Radiator Re-core Recommendations
Discussion
https://www.bagshotradiatorservices.co.uk/
Did a fantastic job on mine, even fitted an uprated core for the same price he originally quoted.
Now in Odiham Hampshire, highly recommended.
Did a fantastic job on mine, even fitted an uprated core for the same price he originally quoted.
Now in Odiham Hampshire, highly recommended.
Don't discount a new radiator. Check out Racing Green - TVR parts
My Chimaera came with a spare rad, which I was going to have re-cored. The prices coming back for a re-core were little different to a brand new rad, plus I had it next day, rather than waiting a week or two for a re-core. It made no sense not to go the new route.
Just my two penn'orth
My Chimaera came with a spare rad, which I was going to have re-cored. The prices coming back for a re-core were little different to a brand new rad, plus I had it next day, rather than waiting a week or two for a re-core. It made no sense not to go the new route.
Just my two penn'orth
The initial quotes for a recon are about £100 less that Racing Green want to charge for a new one and I'll be very happy with a recon. Time isn't an issue, the car has been off the road for over 10 years and doesn't run yet.
I'm on a budget, trying not to spend too much on the car, just buying everything new would render the project uneconomical.
I'm on a budget, trying not to spend too much on the car, just buying everything new would render the project uneconomical.
e21Keith said:
A long story abbreviated.
I no longer own the TVR, it's gone back to where it came from. So I am no longer a TVR owner and I will not be looking to buy another. I'm going to invest in and rebuild my e39 M5 instead.
Why not look for another? I no longer own the TVR, it's gone back to where it came from. So I am no longer a TVR owner and I will not be looking to buy another. I'm going to invest in and rebuild my e39 M5 instead.
Luckily most Tvr are in slightly better condition than the one you took on?
Did you find some chassis rot or water in the oil or something.
Go on elaborate on why you have changed direction.
Like most older cars even ones cared for lovingly with no expense spared they still develop faults etc. One stood for 10 years by definition will require a lot of work and money.
Good luck anyway mate
e21Keith said:
A long story abbreviated.
I no longer own the TVR, it's gone back to where it came from. So I am no longer a TVR owner and I will not be looking to buy another. I'm going to invest in and rebuild my e39 M5 instead.
Wise choice ! The cost of the tvr resto will be far in excess of what’s it worth especially if a full paint job and retrim is required and factor in engine work and chassis work I no longer own the TVR, it's gone back to where it came from. So I am no longer a TVR owner and I will not be looking to buy another. I'm going to invest in and rebuild my e39 M5 instead.
I can't really go into the real reason it's gone back to the previous owner, but.....
The scale of the project was huge, not that I haven't done and completed much bigger projects in the past. But the car was a very early 400 with the lowest power output, the SD1 gearbox and GKN diff, so while that would have been OK for me, it was probably the least desirable spec if I ever wanted to sell it.
I started going through the work required and found it was easier to look for things that I didn't need to touch, it was a short list with just the OSR light on it. I was fairly confident that the engine and transmission were OK, probably just needing gaskets and seals, but then there are the stories of cam wear and I felt that if I didn't do it anyway, again it would reflect in resale value if I ever wanted to sell it. Bodywork was actually quite good but every panel had a mark of some kind on it and there would have been a cost here.
No PAS, and I have injuries to both shoulders. again something that could be resolved but at cost
As you all know, the chassis is largely inaccessible, impossible to check the condition without removing the body, but everything I could see was heavily corroded. Absolute best possible case it would have needed outriggers, blasting and powder coating. Worst case new chassis (I though that was unlikely).
Every bush in the chassis would have needed changing, the cost of buying all the required bushings was a multiple of what I've ever spent on bushes on any car. All the brakes would have needed doing, refurb all the callipers, discs, pads, pipes and hoses and master cylinder.
Very little of the electrics worked, I got it to turn over, there was a spark, but nothing else seemed to work. The headlight reflectors were gone and of course unobtainable, requiring some sort of conversion. There was rodent damage to parts of the car including the electrics.
I spent more time looking at parts prices and realised the cost of parts wasn't reflected in the value of the car. Despite being actually a very straightforward and uncomplicated car the parts are just more expensive than makes sense (to me anyway).
I could see the cost of new and refurbished parts alone, even if I was being careful could exceed what the car was ever going to be worth, it would conservatively take me a year to do myself. While I didn't mind spending the money (it's not all about the money) it just wasn't really worth doing for so many reasons, but the reason it's gone back to the previous owner was the real killer for me, otherwise I would have carried on with it.
Am I unhappy? no I'm not. I've done the right thing by sending it back to the previous owner, I have a clear conscience. I have an e39 M5 that I've had for 14 years that deserves my attention, it's been on the back burner for a while. I'm really going to enjoy that project so much more than the TVR
The scale of the project was huge, not that I haven't done and completed much bigger projects in the past. But the car was a very early 400 with the lowest power output, the SD1 gearbox and GKN diff, so while that would have been OK for me, it was probably the least desirable spec if I ever wanted to sell it.
I started going through the work required and found it was easier to look for things that I didn't need to touch, it was a short list with just the OSR light on it. I was fairly confident that the engine and transmission were OK, probably just needing gaskets and seals, but then there are the stories of cam wear and I felt that if I didn't do it anyway, again it would reflect in resale value if I ever wanted to sell it. Bodywork was actually quite good but every panel had a mark of some kind on it and there would have been a cost here.
No PAS, and I have injuries to both shoulders. again something that could be resolved but at cost
As you all know, the chassis is largely inaccessible, impossible to check the condition without removing the body, but everything I could see was heavily corroded. Absolute best possible case it would have needed outriggers, blasting and powder coating. Worst case new chassis (I though that was unlikely).
