Interesting 390SE
Discussion
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C407266
Interesting history - looks like a Chim lump...
Interesting history - looks like a Chim lump...
Edited by smash on Monday 5th August 07:25
wedggie said:
am i the only one thinking its a bit cheeky to be adveryising it as a 390? im sure its a lovely motor never the less but....
It is a bit of an oddball, but it could have been built as a 'proper' 390SE with the wings and everything and then robbed for bits; it has been known to happen.That said, as the 390SE was built to order, it would seem unlikely to me that it would have been built and then cancelled, so I'd be tempted to go with it having been one of the early demonstrator/ press cars, or a 350i that was dressed-up to help it sell.
On the face of it it's a 350i with a 390SE front air dam, the later-style wheels and a 3.9L Landrover engine... which would make it an unofficial 350SE
which of course it couldn't be on an '86 plate.As the 3.5L was out of production by 2000, TVR would have had little option but to fit the 3.9L engine - and they'd almost certainly have had no cross-spokes either by then, hence the OZs.
The exact spec. of the 390SE changed as the years went by and what appeared in the press didn't necessarily appear on production cars (the venetian blind slatted front intake for example).
The early cars had no rear arch flares and just a small extension from the front airdam to create a leading edge flare to the front arches; later there were small flares added to the leading eges, then the rear got some flares and from late S1 cars onwards (1987-ish) all the arches were fully-flared.
The rear under-wing was there almost from the word go (which makes one wonder why it's not on this car). On later S2 cars the wing was incorporated into the rear bumper, becoming less of a wing in the process (and ultimately being glassed-in to the shell to create the 400SE rear end).
The sill covers changed through at least 3 variants (those on this particular car look like the early 350i style, which would be correct for an early 390SE - as are the interior door panels which have the release lever above the armrest).
The wheels were initially a slightly-wider version of the 350i cross-spoke pattern, then later S2 cars got the OZ 5-spoke split-rims.
S2 cars also got a new front air dam that did away with the sharp-edged blade and replaced it with the rounded contours that appeared on the 420 Sport Saloon and Speed 8 prototypes... and the 400SE.
But the clincher is of course the engine: the whole point of the 'real' 390SE was the 3905cc V8, with its various levels of porting, balancing, high-compression pistons, high-lift cam etc. etc., and as this one is shown as 3943cc (3948?) it's technically a 400SE motor... but nobody is going to buy it as a 400SE, that's for sure.
As stated, a nice enough car, as individual as they mostly are... but a genuine 390SE, I'm not so sure. Change the rear bumper and fit the under-wing and you might just get away with it. I think I'd be happier to see it labelled as a 350SE, but either way, I'm not buying it
Wedg1e said:
It is a bit of an oddball, but it could have been built as a 'proper' 390SE with the wings and everything and then robbed for bits; it has been known to happen.
That said, as the 390SE was built to order, it would seem unlikely to me that it would have been built and then cancelled, so I'd be tempted to go with it having been one of the early demonstrator/ press cars, or a 350i that was dressed-up to help it sell.
On the face of it it's a 350i with a 390SE front air dam, the later-style wheels and a 3.9L Landrover engine... which would make it an unofficial 350SE which of course it couldn't be on an '86 plate.
As the 3.5L was out of production by 2000, TVR would have had little option but to fit the 3.9L engine - and they'd almost certainly have had no cross-spokes either by then, hence the OZs.
The exact spec. of the 390SE changed as the years went by and what appeared in the press didn't necessarily appear on production cars (the venetian blind slatted front intake for example).
The early cars had no rear arch flares and just a small extension from the front airdam to create a leading edge flare to the front arches; later there were small flares added to the leading eges, then the rear got some flares and from late S1 cars onwards (1987-ish) all the arches were fully-flared.
The rear under-wing was there almost from the word go (which makes one wonder why it's not on this car). On later S2 cars the wing was incorporated into the rear bumper, becoming less of a wing in the process (and ultimately being glassed-in to the shell to create the 400SE rear end).
The sill covers changed through at least 3 variants (those on this particular car look like the early 350i style, which would be correct for an early 390SE - as are the interior door panels which have the release lever above the armrest).
The wheels were initially a slightly-wider version of the 350i cross-spoke pattern, then later S2 cars got the OZ 5-spoke split-rims.
S2 cars also got a new front air dam that did away with the sharp-edged blade and replaced it with the rounded contours that appeared on the 420 Sport Saloon and Speed 8 prototypes... and the 400SE.
But the clincher is of course the engine: the whole point of the 'real' 390SE was the 3905cc V8, with its various levels of porting, balancing, high-compression pistons, high-lift cam etc. etc., and as this one is shown as 3943cc (3948?) it's technically a 400SE motor... but nobody is going to buy it as a 400SE, that's for sure.
As stated, a nice enough car, as individual as they mostly are... but a genuine 390SE, I'm not so sure. Change the rear bumper and fit the under-wing and you might just get away with it. I think I'd be happier to see it labelled as a 350SE, but either way, I'm not buying it
Something tells me you know a thing or two about these things!? Ive done almost as much reading as i can find online since my new purchase about a month ago, but i knew almost none of that. There doesnt seem to be many people out there who know much about these machines. like you say, a nice wedge never the less.That said, as the 390SE was built to order, it would seem unlikely to me that it would have been built and then cancelled, so I'd be tempted to go with it having been one of the early demonstrator/ press cars, or a 350i that was dressed-up to help it sell.
