Another Wedger joins the fold!!

[chimster]

Hi Wedgy-peeps,

I'd just like to introduce myself to the wedge gang. I am based in Ipswich, Suffolk and a life long TVR fan (as of course are many others here). I had a Chimaera 4.0 for 4 years, a Tuscan S 4.0 for a further 2 years and have now only very recently scratched a long held itch for a nice V8 Wedge by purchasing a lovely red and rare 1990 G plate 350SE (No.9 of only 25 made) - as cared for in previous lives by Martin O'Neill, Andy Bennett and Richard Davies to name but a few. (It had a V8 developments 3947cc V8 fitted in 2000, fully lightened mechanicals, gas flowed, ported, Kent 218 cam, vernier timing chains etc plus a Mark Adams tornado ECU and full rolling road setup, consequently it is fairly lively to say the least!!)

The 350SE is currently being pampered in my local TVR specialist, recieving an entire new hood, new veneers, major service, leather re-furb, valet and a few other minor jobs to bring her up to top grade again in readiness for the summer.

I haven't quite sussed out how to post a photo as yet but I do have a photo on my profile now (Pre-tart up of course). If someone can offer some guidance as to the correct style and format of URL to be used in order to include pictures within the posts themselves, I will endeavour to post some photos, before and after its pampering session.

Meanwhile if anyone can offer any more information and history for 350SE No.9 it will be gratefully recieved and incorporated into its ever growing history file for posterity.

Regards,

Keith

(chimster)

[HOTTY]

hello and welcome keith
You sold a tuscan 4 ltr s ! what was the drive like ?
Still a great choice of 350, was there only 25 specials 350SE made ? You are a lucky one.
Are you going to change you name to wedgester ? this would only seem fitting
I look forward to seeing some pic's of you car spanked up.

Stephen
PS i still haven't worked out how to post the pic's on my profile yet.

[grahamw48]

Welcome Keith.

If the pics are on your PC, just use the 'upload an image' tab in the 'reply to topic' box.

Otherwise copy from your photo storage site (photobucket,etc) using the 'direct' link there, then paste into your text here (see 'formatting help' in the PH reply box.

[chimster]

Thanks Graham, here she is in all her glory, still looking good but I can't wait to get her back in a few weeks with the new hood, new veneers, valeted, all tuned up etc.....

I will post some more photos when she returns....

Regards,

Keith

(chimster)

[combine]

chimster said:

Thanks Graham, here she is in all her glory, still looking good but I can't wait to get her back in a few weeks with the new hood, new veneers, valeted, all tuned up etc.....

I will post some more photos when she returns....

Regards,

Keith

(chimster)

Technical spec sounds good , any chance of calling youself 'wedgester' instead as we aren't that keen on rounded Tiv's !

[ed_crouch]

Welcome to the fold. It seems to me that TVR production wasn't really streamlined in the Wedge days, and almost every car is individual in some way: Just In Time & Configuration Control?!? Get outta here!! TVR never actually knew how many 390SEs they'd made because "some" of the 103 390SEs they think they made were 420SEs.......... Plus some 390SEs were apparently registered as 350Is to alleviate type approval issues, but thats another story...

This adds to the appeal for me. So you undoubtedly own a piece of automotive history. Enjoy! There isnt an emission control system, an ABS unit, a service indicator or other chunk of Health and Safety garbage any where near that car. Rare these days!!

Edited - thinks it was 420SEs that got mixed up with 390s, not 400s?

Edited by ed_crouch on Wednesday 24th February 22:36

[Wedgester]

combine said:

chimster said:

Thanks Graham, here she is in all her glory, still looking good but I can't wait to get her back in a few weeks with the new hood, new veneers, valeted, all tuned up etc.....

I will post some more photos when she returns....

Regards,

Keith

(chimster)

Technical spec sounds good , any chance of calling youself 'wedgester' instead as we aren't that keen on rounded Tiv's !

Okay, guys, I've bowed to peer pressure and changed my login name to "Wedgester" instead of "The artist formerly known as chimster". Seeing how I am a newby "Wedger" (but long term Tivver), I certainly wouldn't want to upset my new Angular buddies with any Roundist views, would I now?

Keith (aka Wedgester)

[Wedg1e]

Nice, can't wait to get my SE wheels onto my car!

