Chimera re build

[trolley2020]

I've been a long term lurker on the site and have owned a 450 Chimera for about seven years.

Started a couple of years ago on a full body off restoration, but am now in a position where I don't have time to finish what I have started, the car was running beautifully before I started.

Does anyone have an idea on costs for a full body off restoration including engine rebuild and full interior?

Any pointers would be good as I need to decide whether to sell as is or drop some more money into it and make it like new.

There are areas that I can reduce costs as my company specialises in fabricated tubular products so any welding, coating and polishing would be easy for me to complete.

Thanks

[Andav469]

trolley2020 said:

I've been a long term lurker on the site and have owned a 450 Chimera for about seven years.

Started a couple of years ago on a full body off restoration, but am now in a position where I don't have time to finish what I have started, the car was running beautifully before I started.

Does anyone have an idea on costs for a full body off restoration including engine rebuild and full interior?

Any pointers would be good as I need to decide whether to sell as is or drop some more money into it and make it like new.

There are areas that I can reduce costs as my company specialises in fabricated tubular products so any welding, coating and polishing would be easy for me to complete.

Thanks

Have a look on the TVR Central website, they give prices for the services your looking fir

[caduceus]

1 post in 9 years

Couple of questions:
- If the car was running beautifully, why do you want an engine rebuild? Had you had in dyno'd?
- How far have you got with it?
- Any pics?

[trolley2020]

Thanks for the replies.

9 years is pretty impressive, I hadn't realized it was so long.

I've not had the car dyno'd but it was reliable and well set up with Gaz golds, I started taking it apart because I wanted to give the chassis a full restoration, the outriggers could do with replacing and I thought that I might as well go the whole hog, but now children and work commitments have taken any spare time I have.

So far the seats are out, exhaust off, roof off, engine near to removal, thinking about it most of the hard work to get to the body off situation is done.

My plan was to make the car as new as looking at resale prices it looks like the car is appreciating and I thought I would get a nice return on the time spent.

I'll get some pics this afternoon, the car is in the garage at work.

[J400GED]

You could do a lot worse than giving Richard Thorpe at RT Racing in Sheffield a call on 0114 281 7507 - he will give you an honest appraisal and guideline costs for what you want to do.

Hope this helps,

Ged

[trolley2020]

Thanks Ged,

Here's some pictures, she's looking a bit sorry for herself in these, I'll have a look for images prior to me messing.

[ClassiChimi]

If that was running sweet before then nothing to difficult in removing a few things and tidying up the chassis with a can of paint, and re assemble having spent a few evenings polishing the bits indoors before hand, a new front chassis bolt kit and a few bushes and ball joints later it'll look like this but it requires a lot of hours labour, the parts etc cost about £400 but it took many days and weeks to complete,,, that's where the cost is!

This is today, 2 years almost since I did it and it's still looking good.

Once it's all clean it's very easy to re apply a dab of polish and it comes up shiny instantly.

Id find the time to commit to doing this and you'll either want to keep it or someone else will appreciate it and hopefully buy.
Good luck with it








Should see it when the sun actually comes out.

[trolley2020]

ClassiChimi, that's looking lovely, it's pictures like that that make me want to find the time.

Out of interest how long did it take you to get it looking like that?

[ClassiChimi]

I also did wishbones and bushes etc,
Got a few things powder coated whilst off the car and painted other stuff by hand including down by the radiator etc,

It's just a few stages

Remove stuff including manifolds to gain access to the chassis, 1-2 days
Remove all wiring and cable ties etc, Clean chassis down 1day
Prep chassis,,, 2-3 days of rubbing down and treating
Paint Chassis 1-2 coats a day for about five days,,

Prepping exhausts and alley bits about 2-3 evenings with wet and dry and polish (Solvol)

Whilst painting I ordered all the ball joints and bushes etc, got various bits sand blasted and re pounder coated, and I lacquered the steering rack
Re assembly is great fun, read a few threads on chassis resto and stuff,
I took many pictures before so referred to them for loads of stuff, cable tie and wiring positions etc,

It actually took me a few months to complete as I had times away from the car, but re assembly will take a week if your faffing about cleaning and making perfect but it's far easier putting it back in,,
I had a steering rack leak within a week of finishing the car, so removed everything other than manifolds to get it out and it took about 4 hours!
As I was getting experienced at it the assembly after changing steering rack oil seal took about a day to complete and run up the engine.
I did a thread but never saved it,
My tip is get some old bed sheets and wrap your engine up in it,, I removed engine mounts and raised the engine a few inches making access reasonable. If on axle stands get them high as possible, with a ramp it would be easier.



I'd allow a day each side to re assemble the suspension and wishbones

[ClassiChimi]

Hope this gives you an idea,,

[sheel]

This is what it should look like, don't look at Classi
Rich

[N7GTX]

ClassiChimi said:

Thought you'd got a Morgan when I saw the bonnet stay....

[caduceus]

sheel said:

This is what it should look like, don't look at Classi
Rich

[caduceus]

In all seriousness, if you don't feel like doing the project, what do you want for it? First dibbs please if you're thinking of off loading it

[trolley2020]

caduceus said:

In all seriousness, if you don't feel like doing the project, what do you want for it? First dibbs please if you're thinking of off loading it

Seeing the pics that others are posting is making me want to stick with it, just spent the last couple of hours in the garage messing some more, it really isn't a million miles from having the body off so will persevere for now.

Looks like I've got some pretty high standards to achieve, if anyone wants to post pics of their finished projects please do, gives me a bit of motivation.

Should circumstances change and I do want to part with it I'll let you know.

[ClassiChimi]

sheel said:

This is what it should look like, don't look at Classi
Rich

Mines functional and by eck does it function.

And that red car was a mass of loose hoses before I got at it.. (In joke,, I helped make the red one shine. )

Stick with the car,,read up, create a list and off you go,, it's a lot of hard graft but so worth it and I don't know how many hundreds of times I've opened my bonet and felt deep satisfaction, I should have painted it much better but I learnt a lot,,
Compared to the rusty thing it used to be its a100% better

I'm rather attached to my old bit of wood that doubles as my bonet prop, sturdy and gives me good access

I posted a pic this morning after I'd given my exhausts a skim with wet and dry then polish, this is what they now look like after 40 miles of driving,,, it just gets better. it's well worth the elbow grease

Beat that sucker,,,, and Clive Y's don't count, their in a league of there own.

Edited by ClassiChimi on Friday 22 April 18:15

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Edited by ClassiChimi on Friday 22 April 18:18