factory / development cerbera
Discussion
Hi all
I am the owner of one of 5 (i believe) tvr cerbera development cars
and i am looking for some history on it
It was apparently known as Doris at the factory and started its life grey it was changed to red
the reg was N528 GRN
and was registered in jan 96
any information or photos storys / facts would be interesting
i was told it was in "liverpool one and driven by Samantha Janus???"
i have very little service history as it was owned by the factory until 2005
the V5 says its a 4.2 but an internet site saysall devolpment cars were 4.5 with 4.2 inductions (not that i understand what that means)
Thanks Ste
I am the owner of one of 5 (i believe) tvr cerbera development cars
and i am looking for some history on it
It was apparently known as Doris at the factory and started its life grey it was changed to red
the reg was N528 GRN
and was registered in jan 96
any information or photos storys / facts would be interesting
i was told it was in "liverpool one and driven by Samantha Janus???"
i have very little service history as it was owned by the factory until 2005
the V5 says its a 4.2 but an internet site saysall devolpment cars were 4.5 with 4.2 inductions (not that i understand what that means)
Thanks Ste
N528 GRN was known as Doris. Im not sure but i think it was named by a guy called Toby in the service department at the factory. As i remember it was made into a 4.5, the engine number should reveal that. It should have a green interior with a red exterior. Just before the factory sold the car if i remember correctly it was fitted with a fresh engine. It was used for development work and as a
courtesy car in the service department, not sure but it may have been used as safety car at TVR races. No sure on if it was the one used on Liverpool 1 but a factory cerbera was used on set.
courtesy car in the service department, not sure but it may have been used as safety car at TVR races. No sure on if it was the one used on Liverpool 1 but a factory cerbera was used on set.
dirty boy said:
BLUETHUNDER said:
Does anyone else know the whereabouts of the other development cars??. I have a very early Cerb N434 YUX. It has airboxes on it that i have never seen on another Cerb.
Are they painted Walls Soft Scoop ice cream tubs? If so, yes, you have one of the development cars 
a silver one was for sale recently which is where i got some of my info from
and i have seen on ebay a magazine cutting for sale of like mine red N527GRN which was apparently long term testing 19998 cerebera 4.2
i assume one of them was the origanal that was black? one yellow as mine was grey that was change to red
and i have seen on ebay a magazine cutting for sale of like mine red N527GRN which was apparently long term testing 19998 cerebera 4.2
i assume one of them was the origanal that was black? one yellow as mine was grey that was change to red
lol and its still going strong Dom (should obviously say 1998)
(until today when i put my new TVR cig lighter in and all the doors failed??? turned out to be a fuse, i always knew smoking was bad!
The Man
"N528 GRN was known as Doris. Im not sure but i think it was named by a guy called Toby in the service department at the factory. As i remember it was made into a 4.5, the engine number should reveal that. It should have a green interior with a red exterior. Just before the factory sold the car if i remember correctly it was fitted with a fresh engine. It was used for development work and as a
courtesy car in the service department, not sure but it may have been used as safety car at TVR races. No sure on if it was the one used on Liverpool 1 but a factory cerbera was used on set."
Would love to know why Doris?
Where will it say about the engine number 540P42*****
And Yes its still formula red with the green interior which i think from the sticky label under the dash was done in 2004?
i know the (some at least) wiring loom was 1998 and alot of the relay boxes were 99-04 i assume that was when they had just replaced broken one rather than development?
It would be nice if it had a new engine in when it left as that meens its only done about 6000 miles since leaving the factory though looking at the engine it doesn't shine (im a spark and not very mechanical)
Interesting about the safety car what sort of races? i'll start looking for pics (some might think i need to get out more)
been looking for clips of liverpool 1 but with no joy
Thanks for the info makes it all the more interesting though driving it is the bigger buzz
Ste
(until today when i put my new TVR cig lighter in and all the doors failed??? turned out to be a fuse, i always knew smoking was bad!
The Man
"N528 GRN was known as Doris. Im not sure but i think it was named by a guy called Toby in the service department at the factory. As i remember it was made into a 4.5, the engine number should reveal that. It should have a green interior with a red exterior. Just before the factory sold the car if i remember correctly it was fitted with a fresh engine. It was used for development work and as a
courtesy car in the service department, not sure but it may have been used as safety car at TVR races. No sure on if it was the one used on Liverpool 1 but a factory cerbera was used on set."
Would love to know why Doris?
Where will it say about the engine number 540P42*****
And Yes its still formula red with the green interior which i think from the sticky label under the dash was done in 2004?
i know the (some at least) wiring loom was 1998 and alot of the relay boxes were 99-04 i assume that was when they had just replaced broken one rather than development?
It would be nice if it had a new engine in when it left as that meens its only done about 6000 miles since leaving the factory though looking at the engine it doesn't shine (im a spark and not very mechanical)
Interesting about the safety car what sort of races? i'll start looking for pics (some might think i need to get out more)
been looking for clips of liverpool 1 but with no joy
Thanks for the info makes it all the more interesting though driving it is the bigger buzz
Ste
Blue thunder. What are air boxes?
The Man. any idea why theres no ac on it as it looks like its been wired for and the pulleys are there?
Also (being a bit thick) any idea what sort of things would they have developed using it?
I was working in Ilkeston a few months back with a lad that worked on the rear suspension during its development not mine exactly he said they'ed gone to blackpool to see what they'ed done and at break time they went to the canteen and one of the lads stuck his head through a window being nosey lent on the door closing it and the window went up trapping him till the others returned after break had to laugh!
(small world?)
