Post 1999 Cerbera 4.2 lightweight?????
Post 1999 Cerbera 4.2 lightweight?????
Author
Discussion

NTEL

Original Poster:

5,051 posts

270 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
We are hoping to increase our small TVR collection with the purchase of a Cerbera by the end of the year.

Now then, I've been told (by an ex factory worker) that a post 1999 Cerbera 4.2 lightweight would be the one to go for. Do they actually exist or are they just as rare as hens teeth??? I've been looking for a while now but never seen one of that spec advertised.

What do you guys recommend in terms of spec and age?

Gazzab

21,649 posts

312 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
There are a few late 4.2s now and again for sale. They arent called lightweights as far as I am aware.

Gazzab

21,649 posts

312 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
Hexham Horseless Carriages have a late 4.2 for sale.

NTEL

Original Poster:

5,051 posts

270 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
There are a few late 4.2s now and again for sale. They arent called lightweights as far as I am aware.
Ahh, so I take it that only some of the 4.5s were refered to as lightweights.

Wilder

1,509 posts

239 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
They were, but according to the factory boys, this really is a common myth -there really was never any work done to lighten them by the supposed 40 kilo, and there was never a lightweight (so called) sold by TVR.

methodwares

583 posts

274 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
mine was advertised as a lightweight, but it is not. i think this came the fact that lightweights had the visors removed, a slightly modified windscreen, and a smaller front roll bar, oh and tuscan seats.... all of which mine have.

a talked to mole valley about it since they order/sold it and they said the 'lightweight' option wasn't available when they ordered it (its an early 2001 model). it has the original 'big' lights as well, not the 'lightweight' pods.

from what i understand from the factory boys regarding late model 4.2s as being the best is that they use 4.5 blocks and 4.5 crankshafts, so the stronger components are there, but use the 4.2 pistons and sleeves. And the 4.2 is generally considered as the easier to drive of the two V8s.

The differences between the late and early models are subtly, for me the late model looks more complete, the roof lines are more 'finished', the windscreen surround looks more complete without the carbon fiber and the rear window has a body colored lower piece instead of carbon fiber. the tuscan seats look nice in the car, but unfortunately, that is all they do, the early model seats are much better functionally.

amazon

3,704 posts

241 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
NTEL said:
We are hoping to increase our small TVR collection with the purchase of a Cerbera by the end of the year.
clap What a brilliant idea Ntel! wink

Rude

236 posts

251 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
Hexham Horseless Carriages have a late 4.2 for sale.
I took it out for a test drive about a year ago. It was great!!!! Just too pricey for me at the moment. It is sad that such a good car has been stuck in the dealers for so long.

There are a couple of late 4.2s in the classifieds as well.

thegreengoblet

1,040 posts

246 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
The lightweight model was rolled out in late 99 - I know cause I had ordered one towards the end of 99 and got a call to tell me about changes to the car. Don't know whether the car as a whole is any lighter - guess it depends on things like air con. Anyway, main changes from what I remember was a lighter bonnet, new style pod lights that were gunged in (didn't get blended into the wings until mid 2002 - I think), different windscreen, External colour coded A-pilar covers, tuscan style front and read seats, different speaker layout inside, not sure about any others.

Wilder

1,509 posts

239 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
methodwares said:
mine was advertised as a lightweight, but it is not. i think this came the fact that lightweights had the visors removed, a slightly modified windscreen, and a smaller front roll bar, oh and tuscan seats.... all of which mine have.

a talked to mole valley about it since they order/sold it and they said the 'lightweight' option wasn't available when they ordered it (its an early 2001 model). it has the original 'big' lights as well, not the 'lightweight' pods.

from what i understand from the factory boys regarding late model 4.2s as being the best is that they use 4.5 blocks and 4.5 crankshafts, so the stronger components are there, but use the 4.2 pistons and sleeves. And the 4.2 is generally considered as the easier to drive of the two V8s.

The differences between the late and early models are subtly, for me the late model looks more complete, the roof lines are more 'finished', the windscreen surround looks more complete without the carbon fiber and the rear window has a body colored lower piece instead of carbon fiber. the tuscan seats look nice in the car, but unfortunately, that is all they do, the early model seats are much better functionally.
All correct, but the 4.2 does not use liners to bring the capacity down to 4.2
They are actually 4.5 bore, and in TVR tradition they just called them a 4.2
I have a 2003 model, and it has all the revised items such as no sun visor, revised A frame and the Tuscan seats. This was the model the factory guys told me was the best, and the one to get.

methodwares

583 posts

274 months

Wednesday 4th July 2007
quotequote all
Wilder said:
methodwares said:
mine was advertised as a lightweight, but it is not. i think this came the fact that lightweights had the visors removed, a slightly modified windscreen, and a smaller front roll bar, oh and tuscan seats.... all of which mine have.

a talked to mole valley about it since they order/sold it and they said the 'lightweight' option wasn't available when they ordered it (its an early 2001 model). it has the original 'big' lights as well, not the 'lightweight' pods.

from what i understand from the factory boys regarding late model 4.2s as being the best is that they use 4.5 blocks and 4.5 crankshafts, so the stronger components are there, but use the 4.2 pistons and sleeves. And the 4.2 is generally considered as the easier to drive of the two V8s.

The differences between the late and early models are subtly, for me the late model looks more complete, the roof lines are more 'finished', the windscreen surround looks more complete without the carbon fiber and the rear window has a body colored lower piece instead of carbon fiber. the tuscan seats look nice in the car, but unfortunately, that is all they do, the early model seats are much better functionally.
All correct, but the 4.2 does not use liners to bring the capacity down to 4.2
They are actually 4.5 bore, and in TVR tradition they just called them a 4.2
I have a 2003 model, and it has all the revised items such as no sun visor, revised A frame and the Tuscan seats. This was the model the factory guys told me was the best, and the one to get.
so the capacity is 4.5? my engine number as ...4500... in it, would this indicate that? just curious as to why they would do that. i can understand going to a single crank (cast v steel) but also to single piston / sleeve configurations? were they running out of parts or just cutting costs?

Wilder

1,509 posts

239 months

Thursday 5th July 2007
quotequote all
Yes its a 4.5 but with 4.2 induction system & associated parts. I spoke only tonight with two of the factory technicians about this subject, and they said there was an intention to make a revised spec, but it never happened.
All 4.2 cars after 99 have the 4.5 parts.