4.0 performance (or maybe a 5.0)

[d1.wiganer]

Hi i'm a newbie to this site and will be a newbie to TVR's (hopefully before Christmas) so just wanted to say hi!
With any luck mu Capri should sell soon (I don't think it's overpriced! in the for sale section on here!- if any of you know anyone thats interested) to give me the garage space for my Chim!
Anyway I'm just wondering if the performance of the 400 will compare to the R33 Skyline GTSt I sold.
I can just about stretch to a 500, but would a 400HC be a good compromise or are they pretty much similar performance to the 400?
Im sooo excited can wait to get my V8 convertible!!

[poorpeet]

Well I'm happy with my 4 litre. BUT I have not driven a 4.5 or 5 litre.
If I had my time again I'd prob have gone for a good 4.5.
it's a good time of year to be buying there are some very cheap deals out there.
Whatever you do, buy on condition.

[monstergrowler]

Hi,
Dont discard the 4.5 or the 4.3. I cant give you a performance answer as I have never driven a skyline. I have a 400 and I have driven a lot of cars and that includes fast ones too (porsche 944 turbo, 928 etc..) and nothing for me has compared with the TVR. For the money they cost they are a power bargain. Dont buy the first one you see. Look at a few first and do your homework.Good luck.

[Altrezia]

4.3/4.5 would do the job. mine 4.3 has 275bhp, and they weigh 1060kgs - 0.60 in 4.6 apparently, with a top end of 158. Not too bad.

It's for sale too

[ekim]

If you have the money go for the 5 but a 4 is far from slow, I am on my second one now but had a normal car between the 2, must admit should have gone for the five, it not as fast as i remebered the first one to be. I drove a 500 griff a bit back and it was awsome quick.
Upto you but go for the best you can afford

[Ashy2]

I have a 98 400 and it's quick. 210 BHP at the wheels as tested by TVR Power.
These things will eat skylines for breakfast so no comparison.
My brother has a Griff 500 and that is V.Quick.
First and second gear there is not much between them, but slot third and the torque hits say bye bye.
However that said on a track there's not much between them at all as the 400 becomes more driver friendly. So after all your decision.

[WazzaL]

I drove a 4.0 and a 4.5 when lookign to buy.

Personally I went for the 4.5 as it felt more torquey. - But a good 4.0 will be better than a poor 4.5. So as others have said, go on condition of the chassis and the engine. If something does not feel 'right' then walk away. There really is plenty out there to choose from.

Was driven in a 5.0 (with the odd mod or 2) and the pull through all the gears was breathtaking. - Any one you choose will be awesome.

Good hunting!

[Jasandjules]

A 4.0 is a good starter to TVRs IMHO, giving you enough power to play with to learn that there is no traction control or abs or any driver aid except for your foot.

[cmr2payne]

I have had a R33GTST, 4ltr Chim and now own a 4ltr HC and a 5Ltr. I would say in a case of being able to drive them, the skyline is easy to drive fast, where as the Chims take more practice.

Best bet drive them all and see what you comfortable with

[Chauch]

I ran a GTT for a good while and performance wise, there was not much in it between that and my 450 albeit the power is much more accessible in the TVR. I drove a few and settled on the 450 as well ....

[jellison]

Altrezia said:

4.3/4.5 would do the job. mine 4.3 has 275bhp, and they weigh 1060kgs - 0.60 in 4.6 apparently, with a top end of 158. Not too bad.

It's for sale too

4.3 has 275bhp HAHAHAHAHA YA Right.

[im]

jellison said:

Altrezia said:

4.3/4.5 would do the job. mine 4.3 has 275bhp, and they weigh 1060kgs - 0.60 in 4.6 apparently, with a top end of 158. Not too bad.

It's for sale too

4.3 has 275bhp HAHAHAHAHA YA Right.

Well he may not be too far out.

TVR's Figures say a 4.3 has 280 bhp at the Fly - but we all know TVR overstated the case slightly and of course there will have been some loss over time.

Even so...

Now the fabled 0-60 times I have always disagreed with!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Personally I think the 4.6 is dreamland for ANY Standard Chimaera (inc the 5L). Nearer 5.5

IMHO

[jellison]

A good 400 has 220ish, a 4.5 230 - 250, and a 500 250-270.

4.3 will not make more than a later 4.5. Alot of people really do kid themselev and believe all the TVR PR Bull!

[Steve_T]

im said:

jellison said:

Altrezia said:

4.3/4.5 would do the job. mine 4.3 has 275bhp, and they weigh 1060kgs - 0.60 in 4.6 apparently, with a top end of 158. Not too bad.

