buying advice please.....

[longers]

Hi all

I normally spend my time over in the S owners forum and am posting here for the first time. A friend of mine who is not (yet!) signed up for PH is looking for a wedge. I'm on my 2nd S and had a Chimaera in between them so I'm familiar with TVR's, but don't know much about the wedges, apart from the fact that one I saw at Back Home once - a 450 I think - has to go down as one of the best sounding cars I've ever heard

I appreciate that everyone has their own preferences but which models are considered to be "best"....?
Are there any particular points to look out for when viewing potential purchases, other than the "normal" things like chassis etc....?
Are there any useful websites, apart from this one , specifically about the wedge that we could look at for info....?
Budget is £5-6k.

Thanks in advance,
Longers

[cuneus]

www.pixeltechnology.co.uk/wedge/buyersguide.html

www.pistonheads.com/tvr/wedges/

[rev-erend]

The advise would be the same for an 'S' or a Chim..

Condition is everything.

Check outrigger condition, engine - well usual checks, wheel bearings .. all easy stuff to check.

Go see a few and you will know a good one when you see it - alternatively : go to a few local meetings.

[paulg390]

For that money, definitely a 390SE Mk2, i.e. 1988 on... some nice sounding ones for sale in classifieds at the mo.

These have the same "curvy" looks as a 400Se, same updated dash, and virtually same performance - and of course a bit more exclusive.. But despite this they do seem to be a bit less cash than an equiv condition 400.

But as everyone says in these threads ultimately it needs to be a decision based on condition, condition and condition... and what your friend wants from a car.

What do I drive.... oh yes, a 390SE mk2 of course...

[badredwedge]

longers said:

apart from the fact that one I saw at Back Home once - a 450 I think - has to go down as one of the best sounding cars I've ever heard

A man with real taste

[mightymouse]

rev-erend said:

The advise would be the same for an 'S' or a Chim..

Condition is everything.

Check outrigger condition, engine - well usual checks, wheel bearings .. all easy stuff to check.

Go see a few and you will know a good one when you see it - alternatively : go to a few local meetings.

Agree + budget for the extra little jobs

[honourablepickle]

try not to buy one with knackered back brakes or diff - horrible job
hp

[longers]

badredwedge said:

longers said:

apart from the fact that one I saw at Back Home once - a 450 I think - has to go down as one of the best sounding cars I've ever heard

A man with real taste

I'm almost wishing that one day I hit a speed bumb so hard in my S2 that I need to replace the exhaust and make some mod's to try and replicate that noise, but until then my attitude is "if it ain't broke don't fix it - keep the money until it DOES go wrong cos it will eventually"!!

[mikeb]

I bet you had playing cards pegged into your spokes on your bike when you were a kid?

Wedges sound like that out of the box! Only trouble is it means that you don't get to do trackdays as most circuits are getting a bit tight on the old noise levels.

MikeyB

[longers]

mikeb said:

.....when you were a kid?

Mrs L still thinks I am

Thanks for the help today everyone.
This one's looking good at the moment....
www.pistonheads.com/sales/131386.htm

Cheers,
Longers

[matt-man]

longers said:

mikeb said:

.....when you were a kid?

Mrs L still thinks I am

Thanks for the help today everyone.
This one's looking good at the moment....
www.pistonheads.com/sales/131386.htm

Cheers,
Longers

Ive seen this one...seems a little strange we havent discussed it (unless ive been hiding somewhere) as it looks like great value!

How come its a 390, with a 400 (+) front? Odd, but nice of course!

[l33]

Buy on condition - A clean, well maintained 280 is better than a ropy old 450se.
As others have said really, outriggers, bodyshell cracking, evidence of servicing / oil changes etc, all old MOTs and paperwork are always a plus in my book.

[badredwedge]

There is always this one.... and its a pre-cat !!www.pistonheads.com/sales/141779.htm

[pwd95]

badredwedge said:

There is always this one.... and its a pre-cat !!www.pistonheads.com/sales/141779.htm

[honourablepickle]

sounds like the ticket - at 21k with no heavy use it would be a good one to buy as a keeper and much cheaper than a total rebuild on an old one
hp

[wedg1e]

matt-man said:

longers said:

mikeb said:

.....when you were a kid?

Mrs L still thinks I am

Thanks for the help today everyone.
This one's looking good at the moment....
www.pistonheads.com/sales/131386.htm

Cheers,
Longers

Ive seen this one...seems a little strange we havent discussed it (unless ive been hiding somewhere) as it looks like great value!

How come its a 390, with a 400 (+) front? Odd, but nice of course!

If anything I'd say it was the other way round: it's a 400SE shell with a 390 interior!

The original 390 was virtually a 350 shell, no flares, just the under-bumper wing at the back and the deep blade spoiler at the front.

Then it gained flared arches in two stages (thus two different sill versions), still with the deep blade (say '87, like my car), then in '88 they fitted the shorter, rounder front spoiler which became the prototype for the 400SE. At the same time the rear wing became a fake wing formed as part of the rear bumper (again eveolved into the vestigial wing on the 400SE).
It may be that the car in that ad is actually a 390SE series 2 with the front spoiler and rear bumper (which looks more 350 than 390 anyway) faired-in to hide the joins. I know that this happened because the US-market 280 got exactly the same treatment - the spoilers and sills were 'de-seamed' creating the same look as the 400SE eventually had.

[pwd95]

It's deffinately a mix'n match. It's got the 350/90 thin windscreen pillars, 350 rear bumper 'faired' in, 400SE front and sills. 350 boot (external hinges)

Looks a fine example though.

Edited by pwd95 on Tuesday 6th March 11:59

[chunder]

I'm pretty sure that the shell on that car is a one off - the sills are more SEAC than SE but without the "waist" in the middle.

Stand to be corrected but I don't think I have ever seen those sills on any other wedge.

[silverback mike]

Nice that isn't it... If my latest project doesn't come off then I'll possibly be a wedging again

Depends what's about at the time I guess..

[Nacnud]

Wheels back it's damn near identical to my SEAC (apart from the obvious omission on the boot lid).
Look for yourselves here