400SE, anything I should know?

[davidf]

Hi all,
I'm not yet a TVR owner, but I was intending to get a 280 or 350i. I thought I could pick up something decent for five or six thousand pounds. A good plan, but now something else has come up. A friend of a friend has a 400SE going mouldy in his garage, and is selling for £3,500.
My problem is that it needs some attention, there was a mention of "donuts" on the drive shaft needing doing. But I haven't a clue what that means. There is mildew on the hood, and goodness knows what else. I haven't seen it yet, but I would be grateful for any advice on what to look out for.
Also if anybody has any advice on how much things might cost to fix that would be good.
Basically if I can spend a couple of thousand getting it in shape, it sounds like it could be a great deal. I just want to know what really expensive things could need doing, and what would make it not worth persuing.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
David Fanning

[350matt]

A 400 for 3& a half!!!? Blimey that is very cheap, the car would have to be a bit of a basket case in order to not justify buying it. The 'Donuts' in the drivertrain is an old slang for the driveshaft Universal joint (where some classic cars used chunks of rubber / donut instead of a metal hookes joint). The wedges are prone to these joints wearing out as the driveshaft also forms the top link in the suspension and so works fairly hard. Don't worry though they're only about 30 quid each with 4 in total, and the job can be done with some fairly basic tools. If they are gone you'll feel a 'clonk' as you take up drive which may only be slight and you may hear it rather than feel it. Also have a feel underneath the sill covers as the chassis out-riggers are the favourite corrosion point. If the car runs and drives and you're not afraid of using spanners then it sounds like a bargin. The engine condition is another factor, as the 400's were breathed on quite a bit by the factory, and if you're not used to the perfromance even a sick V8 can feel great. Oil pressure should be about 1 Bar at idle when hot and roughly 2.5Bar at 2500Rpm, the major thing with these engines is wearing the camshaft out as the lubrication is a bit marginal, but even if you do have to replace the cam that shouldn't cost more than 250-300 quid in parts.
Check every electrical function - twice - as the wedge electrics are a bit idiosyncratic.
Best thing to do is to take someone along who knows the cars and can go over it a bit, alternativly go along to an owners club meeting (Check the club website for where and when - link on this site) and speak to some wedge owners etc and look at the cars.
For more info, search this section for buying advice.


Best of luck
Matt

>> Edited by 350matt on Tuesday 4th June 10:58

[Nacnud]

Top advice Matt.
I suspect I'd go for the 400 even if it needed a bit of work as it's becoming a much sought after model. I much prefer the tweaked bonnet shape and as for the sound.....

[nick heppinstall]

Hi David

My 2p's worth is just this. Be VERY careful. Imagine this worse case scenerio .... Knackered engine 3k, Knackered chassis 2k, new hood and carpets 1k. If you do it all yourself cheaper of course. The 3.5k price starts to look a bit sick. It could also turn out to be the bargain of the century ! Like the other guys say take someone who really knows their stuff. Preferably a Wedge specialist.

Best of luck

Nick 400se

>> Edited by nick heppinstall on Tuesday 4th June 12:04

[bobfrance]

I'd say check the chassis above all else. There's nothing quite like being left stood for a couple of years to bugger one up.

[gf350]

There's an article on the wedge chassis I found really helpful when I got my 350.
see
www.bress.freeserve.co.uk/wedge/maint_chassiscoro.html
Don't let this scare you too much as some surface rust is to be expected, mine had been untouched and had surface rust in places but the outriggers are really sound and only needed minor sanding / blasting and repainting the spine has a bit of oil on it and looks like new. Watch out for accident repairs I checked that the welds looked original.
Most parts are available but the clutch is an engine out job and therefore quite pricey.
At that price it looks like quite a bargain and what ever one you buy will probably need something doing to it and one that is basically sound and original is a good starting point.
I would recommend you get Steve Heaths book before you buy as it gives loads of info about the car.
see
www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
Good hunting, let us know how you get on.
GF.

[JMorgan]

Ditto the above. Also do a HPI check.
On a personal note I got cought out and needed an engine rebuild, check that as much as poss.

[shpub]

I would be prepared for a lot of grief. If the hood is going mouldy then the chassis is possibly at risk and certainly the suspesion components (nuts and bolts which are swines at the best of times) are likley to very difficult to remove. Donut wear can also be caused by failed wheel bearings and suspension bushes. The wheel bearings really do need a hydraulic press!

If you are hgandy with a spanner and have the right tools, then this could be a good buy. It could equally be a money pit...

steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[wedg1e]

I guess that I'm luckier than a lot of guys 'cos I have a fair few tools more than the average home mechanic (crane etc.), and also I was prepared to buy my 390 on the basis of someone else's test drive(!), so at face value I'd say that if you don't buy it, someone else will. Me for a start.
All of the foregoing are valid points, but taking the clutch as an example, you can get the engine out single-handed in less than a day with a hired crane (20 quid?) so the potential 1K is reduced to 300-ish. Cheaper depending on where you get the clutch parts!
The chassis sill repairs are within the capabilities of anyone who can wield a MIG and a grinder; the problem with the 400SE is that the sill covers don't come off as easily as the earlier cars, so you may end up needing bodyshell repairs as well.
I'd make abso-bloody-lutely that it really is a 400SE engine, not just some manky old 3.5L that has been dropped in as a cheap fix.
Apart from that, buy it. Nothing quite like a 400SE to make you laugh your c**k off at boy racers.

W.

[bigdavid]

Going back to the drive shafts and being part of the linkage, if they have gone would they compress and make the wheels splay out and the inside of the tyres wear.
David

[gf350]

quote:
(nuts and bolts which are swines at the best of times) are likley to very difficult to remove.

I would agree with the above, the only way I could get some of them off was with a saw. Some of the bolts snap before the nuts come off!
Does any one know where to get replacements for these including the ones that hold the body on, rear suspension bolts, seats to floor etc?

>> Edited by gf350 on Tuesday 4th June 23:12

[JMorgan]

quote:

quote:
(nuts and bolts which are swines at the best of times) are likley to very difficult to remove.

I would agree with the above, the only way I could get some of them off was with a saw. Some of the bolts snap before the nuts come off!
Does any one know where to get replacements for these including the ones that hold the body on, rear suspension bolts, seats to floor etc?

>> Edited by gf350 on Tuesday 4th June 23:12

I used to buy from the classic car mag ads. Bag of 100 assorted etc, what ever thread you need.
Always a good assortment to hand, or find a local fastner outlet down the industrial estate for the specials.
Get them in stainless (not good for all applications, bit on the brittle side) mild steel etc.
Still have a goodly supply.
The drive shaft lock nuts and diff carrier bolts I had to order special from the local stockist.
Also extractors are handy but a sod if they break in the bolt you are trying to remove as they are usually harder than a drill.

>> Edited by JMorgan on Tuesday 4th June 23:33

>> Edited by JMorgan on Tuesday 4th June 23:35

[shpub]

quote:
Going back to the drive shafts and being part of the linkage, if they have gone would they compress and make the wheels splay out and the inside of the tyres wear.
David

Yes and no... The more normal problem is clunking or play on the joints. If they move, they can start changing the wheel camber dramatically and if left can also start to take out the wheel bearings as well as the hub carrier bushes. The 520 has just done this to the rear transmission and was one of the problems behind the grotty handling. It can als bend the hub carrier bolts which has some interesting effects on the rear geometry as well.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[shpub]

I get bags of nuts etc from www.namrick.co.uk.

I use metric, UNF, UNC mostly.
If I have to get specials I normally get some spares!

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk