Where do I start!
Discussion
I'm new to the forum and new to vixens but after looking for one for ages finally opted to buy one that needs total restoration. Probably paid too much for it but love is a strange thing - it might be finished before I die if I'm lucky! I will need lots of support and I really hope there are some S2 boffs on this forum that can point me in the right direction when I ask a completly stupid questions! I did poor over a lovely orange S3 in the car park at the Goodwood Revival last week but couldn't wait around for the owner to turn and ask if I could borrow it as a template for three or four years! My first question is(the first of many I'm sure) does anybody own an S2 and would be prepared to let me photograph it to death? I'm located on the HantsSussex borders but I do travel regularly right across the south and south west. Is the TVR club forum as active as this one? i have joined but from the mag i recieved I got the impression that the club is really geared up for people a bit more interested in the later beefy models - maybe I'm wrong. Anyway - look forward to participating in some Vixen gassing.
Thank you cantus. I certainly will take apart all the bits I have! Unfortunately the previous but one owner started to do the same job but decided to lose some of the bits. For instance he decided to cut the wiring loom off as it exits the bulkhead so no loom in ht e engine bay! Also the bonnet frame is all but missing but I understand that these are still available. My first job is to photo everything that is still there and strip the interior, glass etc ready to lift off the body. I'm hoping to at least get the chassis sorted out by the end of the winter and hopefully get it rolling on some refurbished suspension.
Quite interesting that mine has a wooden dash and the heater controls don't look like anything I've seen from Vixen photos I've sourced on the net. The one thing I must do is concentrate on logical steps - one job at a time!
Quite interesting that mine has a wooden dash and the heater controls don't look like anything I've seen from Vixen photos I've sourced on the net. The one thing I must do is concentrate on logical steps - one job at a time!
tomtrout said:
Thank you cantus. I certainly will take apart all the bits I have! Unfortunately the previous but one owner started to do the same job but decided to lose some of the bits. For instance he decided to cut the wiring loom off as it exits the bulkhead so no loom in ht e engine bay! Also the bonnet frame is all but missing but I understand that these are still available. My first job is to photo everything that is still there and strip the interior, glass etc ready to lift off the body. I'm hoping to at least get the chassis sorted out by the end of the winter and hopefully get it rolling on some refurbished suspension.
Quite interesting that mine has a wooden dash and the heater controls don't look like anything I've seen from Vixen photos I've sourced on the net. The one thing I must do is concentrate on logical steps - one job at a time!
Nothing is strange with Vixens. You need to post us up some pics. The first 75 (1968/69) S2 vixens were built without a brake servo and often had a wooden dash and other parts left over from Vixen S1 production.Quite interesting that mine has a wooden dash and the heater controls don't look like anything I've seen from Vixen photos I've sourced on the net. The one thing I must do is concentrate on logical steps - one job at a time!
Pull the whole thing to bits in chunks and label the chunks then you can re-furb the bits as you go.
My advice would always be build your new car on a brand new chassis.
The chassis is pretty straight forward to build. the body will be the part that takes months and months and makes you itchy.
if you are building in a single garage Then I would strip all the chassis down, keep the bare chassis in the back garden and empty your garage to firstly restore the bodyshell. Get all the dust and crap out of the way then you can suspend the body up in the air in the garage in primer ready to fit to your chassis when it is built.
N.
Sound like an interesting strategy to me but you haven't seen my garage! It is a single garage but nice and long with a good working area at one end. I also had a large radiator fitted when it was built as well as extra joist where I fitted a steel plate to hang my flying fortress bomb hoist (don't ask) for lifting engines. Trouble is the ceiling is low so if I hang a body shell from the ceiling I will probably have to crawl aroung the garage floor. I take your point about building on a new chassis but I'm not sure my budget would stretch to that and I don't have the welding skills to make one. Although I realise it's impossible to really tell what the chassis is like until I lift off the body, from what I can see it looks like the best part of the car! I will be taking some photos over the weekend so will post a few. I'm on a tight budget and will be tackling jobs as when I have some spare cash and time. As I say, it's going to be a long old haul but one I'm looking forward to.
