Discussion
hello! yes, the beautiful thing is sat in the drive. i must say i think it is looking a bit depressed as it has spent a night outside and had bits of frost on it this morning. poor thing! i will get a car cover for it today.
not driven in it yet as the ground is still pretty wet. might take it 'round the block' later.
few observations:
1) interior is mighty intimidating when you first get in it. it is very low, the footwells are quite crampt and the pedals are really close together!! feels like a real sports car indeed.
2) felt the clutch and it is rock solid compared to other cars i've been in. defo not a car for doing manouevres in! also, the 'long throw' throttle pedal is about half as 'long' as the TT's!!! cheers mr wheeler!
3) the interior needs a bit of work. mainly finish related, i will give it a good clean (leather needs cleaning, will get the swissol out) when it is warmer and i can get the lid off and move around in it better. it also needs a new alloy dash. how much are these and how hard are they to fit?
4) the car is fitted with a decent Sony with new speakers. not tried that yet.
5) there seems a lot of unused space behind the seats?? a lot of carpet that just sits there and get dirty. is this designed for a huge subwoofer or something
overall, very excited but definitely not an every day car
>> Edited by g-boy on Tuesday 14th March 11:21
not driven in it yet as the ground is still pretty wet. might take it 'round the block' later.
few observations:
1) interior is mighty intimidating when you first get in it. it is very low, the footwells are quite crampt and the pedals are really close together!! feels like a real sports car indeed.
2) felt the clutch and it is rock solid compared to other cars i've been in. defo not a car for doing manouevres in! also, the 'long throw' throttle pedal is about half as 'long' as the TT's!!! cheers mr wheeler!
3) the interior needs a bit of work. mainly finish related, i will give it a good clean (leather needs cleaning, will get the swissol out) when it is warmer and i can get the lid off and move around in it better. it also needs a new alloy dash. how much are these and how hard are they to fit?
4) the car is fitted with a decent Sony with new speakers. not tried that yet.
5) there seems a lot of unused space behind the seats?? a lot of carpet that just sits there and get dirty. is this designed for a huge subwoofer or something
overall, very excited but definitely not an every day car
>> Edited by g-boy on Tuesday 14th March 11:21
g-boy said:
1) interior is mighty intimidating when you first get in it. it is very low, the footwells are quite crampt and the pedals are really close together!! feels like a real sports car indeed.
Interesting. For a sports car I think there's quite a lot of foot room and loads of leg room. TVRs are reknowned for being 'leggy' for tall drivers where other sports cars are cramped.
g-boy said:
2) felt the clutch and it is rock solid compared to other cars i've been in. defo not a car for doing manouevres in! also, the 'long throw' throttle pedal is about half as 'long' as the TT's!!! cheers mr wheeler!
The 'long throw' throttle is the standard fit traction control system!
g-boy said:
3) the interior needs a bit of work. mainly finish related, i will give it a good clean (leather needs cleaning, will get the swissol out) when it is warmer and i can get the lid off and move around in it better. it also needs a new alloy dash. how much are these and how hard are they to fit?
Stainless dashes are availble from Leven for about £150. I've fitted one and it's straight forward enough, if a bit fiddly. The instrument mounting brackets are glued to the back of the dash, and good adhesion is critical to the instruments not falling off a few days later...
g-boy said:
4) the car is fitted with a decent Sony with new speakers. not tried that yet.
I stripped the stereo and speakers out of mine, as the car makes its own music!
>> Edited by g-boy on Tuesday 14th March 11:21[/quote]
griffter said:
Stainless dashes are availble from Leven for about £150. I've fitted one and it's straight forward enough, if a bit fiddly. The instrument mounting brackets are glued to the back of the dash, and good adhesion is critical to the instruments not falling off a few days later...
would this cost spiral if i took it to a TVR specialists?
Nice one G-boy hope you get a lot of fun driving it
Ref the stainless/ aluminium dash,I thought yours had one fitted?
If your changing it from veneer then fair enough I was wrong,though if it has an Ali dash at present and your updating it I would be interested in taking it off your hands for plenty of beer tokens of course
Perhaps you could let me know thanks.
Rob
Failing this does anyone have a dash template I could borrow as I dont want too much down time when I change mine and may decide to fabricate my own,thanks
Ref the stainless/ aluminium dash,I thought yours had one fitted?
If your changing it from veneer then fair enough I was wrong,though if it has an Ali dash at present and your updating it I would be interested in taking it off your hands for plenty of beer tokens of course
Perhaps you could let me know thanks.
Rob
Failing this does anyone have a dash template I could borrow as I dont want too much down time when I change mine and may decide to fabricate my own,thanks
g-boy said:
hello! yes, the beautiful thing is sat in the drive. i must say i think it is looking a bit depressed as it has spent a night outside and had bits of frost on it this morning. poor thing! i will get a car cover for it today.
Excellent, you already have an empathy for it, sorry, him. They're a bit like dogs aren't they - you can tell the mood
g-boy said:
not driven in it yet as the ground is still pretty wet. might take it 'round the block' later.
How did you get it home?
g-boy said:
interior is mighty intimidating when you first get in it. it is very low, the footwells are quite crampt and the pedals are really close together!! feels like a real sports car indeed.
