Discussion
As mine was the "First" road car it is a non standard SEAC ( aren't they all 
) mine is D668
The engine was "built" by Chris , it does not have the full rose jointed suspension only partial and different to all the others with the exception of the racer , has a detachable rear valance .
Chris explained the valance saying it was the pre productionised version . It also has a 390 dash rather than themore common 400 style .
>> Edited by NHyde on Wednesday 29th September 13:49
>> Edited by NHyde on Wednesday 29th September 13:50
) mine is D668 The engine was "built" by Chris , it does not have the full rose jointed suspension only partial and different to all the others with the exception of the racer , has a detachable rear valance .
Chris explained the valance saying it was the pre productionised version . It also has a 390 dash rather than themore common 400 style .
>> Edited by NHyde on Wednesday 29th September 13:49
>> Edited by NHyde on Wednesday 29th September 13:50
NHyde said:
As mine was the "First" road car it is a non standard SEAC ( aren't they all
The engine was "built" by Chris , it does not have the full rose jointed suspension only partial and different to all the others with the exception of the racer , has a detachable rear valance .
There were a batch of "pre-production" SEACs which had separate rear valance bolt on side skirts and 350 style dash, the ones i have seen are black one originally silver, grey, blue (peter wheelers) and of course yours Neil.
Infact the first batch were in effect converted 350s
Getting excited Neil ? have a beer for me when you arrive, sadly i can't pay for it
Tim
Hmmm -
This is all rather interesting.
Firefox did have a walnut dash at some time bit this was later converted to aluminium finish as it is now. I don't know whether that is relevant?
I understand that the SEAC body was derived from the 390 and not from the 400/450 whisch came later - yes?
firefox
This is all rather interesting.
Firefox did have a walnut dash at some time bit this was later converted to aluminium finish as it is now. I don't know whether that is relevant?
I understand that the SEAC body was derived from the 390 and not from the 400/450 whisch came later - yes?
firefox
firefox1712 said:
Hmmm -
I understand that the SEAC body was derived from the 390 and not from the 400/450 whisch came later - yes?
firefox
Well the SEAC body was completely new, every panel was different to the regular shapes at the time 350/390 , i guess they would have shaped the buck starting with a 350 shell, yes the 400 came 2 yrs later.
Tim
p.s Neil i may be wrong about the bolt on side skirts on the first batch, but they definately had bolt on rear valance.
Well Neil -
As you are away for 9 - 12 months I would hope it is all sorted by the time you return!
Interestingly, the November 1986 copy of Fast Lane, that your car appears on the front cover of, has an ad for TVR Centre (Giles Cooper) near the back of the mag where thay state "...the TVR Centre has already sold most of the pre-production 420 SEACs." I wonder how many there were. Was yours one of these. Presumably mine would have been one too!
They also state in the same ad "All new TVRs now come with A frame rear suspension, revised exhaust,limited slip diff,etc....."
I also have a number of references to and/or articles featuring your car.
Firefox came with extensive files of information on the car including magazines, photocopied articles, and brochures from the period. I've been going through them again this evening.
There are also a good number of notes written by a previous owner. Sadly a lot of this is written rather small and is quite illegible - a doctor perhaps. Some of it is decipherable but doesn't really help.
However, judging by the number of highlights in magic marker of SEAC features in various articles, it would appear that this previous owner perhaps suspected an SEAC connection. Maybe he had contacted TVRCC and been given the same information and was trying to sort it out?!
firefox
As you are away for 9 - 12 months I would hope it is all sorted by the time you return!
Interestingly, the November 1986 copy of Fast Lane, that your car appears on the front cover of, has an ad for TVR Centre (Giles Cooper) near the back of the mag where thay state "...the TVR Centre has already sold most of the pre-production 420 SEACs." I wonder how many there were. Was yours one of these. Presumably mine would have been one too!
They also state in the same ad "All new TVRs now come with A frame rear suspension, revised exhaust,limited slip diff,etc....."
I also have a number of references to and/or articles featuring your car.
Firefox came with extensive files of information on the car including magazines, photocopied articles, and brochures from the period. I've been going through them again this evening.
There are also a good number of notes written by a previous owner. Sadly a lot of this is written rather small and is quite illegible - a doctor perhaps. Some of it is decipherable but doesn't really help.
However, judging by the number of highlights in magic marker of SEAC features in various articles, it would appear that this previous owner perhaps suspected an SEAC connection. Maybe he had contacted TVRCC and been given the same information and was trying to sort it out?!
firefox
Yes Neil - YOUR car - thought you would spot that!
Well, I'm sure I'm missing something interesting on the box, but this gets curiouser and curiouser!
Examined loads of scribbled notes.
Have found pencil scribbled note amongst a load of other notes talking about other matters - addresses and phone numbers/parts etc:-
"This car had a 350i body"
Also other scribbled notes (some not legible; (?) shows where I am not sure of the legend:-
"Leaving factory details
Metallic black
Roof(?) black
Black Wilton carpets
Trim - grey
duotone(?) grey
Silver decals
Extras - 390 mirrors
power steering
half hide seats
Alpine stereo standard(?)"
Then some other figures relating to dates and production numbers of cars.
There are some photocopies in the file of a mag article that features what appears to be a dark coloured SEAC with a silver stripe along the left third of the body from front to back. As this is a photocopy,this could easily be red, brown, green, or dark blue etc.. Anyone know the whereabouts of this car?
chin chin
JJ
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Wednesday 29th September 21:21
Well, I'm sure I'm missing something interesting on the box, but this gets curiouser and curiouser!
