Cerbera for sale...

[waveydavey1000]

Hi Guys,
I'm just getting into the Cerbera scene and have been looking for my dream car!
Does anyone know this car for sale at Vanquish Autos Peterborough.
Its metallic orange 4.2 1997 reg no. ending REX
I'm going to go see it and any information would be great.
Cheers

[TimJM]

waveydavey1000 said:

Hi Guys,
I'm just getting into the Cerbera scene and have been looking for my dream car!
Does anyone know this car for sale at Vanquish Autos Peterborough.
Its metallic orange 4.2 1997 reg no. ending REX
I'm going to go see it and any information would be great.
Cheers

I don't know the car but I do see it has nitrous. Having recently been involved returning a nitrous car to the road all I will say is make sure the install is up to scratch and you have evidence of all the other necessary work to keep the engine from lunching itself. I used to think a nitrous install was just 1.5k off the internet and away you go but now having spoken to Craig and other various tuners/specialists who did mine and having seen the amount of work that is involved I would be wary unless I have evidence of:

• Suitable spark plugs
• Fuel/nitrous pressure gauges and automatic shut off valves (you don't want to run lean and melt the engine)
• Coated piston rings (even if it is just the top one) to stop the nitrous from melting the rings.
• Uprated pistons
• Oil cooler upgrades - the engine will get hot using nitrous. It looks like I have twin oil coolers on mine.
• Coolant system upgrades - I would expect to see a big ali raidiator and fresh pipes/hoses to make sure you have good flow.
• Fuel pump upgrade
• Injectors upgrade
• Evidence of ECU remapping to make sure fueling is correct for NOS.
• NOS controllers that ensure correct PRM/rev range for use (you don't wan to start injecting NOS at low RPM - that would be bad)

And then you have the nice to haves:

• Remote bottle openers - it isn't cool to have to pull over and go to the boot if you want to use some NOS.
• Bottle heaters
• Purge valve to make sure NOS is at correct pressure and ready to go

The more I research nitrous the more I realise why you can go and have an install for a grand or so but you really shouldn't.

Having said all that you could just buy the car, shut off the nitrous bottle and enjoy the car as it is without worrying about what has and hasn't been done. Then when you have the time and money take it to a nitrous specialist and have them inspect the whole vehicle and all components to give you an honest assessment if it is safe to use.

[waveydavey1000]

Thanks for the in depth reply Tim, much appreciated.

[TimJM]

waveydavey1000 said:

Thanks for the in depth reply Tim, much appreciated.

No problem. I've been having a think and I do recall this car being for sale early last year (well i'm 99% sure it must have been this car).

I have been searching my history/emails as I am sure this car was for sale somewhere up north last year. I think it was on tvr-webmart. I definitely recall an orange 4.2 cerbera with nitrous being for sale, I just wish I could find the old advert. The reason I remember it was because it was a very keen price - lower than the current one but that was a private sale not trade last time.

[QBee]

So, Tim, the obvious question - do you think the nitrous install could already have trashed what little reliability the engine may have had left after 17 years? I probably could have phrased that better, but I am sure you know what I mean. The OP says he is just getting into the cerbera scene.....

[N7GTX]

Using zoom, can see that the driver's seat squab is split and the steering wheel is well worn but easily fixable things.
With the mileage and extra oomph, has the clutch been done recently? And clutch slave? (expensive items).
And don't forget to check the chassis really carefully too.

[waveydavey1000]

Thanks guys..
As a newbie to the Cerb world I.m doing as much research as possible and it seems that the 4.2 V8 is the same engine as the 4.5 but with a different intake system. I know it seems strange and that the intake system has no bearing on the CC.s but the 4.2 was sold as a "smaller engine" option?
What's the issue with the slave cylinders and why are they so expensive? The chassis fail is well documented so I am aware of that.
Also why does the 4.2 need a different bellhousing when the clutch is changed? Sorry for all the questions but prewarned is prearmed!

[N7GTX]

This might help.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

This is how much they cost!
http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-q0365...

http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-q0315...

Then there's the labour.....

[dave tvr]

waveydavey1000 said:

Thanks guys..
As a newbie to the Cerb world I.m doing as much research as possible and it seems that the 4.2 V8 is the same engine as the 4.5 but with a different intake system. I know it seems strange and that the intake system has no bearing on the CC.s but the 4.2 was sold as a "smaller engine" option?
What's the issue with the slave cylinders and why are they so expensive? The chassis fail is well documented so I am aware of that.
Also why does the 4.2 need a different bellhousing when the clutch is changed? Sorry for all the questions but prewarned is prearmed!

How about this one ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...

[waveydavey1000]

Cheers Guys, thats alot of clutch! No wonder they are expensive but then again its got to handle alot of power!

DaveTVR, I phoned Ed about this car today and will call again tomorrow...Thanks

[TimJM]

QBee said:

So, Tim, the obvious question - do you think the nitrous install could already have trashed what little reliability the engine may have had left after 17 years? I probably could have phrased that better, but I am sure you know what I mean. The OP says he is just getting into the cerbera scene.....

Without knowing the install or the additional engine work it is hard to say. But, if the engine is standard and the nitrous doesn't even have a progressive controller I would be very wary.

[TimJM]

waveydavey1000 said:

Thanks guys..
As a newbie to the Cerb world I.m doing as much research as possible and it seems that the 4.2 V8 is the same engine as the 4.5 but with a different intake system. I know it seems strange and that the intake system has no bearing on the CC.s but the 4.2 was sold as a "smaller engine" option?
What's the issue with the slave cylinders and why are they so expensive? The chassis fail is well documented so I am aware of that.
Also why does the 4.2 need a different bellhousing when the clutch is changed? Sorry for all the questions but prewarned is prearmed!

The 4.2 is only the same as the 4.5 from around 2001 onwards is my understanding. And when we say the same it has a 4.5 bottom end.

[Tirus]

Do you mean the later 4.2's still had the "Clatter Cam " ?

[PuffsBack]

Tirus said:

Do you mean the later 4.2's still had the "Clatter Cam " ?

Nope - he means it's really a 4.5 in CC

[dave tvr]

waveydavey1000 said:

Cheers Guys, thats alot of clutch! No wonder they are expensive but then again its got to handle alot of power!

DaveTVR, I phoned Ed about this car today and will call again tomorrow...Thanks

Did you view the 4.2 that Ed has for sale ??

[robsco]

You'd need to budget for tyres on the orange one also, I notice the spiders are shod in "Runways". Guaranteed ditchfinders and not the sort of tyre you'd want to be driving a Cerbera on. Although I don't know of Ed and his Cerbera, it looks beautifully well looked after on its advert. I know where my money would be going.