T350 to Sagaris conversion

[codieskid]

Hi Everyone

I have been looking into buying a TVR for some time now and realisitcally my budget is going to get me a t350. But I'd love a sagaris, they look so outragous but theres no way I could stretch to buy one. So would it be possible to convert a T350 to a sagaris lookalike if you had the full body, doors etc? Also what does the sagaris and the t350 share in terms of bodywork, interior, engine, chassis etc?

The reason I ask it that I have seen a few sagaris bodys for sale lately and its got me thinking how difficult it would be to convert a t350

[braders]

Why would you want to do that,if a sags what you want wait and save a bit more, me i have a 350t and luv it the only thing i may change on the car is the front splitter from the sag

[codieskid]

braders said:

Why would you want to do that,if a sags what you want wait and save a bit more, me i have a 350t and luv it the only thing i may change on the car is the front splitter from the sag

True, the t350 is a very good looking car and fine the way it is. But I was thinking more of possibly trying to find a damaged t350 rather than a mint t350 as I'd be very reluctant to do a conversion with any TVR without damage.

Also I probably won't even go down the route of a conversion but was just interested to see if anyone has attempted one in the past and what work would be required.

[BCA]

Yep, very possible, however the whole host of mods necessary to make the wheels fit the arches properly, re-bodying etc etc would probably close the difference in price between the two models - and certainly wouldnt help the cars resale in future.

Far more sensible to buy a Sagaris in the first place, or perhaps better still - learn to love the T350... Its a truly stunning car for the money, and one of the best looking TVR's out there on the move IMHO, far nicer to my eyes than the Sagaris, which strangely looks better standing still. I think its because the Sag is too fussy unless you spend the time to drink the details in, the T350 on the other hand, is aesthetically enhanced on the move as it forces your eyes to follow the flow of the roofline and you spend less time staring at the "empty" space around the very front.

All IMHO, of course, both beautiful in thier own way.

[KillerJim]

BCA said:

far nicer to my eyes than the Sagaris, which strangely looks better standing still.

The Sagaris looks like its doing 100mph just standing still

I did look into doing this for a t350 a few months ago, even grafting the front of a Sagaris onto a t350 but in the end the price was too high.

I ended up saving up for a Sagaris

[JR]

codieskid said:

So would it be possible to convert a T350 to a sagaris lookalike if you had the full body, doors etc? Also what does the sagaris and the t350 share in terms of bodywork, interior, engine, chassis etc?

The reason I ask it that I have seen a few sagaris bodys for sale lately and its got me thinking how difficult it would be to convert a t350

It would be quite easy from an engineering view but economically you'd be on a loser.

[plasticman]

With sagaris prices around the 40K mark and assuming you pay between 10 to 15 for a damaged T350 it would be financial possible too. The Sagaris bodyshells that are around are mainly the racing ones so there are modifications that have to be done to build a road car . The rollcage is also different which leads to some trim fitment problems . The body fill fit staight onto the chassis and you would just have to find some way of increasing the track (different offset wheels ?), David

[JR]

plasticman said:

you would just have to find some way of increasing the track (different offset wheels ?)

Just weld the lugs onto the chassis and fit Sagaris wishbones.

[plasticman]

You could do that but then you put more leverage on whay is already a weekpoint on the chassis . You will then also have to lengthen the steering rack , half shafts and possibly the handbrake cable and brake pipes .

[Hoolio]

There's a Sag in the Calssifides for 32.5k, you could always make him an offer.

[JR]

plasticman said:

You could do that but then you put more leverage on whay is already a weekpoint on the chassis . You will then also have to lengthen the steering rack , half shafts and possibly the handbrake cable and brake pipes .

Isn't that what the Sagaris already does? Have any Sags suffered from this extra loading and do you think that they will? (I appreciate that none may have done many miles.)
I would have thought that the biggest costs would be new body, new interior if wider than 350 interior and rebuilt engine. Brakes, diff, gearbox, etc depends on what was specced for the 350 donor.

[codieskid]

JR said:

plasticman said:

You could do that but then you put more leverage on whay is already a weekpoint on the chassis . You will then also have to lengthen the steering rack , half shafts and possibly the handbrake cable and brake pipes .

Isn't that what the Sagaris already does? Have any Sags suffered from this extra loading and do you think that they will? (I appreciate that none may have done many miles.)
I would have thought that the biggest costs would be new body, new interior if wider than 350 interior and rebuilt engine. Brakes, diff, gearbox, etc depends on what was specced for the 350 donor.

I was thinking of more of a cosmetic conversion and not so much engine and running gear etc. Obviously there will be some parts that would need to be replaced/modified for the body to fit but surely not the engine?

As for the body theres one for sale on here and also on ebay for £3950 including doors and bonnet

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TVR-Sagaris-Bodyshell-Comple...

[JR]

codieskid said:

plasticman said:

You will then also have to lengthen the steering rack , half shafts and possibly the handbrake cable and brake pipes .

I was thinking of more of a cosmetic conversion and not so much engine and running gear etc. Obviously there will be some parts that would need to be replaced/modified for the body to fit but surely not the engine?

In that case it's just the plasticman's comments here or as he mentioned earlier it may even be easier than that. If you're very lucky the crashed T350 donor may have a Sag engine; there is only one engine block, albeit with small mods over the years.

[codieskid]

Would this conversion also be possible with a Tamora or would the t350 be easy as would it share more of the sags components

[braders]

All sounds a bit stupid get a Sag or 350 why go through all that aggro

[plasticman]

why go through all the agro of having a TVR at all ?

[braders]

Well if you want a kit car get one

[jerwatt]

There was a topic about this a while back I remember reading. The person who did it managed to convert it over, think there was pics. Tried to find it for you, got to page 127 or so, url is below if you want to continue looking. Or I might have missed it anyway. Good luck!

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&a...

[aerospoke]

Hello guys

Does anybody know for shure that there is a difference in the wishbones and the mountingpoints between the T350 and the Sag or is this just another TVR-myth? I´m asking because we have the same discussion on our german TVR-CC-forum and on the Racinggreen parts homepage they are listed as one.

Cheers Jens

[JonRB]

The Sag has a much wider track that the T350 and different suspension pick-ups. I can also vouch that from test driving a T350 and Sagaris they feel worlds apart in terms of handling. So that much is no myth.