RE: TVR 400SE: PH Carpool
Monday 2nd September 2013
Name: Simon Marzell
Car: TVR 400SE 'wedge'
Owned since: August 2012
Previously owned (and modified): "Saab 9000 2.3 Turbo SE - 250hp; Volvo V40 T5 - 260hp, old man estate - boy racer speed; Jaguar 4.2 XKR convertible - gulping gallons to the mile; Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo Plus about 300hp - supercar performance if you could get the power down; Smart ForTwo Brabus 130hp - GTI eating performance through the smallest gaps and recently a Daimler 6.0 V12 Double Six because I needed the number plate for the TVR."
Currently Owned: "Mercedes R-Class - the workhorse; Mercedes SLK250 AMG CDI - yes a diesel, but a really good one, and perfect for 'er indoors."
A toybox the envy of any red-blooded PHer!Why I bought it:
"Spending my working days as a chauffeur it can be so boring driving all of the silent luxury barges with every conceivable extra from 'radar cruise' to 'time for snooze' assistance, while telling 'er indoors' you've spent all day sitting down and being massaged by a heavyweight leather clad German barge is surely grounds for divorce. I wanted a usable old-school, British sports car that was loud and proud. So it had to be a TVR - and it had to be a wedge. Then the search was on, loads of research, reading forums, posts and reviews to pick the best of the bunch for a usable classic. The 400SE won the day, and after scouring through the ads on 'you guessed it' PistonHeads TiVV as he's now called, was there waiting for me, and with the thick end of £20K spent in the last seven years by the previous owners, he was a bargain at £6,800.
Rawness and brutality at the core of the Wedge's appeal"There followed a trip to Dorset on a sunny Saturday in August to collect him and then an awesome roof down, first trip back home - 125 miles at GRIN FACTOR 10!"
It's a bit uncouth and lairy but that's the point, right?Things I love:
"The NOISE More NOISE and EVEN MORE NOISE - 110db and it's a real V8 burble together with some true 'non engineered' pops bangs and cackles. It's a real challenge to drive quickly, and it demands respect. TiVV will bite back and hard if you get it even slightly wrong - it has character, big V8 character. People look, people point and when you pull away they all GRIN. Other wedge owners all say the same - it's addictive. TiVV is often with me in Supercar Alley (AKA - the back of Harrods) and he holds his own admirably in the number of looks and noise competitions."
Should 'new' TVR be taking its inspiration here?Costs:
"Is it economical? Stupid question, as it's impossible to drive without always pressing the loud pedal. But in general it's not an expensive car to own. Insurance is only £270 pa, parts are reasonable, and seem to be easily obtainable, and in a year of ownership I've only spent £200 to replace the rear tie rod ends, and it's just sailed through its MoT with a clean bill of health."
'The bit most cars see' says our proud ownerWhat next?
"With no plans to sell it, the winter will see a new dashboard installed and the interior refreshed, and then a thorough chassis clean and Waxoyl treatment, and then with the first dry days of spring or even January, we'll be out on the road again, doing our bit for global warming ... and annoying the hell out of the neighbours."
TVR 400SE: PH Carpool
A wedge-shaped slice of Blackpool rock to liven up your Monday morning
Car: TVR 400SE 'wedge'
Owned since: August 2012
Previously owned (and modified): "Saab 9000 2.3 Turbo SE - 250hp; Volvo V40 T5 - 260hp, old man estate - boy racer speed; Jaguar 4.2 XKR convertible - gulping gallons to the mile; Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo Plus about 300hp - supercar performance if you could get the power down; Smart ForTwo Brabus 130hp - GTI eating performance through the smallest gaps and recently a Daimler 6.0 V12 Double Six because I needed the number plate for the TVR."
Currently Owned: "Mercedes R-Class - the workhorse; Mercedes SLK250 AMG CDI - yes a diesel, but a really good one, and perfect for 'er indoors."
A toybox the envy of any red-blooded PHer!