Examined loads of scribbled notes.
Have found pencil scribbled note amongst a load of other notes talking about other matters - addresses and phone numbers/parts etc:-
"This car had a 350i body"
Also other scribbled notes (some not legible; (?) shows where I am not sure of the legend:-
"Leaving factory details
Metallic black
Roof(?) black
Black Wilton carpets
Trim - grey
duotone(?) grey
Silver decals
Extras - 390 mirrors
power steering
half hide seats
Alpine stereo standard(?)"
Then some other figures relating to dates and production numbers of cars.
There are some photocopies in the file of a mag article that features what appears to be a dark coloured SEAC with a silver stripe along the left third of the body from front to back. As this is a photocopy,this could easily be red, brown, green, or dark blue etc.. Anyone know the whereabouts of this car?
chin chin
JJ
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Wednesday 29th September 21:21
Just remembered, there is one SEAC that seems to have disappeared, Very early car, factory demo , Metallic Nero Black, itb also had vent panels let into the bonnet but not blended like the others, was registered N4 STY (NASTY)it was used for a press release, Jim Gamsby who was the SEAC registra in the Early 90's never managed to trace it.
Tim
>> Edited by 2 sheds on Wednesday 29th September 22:35
Tim
>> Edited by 2 sheds on Wednesday 29th September 22:35
2 sheds said:
Hmmm - I understand that the SEAC body was derived from the 390 and not from the 400/450 whisch came later - yes?
firefox
Well the SEAC body was completely new, every panel was different to the regular shapes at the time 350/390 , i guess they would have shaped the buck starting with a 350 shell, yes the 400 came 2 yrs later.
Tim
p.s Neil i may be wrong about the bolt on side skirts on the first batch, but they definately had bolt on rear valance.
I believe you are correct in your original thought Tim, the side valances on the earliest car were bolt on as can be seen from the press photos of C** ULL within various TVR books and I am sure I noticed this on one other very early SEAC (blue) - the rear valance was a separate unit on the first 6 cars from what I am led to believe: 1 black (MotorShow car), 1 red (Neil), 1 grey (Tony Weston), 1 blue.. so that would leave 2 question marks..
2 sheds said:
Just remembered, there is one SEAC that seems to have disappeared, Very early car, factory demo , Metallic Nero Black, itb also had vent panels let into the bonnet but not blended like the others, was registered N4 STY (NASTY)it was used for a press release, Jim Gamsby who was the SEAC registra in the Early 90's never managed to trace it.
Tim
>> Edited by 2 sheds on Wednesday 29th September 22:35
what does '....not blended.....' mean?
The plate was NAS 7Y 
and is now on a 1998 Golf Diesel of all things.. JJ - if you wrote to the DVLA they would confirm reg number changes in the history of your car as well as colour changes. Worth it for a fiver. I assume by not blended, the whole vent or just the slats are bolted in, think of the Cerb light upgrades, some blended, some clearly bolted as you see a line around the pod.
and is now on a 1998 Golf Diesel of all things.. JJ - if you wrote to the DVLA they would confirm reg number changes in the history of your car as well as colour changes. Worth it for a fiver. I assume by not blended, the whole vent or just the slats are bolted in, think of the Cerb light upgrades, some blended, some clearly bolted as you see a line around the pod. Confusing about the 'blended' bit, but I think mine is standard.
Was thinking that N4 STY would be a 1995 or so plate - so not valid for 1985/6! 'Y' reg would indicate a 1983 car.
Have list of owners from DVLA already - shows 'new' at first registration - just pondering some other thoughts.
firefox
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Wednesday 29th September 23:37
Was thinking that N4 STY would be a 1995 or so plate - so not valid for 1985/6! 'Y' reg would indicate a 1983 car.
Have list of owners from DVLA already - shows 'new' at first registration - just pondering some other thoughts.
firefox
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Wednesday 29th September 23:37
Sorry , not blended means the vent panel looked like a separate piece with a gap/ line around rather than filled and painted.
"Nasty" what ever the plate was, was definately on one of the first SEACS late 86-early 87 no question about it, it also went missing, i believe it was owned by the factory so if they had total'd it they may have fitted a different body, just a thought.
Tim
"Nasty" what ever the plate was, was definately on one of the first SEACS late 86-early 87 no question about it, it also went missing, i believe it was owned by the factory so if they had total'd it they may have fitted a different body, just a thought.
Tim
As far as I am aware, it has been well reported that the SEAC body was 390 derived .
NAS 7Y would still suggest that that car originated in 1983. If this car existed at that time and it was metallic black, could we be getting nearer to my car?
Maybe Tim's remarks above might have some value?
The black motor show car is less likely to be my car - as it was sold and delivered to the customer before the Motor Show (normally held in October?) - unless they borrowed it back for the show!
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Thursday 30th September 02:01
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Thursday 30th September 02:06
NAS 7Y would still suggest that that car originated in 1983. If this car existed at that time and it was metallic black, could we be getting nearer to my car?
Maybe Tim's remarks above might have some value?
The black motor show car is less likely to be my car - as it was sold and delivered to the customer before the Motor Show (normally held in October?) - unless they borrowed it back for the show!
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Thursday 30th September 02:01
>> Edited by firefox1712 on Thursday 30th September 02:06
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