi and welcome, had mine since July and still can't wipe the grin off my face. I had a similar problem with starting, sometimes it would and sometimes I'd get just a click from the ignition switch. Don't know whether it's a coincidence but the issue has disappeared since I tightened the connection on my 100amp fuse.
Be sure to get a copy of the 'bible' https://delta.securesslhost.net/~shenglt/catalog/p...
Also check out www.chimaerapages.com for how to guides plus list of alternative parts.
Also check out www.chimaerapages.com for how to guides plus list of alternative parts.
Thanks very much for the replies and suggestions - I've duly taken several on board and ordered a Bible, tried to ring both TVR Power and Topcatsto book a service to no avail (guess they are both closed until the new year?) and I'll be certain to have a look at the reflectors in the morning.
I'll certainly be sleeving the exhaust sometime closer to the summer, perhaps at the next 6k service. It already turns heads, but you can always get a bit louder I'm sure!
Thanks for the offer bigdods, I work fairly close to Silverstone and used to work in Brackley itself so I know that part of the world fairly well. Do you ever go to the Northants TVRCC meet at Sywell, as I was thinking about dropping in on one of those in the next month or two?
Thanks again for the welcome everyone!
I'll certainly be sleeving the exhaust sometime closer to the summer, perhaps at the next 6k service. It already turns heads, but you can always get a bit louder I'm sure!
Thanks for the offer bigdods, I work fairly close to Silverstone and used to work in Brackley itself so I know that part of the world fairly well. Do you ever go to the Northants TVRCC meet at Sywell, as I was thinking about dropping in on one of those in the next month or two?
Thanks again for the welcome everyone!
You will probably find all the TVR specialists closed over christmas. I think they have earned a break, in my experience they are open all hours including weekends so they probably have a lot of sleep to catch up on !
I have not yet been over to the Northants meet but I need to try as I met them on a charity track day and they were a great bunch !
I have not yet been over to the Northants meet but I need to try as I met them on a charity track day and they were a great bunch !
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff