Chimaera Tuning - More Questions

[roadsweeper]

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OK, following on from my previous post on this topic I'm trying to develop a better understanding of the tuning options available to me for my 1999 TVR Chimaera 400 (28,000 miles). Initially I'm concentrating on exhaust mods because they are relatively cheap and I want the car to sound good for summer when I can get the roof down!

I'm putting everything I have found out in this post in the hope that people might find it useful when they come to do similar stuff.

The following have all been very helpful in my research:

Shane at SFR Engineering in Stockport, Cheshire (www.sfrengineering.co.uk)
John at JP Exhausts in Macclefield, Cheshire ([e-mail])
Jools at Joospeed in Chesterfield, Derbyshire (www.joospeed.co.uk)
Mike at Austec Racing in Crawley (www.austec.co.uk)

Thanks guys!


So, back to the mods. Any mods I have done I'd like to:
(a) Get maximum bang per buck
(b) Be conducive to further tuning
(c) Leave my car able to pass its MOT
(d) Sound better!

As I understand it, these are my options:

(1) Have my existing exhaust silencer sleeved so that the gases pass straight through (£141 inc VAT from JP Exhausts)
Sounds fantastic
Cheap
Probably won't get me any more power
Won't help to get maximum benefit from future tuning
Leaves me unable to have option 2
Possible problems with track day noise regulations and some MOTs

(2) Removal of pre-cats (£366 inc VAT from Austec)
Likely improvement to throttle response
Possibly more power/torque
More expensive than option 1
Leaves me unable to have option 1
Probably won't sound as good as option 1
Possible problem with MOT emissions?

(3) Fitting of sports silencer (£255.57 inc VAT from SFR Engineering)
More free-flowing than option 1
Potential power/torque gain
Will complement a Mark Adams chip and tune at a later date
Cheaper than option 2
More expensive than option 1
Probably won't sound as good as option 1

I know that options 1 and 2 are mutually exclusive, but can options 2 and 3 be done together - if so I would imagine that this would be extremely free-flowing and sound fantastic?

What is the best option, or ocmbination of options, to give the best return from a Mark Adams chip and tune at a later date?

Finally, if I do spend any more money on the Chimaera after the above, it would probably be on suspension and brakes.

Thanks everyone - answers to the questions above and general opinions would be much appreciated and I hope this info is helpful for others out there.