What engine should a cerbera have ?

[trackcar]

I live in a romantic bubble. Everything is clear-cut, black and white. It may be that I'm so insular and stuck in my ways that I can't see the good that comes from taking out the heart of the Cerbera and putting something completely different in there instead.
So this poll to gauge public opinion:

the options are:
STD AJP8. Tvr got it perfect from the word go and there is nothing anyone can do to make it better

STD SP6. The TVR evolution that made the great car even greater.

Modified AJP8. Great engine let down by a few peripheral areas, once these are sorted the car is magnificent/perfect.

Modified SP6. Makes the smooth Cerbera a giant-killer. The only option for me.

Any other engine: TVR cocked up big style with both std engine versions and little can be done to rectify that.. the only way to make a Cerbera a good car is to completely change the engine for something else, be it LS, toyota supra turbo skyline turbo or absolutely any other engine that could possibly be made to fit! The Cerbera will never be a good car till you take out the AJP8 or SP6 and consign them to the back pages of the history books as a brave move/quaint idea but ultimately not right.

edited to make it easier to read and less sensationalist lol.

Edited by trackcar on Saturday 14th February 09:58

[_DeeJay_]

It is too early to add a Melling AJP v2 to the list? Sounds like it's a possibility. I know there's none of the road, but then there aren't any FFF engines yet either.

Not that I'd vote for either,a sorted, perhaps even larger than std AJP with decent induction for me

Edited by _DeeJay_ on Saturday 14th February 10:01

[caduceus]

AJP every time for me.

I appreciate the engineering effort behind these LS/etc conversions, I do. But the AJP is the very heart n soul of a Cerbera. Take it out, and your left with a kit car. Albeit a very good looking kit car

[shpub]

The poll doesn't gauge public opinion at all. It only measures the opinion of people that actually vote. The questions are hypothetical in that they assume a perfect world where money is no object and everything is available. As they say, it is only for fun.

I will be abstaining as none of the categories actually describe what I think. I'm a bit too pragmatic as any decision will depend on circumstances.

I do find it quite amazing that three LS powered cars have caused such a reaction especially as the cars would probably have been scrapped. Is this because deep down the head is saying that a LS conversion has a lot going for it while the heart is pushing the emotional attachment?

[itsallyellow]

shpub said:

The poll doesn't gauge public opinion at all. It only measures the opinion of people that actually vote. The questions are hypothetical in that they assume a perfect world where money is no object and everything is available. As they say, it is only for fun.

I will be abstaining as none of the categories actually describe what I think. I'm a bit too pragmatic as any decision will depend on circumstances.

I do find it quite amazing that three LS powered cars have caused such a reaction especially as the cars would probably have been scrapped. Is this because deep down the head is saying that a LS conversion has a lot going for it while the heart is pushing the emotional attachment?

I think your probably on the right lines....

However i will still be voting AJP, remapped etc

Edited by itsallyellow on Saturday 14th February 10:38

[trackcar]

shpub said:

The poll doesn't gauge public opinion at all. It only measures the opinion of people that actually vote. The questions are hypothetical in that they assume a perfect world where money is no object and everything is available. As they say, it is only for fun.

I will be abstaining as none of the categories actually describe what I think. I'm a bit too pragmatic as any decision will depend on circumstances.

I do find it quite amazing that three LS powered cars have caused such a reaction especially as the cars would probably have been scrapped. Is this because deep down the head is saying that a LS conversion has a lot going for it while the heart is pushing the emotional attachment?

Come down off your high horse then steve and tell me what category you would like me to add and i'll do it for you to vote.
I PMd you the address of this poll (and the other LS engined car builders) because i wanted you to have a fair chance to make your vote. So tell me what you would like as a category that satisfies your particular requirements and I will add it. Can't say fairer than that!

As for public opinion, it gauges the opinion of people who care enough to vote, the opinions of people who dont care enough to vote aren't passionate enough about the cerbera IMO and therefore their opinions are largely irrelevant anyway, for they usually use a cerbera as a stepping stone from porsche to bmw to audi or something similar .. I want to see what teh proper cerbera enthusiasts would like to see in the cars for the future, and I see no harm in that at all.

I don't understand your comment about causing a reaction either. we have 4/5 people planning/doing/done LS conversions, and a skyline conversion in progress and 3/4 people very pro LS and stating their case at most opportunities.. and we have 4/5 people very vocal about their feelings on such conversions and their allegiance to the AJP8 and the cerbera as TVR intended it to be, and the continued spirit of that car, that's about even stevens on the vocal people for and against as I see it. I myself have admitted in this very poll that I live in my cerbera rose-tint bubble world and I wanted to gauge the opinions of other cerbera enthusiasts as to their feelings, and put it in a poll. Everyone has the chance to vote if they feel they should : both pro converted cars and against converted cars.

The poll is unashamedly aimed at people who give a damn though, either way.

Edited by trackcar on Saturday 14th February 12:09

[arebrec]

I've also voted for AJP8/modified

But have no big problem with other engines used in the Cerb, I find it quite exciting hearing about all these new projects, and wish them all good luck, especially if it means that a cerb has gone on to live when it may have gone to the cerbie graveyard. Not sure I like the idea of just swapping a healthy AJP8 though.

If the Cerbera had continued to be built then I think I would like to continue see it built with the AJP8.

[stainless_steve]

AJP,but the speed 6 are ok for engine transplants

[FEZZA_RS]

Has to be a v8/straight 6 just because of the sound. Id vote RB26 skyline lump just for the amount of power can be had out of it for how much it weighs. Or how about this a lotus v8? ok not a great sounding lump but better than an ajp anyday! (heads for nuclear bunker!)

[Brummmie]

Dont care, just dont like people commenting about something they know zero about!

[esso]

Every TVR is "unique" because every TVR you see is 1 persons idea of what a TVR should be or look like,therefore i believe when it comes to a question like this there will never be a definative answer.For what my opinion is worth the AJP is what makes the Cerb "unique"~standard or otherwise........but LS versions....fantastic! Not sure about Jap engine versions,ain`t seen one yet.

[trackcar]

Brummmie said:

Dont care, just dont like people commenting about something they know zero about!

I agree, which is why the poll isn't about experiences. There are many cars with LS engines in though so it's not like it's impossible to sample the engine, two of my friends cars have LS engines and they make those Monaros move quite well indeed. I'm so NOT against the engine (people seem to think i have a heavy anti-ls or anti-conversion bias and that is so far from the turth it's laughable, having done so many engine conversions myself over the years on so many different cars it's one of the areas ive enjoyed most) .. this is about something far less tangible than performance or perceived reliability. It's also fun to see what people think as a gut reaction.

[Mr.Cerbera]

Well, speaking as an ignorant twit, I like the way my Cerb/My4.5AJP/Me get on together. When I have the ackers I will plan for induction/remap/exhaust improvements BUT if I had won the lotto then I would buy another three Cerbs and put the BMW M5 motor in one, the Koenigsegg CCX in the other and put an Audi V10 in a third (and have a controllable 4x4 transmission system in all 4).
But that's me being reasonable and practical in my dreams

Having said that, I do have difficulty in really loving a non-twin-cam motor

Edited by Mr.Cerbera on Saturday 14th February 16:14

[ridds]

I voted for the Modded 4.5.

I have no problem with people putting the LS series engines in. Your car your choice.

My own opinion is that the AJP makes the Cerb. It's far from perfect, the mapping, induction and exhaust systems are far from ideal but it all adds to the character.

[DonnyMac]

Joo, you know which I voted for

[JensenA]

ridds said:

I voted for the Modded 4.5.

I have no problem with people putting the LS series engines in. Your car your choice.

My own opinion is that the AJP makes the Cerb. It's far from perfect, the mapping, induction and exhaust systems are far from ideal but it all adds to the character.

ditto

[warpig]

love the idea of a low volume car maker producing its own engines, its kind of romantic.
ajp8 is a great piece of kit, the s6 is now becoming the engine it always should have been.
the ls engine always (imho) should always have been a factory option.
i'm no way a fan of anything yank but they do know how to put together abomb proof lump.
for anyone looking at 450+ bhp its got to be the only way forward.
ajp was not the heart and soul of the car, its the styling of the car. the engine(s) was just an added bonus.
just don't let anyone mess with the body!
you cannot fail to be impressed with the ls powered cars.
time and cash permitting its the route i shall take.
(but i did vote for the ajp8!)

[Allandwf]

AJP also for me. I used to be heavily into classic Italians in previous years, I seem to recall the same debates/arguments about Chevy V8 powered Lambos !
But as said before, each to there own.

[diycerb]

warpig said:

love the idea of a low volume car maker producing its own engines, its kind of romantic.
ajp8 is a great piece of kit, the s6 is now becoming the engine it always should have been.
the ls engine always (imho) should always have been a factory option.
i'm no way a fan of anything yank but they do know how to put together abomb proof lump.
for anyone looking at 450+ bhp its got to be the only way forward.
ajp was not the heart and soul of the car, its the styling of the car. the engine(s) was just an added bonus.
just don't let anyone mess with the body!
you cannot fail to be impressed with the ls powered cars.
time and cash permitting its the route i shall take.
(but i did vote for the ajp8!)

Think you've summed it up quiet well there, the looks are the main thing I love, I truely believe if TVR had gone with a mass produced power plant they might still be here today, kept with the Chim / Griff theme, they were good at that. Would probably mean different customers but surely more customers.

I'm trying to build mine as I would of if I owned the company, give a 911 a run for its money at all levels.

If I had the cash I'd have kept the AJP but I doubt it would have ever gone back in.

[brakedust]

Voted uprated AJP8, I fell in love with the looks of the car, the performance the amazing interior, then the engine, Its a wonderful piece of engineering for such a small company and is what sets Britain apart, but (there is always a but) if the cost of a new LS engine swap was the same as an engine rebuild when one is due I would be very very tempted, but if this new 32v AJP breaks light (hopefully no more bloody tappet adjustments) then that would win me over.