Traffic Calmer: 1 TVR: nil

[Toby Noble]

You know those "chicanes" local councils put in trouble spots to slow traffic down, guess what they put a whole group of them on a road I used to know, just over the crest of a hill....suffice to say, I now need for my 280 (1984: 1 complete front spoiler plus spotlights, wing mirrors (don't ask) a new set of wheels (3 ruined)and other bits. chassis also needs straightening. My question is; with body off and engine out what should I be considering doing? rustproofing chassis? anything else?

[jonknight]

I hate those bl**dy things... they're pointless

What's really annoying is the new style humps where your wheels fit either side of them .. you have to go over them lopsided to avoid completely totalling your front spoiler.. and they don't even slow down "normal" traffic.

What's more of a menace on the road? Someone in an "enthusiasts" sports car who has to be at least a competitent driver to handle the car and insure it in the first place, or Mrs Smith in her massive 4-wheel-drive Shogan, who doesn't even need to slow down for the damn things..

Persecution of sports car drivers.. that's what it is.

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This Monday Morning Rant was brought to you by 3 Starbucks Double Latte's, a ridiculous BT Phone bill and me being long overdue for a holiday.
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[Toby Noble]

I hear you (from Australia so that was a fairly loud rant...) We've got more bleedin 4WDs here than you can poke a stick at. Got driven off the road in a De Tomaso Longchamp a while back by a Pajero. "sorry mate, didn't see you".

Anyway, does anyone know how good the T.E.T Replacement Panels are?

Also, what are the wing mirrors from and can I replace them with something a bit more aerodynamic? Any experiences anyone?

Oh yeah, also,if I replace my 14 inch standard wheels with low profiles and 17 inchers will I stuff the suspension/ride or not?

Comments appreciated.

[danny hoffman]

Re mirrors - the later cars had aerodynamic mirrors. I think they are a TVR part

V8 cars came with 15" wheels - don't know if I have seen 17" on a wedge before

[Nacnud]

SEAC's I've met this year seem to have had a mixture of 15 and 17 inch rims. Some people have voiced an opinion that 17 inch rims are the proper size for a SEAC, but most SEACs seem to have 15 inch.

I've got 15 inch rims and a serious ground clearance problem at the rear. I'm currently experimenting with higher profile rear tyres resulting in about the same clearance as 17 inch rims. It works a treat

[frenchtvr]

For 17" rims on a Wedge check out my 1987 350i. http://perso.wanadoo.fr/michael.barrett/Vehicles%20Gallery.htm
It handles well but tends to white line a bit in the wet. It's also for sale in the classifieds if anyone is interested.

Mick

[Toby Noble]

Great pics Mick, rims look hot. How's the ride? I feel most of the pot holes in 60 profile tyres so I was wondering if the 50/45 profile makes much difference?
Also, love the mirrors, gotta get me some of them.

Nacnud, if you're clearance has reduced doesn't that mean the wheel overall diameter is too small? That would obviously affect your overall gearing, i.e better acceleration (like you need it...) but lower top speed? What profile are you using?

Toby

[danny hoffman]

You can get adjustable ride height with some rear shocks

Danny

[Nacnud]

This is a piccy taken by PHer Dan as I turned onto the Duxford runway. As you can see, the higher profile rear tyres don't look too stupid.

[Nacnud]

Re-reading my rim size post, I've now got a nagging doubt about whether the bigger rim size is 16 or 17 inch.

PHer Brm Brm can settle this as he has the larger size fitted on his SEAC; that's his dark SEAC on the left.

[wedg1e]

Hmmm... wonder whether my 390 would look better with a Jumbo jet door on the boot lid... anyone got a spare lying around?

Ian

[danny hoffman]

I think someone was selling one on PH

[gf350]

quote:
Anyway, does anyone know how good the T.E.T Replacement Panels are?

Also, what are the wing mirrors from and can I replace them with something a bit more aerodynamic? Any experiences anyone?

The TET pannels are excellent, Trevor Bee used to work for TVR and is a bl**dy nice bloke.
I've got a new front spoiler, sills, 400 bonnet, rear spoiler and front and rear bumpers (it looked a bit like hard work to sand all the originals back to gelcoat for my impending respray).
If anything the new ones are better finished than the originals and I think are really good value.
He does the later mirror pods too, should be a straitforward job? Are the internals off an sd1?
GF.

>> Edited by gf350 on Friday 6th September 20:23

[jmorgan]

Mines been lowered and I have a big problem with humps (the road kind )

[Toby Noble]

Thanks GF,good to know about the panels. I'll get in touch with them as soon as I hear from the insurer.

Mine's a 280 so it looks like the 350 mirrors are an improvement although I can forget about getting them powered. The old mirror motors had died anyway.

What do you do about the TVR decal on the nose after a repaint? Can you still get replacements?

Toby

[gf350]

Tony,
the later ones have a smaller metal badge held on by two bolts, you can get these from leven or tvr etc.
I don't know if anyone makes the stickers but in the UK I have heard some one like autographic's 01253 886986 have done them for people in the past.
GF.

[danny hoffman]

I think you can still get the stickers from the factory

[wedg1e]

When I had the Tasmin resprayed the guy who did the paint suggested that I trace the decals so that a place he knows could copy them. I did so, but in the event it transpired that the place had done them before so they had the info on file. They use a computer-controlled vinyl cutter to recreate what you want; in my case the vinyl was a metallic gunmetal finish and the paint man sprayed the sills an identical colour.
Cost was about 70 quid for the whole car; I think the place was in Humberside but no other details.

Ian

[grady]

My 280i came (from the prior owner, not the factory) with 225/45s on 16" rims. Looks great but with adjustable Koni's on medium and poly bushings it's very (too) firm for the real world (at least for my streets). The body is getting stress cracks aound the headlights from the pounding. But it sure works on smooth roads! Grady

[danny hoffman]

All wedges have stress cracks around the headlamps!