Wedge Evolution

[Bobhon]

Is there an on-line guide to the evolution of the Wedges?

The king of dipping my toe in the water and I'm interested in knowing what improvements were made along the way.

TIA

Bob

[eesbad]

Hi Bob,

Think the original Wedge-pages website is dead (I think) and Wikipedia is bare bones. So, some of my experience for you!

I've had two 350i's - an 84 Series 1 and currently an 87 Series 2. Apart from the smoothing of the styling, the biggest change was the move from trailing arm to A frame rear suspension. And the latter is a huge improvement. The geometry of the early suspension was compromised and it was pretty unpredictable - I lost count of the times it kicked the back end out. And that was under acceleration in a straight line. In the dry...

The Series 2 is a lot more planted and predictable - certainly less scary!

Can't comment on the other models as I have only had a quick drive of a late 390SE.

Hope that gives you some useful info. Oh yes - go for it! They're great cars!

Rick

[billynobrakes]

Rick

Don't forget I had Priscilla set up at Taylor TVR, shod with good tyres and all bushes are new so she handles really well

[mrzigazaga]

Hi mate


Here is some info

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...

[Bobhon]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds as if a series 2 is the one to go for.

The budget would stretch to a 390/400/420SE. Someone wrote about NCK engines, which shows up as North Coventry Kawasaki, which is now Powers Performance. We're these full bore gas flowed heads, blueprinted, solid lifters, etc?

[KKson]

There's a summary of the Wedge evolution on the TVR car club website - I think it's on the open access section, rather than members only area? Link is:

http://www.tvr-car-club.co.uk/models/wedge.asp

I've got both a later 350i and also a 390SE. The 350i is a lovely tractable car to drive with the 3.5l V8 pulling easily from 1500rpm in all gears. It's still a fast car in comparison to many moderns. The 390 on the other hand is way faster, with a much more aggressive exhaust note. Downside is that in my opinion it's not as relaxing to drive over any distance compared to the 350i. Of course it could be down to the fact that my 390 still needs setting up properly??

Either way Wedges are fantastic value for money, are rare and seldom seen on the road, certainly attract attention and the noise and subsequent grin factor are difficult to beat.

[gmw9666]

Happy to walk you through the evo over a beer / cuppa Bob

Brief summary and I'm missing stuff out

Series 1 350 - trailing arm rear suspension / angular body
Series 2 350 - A frame rear suspension / smoothed a bit
Series 2 390/420 - as above but sone fancy spoilers and quicker
400SE - smoother still
450SE - as above but quicker :-)

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Bob


There were changes along the way that saw wider bodies..Flared arches, different spoilers...Bigger brakes and drive shafts, Different dash styles..Chassis pretty much stayed the same with it being made wider in the engine dept to accept the V8 from the V6.

The outriggers were tubular with removable sills to square outriggers with moulded sills...differences in Bonnet design..There is more elbow room in a SEAC and some of the FHC models....You ideally need to see some in the flesh...BBWF is the best place...

[Wedg1e]

Bobhon said:

Someone wrote about NCK engines, which shows up as North Coventry Kawasaki, which is now Powers Performance. We're these full bore gas flowed heads, blueprinted, solid lifters, etc?

Yes.
No.
Maybe.
Delete as appropriate depending on who spent what, which way the wind was blowing etc.

The NCKs tend to be much of a muchness but some of the early 390SE engines and some of the later specials were proper engineering with cross-bolted blocks, lightened and balanced, Wills rings around the bores, solid lifters, adjustable pushrods, roller followers etc., you name it and they were in there in some combination.

Or not, in the case of most of the NCK motors. Usually they were bored out (but not usually stroked) and got shortened valve guides, dual springs and a high-lift cam with head and inlet manifold porting, slight ECU tweaking and maybe a lightened flywheel, nobody's really sure. However trumpets, valves, injectors and most of the ancillaries were standard.
History (and easy access to dynos) tells us that despite the hype, 220-240bhp is the best you can hope for from most of the V8s up to and including the 400SE. Generally 390, 420 and 450SEs make the most power but even the mythical 275bhp of the fire-breathing 390SE is just that: a myth.