Any idea what the rare removable bumper was for on the grey one which has just been resold?
The Man. any idea why theres no ac on it as it looks like its been wired for and the pulleys are there?
Also (being a bit thick) any idea what sort of things would they have developed using it?
I was working in Ilkeston a few months back with a lad that worked on the rear suspension during its development not mine exactly he said they'ed gone to blackpool to see what they'ed done and at break time they went to the canteen and one of the lads stuck his head through a window being nosey lent on the door closing it and the window went up trapping him till the others returned after break had to laugh!
(small world?)
Any idea what the rare removable bumper was for on the grey one which has just been resold?
pyromaniac said:
Blue thunder. What are air boxes?
The Man. any idea why theres no ac on it as it looks like its been wired for and the pulleys are there?
Also (being a bit thick) any idea what sort of things would they have developed using it?
I was working in Ilkeston a few months back with a lad that worked on the rear suspension during its development not mine exactly he said they'ed gone to blackpool to see what they'ed done and at break time they went to the canteen and one of the lads stuck his head through a window being nosey lent on the door closing it and the window went up trapping him till the others returned after break had to laugh!
(small world?)
Any idea what the rare removable bumper was for on the grey one which has just been resold?
The removable rear bumper was on the vey early development car's i think but i may be wrong. As for the air con it was a optional extra on the early cars and so the wiring is always in the wiring harness. With regard's your car if it now has the front pulley on the engine but no compressor fitted it would point to your car now being fitted with a later engine. The Man. any idea why theres no ac on it as it looks like its been wired for and the pulleys are there?
Also (being a bit thick) any idea what sort of things would they have developed using it?
I was working in Ilkeston a few months back with a lad that worked on the rear suspension during its development not mine exactly he said they'ed gone to blackpool to see what they'ed done and at break time they went to the canteen and one of the lads stuck his head through a window being nosey lent on the door closing it and the window went up trapping him till the others returned after break had to laugh!
(small world?)
Any idea what the rare removable bumper was for on the grey one which has just been resold?
thanks for the info
its nice too hear about stuff like this, did you work at the factory or have you just got an eye for detail?
A guy at le mans said i was chatting rubbish about my car being a 96 as the engine was wrong which triggered most of my curiosity and it appears he was right.
How many development cars were/ are their as the article i read implied five??
any idea where i might find any early photo's of mine as ive trawled the tinter web for hours only finding factory spec sheets and such none of which is mine
James Agger has some pics with TVR logos on it "spirit of driving" not sure why those logo's though
Sorry to keep asking but as i know it has history it would be nice to know about it
Cheers Ste
its nice too hear about stuff like this, did you work at the factory or have you just got an eye for detail?
A guy at le mans said i was chatting rubbish about my car being a 96 as the engine was wrong which triggered most of my curiosity and it appears he was right.
How many development cars were/ are their as the article i read implied five??
any idea where i might find any early photo's of mine as ive trawled the tinter web for hours only finding factory spec sheets and such none of which is mine
James Agger has some pics with TVR logos on it "spirit of driving" not sure why those logo's though
Sorry to keep asking but as i know it has history it would be nice to know about it
Cheers Ste
Yes i am ex-factory and have driven your car a few time's. I think there were 5 development cars at first but yours is slightly later as the dash was slightly different in the first cars around the heater controls. The first development cars were registered as N91? DRN. 2 of these early cars were cut up at factory. I know of 2 still on the road from the original 5. Cant remember the reason why Toby named your car Doris but yours and the yellow cerbera TVR100 were the special cars in service to the lads. Spirit of driving was the factory logo. Enjoy your car.
Thanks The Man
I've confused myself now, is Doris one of the Origanal development cars? Or was there several development periods? Why were Doris and TVR100 special? was it just because the lads got to play in them?
Is Toby on PH?
I came back home the year they closed the factory :-( and got to see all the stages but didn't see Doris as i was too busy clocking the Typhon (even had a quick sit in it)(and got told off)
Is it true Pioneer Put the stereo in mine to show what they can do, as it has a 10 /12" sub in the rear helmet whole (sound good but not as good as the V8)
Cheers
Ste
I've confused myself now, is Doris one of the Origanal development cars? Or was there several development periods? Why were Doris and TVR100 special? was it just because the lads got to play in them?
Is Toby on PH?
I came back home the year they closed the factory :-( and got to see all the stages but didn't see Doris as i was too busy clocking the Typhon (even had a quick sit in it)(and got told off)
Is it true Pioneer Put the stereo in mine to show what they can do, as it has a 10 /12" sub in the rear helmet whole (sound good but not as good as the V8)
Cheers
Ste
Hi Jules
The picture does help i know what they are now (just thought they were the induction kit?)
you can see the body work near the windscreen is different too, where it looks like its been notched round the engine?
is that yours or from a publication?
I had a chimaera before this and enjoyed getting in and driving but the cerbera is a completely different thing not just the drive etc but as this one has history its proving to be as interesting as driving it
Thanks Guys Keep it coming if you know more.
One more thing my chim had a log book as part of the hand book but the cerbera doesn't why is that (or is it just mine)
Cheers Ste
The picture does help i know what they are now (just thought they were the induction kit?)
you can see the body work near the windscreen is different too, where it looks like its been notched round the engine?
is that yours or from a publication?
I had a chimaera before this and enjoyed getting in and driving but the cerbera is a completely different thing not just the drive etc but as this one has history its proving to be as interesting as driving it
Thanks Guys Keep it coming if you know more.
One more thing my chim had a log book as part of the hand book but the cerbera doesn't why is that (or is it just mine)
Cheers Ste
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