Finally posting
Discussion
Finally decided to post on here as i had used it for info for 3 months. I have a Chimaera 400 95 from new. After 98000 miles i put it in the garage under a cover in September 2000 after a track day. Finally took the cover off again in September 2006. Some might think it would have been in a bit of a poor state but....
Looked like showroom (always kept it in fantastic condition and spent lots and lots on it when i was using it to get around the country to motor racing events.)
Pumped up tires.
Replaced Battery.
STARTED FIRST TIME and sounded amazing.
MOT'd within 2 days - insured with Hagerty (£170 as second car - fantastic service from them).
Brakes started binding so got the Big Front Brake kit from Tower View (new caliper, brackets for larger groved disk) - looks great - performs great- fitted it myself with braided hoses - then went to Tower View for them to fit new rear calipers and groved discs. The guys at Tower View were fantastic - gave ltos of advice - WIll go there again for everything. Thanks Dave and Mark - sorry not posted earlier.
OF course the old Alarm was not up to standard so from advice here went to see Carl Baker (www.tvruk.tv) and had Meta cat 1 alarm fitted and remote boot opener - absolute pleasure dealing with Carl, he is a perfectionist, i did some work on my laptop from his conservatory (wireless available), then got bored with work and he did not mind me watching and learning - and talking about music (he is a guitarist and in a band). We struggled getting the dash off and then he tidied everything up (it was a mess from last time someone at a TVR dealer had it off). All round top bloke - actually a great day out too.
Other than that the only problem was the epoxy resin drying out so when i pressed a button to turn the lights on the buttons dissappeared behind the dash - not a problem as i was fitting a new sterio anyway (needed one that could access a huge database of songs on an ipod so chose Alpine with fast connect). Whilst at it glued everything back together.
Not sure what to do now - maybe the ARB DRop links from Steve Heath. Everything else seems in good shape - checked chasis - tiny bit of surface rust but nothing else. Sealed the roof with Thomsons and then gave her a good Zymol clean and wax - my god it looks wet and sexy now - everyone comments on it.
Sorry for going on a bit - but wanted to thank everyone on here for the great info and the guys named above.
Dave
Looked like showroom (always kept it in fantastic condition and spent lots and lots on it when i was using it to get around the country to motor racing events.)
Pumped up tires.
Replaced Battery.
STARTED FIRST TIME and sounded amazing.
MOT'd within 2 days - insured with Hagerty (£170 as second car - fantastic service from them).
Brakes started binding so got the Big Front Brake kit from Tower View (new caliper, brackets for larger groved disk) - looks great - performs great- fitted it myself with braided hoses - then went to Tower View for them to fit new rear calipers and groved discs. The guys at Tower View were fantastic - gave ltos of advice - WIll go there again for everything. Thanks Dave and Mark - sorry not posted earlier.
OF course the old Alarm was not up to standard so from advice here went to see Carl Baker (www.tvruk.tv) and had Meta cat 1 alarm fitted and remote boot opener - absolute pleasure dealing with Carl, he is a perfectionist, i did some work on my laptop from his conservatory (wireless available), then got bored with work and he did not mind me watching and learning - and talking about music (he is a guitarist and in a band). We struggled getting the dash off and then he tidied everything up (it was a mess from last time someone at a TVR dealer had it off). All round top bloke - actually a great day out too.
Other than that the only problem was the epoxy resin drying out so when i pressed a button to turn the lights on the buttons dissappeared behind the dash - not a problem as i was fitting a new sterio anyway (needed one that could access a huge database of songs on an ipod so chose Alpine with fast connect). Whilst at it glued everything back together.
Not sure what to do now - maybe the ARB DRop links from Steve Heath. Everything else seems in good shape - checked chasis - tiny bit of surface rust but nothing else. Sealed the roof with Thomsons and then gave her a good Zymol clean and wax - my god it looks wet and sexy now - everyone comments on it.
Sorry for going on a bit - but wanted to thank everyone on here for the great info and the guys named above.
Dave
occasionaluse said:
I put it in the garage under a cover in September 2000 after a track day. Finally took the cover off again in September 2006...
....
...Not sure what to do now..
Dave
....
...Not sure what to do now..
Dave
How about
? Seriously though sound like you have a goodun there - how about some pics?
Oh. and welcome
- advise welome!! 
RetroWheels said:
It must have been a great moment , when the Tiv was fired up again and re-awakened after all that time 
.
If it's not too impertanent a question though, why the six year rest ?
btw Welcome to Piston Heads.
. If it's not too impertanent a question though, why the six year rest ?
btw Welcome to Piston Heads.
It was a great moment. It is not impertanent - and no i was not locked up lol. I have too many cars, BMW M5, Alpina B10, Porsche 996, and at the time a ferrari 355 also (which has now gone). The TVR was the most fun and still is - you can't throw anything else around like it. But i put it away, weather was bad and when i looked at it a month later the battery was flat and i guess i just forgot about it. It was only the good weather over the summer that gave me the push i needed to get it running again.
Tower View fitted a priority start that has been fantastic so no more flat batteries.
I had forgotten how much fun it is to throw around - fantastic.
. Just got back from a 300 mile jaunt, smiling - i forgot just how fun it is (even a sideways moment on a frosty road). I was trying to think of a word to describe the TVR experience - feeling so connected with the car - feeling every single bump, vibration, noise. It is not just communicating, it has become part of the driver (or the Driver part of it). None of my other cars do that (too stuffed with technology). The TVR is like putting on some snug clothes - the extremities of the car feel as if it was your own skin. I think my word for it will be Organic...
Hi Dave,
Welcome back! You had a 6year break by choice but I had a forced 10years.
Had my first TVR, an S, in 1990. Then moved onto V8S and Griff 400 before I was relocated to Hong Kong at the end of 94. Still remember those sleepless nights before the pick up of each new TVRs.
Thought I was cured of those sleepless nights in Hong Kong as they did not happen before the pick up of the more than common Skyline GTR, numerous porkers nor the Ferrari 355.
Then it re-occured a year ago when I located one of 8 Chims in Hong Kong up for grabs. (emission controls stops their import years ago). The bonus is that it is a 500 as well. I did not sleep a wink the night before (X'mas eve). Butterfly in the stomach. Can I still handle a TVR? After spending a complete afternoon (5 hours) of X'mas eve with her. I suddenly realised another forgotton symptom of the TVR discease has re-surfaced. That uncontrolable grin on each TVR owners.
"ENJOY IT" & Merry X'mas
Welcome back! You had a 6year break by choice but I had a forced 10years.
Had my first TVR, an S, in 1990. Then moved onto V8S and Griff 400 before I was relocated to Hong Kong at the end of 94. Still remember those sleepless nights before the pick up of each new TVRs.
Thought I was cured of those sleepless nights in Hong Kong as they did not happen before the pick up of the more than common Skyline GTR, numerous porkers nor the Ferrari 355.
Then it re-occured a year ago when I located one of 8 Chims in Hong Kong up for grabs. (emission controls stops their import years ago). The bonus is that it is a 500 as well. I did not sleep a wink the night before (X'mas eve). Butterfly in the stomach. Can I still handle a TVR? After spending a complete afternoon (5 hours) of X'mas eve with her. I suddenly realised another forgotton symptom of the TVR discease has re-surfaced. That uncontrolable grin on each TVR owners.
"ENJOY IT" & Merry X'mas
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