Chimaera splitter & other updates
Discussion
The Chimaera has been off the road for almost 14 months now - a sad tale of woe which N&S rules prevent much being said - however, like all good stories it has a (hopefully) happy ending...
While the car has been off the road, I came across an old thread featuring a (IMO!) tastefully-modified Cerbera with a superb-looking splitter added:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Really liked the look of the Leon splitter, so decided to set about getting one. Turned out a mate had one that he wasn't using, and so £20 later I was the proud owner...
It requires a little fettling to fit, as the trailing sides are too long and have to be cut to size - and the curved underside of the nose means that the further forward you move it, the further skyward it tilts... After trialling several different positions, I opted for setting it slightly further back than "Yo!" aesthetics might prefer, on the basis that A) it might actually work, and B) it will be less likely to ground on speed humps etc (being closer to the wheels).
The car has never had one of the factory splitters that I keep reading on here about, so it will be interesting if there is any discernible difference to be felt.:
At the same time, the Gaz Golds are with Gaz being rebuilt - I am 50:50 as to whether to stick with the current setup (400lb front, 325lb rear) or change to try and alleviate the rear end "skittering" which still happens on uneven road surfaces (albeit to a much lessor degree than before with stiffer spring rates).
Sticking with the current setup is cheaper, and a known quantity, but Gaz's suggestion of running softer rear springs (probably 300lb) with longer bump stops to prevent bottoming out might provide better compliance with uneven surfaces, but is an unknown quantity - no one else here having tried it to my knowledge - and might result in unpredictable outcomes (read: handling behaviour) given our short suspension travel...
I will be changing the tyres to Rainsports at some point in the next couple of thousand miles, and it seems like this may also have an effect on the road compliance, so the jury's still out on the best combination of tyre/suspension setup to opt for - the decision will be made this week, so will update as to the outcome...
Finally, JKM Performance (Emerald installers) in Portsmouth, who installed my Emerald back in 2010, have done a fine job sorting out the mapping that was hacked about by a-company-that-shall-not-be-named, achieving some gains across the rev range but also giving me a "quiet" version to complement the original, obligatory pops-n-bangs version
Headline figures are ~340ftlb @4300rpm and 311BHP - but the torque "curve" should be pretty good for road use (full engine spec in the profile for those interested). I think the graph should be fairly spot-on, as the car achieved 305BHP at Surrey RR about 3 years ago..:
I should have the car back this weekend or next week at the latest, dependant on the length of time the dampers are with Gaz, but I'm looking forward to getting the car back and seeing how all the changes combine to affect the driving experience - just in time for the rainy/snowy season
Dom
While the car has been off the road, I came across an old thread featuring a (IMO!) tastefully-modified Cerbera with a superb-looking splitter added:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Really liked the look of the Leon splitter, so decided to set about getting one. Turned out a mate had one that he wasn't using, and so £20 later I was the proud owner...
It requires a little fettling to fit, as the trailing sides are too long and have to be cut to size - and the curved underside of the nose means that the further forward you move it, the further skyward it tilts... After trialling several different positions, I opted for setting it slightly further back than "Yo!" aesthetics might prefer, on the basis that A) it might actually work, and B) it will be less likely to ground on speed humps etc (being closer to the wheels).
The car has never had one of the factory splitters that I keep reading on here about, so it will be interesting if there is any discernible difference to be felt.:
At the same time, the Gaz Golds are with Gaz being rebuilt - I am 50:50 as to whether to stick with the current setup (400lb front, 325lb rear) or change to try and alleviate the rear end "skittering" which still happens on uneven road surfaces (albeit to a much lessor degree than before with stiffer spring rates).
Sticking with the current setup is cheaper, and a known quantity, but Gaz's suggestion of running softer rear springs (probably 300lb) with longer bump stops to prevent bottoming out might provide better compliance with uneven surfaces, but is an unknown quantity - no one else here having tried it to my knowledge - and might result in unpredictable outcomes (read: handling behaviour) given our short suspension travel...
I will be changing the tyres to Rainsports at some point in the next couple of thousand miles, and it seems like this may also have an effect on the road compliance, so the jury's still out on the best combination of tyre/suspension setup to opt for - the decision will be made this week, so will update as to the outcome...
Finally, JKM Performance (Emerald installers) in Portsmouth, who installed my Emerald back in 2010, have done a fine job sorting out the mapping that was hacked about by a-company-that-shall-not-be-named, achieving some gains across the rev range but also giving me a "quiet" version to complement the original, obligatory pops-n-bangs version
Headline figures are ~340ftlb @4300rpm and 311BHP - but the torque "curve" should be pretty good for road use (full engine spec in the profile for those interested). I think the graph should be fairly spot-on, as the car achieved 305BHP at Surrey RR about 3 years ago..:
I should have the car back this weekend or next week at the latest, dependant on the length of time the dampers are with Gaz, but I'm looking forward to getting the car back and seeing how all the changes combine to affect the driving experience - just in time for the rainy/snowy season
Dom
Edited by Dominic TVRetto on Tuesday 5th February 00:09
Very nice results and a very nice engine bay!
Coincidently I fitted a splitter to the front of my car that was actually made for a Cerb!
Standard suspension setting is 275/325 which in my opinion is too soft.
I fitted standard settings +20% springs to my old car for road use and this seems ideal. 230/390.