I'm used to mine but I know what you mean. In fact, I sit higher in the 500 as the seat base is a different design. Pedals are close due to gearbox/clutch jobby being so far back. If you're woindering why the passenger has less legroom, that's where the battery is!
g-boy said:
5) there seems a lot of unused space behind the seats?? a lot of carpet that just sits there and get dirty. is this designed for a huge subwoofer or something
That's the parcel shelf, it's designed for parcels. Or coats, baseball caps or labradors. You already have a subwoofer; it's the two metal pipes connected to the engine
g-boy said:
Stainless dashes are availble from Leven for about £150. I've fitted one and it's straight forward enough, if a bit fiddly. The instrument mounting brackets are glued to the back of the dash, and good adhesion is critical to the instruments not falling off a few days later...
would this cost spiral if i took it to a TVR specialists?
Well, it would go up, but Leven (I believe) do a drive in drive out dash swap service. Takes about 5 hours I believe. Not sure of cost.
excellent, i'm gonna track him down as I need a few bits and bobs doing. mostly interior although my wing mirror is hanging on by screws so will need that changed.
think I will go for the alloy dash like in the limited editions and possibly chrome knobs. I think little things can go a long way especially inside.
to answer a few questions, the car was delivered to me from the previous owner.
the dash I have at the moment aint alloy either I don't think. its kinda like a white thin plastic as fas as I can see. it looks like something should be over it in truth.
hoping to start her up tonigh altho it is pishing down so mite just settle for a nite on sofa with me missis
think I will go for the alloy dash like in the limited editions and possibly chrome knobs. I think little things can go a long way especially inside.
to answer a few questions, the car was delivered to me from the previous owner.
the dash I have at the moment aint alloy either I don't think. its kinda like a white thin plastic as fas as I can see. it looks like something should be over it in truth.
hoping to start her up tonigh altho it is pishing down so mite just settle for a nite on sofa with me missis
g-boy said:
think I will go for the alloy dash like in the limited editions... the dash I have at the moment aint alloy either I don't think. its kinda like a white thin plastic as fas as I can see.
Erk!
Just one thought for you. You have there a 4.0 Griff, which is quite a rare beast and future classic. It seems mostly if not all original so far. You have a chance to bring it back to how it probably left the factory, ie to fit a walnut dash. Now I know they're not 'sexy' or in fashion just now, but IMHO they do suit the car (traditional British sportscar etc) and it was how the designer intended it to be. I hear that London Carriage Craft make superb examples.
Yuo also don't get blinded when the sun is low behind you
had my first drive in it...
oh. my. lord.
the sound is phenomenonal, but the only time i really heard it growl i felt the car really move its backside so my enthusiasm for pushing the throttle diniminished somewhat! (it is still pretty damp though in manchester)
the gearbox takes some getting used to as first and second aren't right up to the left (obviously thats where reverse it) so third to second got me in trouble a few times but am used to the positioning now
the steering is meaty to say the least! getting back in my drive was done at a far more gentle pace than the one-handed gesture i do to get the TT in.
surprisingly the throttle is quite 'long throw' and you only need to feather it most of the time, plus the clutch is not as hard as i first thought it was. think i will be ok with it through town.
if anything, the car actually felt quite heavy. yes, the acceleration was noticeably sharper than the TT and the speed handling did feel unhinged at times but the car didnt feel particulaly light really.
i'd love an empty runway just to get used to the dynamics and characteristics of the Griff. too many cars, pavements and people with dogs in my area!!
oh. my. lord.
the sound is phenomenonal, but the only time i really heard it growl i felt the car really move its backside so my enthusiasm for pushing the throttle diniminished somewhat! (it is still pretty damp though in manchester)
the gearbox takes some getting used to as first and second aren't right up to the left (obviously thats where reverse it) so third to second got me in trouble a few times but am used to the positioning now
the steering is meaty to say the least! getting back in my drive was done at a far more gentle pace than the one-handed gesture i do to get the TT in.
surprisingly the throttle is quite 'long throw' and you only need to feather it most of the time, plus the clutch is not as hard as i first thought it was. think i will be ok with it through town.
if anything, the car actually felt quite heavy. yes, the acceleration was noticeably sharper than the TT and the speed handling did feel unhinged at times but the car didnt feel particulaly light really.
i'd love an empty runway just to get used to the dynamics and characteristics of the Griff. too many cars, pavements and people with dogs in my area!!
g-boy said:Congrats on your purchase, you will enjoy it.
hello! yes, the beautiful thing is sat in the drive.
g-boy said:The interior of the Griffith is one of the most special TVR ever made
1) interior is mighty intimidating when you first get in it.
g-boy said:Never noticed that? Perhaps the clutch needs using? Throttle seems normal on mine?
2) felt the clutch and it is rock solid compared to other cars i've been in. defo not a car for doing manouevres in! also, the 'long throw' throttle pedal is about half as 'long' as the TT's!!! cheers mr wheeler!
g-boy said:People will say what do you need that for but I have 4 speakers and an amplifier in mine so that I can listen to some music if I want to...
4) the car is fitted with a decent Sony with new speakers. not tried that yet.
g-boy said:May look like it but whatever you do don't drill into out with checking, behind is the fuel tank and underneath is the rear suspension and chassis. No wasted space at all in fact.
5) there seems a lot of unused space behind the seats?? a lot of carpet that just sits there and get dirty. is this designed for a huge subwoofer or something
Rich...
g-boy said:
oh. my. lord.
g-boy said:
if anything, the car actually felt quite heavy.
I think that's just the fact you're used to PAS. My Jaguar feels half the weight of the Griff and it clearly isn't! So what you get with the Griff is a pure driving experience - everything is directly connected to everything else without any electronic gubbins.
NB I don't know if you had the roof on or off but it's MUCH better when off.
>> Edited by simpo two on Wednesday 15th March 13:53
Get the roof off 
it's 2.5 degrees in manchester today! blimey Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff