Discussion
Hello all
I have been looking for a wedge for a while now, chasing a spec of original paint work, clean chassis, power steering, the latest model i can find with the least amount of crazing and no cracking.
I have found a what i think is a really nice 1988 "E" reg 350i, however it does not have any power steering and appears to have had a respray 10 years ago, it has a chassis with all the protective covering intact apart from the rear ends of the outriggers. The outriggers appear solid ( I jacked it up and crawled under for a good all old poke about).There is no formal service history after 1996 as the owner has carried out his own oil changes.
Question is do you go for it or hold out for a late model with power steering and original paint work.
Just interested in all your views please.
Thanks
Pete
I have been looking for a wedge for a while now, chasing a spec of original paint work, clean chassis, power steering, the latest model i can find with the least amount of crazing and no cracking.
I have found a what i think is a really nice 1988 "E" reg 350i, however it does not have any power steering and appears to have had a respray 10 years ago, it has a chassis with all the protective covering intact apart from the rear ends of the outriggers. The outriggers appear solid ( I jacked it up and crawled under for a good all old poke about).There is no formal service history after 1996 as the owner has carried out his own oil changes.
Question is do you go for it or hold out for a late model with power steering and original paint work.
Just interested in all your views please.
Thanks
Pete
Depends on how much you're gonna have to pay for the one you describe.
If the vendor wants top money and wont budge, then might be better off elsewhere...
Mind you, if the outrigeers are solid, and the rest of the chassis still has all the powdercoating intact, then the car has one over on most Wedges!
Also, it depends on WHY its had a respray. Most TVRs look like someone has taken a shotgun to the front end after a while (stonechips), so it may have been resprayed to amrten it up. If its a *good* respray, probably nothing to worry about.
Mines had a front respray, but they didnt do as thorough job as I would have liked. The sides of the headlamp pods are covered in overspray cos the sprayer did the job with the pods down, and didnt take em out to do the proper job.
Where are you based? someone on here might be able to help you out?!?
Ed.
P.S. re the power steering: its a bit rare (my 390 has it, but most do not), and can be a pain if it goes wrong. Nice to have though if youre a wimp like me!
If the vendor wants top money and wont budge, then might be better off elsewhere...
Mind you, if the outrigeers are solid, and the rest of the chassis still has all the powdercoating intact, then the car has one over on most Wedges!
Also, it depends on WHY its had a respray. Most TVRs look like someone has taken a shotgun to the front end after a while (stonechips), so it may have been resprayed to amrten it up. If its a *good* respray, probably nothing to worry about.
Mines had a front respray, but they didnt do as thorough job as I would have liked. The sides of the headlamp pods are covered in overspray cos the sprayer did the job with the pods down, and didnt take em out to do the proper job.
Where are you based? someone on here might be able to help you out?!?
Ed.
P.S. re the power steering: its a bit rare (my 390 has it, but most do not), and can be a pain if it goes wrong. Nice to have though if youre a wimp like me!
Edited by ed_crouch on Sunday 17th June 09:56
Hi Pete, I would be very suprised if you found a Wedge that has not undergone some new paint, repainted TVR's do not seem to suffer a drop in price as other marques tend to do.
Service history is often patchy on older TVR's mainly because it is so easy to do yourself, and many of the contributors on this forum do most of the work on their own cars.
It is still a case of 'Caveat Emptor' with all private sales and I would suggest taking along a knowledgeable Wedge owner to give it a once over before you part with any money.(shouldn't be hard to find a volunteer from this forum in your area)
At the moment their seems to be a steady supply of Wedges for sale and prices seem to have bottomed out, if you keep searching I'm sure you will find one with power steering fairly soon.
Chedder
Service history is often patchy on older TVR's mainly because it is so easy to do yourself, and many of the contributors on this forum do most of the work on their own cars.
It is still a case of 'Caveat Emptor' with all private sales and I would suggest taking along a knowledgeable Wedge owner to give it a once over before you part with any money.(shouldn't be hard to find a volunteer from this forum in your area)
At the moment their seems to be a steady supply of Wedges for sale and prices seem to have bottomed out, if you keep searching I'm sure you will find one with power steering fairly soon.
Chedder
As mentioned before PAS is nice, but on the move you are fine without it. Parking and catching it on a track are the only draw backs I discovered until now.
So think PAS is not a need to have, and the 'feel' with non is even better (and ok with....).
Original paint only to see it there are no accident repairs. With the years, and if the wedge was used it won't look good. Mine is original '87, and shows all signs of TVR handbuild quality and fibreglass related paint stuff. Fine by me, as I am technically and not concours minded.
To add things I looked for when buying: chassis is very important (no rust, repairs, straightness = no accidents), regular oil changes/no overheating, all electrics should work, gearbox and clutch without issues (otherwise costs and engine out type of jobs..), and I prefer a lot of miles as it is proof of that it has been used and probably maintained ok. All other things can be fixed. A longer test drive will show if the suspension and brakes are still ok (as well as the engine running and cooling).
And by now holding out for the latest doesn't apply from my point of view. As the TVR build quality should/could have been corrected by the previous owners. It is the state you find it in that does it (as good as possible), and the features you want it to have (V8 or V6, fixed head/convertable, A-frame/trailing arm, 400/SE/standard shape, etc.)
Rob
So think PAS is not a need to have, and the 'feel' with non is even better (and ok with....).
Original paint only to see it there are no accident repairs. With the years, and if the wedge was used it won't look good. Mine is original '87, and shows all signs of TVR handbuild quality and fibreglass related paint stuff. Fine by me, as I am technically and not concours minded.
To add things I looked for when buying: chassis is very important (no rust, repairs, straightness = no accidents), regular oil changes/no overheating, all electrics should work, gearbox and clutch without issues (otherwise costs and engine out type of jobs..), and I prefer a lot of miles as it is proof of that it has been used and probably maintained ok. All other things can be fixed. A longer test drive will show if the suspension and brakes are still ok (as well as the engine running and cooling).
And by now holding out for the latest doesn't apply from my point of view. As the TVR build quality should/could have been corrected by the previous owners. It is the state you find it in that does it (as good as possible), and the features you want it to have (V8 or V6, fixed head/convertable, A-frame/trailing arm, 400/SE/standard shape, etc.)
Rob
Thanks for the advice, I have bid a price of £4500. and left to let us both have a think, as for the mech side of it I am a quite confident DIYer and feel the mechanically its pretty good everything worked the fan cut in and out the temp was around the 90 mark, the oil pressure was 25 at tick over when warm lifting to approx 35-40 when accelerating even the cab heater worked well, maybe I have set my sights too high and need to be more realistic.
Oh and its white
Ta
Pete
Oh and its white
Ta
Pete
Why would you want original paintwork? These cars stopped production in 1993 so original paint would be 14 years old and pretty crap with fading, chipping and general wear & tear. It wasn't that good in the first place. The only decent paint jobs I've ever seen on a TVR were those repainted by people who knew what they were doing, and it used to be my job to assess paintwork quality.
What you really want is a car with a chassis with no rust. An interior with no wear. A car that has been enthusiast maintained so that when something has gone wrong it has been sorted properly. Paintwork that is nice and shiny with no cracks, runs, overspray, orange peel, masking or peeling. Wheels that have not been kerbed, tyres that have been replaced within the last 10 years, and an engine that goes whaaaaar, whaaaaaaarrrrr, wwwwhhhhaaaaarrrrrrrr when you press the pedal on the right. Oh, and it should stop in a straight line when you press the pedal in the middle.
Nuns and schoolgirls should wet their panties and pit bull terriers whimper when you drive past.
Regards
Mark
What you really want is a car with a chassis with no rust. An interior with no wear. A car that has been enthusiast maintained so that when something has gone wrong it has been sorted properly. Paintwork that is nice and shiny with no cracks, runs, overspray, orange peel, masking or peeling. Wheels that have not been kerbed, tyres that have been replaced within the last 10 years, and an engine that goes whaaaaar, whaaaaaaarrrrr, wwwwhhhhaaaaarrrrrrrr when you press the pedal on the right. Oh, and it should stop in a straight line when you press the pedal in the middle.
Nuns and schoolgirls should wet their panties and pit bull terriers whimper when you drive past.
Regards
Mark
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