T350C with Racing Sagaris body

[ShaunDTVR]

Hi all, I've just started a project of removing the body of my T350C and swapping it with my racing Sagaris body.

I have recently taken a course on fibreglass repairs and initially wanted to repair the bodywork which isn't in too bad condition. I needed to take the body off to repair, but as I have previously purchased a Sagaris shell I thought rather than just repair the body, why not swap the whole shell!! (I'll repair the T350 shell later for another project in the future.) I also want to change the interior to something more my taste.
I love the aggressive look of the Sagaris and it has always been my ambition to do a project like this so over the coming weeks, months but hopefully not years i will try to keep you all updated on how I'm getting on.

Any suggestions, comments and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Photo's will follow soon.

Dan.

• SO FAR**

• 1st day*

Front screen, o/s door removed
Interior stripped (Seats, dash, instrument pod, carpets and headlining, wiring, etc.)

• 2nd day*

Chassis bolts (outriggers, pedal box etc.)

Engine bay started late today, air box removed to access steering column, steering column, wiring looms to firewall.

From what I've come across so far, TVR loved their silicone and high strength glue!

As i'm going along all parts are being labelled and kept in dry storage ready for cleaning/refurbing etc.

Edited by ShaunDTVR on Friday 31st August 13:30

Edited by ShaunDTVR on Monday 28th April 11:42

[s6boy]

Sounds like a daunting project to me, but there again I get the garage to change a light bulb, but good luck and look forward to reading your progress

[d.k.s]

good look for the project and i will look forward to seeing the pic's

[G_Sleigh]

Oh... fibreglass is usually easy to work with when doing modified cars and this kind of project but i got a feeling this is ALOT more involving!

Good luck. Cant wait for photos

[ShaunDTVR]

Hey all,

thanks so far for the kind words, i thought i'd get comments like 'YOU'RE CRAZY' etc...
heres a few pictures of the car before the stripping!! It was rolled i believe... Pics of the dismantling stage will be posted soon.

Edited by ShaunDTVR on Monday 28th April 11:45

[Graham]

When you say racing sagaris shells, do you mean the one from the TVR Factory or a GTF ( i.e. Tim hood, fred tongue,steve glynn cars) as the GTF cars have a different floorpan and a slightly shorter wheelbase..

As long as its a proper TVR sag shell it shouldnt be too difficult. There must be some slight difference in the suspension as the sag has a slightly wider track, so maybe slightly different wishbones, and drive shafts etc...


SOunds like an interesting project though, keep a list of all the differences as you find them as that will be quite interesting

G

[ShaunDTVR]

No problem Graham, any differences i find i'll let you know. I have found a lot of differences from an '03 T350 to an '04 T350... for instance the dash on a 2004 is cut near the steering wheel presumably to make it easier for removing the dash as it was a 1 piece dash before.

The rear suspension area on the Sagaris is given more room compared to the T350, i'm pretty sure that the wheel base is the same though.

My shell may be the pre production sagaris shell as it has the open slats and four hole arrangement under the numberplate surround. Although it does have a closed roof bulge

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2004/2004-TVR-Sa...(pic previously posted by tvrski)

[Graham]

It should be fairly straight forward then if its one of those shells. the Wheelbase is only different on the GTF cars as they use the Tuscan racer chassis which is a couple of inches shorter in the wheelbase.. Those shells are the pre-production cars, that were then stripped and the shells were supposed to be going to be modified for racers that never happened...

have fun

[malman]

It seemed to survive the roll better than I expected which is nice not that I'm planning a roll you understand

[Toady1]

malman said:

It seemed to survive the roll better than I expected which is nice not that I'm planning a roll you understand

thats what I thought! you almost wouldnt even know it had been rolled if you just looked at the interior shot!

[ShaunDTVR]

Thats what i was told, it may just have gone into a ditch as most of the damage is on the O/S and only the n/s front wing had damage because the firefighters cut it away to get to the battery!!

• UPDATE**

Body free to come up, just sorting out man power, should be able to get the shell off tomorrow

Dan

[s6boy]

ShaunDTVR said:

Body free to come up, just sorting out man power, should be able to get the shell off tomorrow

Dan

I'm near Stansted if you need a hand?

[Toady1]

ShaunDTVR said:

Thats what i was told, it may just have gone into a ditch as most of the damage is on the O/S and only the n/s front wing had damage because the firefighters cut it away to get to the battery!!

• UPDATE**

Body free to come up, just sorting out man power, should be able to get the shell off tomorrow

Dan

no I wasnt suggesting it hadnt rolled. It looks like it has, but was just astating how well the roll cage worked at keeping it all together! Good one TVR! Has made me want to sway more towards a T350 than a Tamora!

[robbyt]

Any update on your project?

[V41LEY]

robbyt said:

Any update on your project?

Looked a nice car pre-shunt. Good luck with the project.

[macca666]

I fancy a TAM with SAG handling and was wondeing about putting SAG suspension on.

Could be an interesing experiment but have not got so far as to check out the track differences.

Must get that sorted soon.

[tail slide]

macca666 said:

I fancy a TAM with SAG handling and was wondeing about putting SAG suspension on.

Could be an interesing experiment but have not got so far as to check out the track differences.

Must get that sorted soon.

I asked this question of the designer, who said there are numerous key differences that are likely to make it pretty unworkable in a Tam or T350.

Equally, wouldn't necessarily be better? Depends what aspect of the Sagaris handling you're keen on, which could still be changed by various mods to your existing.

Eg. Grip? Ride? The compliant ride is due to more carefully matched higher-spec dampers AND longer more progressive-rate bumpstops that start working very early, which would have to be made up specially to suit.

[macca666]

Perhaps what I need is written off Sag with only body damage then - Although that might be hard to come by.

Have been considering Ohlins shocks for a while now, in an effort to get a softer more controlled ride for day to day. Bot also fancy a 4L so depending on whether you could find a slightly bumped Sag, that could be an easier option than changing everything on the Tam.

Will have to keep my ear to the ground. ( but obviously not when driving !!! )

[tuscrv8]

where did you get the body shell from.

i was looking for one of these shells a while back but could get no info

did it come with doors bonnet etc