Original or updated?

[rfisher]

So, my Tam needs a bit of work.

The reality is that I can't bring myself to sell her after owning TVRs for over 27 years.

Hell - I was even a Club member for over 10 years!

I've thought seriously about selling and had email correspondence with several PH buyers who were looking for project cars.

But I'm not selling now.

She's one of the last 2004 fully British owned TVR made cars, before the Smolinsky days, and I want to keep her.

So I'm now pretty sure that she will be heading down to meet the infamous Brummy boys at some point in the future.

But what I'm now thinking is that I may as well go for a full classic car restoration as she's 10 next March.

So, my question to fellow PH TVR fanatics is - would she still feel like a TVR after an engine rebuild (probably Power), respray (dunno yet)and full leather retrim (probably Davethetrimmer)?

I don't want to spend £10k (or more) on a car that then feels like a replica.

I like my cars to be in original 'Bristol Avenue' condition - Alcantara warts and all.

Plus, if I do ever decide to sell, would it put off potential buyers if the car had been 'updated' too much?

Interested to hear the opinions and experience of other owners.

[shep1001]

I think they benefit from a little updating. My Tam is 11 in Sept and has just had a full strip & re-spray + new cow interior with carpets. It looks 100 times better and will outlast the budget materials TVR used in the first placel. Good for another 11 years or more now.

I know it divides opinion maybe more than anything else, but keeping the S6 engine and getting it fettled by the likes of power retains origonality rather than swapping for an LS or similar. Anyway nothing like an excuse to post another pic of my fettled car. If it stops blood raining I will be able to do some propper ones.

[Mattt]

I think you worry too much, I think prospective owners are more interested in a well finished car than an original (i.e. not brilliant) car.

I'd say you're looking at north of £10k though to do the things you mention - possibly closer to the £15k mark (obviously depending on how bad it is now - 'project car' doesn't sound great).

[Tammy Wynette]

You will never do it for 10K I'd suggest if this is your total budget to get it into a reliable state and as
"NEW" I would think about selling it.

[alex_gray255]

Power rebuild + tidy interior will add more money, not less I would have thought.

If I was buying, I would look for both a good engine rebuild, plus an interior that looks that it has been cared for.

If I saw an original engine, plus an interior that looked its age, I would move on.

[Don1]

As you are keeping it, do with it as you please.

A rebuild by a respected firm will never lose you much money. If you want something insane, go to Topcats. Either which-way you will not be disappointed.

[SteveSPG]

my 20 year old griff had a new lick of paint, new carpets/hood etc, new dash over last winter. it is still the same car, just nicer..

i would make sure the man maths adds up though,

speed 6 refresh 5k
paint 3-4k if you do the whole car, 1k if just the front
interior 3.5 for the full monty

then there is the ancillary stuff etc......... all adds up

[rfisher]

Interesting to hear that a rebuild will not lose money in the longer term.

I guess that, in a few years' time, cars that haven't had a rebuild won't sell as well as those that have had one.

She's not in a bad state paint and interior wise, just needs a tidy up.

Few potential buyers were eying her up for a USA V8 transplant or possibly doing a rebuild themselves.

I've also got offspring number 1 only a few years away from being allowed on the roads, so he's rather keen that the old man keeps shovelling money into the Tiv for a while yet .

SWMBO keeps telling me to sell the Tiv for some reason.

[SteveSPG]

i've seen scruffy cars or needing rebuilds sell at 8/9. really tidy ones on occasion at 15/16 (dependant on mileage, dealer etc.....), so spending north of 10 or 12 on a refresh is more than likely not going to see you holding par with your investment.


this is all a bit subjective, and i'm not suggesting you should refrain, but if you spend 12 or 15 on a proper refresh, you are unlikely benefit or break even short to mid term....just imo of course......

Edited by SteveSPG on Tuesday 30th July 17:22

[mycroft]

Tammy Wynette said:

You will never do it for 10K I'd suggest if this is your total budget to get it into a reliable state and as
"NEW" I would think about selling it.

Sounds like a challenge OP.

TVR Power 3.6 Rebuild 5.4k inc vat .Respray 2k (guy on here was recommending these , I have seen his car . Looked OK ) Plenty of threads recommending trimmers just seen one quoting hood ,carpets door cards hood lining For £1700. 3k should buy a fair bit of trim.
Is 10k really an unreasonable target.
As long as the chassis doesn't need work the car must be worth 12-14k if its just untidy . would spending much more than 10k be sensible on a car that wouldn't be worth over 20k.
OP doesn't say as New just prefers original , I agree but each to their own. I personally wouldn't say a resprayed and retrimed car was modified .

[Tammy Wynette]

Has anyone ever paid the "Ticket" price for a re-build? excluding those that fit the engine back themselves. I have to say I never have, while the engine is out there are lots of things that should be done at the same time if you are going to keep it. I would also never rebuild the engine back to a 3.6 I would pay the extra to make it at least a 4.0S to make it stand out from others when you want to pass it on and feel you have actually got something for your money the next time you drive it.

I hope you can do it for 10K but budget for at least £13K