If you are going to change your spring to softer options, do tell Gaz as they may re-valve the dampers to match.
Coincidently I fitted a splitter to the front of my car that was actually made for a Cerb!
Standard suspension setting is 275/325 which in my opinion is too soft.
I fitted standard settings +20% springs to my old car for road use and this seems ideal. 230/390.
If you are going to change your spring to softer options, do tell Gaz as they may re-valve the dampers to match.
Thanks Peter!
The engine bay pic is pre-emerald, it still has the coil in that pic - should probably update it!
We actually met at the Surrey RR day I mentioned, I'm "Dom" with the dreadlocks...
I have always liked the look of your splitter, but know they are virtually impossible to source, and given that my car is Street-only, have factored-in the ground clearance practicality that mine realistically faces (given that yours is a much more track-orientated setup)...
Leon splitter is pretty easy to source, and being an manufacturers part is made from flexible ABS plastic or similar, but in the event it gets damaged it should be easily replaceable...
The engine bay pic is pre-emerald, it still has the coil in that pic - should probably update it!
We actually met at the Surrey RR day I mentioned, I'm "Dom" with the dreadlocks...
I have always liked the look of your splitter, but know they are virtually impossible to source, and given that my car is Street-only, have factored-in the ground clearance practicality that mine realistically faces (given that yours is a much more track-orientated setup)...
Leon splitter is pretty easy to source, and being an manufacturers part is made from flexible ABS plastic or similar, but in the event it gets damaged it should be easily replaceable...
Dominic TVRetto said:
We actually met at the Surrey RR day I mentioned, I'm "Dom" with the dreadlocks....
Ah, I remember, that was a fun day!Your splitter puts a nice finishing touch to the front end.
Sadly the guy who made mine for a cerb refused to make any more as he said that they weren't cost effective to make.
phazed said:
Sadly the guy who made mine for a cerb refused to make any more as he said that they weren't cost effective to make.
Sadly seemed to hear that phrase all to often over the past few years - glad that the new management seems to have revitalised the availability of certain previously-unavailable parts via TVR Parts...I forgot to add that I have added spacers to front and rear wheels - partially to fill out the arch, but also to marginally widen the track.
5mm at front, 12mm at rear.
Looks better for it, never liked the way the wheels were inset into the arches - but will see if it gives any handling benefits... Always removable!
Dom
I wouldn’t go down on rear spring rate personally.
I tried this and there’s a reason for the heavy duty bump stops!
If you have the dampers set fairly soft the low rear spring rate will cause a lot of bottoming out on those very bump stops so you then have to run the dampers at a higher level to aid the springs, made worse if you accelerating and forcing much weight through the rear.
You get extra sag with softer springs so you then have to raise ride height and shorten spring length effectively which then makes bottoming out even worse.
I’d actually wait as if you are thinking of Rainsport tyres get them on, feel them out then decide. They override a number of limitations not least compliance over bumps so the ride might be improved, you might then decide heavier springs might be better,, or not.
Ive got one of those Seat splitters, im glad you’re reminded me.
I tried this and there’s a reason for the heavy duty bump stops!
If you have the dampers set fairly soft the low rear spring rate will cause a lot of bottoming out on those very bump stops so you then have to run the dampers at a higher level to aid the springs, made worse if you accelerating and forcing much weight through the rear.
You get extra sag with softer springs so you then have to raise ride height and shorten spring length effectively which then makes bottoming out even worse.
I’d actually wait as if you are thinking of Rainsport tyres get them on, feel them out then decide. They override a number of limitations not least compliance over bumps so the ride might be improved, you might then decide heavier springs might be better,, or not.
Ive got one of those Seat splitters, im glad you’re reminded me.
Edited by Classic Chim on Tuesday 5th February 17:55
Richard 858 said:
For what it's worth I'm still running 600/475 springs on my Nitrons (set softish) it's a personal thing but took my dear lady off for 5 days around France in it last summer, covered 1100 miles or so and she had no complaints (and she would've let me know if she was uncomfortable!).
From riding around a bit of France myself they are sublime roads to be fair,, on this shock set up a bit of a blast. It’s also about when it’s all a bit warm, thats when it’s got to work at its best and with all those fabulous positive road cambers just sucking you in,,,,. They don’t half do some work. I’d even vote remain if we could have their roads
Richard 858 said:
For what it's worth I'm still running 600/475 springs on my Nitrons (set softish) it's a personal thing but took my dear lady off for 5 days around France in it last summer, covered 1100 miles or so and she had no complaints (and she would've let me know if she was uncomfortable!).
Is there some disparity between the spring rates that Nitrons run, and those appropriate for the lower tier of coilovers?Those seem extremely high rates compared to the "+20%" rates quoted by Peter, etc - and I know that when I was running 450/375 the car was jumping off every uneven patch of road and was near-on dangerous on the roads down here...
???
Thanks!
spitfire4v8 said:
I've just done a V8D 4.6 into a chimaera, also on an emerald .. it made 314/340 so seeing as it looks like you're still running a (high flow) cat I'd say that was bang on!
Thanks Jools, yes I'm happy with it, as it's running a cat and mapped on supermarket 95ron.It's at a point where the next engine mods would be carbon plenum and a lightweight fly, both for throttle response (as OE is frankly poor) - but the costs of having to strip down the engine to rebalance the crank/flywheel assembly are just prohibitive, so I'll leave it where it is for the moment...
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