TVR Chimaera VS Rocketeer MX5

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

I was thinking about how I would love to build a Rocketeer MK1 MX5. I’m thinking all the rust sorted, a leather interior with some retro touches like dials etc.

Then I realised for that kind of money I could get good TVR Chimaera.

Which would you rather have, and has anyone driven both?

[g7jhp]

What's the budget?

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

I think it would cost £15k, perhaps more.

[unsprung]

Either car will deliver on character and that increasingly uncommon moment known as sense of occasion.

But...

The Rocketeer will be your creation. And it's likely to be streets ahead on reliability. I'd never sell it; I'd drive it 'til the very end -- and I'd bequeath it to the one guy or gal who truly feels what motoring means.

For anybody who'd like to know more about the Rocketeer and its clever twist of British engineering, see the following.

article
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/drivin...

[g7jhp]

I bought a lovely original Mk1 for a fraction of that price. Shame to modify a nice one, better to modify one in need of repair.

Modified cars are unlikely to retain value and are harder to sell.

Plenty of interesting roadsters for £15k.

- Mazda MX5
- TVR Chimera/ Griffiths
- BMW Z4M Roadster
- Lotus Elise
- Caterham 7
- Honda S2000
- Porsche 944 S2/ turbo Cabriolet
- Porsche Boxster 986/ 987 S

It you want purity I'd go Caterham/ Lotus Elise.

I think the Z4M would be the other power option.

The Boxster is the usual class leader.

[HughG]

I think Lewis’ Friend on here has both, he may have got rid of the Chimaera. Might be worth dropping him a message.

[Xcore]

Youl get a nice 450 chimaera for 15k, I’d rather that over mk1 mx5 with a mondeo engine in. Granted the mx5 will handle better, pick up a tidy standard one and turbo it for similar power at 1/3rd of the cost.

[Krikkit]

Chimp hands down for me, as good as the rocketeer looks (I seriously considered building one), it doesn't beat a TVR for me.

[QBee]

It depends on what you plan on doing with it.

My Chimaera (it was a 5 litre at the time, 315 bhp) is about the same speed around Cadwell Park as a 2.5 turbo MX5.

As a road car, the TVR is thirstier (around 23 mpg), but gets a lot more attention, and nice attention too.
There are a lot of TVR events to go on, and a wide range of TVRs that attend.
The sound and the torque of the TVR is awesome - my car is now a 4.6 turbo, very low pressure, and develops 395 bhp and 525 ft lbs.
So acceleration through the gears is superb, and it overtakes well.
The interior is a nice place to be too.

I have never owned an MX5, but have passengered in a few and they are great cars.

[QBee]

You are welcome to drive mine - where are you based?

[RA5CAL]

My 2p worth. I have had a supercharged mk1 mx5 and chimp 500. The tvr is a gt whereas the mx5 with 240hp would be more of a sports car. I have toyed with idea of getting the rocketeer kit but perhaps I am just getting old I would get a 987 cayman instead for the same amount of money (plus you would still have aircon and oem starting and reliability). Prob the closest I would say to a grown up mx5 on track on that it just centres itself when the back comes round and encourages you to drive at/over the limit.

Wouldnt recommend the z4 which ppl tend to throw into the equation (was rather unpleasant on track) and at 6'4 I couldn't get my hands past my knees in the s2000 without needing to install buckets or change the steering wheel.

[Byker28i]

the other thought would be to keep the MX-5 engine, but go down the BBR route. Same power...

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

QBee said:

You are welcome to drive mine - where are you based?

That's a very nice offer! thank you. I am based near Gatwick but perhaps post lockdown we could do this. Thanks again for the generous offer.

[Belle427]

Difficult choice, the Chimaera is an event to drive but isn't blessed with the same handling qualities as the Mx5.
Open flowing roads it's the Chimaera every time, when it gets tighter I'd choose the Mx5.

[QBee]

Chainsaw Rebuild said:

QBee said:

You are welcome to drive mine - where are you based?

That's a very nice offer! thank you. I am based near Gatwick but perhaps post lockdown we could do this. Thanks again for the generous offer.

I'm at Newark on Trent, so not exactly close, but if you find yourself heading up the A1 let me know.

What Belle 427 says is spot on.

I had a day at Cadwell Park and enjoyed the company of this guy - he filmed me without me knowing, picking my worst laps of course. But I did go out in his car and vice versa, and his MX handled superbly, if somewhat noisily!
I think he said it was a 2.5 turbo, but i could easily have been mistaken. The torque of the Chimaera is evident on the straights, the better handling of the MX5 is evident on the corners. My car does have decent after market dampers, and I think we were on similar track tryes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAZCOXpZCWY

Edited by QBee on Tuesday 3rd November 07:57

[Shifter1]

Quite different cars really and fully depends on what you want.

I personally would go TVR. As nice as the Rocketeer is, in the end of the day it is still "just" a MX5. If you are a MX5 fan this is the whole reason to go with the Rocketeer.

If I really wanted a MX5 with more power, I would probably go the turbo way. Much cheaper and would give me the power. 15K for a MX5 is just too rich for me. But again, might be exactly what you are looking for. Only you can make the decision.

[Belle427]

Just revisiting this as I wondered what you chose in the end if your still around.
Sadly I wrote my Chim off a few weeks after commenting on this thread and decided to let it go and move on for a few years.
I refurbed a Mk1 Mx5 to keep me busy and have sort of fallen in love with it.
I’m wondering about Turbo charging it as it does lack some sparkle but is a fantastic little car and difficult to forget for the money!

[CABC]

Belle427 said:

Just revisiting this as I wondered what you chose in the end if your still around.
Sadly I wrote my Chim off a few weeks after commenting on this thread and decided to let it go and move on for a few years.
I refurbed a Mk1 Mx5 to keep me busy and have sort of fallen in love with it.
I’m wondering about Turbo charging it as it does lack some sparkle but is a fantastic little car and difficult to forget for the money!

I went on a track day journey with a mk1 1.6 that was eventually s/charged to just under 200hp. awesome experience. however, if I did the same journey again I'd stick to nasp mods and drive it flat out with less power, enjoying the chassis. more pipes, heat management etc, all leads to complications, which for a road car is less important imo. a higher powered 5 with suspension mods is a truly great car that just has an image problem.

I recently got a Chim, and agree with your comment 2 yrs ago. it's a GT car that's an event, not a sports car.

[Belle427]

CABC said:

Belle427 said:

Just revisiting this as I wondered what you chose in the end if your still around.
Sadly I wrote my Chim off a few weeks after commenting on this thread and decided to let it go and move on for a few years.
I refurbed a Mk1 Mx5 to keep me busy and have sort of fallen in love with it.
I’m wondering about Turbo charging it as it does lack some sparkle but is a fantastic little car and difficult to forget for the money!

I went on a track day journey with a mk1 1.6 that was eventually s/charged to just under 200hp. awesome experience. however, if I did the same journey again I'd stick to nasp mods and drive it flat out with less power, enjoying the chassis. more pipes, heat management etc, all leads to complications, which for a road car is less important imo. a higher powered 5 with suspension mods is a truly great car that just has an image problem.

I recently got a Chim, and agree with your comment 2 yrs ago. it's a GT car that's an event, not a sports car.

I think the 5 is probably best left as is though in reality as it’s more fun to drive when you have to work it.