Assistance required for first time TVR Virgin

[KingRichard]

Woah there Mrs Fish and Wedge Girl, not what you expected

Just spotted this in the classifieds... I'm not being lazy but I don't know how to post pics etc, so if you don't mind clicking

www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=36590&s=4

This is very tempting, as it means I can restore the car to my specification, and taste.

My concern is over the work required, does anyone have experience of this kind of thing? I'm a dab hand with fibreglass (my max power days) but not confident if it would have to be structural.

Also any ideas on cost? or would it be wiser to spend £5k and get one thats been sorted?

Cheers, Dave

[bugsy]

I considered this car but went for a later one, I believe it is well worth the money, any outrigger work could be done without taking off the body completely.

I think for a couple of grand you could make it just about A1 and worth 5k

[KingRichard]

bugsy said:

I considered this car but went for a later one, I believe it is well worth the money, any outrigger work could be done without taking off the body completely. I think for a couple of grand you could make it just about A1 and worth 5k

Really? thats interesting

Who can do that sort of work? Is it best to go to a specialist?

[cosmoschick]

OMG...a Tiv for £2K

One of my friend's mates is looking to buy a crash damaged Chimaera and spend time restoring it, but then again he's got loads of money and time on his hands so he can afford to call in the specialists, if necessary. I think he's looking foward to the challenge and the satisfaction of the finished product because quite honestly he can afford a Sagaris if he so wished.

Anyway, it certainly sounds like it's worth considering.

[KingRichard]

cosmoschick said:

OMG...a Tiv for £2K One of my friend's mates is looking to buy a crash damaged Chimaera and spend time restoring it, but then again he's got loads of money and time on his hands so he can afford to call in the specialists, if necessary. I think he's looking foward to the challenge and the satisfaction of the finished product because quite honestly he can afford a Sagaris if he so wished. Anyway, it certainly sounds like it's worth considering.

Yeah, certainly sounds good, on the face of it, and would allow me to get it exactly how I want. I imagine this is the reasoning behind your friends decision. I have very little time, but I have a feeling the long nights in the garage would be worth it... Resin Hair anyone? mmmm

[bugsy]

KingRichard said:

bugsy said: I considered this car but went for a later one, I believe it is well worth the money, any outrigger work could be done without taking off the body completely. I think for a couple of grand you could make it just about A1 and worth 5k Really? thats interesting Who can do that sort of work? Is it best to go to a specialist?

I would look to the guys at Milton Keynes to sort out the chassis first, they would collect from the vendor.
if you want more info mail me

[KingRichard]

Ok Guys, need some serious help now, I'm thinking of a trip to see the car on thursday. so i want to know as much as possible before I go.

I have been round a couple of classic car restorers this afternoon, but understandably could not give me a quote without seeing the car.

If you can shed any light onto the following that would be great;

cost of Refurbishing Instruments/ replacement

cost of Re-Cover or Re-connolise interior

Chassis Outriggers... I still don't fully understand what these are, what they do and wether its necessary to replace them, or can they be repaired? again, cost?

Did all the early S series come with a 4 speed gearbox? how easy to upgrade to 5 speed, or would you need to?

All help greatly appreciated, BTW anyone looking for a chimaera let me know. I saw a cheap one today, L reg in blue, pretty car for £10k

[tvrolet]

KingRichard said:

Chassis Outriggers... I still don't fully understand what these are

two tubes, one each side of the car essentially 'within the sills'. Supported back and front by a horizontal tube perpendicular to the lower main chassis tubes and a diagonal at the front bulkhead and behind the 'body' in front of the rear wheels.

KingRichard said:

what they do

support the body either side of the main chassis backbone.....and carry the seats

KingRichard said:

and wether its necessary to replace them, or can they be repaired?

as they are responsible for carrying the mounts that support your butt off the ground...I'd say that anything other than replacement might not be the wisest choice

KingRichard said:

cost?

Sorry, can't help with this one, but trawl the Chimaera forum. There was a post a wee while back that had pix of someone getting them replaced and had, I recall, prices.

Outriggers supporting everything outside the main chassis backbone is common to all TVRs* (and right up to date with Tuscan and Sagaris). All can potentially suffer the same issue with corrosion and all can be fixed similarly. However, an S should be a cheaper 'fix', as the body can be lifted off the chassis quite easily. Later cars have the body bonded down.

WB

[pedantic]
* and yes, not 'all' TVRs. I gather the Speed 12 used a 'tub' with all the components bolted on to it. Apart from that though....
[/pedantic]

[KingRichard]

I didn't know they supported the seats I thought I'd just get mad harry down the dodgy MOT place to weld em up... of course i'm joking

thanks for that, now at least I know what i'm talking about now.

[S3_Steve]

Just had outriggers done on my S3, it is not a body off job, cost 600 quid including VAT. The outriggers are usually cut back near the chassis (providing the tube is solid) and new outriggers are attached using a larger diameter sleeve.

[WildfireS3]

Cost wise, it depends on wheter you want to take the body off yourself or not. Chances are that if the out riggers are gone then the rest of the chassis could do with a look at.

Speak to V8Smith and bugsy as theyt have both had/are having the interior refurbished.

IIRC all S series came with 5 speed box, being the Ford Type N boxes, although a few came with the MT75 boxes.

[KingRichard]

WildfireS3 said:

Cost wise, it depends on wheter you want to take the body off yourself or not. Chances are that if the out riggers are gone then the rest of the chassis could do with a look at. Speak to V8Smith and bugsy as theyt have both had/are having the interior refurbished. IIRC all S series came with 5 speed box, being the Ford Type N boxes, although a few came with the MT75 boxes.

Apparently this one has a 4 speed box, it is a 1988 car, Is this not right then?

Cheers for the help by the way

[Roy C]

KingRichard said:

Apparently this one has a 4 speed box, it is a 1988 car, Is this not right then?

I've never seen or heard of one with a 4-speed box. AFAIK they all left the factory with Type N gearboxes.

For more info & pix of the chassis, see the S series Chassis (sample) Chapter of the bible:
www.t-v-r-services.co.uk/tvrbooks/Chassis.pdf

Advert withdrawn? (sold?)

>> Edited by Roy C on Tuesday 22 March 09:45

[rev-erend]

The ad has been with drawn ?

[WildfireS3]

Yep, ad gone. Never heard of a 4 speed S.

[KingRichard]

WildfireS3 said:

Yep, ad gone. Never heard of a 4 speed S.

No i've spoken to the guy, he had too many questions on the car, so decided to reword the ad.

Any way I can find out... would it be too cheeky to ring the factory?

[WildfireS3]

Don't think so. Get the chassis no. and engine no. and they should help. I've never had any problems when I rang them.

[KingRichard]

WildfireS3 said:

Don't think so. Get the chassis no. and engine no. and they should help. I've never had any problems when I rang them.

Cool, I just phoned up about a gorgeous looking S in surrey... Left a message, He rang back, sold it ten minutes ago!

Is it worth joining the TVRCC to locate a car? Or would the majority be advertised on here anyway? every TVR in autotrader for example, was listed on here.

Cheers

[S3_Steve]

KingRichard said:

Cool, I just phoned up about a gorgeous looking S in surrey... Left a message, He rang back, sold it ten minutes ago! Cheers

Was that yours Chris?

[KingRichard]

S3_Steve said:

KingRichard said: Cool, I just phoned up about a gorgeous looking S in surrey... Left a message, He rang back, sold it ten minutes ago! Cheers Was that yours Chris?

Yeah his name was Chris