Which would you buy?

[madmarsie]

Hi everyone, i am currently looking at buying my first TVR and am looking for some advice. For my budget i have decided that i will get a Chimaera but thats where things get more complicated. I am looking to buy in a couple of weeks time when my current car goes and i will then finally be in a position to buy a car that i have always lusted after

I have seen the following cars (although they may be sold when the time comes) so which would you buy given the choice?

1- 1997 Chim 500, 110000 miles , standard car looks tidyish on the body(stone chips) but engine dirty and chassis showing signs of surface rust £7k
2- 1995 Chim 4.0 65000 miles, twin headlight mod ,big brakes,very tidy looking, team dynamics 17/18" alloys £7k
3- 1994 Chim 4.0 80000 miles, standard car but with 2nd decat manifold/y pipe, needs carpets and bit of paint £6k
4- 1994 Chim 4.0 50000 miles, completely standard tidy car £7.5k
5- 1994 Chim 4.0 HC 80000 miles standard car £6k

The car will be a weekend toy/occasional track day car so wont be covering massive mileage. I am not scared of getting my hands dirty as i am a mechanic by trade with my own garage and i am a landrover specialist so i am not a stranger to the rover v8 (another reason i have chosen the Chimaera)

So bearing that in mind, which would you go for??
Thanks in advance
Paul

[QBee]

Number 2 out of those. Already got the brakes and wheels for track days, and if you want more power later you can supercharge it. At least as an RV8 mechanic you will know what you are doing when you supercharge it.

[wuckfitracing]

It might be worth calling in to see Richard at RT racing in Sheffield to see a bare chassis and see where they rot. The rest can be fixed easily.

[madmarsie]

Thanks Qbee, must admit that i do like that one and its quite local.
Good advice about going to RT racing Wuckfitracing, i specialise in chassis replacements (albeit on landrovers) so eventually a chassis replacement wouldnt scare me if the price was right
Cheers Guys
Paul

[Alun450]

Option one.
As your handy with the tools, if the cars not well looked after knock em down and re build the 500. More power from the off. They all need re building at some point and all those options could need plenty of work!
Hard to say until you see and drive them. Goodluck with your search.

[wuckfitracing]

I used to specialise in bending Landrover chassis.

[madmarsie]

Thanks Alun, the 500 looks tidy everywhere else but the engine bay is grubby. As you say, i cant really tell until i see any of them in the flesh and it may just be road grime. But also it may be completely neglected . Unfortunately i cannot go out shopping properly until my current car goes in a couple of weeks but then the hunt will really begin. Just got to tell myself not to buy the first one i see!! Been admiring some today at the Thoresby car show

[madmarsie]

Me too Wuckfitracing . Although i did it a bit slower in winch challenges

[Alun450]

I'd probably go for the best overall car. Read up on here and ask ask ask if you need to, be clued up with these babies and there's loads of great chaps who will give you there experienced views.

[madmarsie]

Thanks Alun. Spoke to a guy today at the car show and he said the same. buy on condition, not age. i don't want to buy a basket case but am quite looking forward to having something to tinker with so if the 500 is just needing engine fettling and tidying then i would quite enjoy that. I have seen quite a few "dress up" kits for the rv8 so that would improve it 100% just with things like painting up rocker covers and replacing rusty jubilee clips. Looks like the car may be owned by somebody who has nothing to do with mechanicals and therefore never opens the bonnet

[Alun450]

Exactly, if you find one that works for more than 20 mins and all the electrics work buy it.
You make a very good point, I got a late car thinking it would be better, ohhhh no it was not!
The chap had it from new but never really looked at it until it was fecked! It had 40,000 miles and not a spanner on it in all that time other than the odd service.
In fact my car only did 2000 miles a year but it meant little if it's stood for months then fired up and ragged about!!!!
I'd try and buy from an enthusiast who has already spent 10k doing it up.
It's true that even if it's in good nick you'll want to pull it apart for kicks before you know it.

[madmarsie]

Coming from a landrover background, they have the same trouble. It is easier to price a car on condition rather than age as the newer ones are not as well built as the older ones (thinner panels, less protection on the chassis etc) and with the defender the worst years by far are 95/96/97(probably account for 60-70% of my work!!). Interestingly this corresponds with the time that BMW took over the running of Landrover???

I think when the time comes i will be clocking some serious mileage up to check them all before taking the plunge

[swallet]

At 7k you are buying near the lower end of the market so cars will have issues. Expect to be getting your hands dirty.

Without seeing them I cannot say which I would buy but I would select simply on condition not mileage. Of course a lower mileage car will always attract a premium but only because of deep rooted assumptions in the used car market. Lower mileage means nothing about condition or likelihood of problems in cars of this age,

The 500 will be noticeably faster in a straight line than the 400s, all things being equal.
I had a 450, changed to a 500 as I wanted more power and the knowledge that I had the fastest in the stable (shallow I know).

That said with enough money even a shoddy 400 can be turned into a potent weapon.

Once sorted with a good chassis, suspension and solid engine the 500 will always command a premium in the classifieds by virtue of its range topping power and rarity.

[QBee]

I was at Thoresby too. Which cars did you like? Who did you talk to? Geezer with a grey 500, a Blue Peter badge for talking and a weird glint in hs eye?

[madmarsie]

Th guy was stood by the dark red chimaera. Not sure it was his car but he seemed to know his stuff

[QBee]

Yes, know the chap you mean. I was at the other end of the line amongst the Cerberas. Nice S in front of me.

[madmarsie]

Th guy was stood by the dark red chimaera. Not sure it was his car but he seemed to know his stuff

[WinstonWolf]

97 chassis showing signs of rust, will be much worse IF/when you lift the body IMO.

[ChilliWhizz]

If it's an original 500 then option 1. Only 600 were built, and if it has some history and isn't a complete basket case then 7k is a bargain. Assuming of course that you don't have hang ups about higher mileage... Which is a nonsense, because I think that's actually a low mileage car for its year.... Anyway, just my opinion, but an original 500 at 7k would deffo attract my interest before the bunch of 400's.... Buying in the price range you're looking at won't get you a mint example, (apologies for stating the obvious), but if you choose wisely then what you do spend to buy and make good will probably not exceed the market value and will give you massive amounts of pleasure. And the lack of depreciation (even increase in values recently) rather comfortably (in a warm cosy way) offsets annual running costs

All in my humble opinion...

Good luck whichever way you go....

Chilli

[madmarsie]

thats what i am afraid of?. If it looks bad where its easy to get at, what are the hidden parts like?