Of course some people have thrown time and money and made their car faster; there are a few with engine swaps (good/bad/ugly) - Cosworth 2L and 2.8s would probably be the most fitting as they were around or were derivatives of what was around when the Wedge was current. To my mind if you're going to fanny about squeezing in a modern engine then buy a modern car and leave these old bangers to those of us who prefer them that way - who the hell would dream of putting a modern engine in a 1920s Rolls-Royce?

Long and the short of it, if you want to go really fast in a Wedge it will cost you - and as to whether the handling/brakes and suspension can cope... well, there's a thread in itself

[eesbad]

billynobrakes said:

Rick

Don't forget I had Priscilla set up at Taylor TVR, shod with good tyres and all bushes are new so she handles really well

Yes good point, Gary. However, my old Wedge was pretty sorted too, but shod with Eagle NCTs which I never liked. Fundamentally, the trailing arm setup is flawed in that the geometry changes as the suspension compresses - hence it can be unpredictable on fast cornering and hard acceleration. The A-frame is a far superior design, but yes - good tyres help too!

Edited to add - and the LSD too...

Rick

Edited by eesbad on Tuesday 7th February 08:12

[adam quantrill]

In my opinion the greatest improvement in the evolution of the wedge was the addition of the supercharger!

[billynobrakes]

eesbad said:

Yes good point, Gary. However, my old Wedge was pretty sorted too, but shod with Eagle NCTs which I never liked. Fundamentally, the trailing arm setup is flawed in that the geometry changes as the suspension compresses - hence it can be unpredictable on fast cornering and hard acceleration. The A-frame is a far superior design, but yes - good tyres help too!

Edited to add - and the LSD too...

Rick

Edited by eesbad on Tuesday 7th February 08:12

I know the A frame is far better, you need to come out for a spin in my T350 now that is fast through the corners

[adam quantrill]

The thing about where I live is that you can't go fast round corners as there's not enough visibility. It's the old police driving maxim: only drive as fast as you can see to stop. There's plenty of times I've come round a corner to see a horse in the road.

So even a 350i is plenty fast enough, in fact slow in fast out (as soon as you can see ahead) is the way to go.

[billynobrakes]

I have not seen many horses on a track day

[Bobhon]

Thanks all for the responses.

So basically it's the same as all of the other TVR's that I've owned. Every one is a unique, individual, hand crafted car..... that comes with the bits that were available at the time. Lol.

As a paid up TVRCC member why did 'the I think to look there. Doh...

Glen, looking forward to popping round and to getting a run out in the photo shoot 420SE. Are you doing the Bullzed this month?

Mark, all booked in as a visitor for the Saturday BBWF under the 'non Wedges welcome' banner. Presuming that I haven't brought one by then.

Nice to meet another friendly, active forum like the S crowd one line up.

[gmw9666]

Bobhon said:

Thanks all for the responses.

So basically it's the same as all of the other TVR's that I've owned. Every one is a unique, individual, hand crafted car..... that comes with the bits that were available at the time. Lol.

As a paid up TVRCC member why did 'the I think to look there. Doh...

Glen, looking forward to popping round and to getting a run out in the photo shoot 420SE. Are you doing the Bullzed this month?

Mark, all booked in as a visitor for the Saturday BBWF under the 'non Wedges welcome' banner. Presuming that I haven't brought one by then.

Nice to meet another friendly, active forum like the S crowd one line up.

Bob, going to be in India when it's the monthly meet but around this Sunday if you wanted a brew? PM me fella :-)

[440Interceptor]

gmw9666 said:

Happy to walk you through the evo over a beer / cuppa Bob

Brief summary and I'm missing stuff out

Series 1 350 - trailing arm rear suspension / angular body
Series 2 350 - A frame rear suspension / smoothed a bit
Series 2 390/420 - as above but sone fancy spoilers and quicker
400SE - smoother still
450SE - as above but quicker :-)

I'll say....
200, 280. ;-)

[440Interceptor]

I accept I will be in the minority but I like the looks of my 280 better than later cars. The lines are sharper, (same reason I prefer early Lotus Esprits to later ones). I prefer the seating position and the dash design too.

The drawback of course is the comparative and most cases material lack of power, handling, brakes and a killer exhaust note that the later cars offer. Those would be deal breakers for most, but I have other cars that tick all those boxes and others for me, so I'm happy driving mine around at (mostly) legal speeds.

In fact, I'm starting to think of mine more like a much cooler, faster and better looking MGB or Jensen Healey if that makes any sense.

Just depends what you want from it. Good luck.