Discussion
Hi all, great forum and I have been lurking for a while!!
I have a very low budget but there seem to be a few Chims around the £4 to £4.5K mark. I am not scared to get my hand dirty as I don't expect a minter for that money, although there do seem to be solid cars around at that price. Question is,I was initially looking for a V8S but these seem to be the same price or more than the Chim, so which would you go for, and please explain why. Many thanks, Chris.
The V8s has a very strong following and is likely to cost more for the same condition as a Chim.
At your budget there is likely to be a fair amount of work required on any TVR you buy.
A few years ago I drove a V8S and Chim back to back as a comparison and there's litte to differentiate them. The Chim has more accommodation and a superior ride over less than perfect roads (ie British roads) But apart from that it is a case of whatever rocks your boat.
Outriggers cost a bit over £1000 for both sides. Everything else is easy enough to do mechanically. Bodywork is a bit more technical of course. Interior refubishment is expensive but is a good reason for lowering the price and can be left for a year or two.
For maintenance go to www.rv8r.co.uk and download the Resource.
At your budget there is likely to be a fair amount of work required on any TVR you buy.
A few years ago I drove a V8S and Chim back to back as a comparison and there's litte to differentiate them. The Chim has more accommodation and a superior ride over less than perfect roads (ie British roads) But apart from that it is a case of whatever rocks your boat.
Outriggers cost a bit over £1000 for both sides. Everything else is easy enough to do mechanically. Bodywork is a bit more technical of course. Interior refubishment is expensive but is a good reason for lowering the price and can be left for a year or two.
For maintenance go to www.rv8r.co.uk and download the Resource.
Thanks for your input so far, and for the link to the Resources section of the website. I am not worried about mechanical work as I am quite handy with a spanner. Welding is beyond me, but those sellers I have contacted all assure me that their outriggers are solid. I guess some may look OK from underneath but may well be showing signs of rot if you dig a bit deeper.
rainifa said:
Thanks for your input so far, and for the link to the Resources section of the website. I am not worried about mechanical work as I am quite handy with a spanner. Welding is beyond me, but those sellers I have contacted all assure me that their outriggers are solid. I guess some may look OK from underneath but may well be showing signs of rot if you dig a bit deeper.
Be careful of those assurances that the car is 100%, almost as new, excellent condition, one of the best around and 'I'm unaware of anything that needs doing to it.' I've forgotten the number of cars that I saw that weren't so much not as described as not really legal.I'd suggest being careful of those outriggers that look as if they've just been undersealed.
The ones in good condition seem to go very quickly although some that are overpriced stay around for long enough to encourage a cheeky offer.
If you like the looks of the S, have you thought of a V6? The first one I drove made me ask if it had been tuned in some way. The impression I got from everyone was that the S was a bit of a sluggard but it is not, although in comparison with a Rover V8 it will suffer. They are quite a bit cheaper to buy and service. Prices are about as low as they will go for those in good condition and there is always the possibility that they might rise in real terms in the future, but I wouldn't bank on it.
From a quick perusal of the ads section with your budget, a little bit of luck and a bit more of hard work you could get yourself a very nice S. And, with apologies to V8S owners, one without that ugly bulge on the bonnet.
Wedge prices are starting to go up a little, at least for those in top condition. The design seemed to go through a period when it was considered less than attractive but this would appear to have passed.
Thanks for your input Derek. I just don't like the wedge I'm afraid so that's not a car I would consider. The V6 S is what i started looking at, but I think the performance will be someway short of the V8. I had a Cobra replica last year with a 5.7 V8 Chevvy so i need the V8 fix I'm afraid! There is a silver V8S on PH for £4250 (not sure if its still for sale but the advert is still on here), and there is a Chim on ebay with a tiny bit of fibreglass damage which doesn't worry me for under £4K, and the owner asures me it is solid with FSH. I suppose in the end it comes down to looks since the two cars would appear to perform in a very similar way. Regards.
rainifa said:
Thanks for your input Derek. I just don't like the wedge I'm afraid so that's not a car I would consider. The V6 S is what i started looking at, but I think the performance will be someway short of the V8. I had a Cobra replica last year with a 5.7 V8 Chevvy so i need the V8 fix I'm afraid! There is a silver V8S on PH for £4250 (not sure if its still for sale but the advert is still on here), and there is a Chim on ebay with a tiny bit of fibreglass damage which doesn't worry me for under £4K, and the owner asures me it is solid with FSH. I suppose in the end it comes down to looks since the two cars would appear to perform in a very similar way. Regards.
I originally wanted a V8 but settled for a V6 S3. It was a lovely car and an excellent intro to TVRs but it didn't scratch the itch and I had to get a V8 so I quite understand where you are coming from.That slver V8S looks a good one and has been discussed in the S series forum but the price seems a bit too low for a V8. The S series cars seem to be more sought after than Chims so that tends to keep the prices up. My advice would be to go and look at them, drive them and then, providing you like the look and feel of the car, buy on condition. I haven't driven a V8S but I've driven a V6 and a Griff. The cars are really quite different in feel with the Griff much more refined, the S more enagaging.
A decent Chimaera for £4.5k? Apologies if I misread that, but it seems highly optimistic. I'm a little surprised you can even find a good V8S for that.
For that money I'd be straight into an S3C. If you rally must have a V8 (and I implore you to see how 'V8' TVR managed to make the V6s before dismissing them!) then I'd go for a sound 350i Wedge or up the budget a touch for something like a 400SE.
For that money I'd be straight into an S3C. If you rally must have a V8 (and I implore you to see how 'V8' TVR managed to make the V6s before dismissing them!) then I'd go for a sound 350i Wedge or up the budget a touch for something like a 400SE.
I went from an s2 to a v8s and to be honest there is not a massive difference.I went on a few tvr drive outs and the s2 kept up with the v8 cars.My cousin now owns my s2 and only yesterday kept up with 15 tvrs throughout Wales,and it was a spirited 200 mile run,myself in my wedge v8,chims,griffs and he kept up the whole way,certainly not disgraced.So for my money go for an healthy s2,s3 on your budget and you will have just as much fun guarenteed,and they sound gorgeous.
eddietiv1 said:
I went from an s2 to a v8s and to be honest there is not a massive difference.I went on a few tvr drive outs and the s2 kept up with the v8 cars.My cousin now owns my s2 and only yesterday kept up with 15 tvrs throughout Wales,and it was a spirited 200 mile run,myself in my wedge v8,chims,griffs and he kept up the whole way,certainly not disgraced.So for my money go for an healthy s2,s3 on your budget and you will have just as much fun guarenteed,and they sound gorgeous.
I agree 100%When you are viewing have a very good look at the chassis. I am an engineer, gave mine a really good look over and only when I lifted the body in the winter did I find how bad mine was. It had also passed an MOT just weeks before I bought it (and not from a dodgy garage). The crux is if a bodge repair has been done well (by this I mean from a what is visible perspective) you can't tell. My chassis had been half mooned and was allowing water in from above (where you can't get) and then corroding from the inside out.
Look at my little shop of horrors for what the outcome was at www.gbsportscar.com
Also for performance the handling of an S4 or the V8S will be the same as the chassis is identical (the S3 is slightly narrower track and S1/2 chassis is different due to body differences) and at SCH2010 with the 1/4 mile sprints on the runway the V8S's where slightly quicker than the Chim and both were about 1 second quicker than the V6s on average (Chim and V8S approx 13-14 seconds and V6s approx 14-15.5 seconds - note Clivef's griff was well under 13 IIRC).
Mark
Look at my little shop of horrors for what the outcome was at www.gbsportscar.com
Also for performance the handling of an S4 or the V8S will be the same as the chassis is identical (the S3 is slightly narrower track and S1/2 chassis is different due to body differences) and at SCH2010 with the 1/4 mile sprints on the runway the V8S's where slightly quicker than the Chim and both were about 1 second quicker than the V6s on average (Chim and V8S approx 13-14 seconds and V6s approx 14-15.5 seconds - note Clivef's griff was well under 13 IIRC).
Mark
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