On the face of it it's a 350i with a 390SE front air dam, the later-style wheels and a 3.9L Landrover engine... which would make it an unofficial 350SE
which of course it couldn't be on an '86 plate.As the 3.5L was out of production by 2000, TVR would have had little option but to fit the 3.9L engine - and they'd almost certainly have had no cross-spokes either by then, hence the OZs.
The exact spec. of the 390SE changed as the years went by and what appeared in the press didn't necessarily appear on production cars (the venetian blind slatted front intake for example).
The early cars had no rear arch flares and just a small extension from the front airdam to create a leading edge flare to the front arches; later there were small flares added to the leading eges, then the rear got some flares and from late S1 cars onwards (1987-ish) all the arches were fully-flared.
The rear under-wing was there almost from the word go (which makes one wonder why it's not on this car). On later S2 cars the wing was incorporated into the rear bumper, becoming less of a wing in the process (and ultimately being glassed-in to the shell to create the 400SE rear end).
The sill covers changed through at least 3 variants (those on this particular car look like the early 350i style, which would be correct for an early 390SE - as are the interior door panels which have the release lever above the armrest).
The wheels were initially a slightly-wider version of the 350i cross-spoke pattern, then later S2 cars got the OZ 5-spoke split-rims.
S2 cars also got a new front air dam that did away with the sharp-edged blade and replaced it with the rounded contours that appeared on the 420 Sport Saloon and Speed 8 prototypes... and the 400SE.
But the clincher is of course the engine: the whole point of the 'real' 390SE was the 3905cc V8, with its various levels of porting, balancing, high-compression pistons, high-lift cam etc. etc., and as this one is shown as 3943cc (3948?) it's technically a 400SE motor... but nobody is going to buy it as a 400SE, that's for sure.
As stated, a nice enough car, as individual as they mostly are... but a genuine 390SE, I'm not so sure. Change the rear bumper and fit the under-wing and you might just get away with it. I think I'd be happier to see it labelled as a 350SE, but either way, I'm not buying it
Rockettvr said:
Although they're calling it a 390se at 4250 they're not asking 390 se money. If your looking for a V8 and not too worried about originality could be worth looking at. 
I missed this... absolutely, any Wedge is worth a look if you're in the mood for one Not sure whether my shed is worth £4K plus, mind you...
I looked at this car when it was for sale in 2009, it was for sale as a 350i then. I was told at TVR had fitted a new chassis and gearbox and the 3.9 engine which had been tuned because they were going race it and engine had only done 4000 miles. The power steering had been removed by TVR and a standard rack fitted, the chassis had quite a lot of rust on it but might just have been surface rust. The trim looks a lot better than it did then.
wedggie said:
Should have vented front discs, could have the AP 4-piston front calipers.
Diff should have the 'PL'tag under one of the rear cover bolts to show it's a PowrLok (Limited-Slip) unit.
Another adjacent plate will show the diff. ratio, on most cars it was 3.54:1 but options included 3.31:1.
Should have an adjustable fuel pressure regulator (which may have been changed for an aftermarket type, often to no benefit).
There should be 'Hoover tubes' running from the front airdam intakes (next to the fog/driving lamps) and directing cooling air to the front brakes - and it should also have an undertray under the airdam with a curved air deflector - a lot of them have been ripped off by speed humps and low kerbs over the years.
I'd love one of those front airdams for my car, never yet seen one for sale (and TET have never made one).
Wedg1e said:
Nice, definite Series 2, late '87-onwards.
Should have vented front discs, could have the AP 4-piston front calipers.
Diff should have the 'PL'tag under one of the rear cover bolts to show it's a PowrLok (Limited-Slip) unit.
Another adjacent plate will show the diff. ratio, on most cars it was 3.54:1 but options included 3.31:1.
Should have an adjustable fuel pressure regulator (which may have been changed for an aftermarket type, often to no benefit).
There should be 'Hoover tubes' running from the front airdam intakes (next to the fog/driving lamps) and directing cooling air to the front brakes - and it should also have an undertray under the airdam with a curved air deflector - a lot of them have been ripped off by speed humps and low kerbs over the years.
I'd love one of those front airdams for my car, never yet seen one for sale (and TET have never made one).
quite right. its an 88. dont think it has vented disks for some reason, perhaps someone went cheap with the replacements! Should have vented front discs, could have the AP 4-piston front calipers.
Diff should have the 'PL'tag under one of the rear cover bolts to show it's a PowrLok (Limited-Slip) unit.
Another adjacent plate will show the diff. ratio, on most cars it was 3.54:1 but options included 3.31:1.
Should have an adjustable fuel pressure regulator (which may have been changed for an aftermarket type, often to no benefit).
There should be 'Hoover tubes' running from the front airdam intakes (next to the fog/driving lamps) and directing cooling air to the front brakes - and it should also have an undertray under the airdam with a curved air deflector - a lot of them have been ripped off by speed humps and low kerbs over the years.
I'd love one of those front airdams for my car, never yet seen one for sale (and TET have never made one).
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