V8s - Back to the future, no definitely the past!
Discussion
Just collected a v8s, coming back to TVR after an Italian absence. First drive home, having come from a Maserati Spyder with power steering, light controls and a flappy paddle, just a small change!
Burnt petrol smell mingling with fibreglass resin, agricultural go-kart feel, uncatted v8, under braked, heavy steering. Fan-bloody-tastic.
It’s been 12 years plus since my 400se and I’ve gone soft. Looking forward to beating the car into submission. But why do people put wood-rimmed steering wheels on their cars? Skinny and slippery to hold, it must go.
Lots of little jobs to do but that’s part of the fun.
Burnt petrol smell mingling with fibreglass resin, agricultural go-kart feel, uncatted v8, under braked, heavy steering. Fan-bloody-tastic.
It’s been 12 years plus since my 400se and I’ve gone soft. Looking forward to beating the car into submission. But why do people put wood-rimmed steering wheels on their cars? Skinny and slippery to hold, it must go.
Lots of little jobs to do but that’s part of the fun.
TVR-Stu - had a great 3 years with the Maser and the previous cars. However it was ultimately the potential costs, despite all the F-cars and Maser being totally reliable.
I can get a full set of tyres for the v8s for the same cost of 1 rear for the Maser. Failure of the electric roof would also keep me awake. Or £3500 for a cam belt change on the 355 anyone?
And, to be honest, driven keenly, they were too fast for the road judging by the number of speeding tickets collected by our group returning from Angouleme, France, last year.
So hopefully I will be able to use more of the performance more of the time. And why a v8s, well I’d Done the Wedge bit and Chimaera so a Rover engined S seemed logical.
I can get a full set of tyres for the v8s for the same cost of 1 rear for the Maser. Failure of the electric roof would also keep me awake. Or £3500 for a cam belt change on the 355 anyone?
And, to be honest, driven keenly, they were too fast for the road judging by the number of speeding tickets collected by our group returning from Angouleme, France, last year.
So hopefully I will be able to use more of the performance more of the time. And why a v8s, well I’d Done the Wedge bit and Chimaera so a Rover engined S seemed logical.
QBee said:
Welcome back!
I agree about the steering wheel, especially if you drive it in anger (on track).
I would improve the brakes, but that may mean an increase in wheel size, but there is plenty of choice in 17 inch wheels.
The brake balance on the original brakes on my V8S was appalling, and that seems to be typical. Upgrading the fronts to 285mm (same calipers) fixed the brake balance and improved the heat dissipation considerably too. That fits in the original wheels.I agree about the steering wheel, especially if you drive it in anger (on track).
I would improve the brakes, but that may mean an increase in wheel size, but there is plenty of choice in 17 inch wheels.
If you switch the original 15" wheels for the 16" equivalents then you can go up to 300mm if you're careful. In other words, replace the chim fronts with the corresponding chim rears. You'll need to make other changes to maintain the brake balance if you do that.
GreenV8S said:
Upgrading the fronts to 285mm (same calipers).
How can calipers from titchy 240mm discs fit 285mm discs?260mm discs and calipers from later Chims/griffs are a modest upgrade.
Here's some useful info........... Brake options
QBee said:
I would improve the brakes, but that may mean an increase in wheel size, but there is plenty of choice in 17 inch wheels.
There is a brake upgrade sticky at the top of the forum page.Cossie 283mm discs, turned down to 278mm (gives the right disc offset so no calliper spacers and avoids minor rubbing on the calliper). Fiesta ST callipers. Appropriate pads. Thorough system flush with quality DOT4 or DOT5.1 fluid. Braided hoses to replace the flexis.
Plenty good enough for a V8S.
mk1fan said:
QBee said:
I would improve the brakes, but that may mean an increase in wheel size, but there is plenty of choice in 17 inch wheels.
There is a brake upgrade sticky at the top of the forum page.Cossie 283mm discs, turned down to 278mm (gives the right disc offset so no calliper spacers and avoids minor rubbing on the calliper). Fiesta ST callipers. Appropriate pads. Thorough system flush with quality DOT4 or DOT5.1 fluid. Braided hoses to replace the flexis.
Plenty good enough for a V8S.
If you go one step further and replace the rears with the larger ventilated Cossie discs to match the turned down 285mm at the front you get a very nice balance. I found that with the 260mm on the front and the standard rears there was a tendency for the fronts to lock up. That hasn't happened since I fitted the larger discs on the rear. Braided stainless hoses are must.
phillpot said:
How can calipers from titchy 240mm discs fit 285mm discs?
260mm discs and calipers from later Chims/griffs are a modest upgrade.
There are some good options to replace the calipers and discs as a set, but keeping the original calipers spaced out on an adapter bracket is a fairly common 'big brake' upgrade.260mm discs and calipers from later Chims/griffs are a modest upgrade.
ric p said:
Just collected a v8s, coming back to TVR after an Italian absence. First drive home, having come from a Maserati Spyder with power steering, light controls and a flappy paddle, just a small change!
Burnt petrol smell mingling with fibreglass resin, agricultural go-kart feel, uncatted v8, under braked, heavy steering. Fan-bloody-tastic.
It’s been 12 years plus since my 400se and I’ve gone soft. Looking forward to beating the car into submission. But why do people put wood-rimmed steering wheels on their cars? Skinny and slippery to hold, it must go.
Lots of little jobs to do but that’s part of the fun.
Similar-ish thing here. Brought myself another V8S 6 weeks ago, having been away from an S in a Tamora for the last 5 years.Burnt petrol smell mingling with fibreglass resin, agricultural go-kart feel, uncatted v8, under braked, heavy steering. Fan-bloody-tastic.
It’s been 12 years plus since my 400se and I’ve gone soft. Looking forward to beating the car into submission. But why do people put wood-rimmed steering wheels on their cars? Skinny and slippery to hold, it must go.
Lots of little jobs to do but that’s part of the fun.
Slower, heavier steering, notchy gearbox feeling the chassis flex over the slightest bump. Absolutely magic
. Lovely masses of V8 bottom end torque to drag you around. Same fun factor at far slower speeds.Looking forward to my first S Euro tour in a few weeks time.
Apparently my car was fitted with a set of the "Han" upgraded front brakes. Seems to stop very well. Pad choice is key for me. I swapped my Tamara over to Ferodo DS2500 pads and the difference was incredible.
Hope that you have many happy miles in your new car.
I use DS2500 pads in the rear brakes on my Chimaera, with grooved vented disks but the standard (for a Chimaera) 273mm size. Work well
I use Hawk Street Race pads in my front 324mm Focus RS 4 pot calipers, and it feels very balanced on both road and track. Again, vented grooved disks.
I use Hawk Street Race pads in my front 324mm Focus RS 4 pot calipers, and it feels very balanced on both road and track. Again, vented grooved disks.
v8s4me said:
Try THIS STUFF. It makes a HUGE difference 
Thanks for that, very timely as I was going to look at changing the gearbox oil sometime soon.Hefty price for gearbox oil, but if it does the job then worth it.
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