"Spending my working days as a chauffeur it can be so boring driving all of the silent luxury barges with every conceivable extra from 'radar cruise' to 'time for snooze' assistance, while telling 'er indoors' you've spent all day sitting down and being massaged by a heavyweight leather clad German barge is surely grounds for divorce. I wanted a usable old-school, British sports car that was loud and proud. So it had to be a TVR - and it had to be a wedge. Then the search was on, loads of research, reading forums, posts and reviews to pick the best of the bunch for a usable classic. The 400SE won the day, and after scouring through the ads on 'you guessed it' PistonHeads TiVV as he's now called, was there waiting for me, and with the thick end of £20K spent in the last seven years by the previous owners, he was a bargain at £6,800.
Rawness and brutality at the core of the Wedge's appeal
What I wish I'd known:
"Without being blase, nothing. Months of research and looking for the right car reveals all of the potential problems and letting the previous owners spend all their dosh on it first, puts them right.
Key thing for all TVRs? Check the chassis and outriggers and suspension. The venerable Rover V8 and Ford gearbox are pretty tough, and don't be put off by a few electrical niggles - all part of TVR ownership and there are loads of wedge bibles of information available to help with diagnosis and remedy for any problems. The 400/420/450SE and SEAC still greatly undervalued given their rarity, performance and driving pleasure."
It's a bit uncouth and lairy but that's the point, right?
"The NOISE More NOISE and EVEN MORE NOISE - 110db and it's a real V8 burble together with some true 'non engineered' pops bangs and cackles. It's a real challenge to drive quickly, and it demands respect. TiVV will bite back and hard if you get it even slightly wrong - it has character, big V8 character. People look, people point and when you pull away they all GRIN. Other wedge owners all say the same - it's addictive. TiVV is often with me in Supercar Alley (AKA - the back of Harrods) and he holds his own admirably in the number of looks and noise competitions."
Things I hate:
"Not that much - sticky seats in hot weather, appalling visibility from the door mirrors, all the other niggles of no consequence, given the overall pleasure of ownership."
Should 'new' TVR be taking its inspiration here?
"Is it economical? Stupid question, as it's impossible to drive without always pressing the loud pedal. But in general it's not an expensive car to own. Insurance is only £270 pa, parts are reasonable, and seem to be easily obtainable, and in a year of ownership I've only spent £200 to replace the rear tie rod ends, and it's just sailed through its MoT with a clean bill of health."
Where I've been:
"If it's dry, he comes with me even to Tescos - it's that addictive. We've hit the drag strip at Santa Pod and posted a respectable 14.2, and we often play tag with his garage mate, a Tiger Cat E1 driven by my son. Feeling stressed or depressed? Take a large slice of wedge and GRIN again!"
'The bit most cars see' says our proud owner
"With no plans to sell it, the winter will see a new dashboard installed and the interior refreshed, and then a thorough chassis clean and Waxoyl treatment, and then with the first dry days of spring or even January, we'll be out on the road again, doing our bit for global warming ... and annoying the hell out of the neighbours."
Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!
Discussion
I had a 350i a good ten plus years ago. It was an itch I had to scratch, having been a fan of TVR since Peter Wheeler bought the company. The first stand I would visit at any motor show would ALWAYS be the TVR one, and they'd usually have something new on show. There was no way I could afford a Griffith or Chimaera, even a V8S was out of the question, so a Wedge it was.
I loved the looks, and the noise..........oh the noise.......even my '05 Mustang GT with an aftermarket exhaust still doesn't sound as good as that TVR........but that's where the fun stopped. I just didn't enjoy the drive. The steering was poorly weighted and lacked any feedback and it just didn't seem to encourage you to press on in the twisties. Oh and you could press a switch on the dashboard and see it disappear behind the dash! I knew build quality was never a reason to buy a TVR, but that was a joke. And it leaked. Lots. Good idea to have sponge-backed carpets, at least it meant I could wring all the water out once it had stopped raining
In the end, I probably kept it for less than a year before selling it and buying a 300zx. The difference in build quality was laughable!
Did I buy a dud? Possibly. Was I the "wrong" type of owner? Possibly again, although I was well aware of their reputation. Do I still get a thrill seeing a nice TVR on the road? Absolutely!!!