It's for sale too

4.3 has 275bhp HAHAHAHAHA YA Right.

Well he may not be too far out.

TVR's Figures say a 4.3 has 280 bhp at the Fly - but we all know TVR overstated the case slightly and of course there will have been some loss over time.

Even so...

Now the fabled 0-60 times I have always disagreed with!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Personally I think the 4.6 is dreamland for ANY Standard Chimaera (inc the 5L). Nearer 5.5

IMHO

They're affected a by the launch technique I'd say Ian. There was a large variation between the 60 feet times at the Austec Santa Pod day. I'd say that was a lot down to technique and partly down to how much you're prepared to torture your car.

Steve.

[900T-R]

If you look at the median of all RV8 Tiv 0-60 times published in magazines (including Dutch ones using 'undoctored' cars ) they're actually pretty close to what TVR said they would do - apart from the 5.0s which consistently post high fours rather than the 4.1 factory claim. But then again, we all know the actual number of horses on those is rather closer to that on the 4.3s and 4.5s than what the 320/325/340 bhp rating would lead you to believe...

[jellison]

900T-R said:

If you look at the median of all RV8 Tiv 0-60 times published in magazines (including Dutch ones using 'undoctored' cars ) they're actually pretty close to what TVR said they would do - apart from the 5.0s which consistently post high fours rather than the 4.1 factory claim. But then again, we all know the actual number of horses on those is rather closer to that on the 4.3s and 4.5s than what the 320/325/340 bhp rating would lead you to believe...

Oh for some timing gear!!!!!!!

[spend]

jellison said:

A good 400 has 220ish, a 4.5 230 - 250, and a 500 250-270.

4.3 will not make more than a later 4.5. Alot of people really do kid themselev and believe all the TVR PR Bull!

There are a quite a few examples of 4.3's making more than 5.0's on RR days - notably LG's IIRC. As always there will be a high variance due to the particular build of an engine, and as many TVR engines were 'hand made' I don't think this is so surprising. As has been intimated before several times with the later 4.0 & 4.5 you run the risk of getting an engine much closer to the Land Rover spec There is also a high variance in performance down to the general well being of each engine & its fuelling/ignition state IMHO, not all of them are hunky dory.

Its also not unusual for modded 4.5's to be approaching 300bhp & 5.0's around the 350bhp bracket.

Dave

[jellison]

spend said:

jellison said:

A good 400 has 220ish, a 4.5 230 - 250, and a 500 250-270.

4.3 will not make more than a later 4.5. Alot of people really do kid themselev and believe all the TVR PR Bull!

There are a quite a few examples of 4.3's making more than 5.0's on RR days - notably LG's IIRC. As always there will be a high variance due to the particular build of an engine, and as many TVR engines were 'hand made' I don't think this is so surprising. As has been intimated before several times with the later 4.0 & 4.5 you run the risk of getting an engine much closer to the Land Rover spec There is also a high variance in performance down to the general well being of each engine & its fuelling/ignition state IMHO, not all of them are hunky dory.

Its also not unusual for modded 4.5's to be approaching 300bhp & 5.0's around the 350bhp bracket.

Dave

4.5 making 300 - with Shit loads of tuning maybe - but what is the point just get a cammed 500!. Even a Taraka converted 500 struggles to make 300 genuine bhp. A well modded 5.0 litre will make about 320 - 330 (like say Seasiders) but be very good on torque. 350 bhp from a 5.0, you are into MASSIVE money for one of these. 5.5 can get to 370bhp but again HUGE cash - beyong this you need Wildcat heads - and at this level you might as through it all away and start all over again. Alot of Twaddle talked about what can be reliably gotten from an RV8

A 4.2 or 4.3 from an SEAC will be 300 or more but they are close to race spec lumps. A std 4.3 is nothing more than a lady with ported heads a wilder cam and incresed CR.

Edited by jellison on Tuesday 30th October 15:40

[Altrezia]

4.3, big valve heads, custom remap

No PR bull here - I've never been 'into' TVR's, never read anything about them. Bought the car, which had previously been on AusTec's rollers.

I'll RR it on another set of rollers at the weekend and have another look.

Edited by Altrezia on Tuesday 30th October 16:48

[jellison]

Cool - so custom map is not std then is it - but good numbers - mind you alway do get good number on Austec RR particularly Torque. But yep that is good out of the box 500 numbers. Maybe 4.3 had more compression and better porting than the later cars - but unless bought new, you really have no idea what has been done to an Rv8.