By the way it's on a G plate first registered in Jan 69 so may well be one of those earlier models without a brake servo. I haven't got one but on my car that doesn't mean it's never had one! The car has been off the road and dry stored for 22 years. There are a few documents with it that suggests the mileage of 55,000 could be original but who knows. It's currently fitted with wires which are in pretty good nick. I was adamant that I wanted one with TVR alloys but I'm warming to the wires as it gives it a definate retro look.It's certainly only got one layer of paint so i don't think it has been restored before.
tomtrout said:
Sound like an interesting strategy to me but you haven't seen my garage! It is a single garage but nice and long with a good working area at one end. I also had a large radiator fitted when it was built as well as extra joist where I fitted a steel plate to hang my flying fortress bomb hoist (don't ask) for lifting engines. Trouble is the ceiling is low so if I hang a body shell from the ceiling I will probably have to crawl aroung the garage floor. I take your point about building on a new chassis but I'm not sure my budget would stretch to that and I don't have the welding skills to make one. Although I realise it's impossible to really tell what the chassis is like until I lift off the body, from what I can see it looks like the best part of the car! I will be taking some photos over the weekend so will post a few. I'm on a tight budget and will be tackling jobs as when I have some spare cash and time. As I say, it's going to be a long old haul but one I'm looking forward to.
If your car has been dry stored for 22 years then your chassis may well be repairable. i wouldn't advocate making your own chassis when you can buy one relatively cheaply. The rise in Vixen prices now means that really it is well worthwhile re-building onto a new chassis.Would you really want to spend all that time and energy on a re-build to have to do it again in a couple of years when rust comes through.
chassis can last fairly well, or be horrible. you will get a good feel when you have stripped it all down.
Your car sounds like one of the fist S2's. Both bulkhead panels will be flat with a steel fabricated pedal box taken over from Vixen S1. Later S2's have a different bulkhead and use a TR6 pedal box and servo.
N.
Edited by heightswitch on Saturday 25th September 10:17
Hi Tomtrout,
Welcome from another newbie. I purchased my S3 Vixen a couple of months ago, although my plans don't seem quite so major as yours. Definately a great forum for Vixen knowledge (thx to all out there who don't mind sharing theirs with the lesser experienced of us!).
Anyway lets see some photo's ....
Motot
Welcome from another newbie. I purchased my S3 Vixen a couple of months ago, although my plans don't seem quite so major as yours. Definately a great forum for Vixen knowledge (thx to all out there who don't mind sharing theirs with the lesser experienced of us!).
Anyway lets see some photo's ....
Motot
Thanks, very good advice and I'll review my plans once I've had a really good scratch around the chassis. I'm not sure what you mean about "two" bulkhead panels but mine is quite flat with a small fold near the top. I have attached a pic for Moto(brace yourself - she's no beauty!). . 
Hey Andy, I think Neil wins the 'rough Vixen' photo competition.
Yours looks very pretty to me just the paint and tyres looking tired. Although if like mine it would benefit from a touch of tlc to the trim.
Otherwise (obviously based on seeing just one photo) right bits in the right place pointing in the right direction by the looks of it and if as you say the chassis is OK, I'd be tempted to get her thru an MOT and run / enjoy for a year before any starting any major surgery. It would give you time to work out what needs doing, are nice to do's and those which don't need anything but a clean up.
Moto
Yours looks very pretty to me just the paint and tyres looking tired. Although if like mine it would benefit from a touch of tlc to the trim.
Otherwise (obviously based on seeing just one photo) right bits in the right place pointing in the right direction by the looks of it and if as you say the chassis is OK, I'd be tempted to get her thru an MOT and run / enjoy for a year before any starting any major surgery. It would give you time to work out what needs doing, are nice to do's and those which don't need anything but a clean up.
Moto
Yep, I think Nigel wins the "who's got the roughest looking Vixen competion" !Mine is definately worse then it looks so no chance of a "work in progress while I run around" type of project.What interior there was is now out. I've no seat belts, The seats are horrible replacements for the originals (little of no hope of finding any of thiose i fear), no heater box, wiper motor, only half a wiring loom, no clutch or brake master cylinders, knackered pedal box, no bonnet frame etc etc. It hasn't moved since the late 80's so anything with any rubber in it is shot. No I think the only way to get this through a mot is a body off restoration and if I'm going to those lengths I might as well give the body a coat of paint as well. Having removed the dash, crash pad and the drivers side door panel, window etc I'm under no illusions what I have taking on. I have restored one old car before which was probably even more of a basket case but at least I had the comfort of a Haines manual so i knew what bits i didn't have!
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