I loved the looks, and the noise..........oh the noise.......even my '05 Mustang GT with an aftermarket exhaust still doesn't sound as good as that TVR........but that's where the fun stopped. I just didn't enjoy the drive. The steering was poorly weighted and lacked any feedback and it just didn't seem to encourage you to press on in the twisties. Oh and you could press a switch on the dashboard and see it disappear behind the dash! I knew build quality was never a reason to buy a TVR, but that was a joke. And it leaked. Lots. Good idea to have sponge-backed carpets, at least it meant I could wring all the water out once it had stopped raining
In the end, I probably kept it for less than a year before selling it and buying a 300zx. The difference in build quality was laughable!
Did I buy a dud? Possibly. Was I the "wrong" type of owner? Possibly again, although I was well aware of their reputation. Do I still get a thrill seeing a nice TVR on the road? Absolutely!!!
Edited by Twin Turbo on Monday 2nd September 11:00
Nice to see wedges getting the recognition they deserve - my 350i - now running a 3.9 stage 2 lump has been in my ownership for just over 20 years, although I use my 4.5 Chimaera more (as it's on a policy that allows it to be kept outside of the garage) it's the wedge that still gets the most attention, the noise helps and also in white and with the hood down it does stand out. At Tesco's last week had a number of 'nice car' type comments - don't get anywhere near as many with the Chimaera.
I never had a wedge, but wedges - a blue 400se specifically - provided my first induction into V8 addiction.
I'd seen the adverts in the back of Performance car etc. for TVRs, but the sensory overload when my de-baffled Mk1 Xr2 was outshouted by a thumping great lump of Blackpool's finest hooked me instantly.
I was very, very fortunate to get my first TVR at 24 years of age, but it was a 4 litre Griff - the 4 litre has a very nice, revvy nature IMHO - and the 400se itch still needs scratching...
I'd seen the adverts in the back of Performance car etc. for TVRs, but the sensory overload when my de-baffled Mk1 Xr2 was outshouted by a thumping great lump of Blackpool's finest hooked me instantly.
I was very, very fortunate to get my first TVR at 24 years of age, but it was a 4 litre Griff - the 4 litre has a very nice, revvy nature IMHO - and the 400se itch still needs scratching...
joncon said:
I purchased mine back in early 1995, ready for le mans ...
spent 1994 in a tvr s1 , but needed v8 power !
had a great 4 years with the beastie !
Jon, i heard a rumor she had been scrapped There was a description with what sounded like your Reg on the Forum. ..spent 1994 in a tvr s1 , but needed v8 power !
had a great 4 years with the beastie !
Edited by JVaughan on Monday 2nd September 12:33
I have never had so many looks, shouted comments, nods off other drivers etc as I have had in my wedge.
The noise is awesome, the performance is great and I just love it.
I dont really care about the leaks, the dodgy electrics, the fact that I had only owned it for 2 hours before it broke down, I forgive it all those foibles for that noise.
The noise is awesome, the performance is great and I just love it.
I dont really care about the leaks, the dodgy electrics, the fact that I had only owned it for 2 hours before it broke down, I forgive it all those foibles for that noise.
smash said:
Just bought a mint black 390SE yesterday and loving it! Nice plate too - TVR 39X
I ran a black 390SE like this (but without the boot-top spoiler thingy) for a year when I worked on Fast Lane magazine back in the 80s. It was like having a mate like Begbie from Trainspotting - mad, bad, crude, violent, scary but addictive!Edited by smash on Monday 2nd September 11:39
A great Carpool write up. I also love a TVR wedge and often while away an hour searching for my perfect 350/400/420. I can see prices moving in the wrong direction (on the basis I haven't got one!). Must work a little harder..
Thanks for sharing, slightly vicarious on my part but it is great to see someone enjoying something I covet.
Thanks for sharing, slightly vicarious on my part but it is great to see someone enjoying something I covet.
BigDaveTheMighty said:
Smash, I hope you don't mind me saying, but that is stunning!
Cheers Big Dave - I'm like a dog with two tails at the mo! Last owner had him (has to be a him - see very appropriate Begbie comment above!) 18 years and it's all credit to last owners dedication.Wasn't sire about what my mates are all calling the rear "picnic station" in the pics but in real lief it just looks right. And of course come camping at Le Mans time . . .
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