[rev-erend]

Very nice

[peaktorque]

How do you think it compares to Chimaera?

I've done the opposite (forgeting the Tuscan in-between obviously ) and find the Chim to be a completely differant animal in every respect. A lot more refined is one of them (is that a good thing on a TVR? )

As much as I loved my old 350i I couldn't see me returning to Wedgedom.........

Nice example you have there though.

[Solitude]

peaktorque said:

How do you think it compares to Chimaera?

I've done the opposite (forgeting the Tuscan in-between obviously ) and find the Chim to be a completely differant animal in every respect. A lot more refined is one of them (is that a good thing on a TVR? )

As much as I loved my old 350i I couldn't see me returning to Wedgedom.........

Nice example you have there though.

Bet you keep dealing them

[combine]

I don't want a ' refined ' tiv .

[Wedgester]

peaktorque said:

How do you think it compares to Chimaera?

I've done the opposite (forgeting the Tuscan in-between obviously ) and find the Chim to be a completely differant animal in every respect. A lot more refined is one of them (is that a good thing on a TVR? )

As much as I loved my old 350i I couldn't see me returning to Wedgedom.........

Nice example you have there though.

I still love Chimaeras, they are great cars (as are all Tivs) but I suppose that deep down however, I tend to prefer cars with a slightly more radical shape and a greater road presence to be honest. (In short, a car that really stands out and demands attention when compared to the mire of banal looking vehicles that pack todays roads). Whilst Chims are undoubtedly attractive cars, great to drive and maybe considered by some to be more refined than Wedges, I used to think it mildly resembled a Mazda MX5 on steroids. I do find that the Wedge handles slightly better than the Chim and is less inclined to tram line on country lanes but other than that the sheer driving pleasure is much the same in either car, in any case, both cars tend to induce stupid grins

My Tuscan S was also a fantastic car, an angry growling beast of a car in truth, and probably about as radical a shape as is possible for a car, but I still found myself longing for the V8 engine of the Chim and as I have always liked the Retro look of 80's Wedge shaped sports cars, I decided to take the plunge and enter Wedgedom in order to scratch a number of itches simultaneously

Regards,

Keith

[peaktorque]

Solitude said:

peaktorque said:

How do you think it compares to Chimaera?

I've done the opposite (forgeting the Tuscan in-between obviously ) and find the Chim to be a completely differant animal in every respect. A lot more refined is one of them (is that a good thing on a TVR? )

As much as I loved my old 350i I couldn't see me returning to Wedgedom.........

Nice example you have there though.

Bet you keep dealing them

[grahamw48]

Wedgester, I feel the same way about the Chim/MX5.

Also, Griffith rear looks great, but front is a little bland.
I actually prefer the Chim looks, but just unfortunate about the obese MX5 (most common sports car on the road ?) angle.

[Wedg1e]

grahamw48 said:

Wedgester, I feel the same way about the Chim/MX5.

Also, Griffith rear looks great, but front is a little bland.
I actually prefer the Chim looks, but just unfortunate about the obese MX5 (most common sports car on the road ?) angle.

Thing is, the Chimeara & Griffih were an eyeful when they appeared, and the Cerbera maybe more so, but now they look tame. Which is not to say that the vented, spoilered, pumped-on-steroids look of every hatch going is nicer 'cos it certainly isn't. Fads come and go though and just as the S was reborn from the 3000M series, roundy cars will reappear and the TVRs will be sought-after again...

I don't mind the Griffith, if I had enough spare folding (OK, a lotto win) I'd have one, but I don't like it enough to ditch the Wedge for one.

[Waynester]

I went wedge, chim, and back to wedge again. As nice as my 450 low mileage '99 chimaera was it lacked the character i was used to in the previous 400se wedge.
So i came back to wedgey shaped TVR's, this time with a SEAC!

welcome to the wedge frat... we are a friendly bunch...most of the time.

[Waynester]

I went wedge, chim, and back to wedge again. As nice as my 450 low mileage '99 chimaera was it lacked the character i was used to in the previous 400se wedge.

So i came back to wedgey shaped TVR's, this time with a SEAC!



welcome to the wedge frat... we are a friendly bunch...most of the time.