Every bush in the chassis would have needed changing, the cost of buying all the required bushings was a multiple of what I've ever spent on bushes on any car. All the brakes would have needed doing, refurb all the callipers, discs, pads, pipes and hoses and master cylinder.
Very little of the electrics worked, I got it to turn over, there was a spark, but nothing else seemed to work. The headlight reflectors were gone and of course unobtainable, requiring some sort of conversion. There was rodent damage to parts of the car including the electrics.
I spent more time looking at parts prices and realised the cost of parts wasn't reflected in the value of the car. Despite being actually a very straightforward and uncomplicated car the parts are just more expensive than makes sense (to me anyway).
I could see the cost of new and refurbished parts alone, even if I was being careful could exceed what the car was ever going to be worth, it would conservatively take me a year to do myself. While I didn't mind spending the money (it's not all about the money) it just wasn't really worth doing for so many reasons, but the reason it's gone back to the previous owner was the real killer for me, otherwise I would have carried on with it.
Am I unhappy? no I'm not. I've done the right thing by sending it back to the previous owner, I have a clear conscience. I have an e39 M5 that I've had for 14 years that deserves my attention, it's been on the back burner for a while. I'm really going to enjoy that project so much more than the TVR
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
As you can see from your research Tvr are not an easy car to repair and keep the costs down when there is a large list to overcome.
Values don’t represent what they cost to rebuild so inevitably more and more will become uneconomical to do such repairs. The Pool of usable Tvr in original ( good condition) is getting smaller and smaller.
I’m glad you have made the correct decision for yourself.
I’m likely to sell my 2000 year 4.6 Chim with a body off chassis resto, modern ecu, re built engine by Powers Performance more mods than you can poke a stick at including Brembo brakes, new Dif, clutch etc etc
Alloy radiator, the list is rather endless lol
I’ll be lucky to get 21K as a private sale..
Including original purchase cost,,,,,30K spent easy!
At the time I embarked on this form of self harm my circumstances looked good, life, Covid, many changes I never expected have happened since 2010 and now regard my investment as wasted money,, I did enjoy it a lot and made lots of good friends along the way though
Someone will get a car for life when I do eventually decide to let it go.
I only don’t sell it because why should someone else enjoy all that work for 10k less than it cost me to achieve. Laughable now when I think about it.
I do have a fantastic car though. It’s so nice to drive. Like new kind of thing.
Enjoy the Beemer
As you can see from your research Tvr are not an easy car to repair and keep the costs down when there is a large list to overcome.
Values don’t represent what they cost to rebuild so inevitably more and more will become uneconomical to do such repairs. The Pool of usable Tvr in original ( good condition) is getting smaller and smaller.
I’m glad you have made the correct decision for yourself.
I’m likely to sell my 2000 year 4.6 Chim with a body off chassis resto, modern ecu, re built engine by Powers Performance more mods than you can poke a stick at including Brembo brakes, new Dif, clutch etc etc
Alloy radiator, the list is rather endless lol
I’ll be lucky to get 21K as a private sale..
Including original purchase cost,,,,,30K spent easy!
At the time I embarked on this form of self harm my circumstances looked good, life, Covid, many changes I never expected have happened since 2010 and now regard my investment as wasted money,, I did enjoy it a lot and made lots of good friends along the way though
Someone will get a car for life when I do eventually decide to let it go.
I only don’t sell it because why should someone else enjoy all that work for 10k less than it cost me to achieve. Laughable now when I think about it.
I do have a fantastic car though. It’s so nice to drive. Like new kind of thing.
Enjoy the Beemer
Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 8th January 09:20
I could have overcome all the other issues, the problem was with the "friend" who was selling but just couldn't be straight with me. After that I just lost interest and switched from seeing all the positives to seeing all the negatives.
I also sold my partner's mint MX5 to make space for the TVR, now I have to replace the MX5 as well.
I also sold my partner's mint MX5 to make space for the TVR, now I have to replace the MX5 as well.
Classic Chim said:
................As you can see from your research Tvr are not an easy car to repair and keep the costs down when there is a large list to overcome. Values don’t represent what they cost to rebuild so inevitably more and more will become uneconomical to do such repairs. The Pool of usable Tvr in original ( good condition) is getting smaller and smaller. .......[/footnote]
Alun is this not true of any classic car that is bought in a poor state as a project ? The one big advantage of a TVR is the plastic body as with most steel Classics the cost to repair bodywork probably represents the largest outlay. Another advantage of TVR's is their relatively simple construction so many jobs can be tackled by keen amateurs with a decent set of tools. As a young lad I always wanted a number 10 Meccano set, a TVR is the next best thing!Loubaruch said:
Alun is this not true of any classic car that is bought in a poor state as a project ? The one big advantage of a TVR is the plastic body as with most steel Classics the cost to repair bodywork probably represents the largest outlay. Another advantage of TVR's is their relatively simple construction so many jobs can be tackled by keen amateurs with a decent set of tools. As a young lad I always wanted a number 10 Meccano set, a TVR is the next best thing!
Yeah sorry I was on a bit of a downer. I drive a few fancy cars at work but still get drawn to the plastic ones more often than not so I agree wholeheartedly which is why I bought a Tvr and not a true rust bucket.
I had a guy rebuild the floors in the old Jag I owned once, that cost some real money I can tell you. I’ve never been good at buying cars lol
No 10 Meccano was beyond my wildest dreams as a 10 year old.
That’s provoked some great memories
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff