What do I look for in a Wedge?
Discussion
A long standing friend of the family mentioned in passing that his brother was selling his Wedge (and strangely isn't a PH'er!).
I had been looking for an S (and have done my homework there!), but now I'm seriously tempted to go and take a look at it.
I understand that it's a V8 (sounds like a 350 to me), although it was mentioned that it was a C-reg... does this sound right?
Any general pointers would be much appreciated.
edit - oh yeah, and what should I expect to pay for an early 350 in A1 condition?
>>> Edited by Podie on Monday 7th October 17:53
I had been looking for an S (and have done my homework there!), but now I'm seriously tempted to go and take a look at it.
I understand that it's a V8 (sounds like a 350 to me), although it was mentioned that it was a C-reg... does this sound right?
Any general pointers would be much appreciated.
edit - oh yeah, and what should I expect to pay for an early 350 in A1 condition?
>>> Edited by Podie on Monday 7th October 17:53
Well, I sold my B reg 350i (92,000 miles) last year for 3,750 gbp. Engine was totally reliable, always started first time and ticked over beautifully. Chassis was in great condition, bodywork was a little tatty with lots of chips and the odd scratch or two, roof was way past it's best and needed replacing. Interior was fairly good but there was a hole in the drivers seat and the veneer on the dash was split in places. I let it go a little cheaper than I would have liked but I'd already bought a replacement V8S and wanted the cash. Great car, very solid. Check all electrics, e/windows, headlamp pods rising together, handbrake, UJs. Check the state of the radiator by grovelling on the floor and peering through the air dam, when I bought mine the bottom six inches of the radiator had lost the cooling fins.
Well talking from experience here, be sure to check the outriggers for rust. I thought I had checked, but I was actually checking the bars that attach to the outriggers. I took it for an MOT and the guy showed me where the outriggers really were (or almost weren't). So learn by my mistake and get a good look at them.
If it is a standard 350i, then I can't see paying much more than £7,500 even for an A1. For an average one I suppose £5,000-6,000. Though you will see them for less.
I think it would be a rare find to see a wedge that doesn't need some work.
Depending on where the car is, you might find somebody here to take a look with you. I can't think of a better way to know a wedge than to own one. I would offer myself, but I'm not even approaching expert status. I hope to achieve competent by the end of next year, I'm probably buffon staus at the moment.
So find out more about the car, and maybe it registration number, you might even find an ex owner here.
Good luck
If it is a standard 350i, then I can't see paying much more than £7,500 even for an A1. For an average one I suppose £5,000-6,000. Though you will see them for less.
I think it would be a rare find to see a wedge that doesn't need some work.
Depending on where the car is, you might find somebody here to take a look with you. I can't think of a better way to know a wedge than to own one. I would offer myself, but I'm not even approaching expert status. I hope to achieve competent by the end of next year, I'm probably buffon staus at the moment.
So find out more about the car, and maybe it registration number, you might even find an ex owner here.
Good luck
I bought both of my Wedges in the worst way possible: the first one I saw on both occasions! OK, first time I had 'no choice', it was the only Tasmin I could remotely afford; second time I was hooked and couldn't walk away in case someone else beat me to it.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing... but I was prepared to buy my 390 without even seeing it, on the say-so of another wedge owner 300 miles away! I said to him: if it looks as good as the owner says it is, and goes like stink in a straight line, I'll live with the rest.
And I do; I've replaced the rotten chassis bits, rebuilt the engine, fixed the electrics... only need to sort the fuelling, then I can rebuild the suspension and contemplate a paint job!
Wedges... WOOHOO!!
Go on: you know you want to....
Ian
Hindsight is a wonderful thing... but I was prepared to buy my 390 without even seeing it, on the say-so of another wedge owner 300 miles away! I said to him: if it looks as good as the owner says it is, and goes like stink in a straight line, I'll live with the rest.
And I do; I've replaced the rotten chassis bits, rebuilt the engine, fixed the electrics... only need to sort the fuelling, then I can rebuild the suspension and contemplate a paint job!
Wedges... WOOHOO!!
Go on: you know you want to....
Ian
WHAT DO I LOOK FOR IN A WEDGE?
A long twisty road, some tunnels and something to remove the perma-grin from your face when you're not driving it!
350 FHCs are quite rare now. Nice ones rarer still (probably only a few dozen left anywhere) so don't be too quick to regret the lack of removable roof.
Cheers
Andy 400se
A long twisty road, some tunnels and something to remove the perma-grin from your face when you're not driving it!
350 FHCs are quite rare now. Nice ones rarer still (probably only a few dozen left anywhere) so don't be too quick to regret the lack of removable roof.
Cheers
Andy 400se
Go for what you can afford, though if you can get a later model the better as they would have had all the early development problems sorted by the factory.
PAS, better cooling, suspension, electrics and styling is what you should be getting for your money for a later car. Buy on condition and not age. The cars are cheap to run and easy to maintain. Drive a few first bearing in mind that if there is something that doesn't work - it will cost something to fix.
There are loads of us around who know what to look for - we'll also tell you that they are great cars to drive - something you won't regret. We'll also tell you that Wedges are a rare sight and have become TVR classics - something that will be sought after in years to come.
All the best
Andrew
PAS, better cooling, suspension, electrics and styling is what you should be getting for your money for a later car. Buy on condition and not age. The cars are cheap to run and easy to maintain. Drive a few first bearing in mind that if there is something that doesn't work - it will cost something to fix.
There are loads of us around who know what to look for - we'll also tell you that they are great cars to drive - something you won't regret. We'll also tell you that Wedges are a rare sight and have become TVR classics - something that will be sought after in years to come.
All the best
Andrew
People mutter the words 'bottomless money pit'... I say: what about those who smoke all their lives or drink like fish? Are they not expensive pastimes? How much do women waste on sad magazines? How much is dog food? We all have our 'hobbies'.
Part of my rationale for buying a TVR was that my ageing Renault still cost a fortune to fix, and was depreciating before my eyes. (I wanted another bike, but the wife gave me the evil eye, so I went for a 4-wheeled bike instead!) So I figured that if I was going to throw money away on being mobile (not necesarily upwardly!!) then I wasn't going to continue buying Euroboxes. Consider: I paid 2 grand for my Renault 25. Ignoring mileage, fuel consumed, blah blah, I got 650 quid for it when I sold it a couple of years later. I paid 2 grand for my first TVR, I got 2 grand back when I sold it 5 years later. I could easily have had a Eurobox that, say, broke its engine and needed more money spending on it than the TVR did.
(Guy I work with has done just this: his Corrado has had 2 top-end rebuilds in less than a year; now it's thrown a rod. I rebuilt my 390 engine in the shed for less than he's spent on so-called professional help!)
Ian
Part of my rationale for buying a TVR was that my ageing Renault still cost a fortune to fix, and was depreciating before my eyes. (I wanted another bike, but the wife gave me the evil eye, so I went for a 4-wheeled bike instead!) So I figured that if I was going to throw money away on being mobile (not necesarily upwardly!!) then I wasn't going to continue buying Euroboxes. Consider: I paid 2 grand for my Renault 25. Ignoring mileage, fuel consumed, blah blah, I got 650 quid for it when I sold it a couple of years later. I paid 2 grand for my first TVR, I got 2 grand back when I sold it 5 years later. I could easily have had a Eurobox that, say, broke its engine and needed more money spending on it than the TVR did.
(Guy I work with has done just this: his Corrado has had 2 top-end rebuilds in less than a year; now it's thrown a rod. I rebuilt my 390 engine in the shed for less than he's spent on so-called professional help!)
Ian
To summarise... I went to have a look at the car in question.
It had NOT be restored - it NEEDS it.
Paintwork appalling, interior torn and tatty, engine needs a good tune, and to quote a few lines from the owner...
"if you'd come at 6pm, rather than 15 minutes later that carpet wouldn't have been under the car" - in other words it didn't hold it's oil.
"I've only done what I had to do, in order to keep it running"
Great shame. I believe only 37 were made... might as well be 36. It would cost more to put it right than it would ever be worth. Asking price was a laughable £5500.
The only hope of salvation for this car would be for someone to turn it into a Tasmin Challenge race car.
Great shame.
It had NOT be restored - it NEEDS it.
Paintwork appalling, interior torn and tatty, engine needs a good tune, and to quote a few lines from the owner...
"if you'd come at 6pm, rather than 15 minutes later that carpet wouldn't have been under the car" - in other words it didn't hold it's oil.
"I've only done what I had to do, in order to keep it running"
Great shame. I believe only 37 were made... might as well be 36. It would cost more to put it right than it would ever be worth. Asking price was a laughable £5500.
The only hope of salvation for this car would be for someone to turn it into a Tasmin Challenge race car.
Great shame.
I'd say £1,500 tops. I know where a tatty but salvagable 350i (convertable) is lurking, if you want a fixer upper. It has a nice 3.9 litre engine in it, but it has been left in the rain for years and the trim is shagged, tyres are bald etc. I didn't want to take on a project like that, and he was asking £3,500 for it. I reckon £2,000 would have been fair, but I doubt he would have taken it.
There is also a 390se for sale (on PistonHeads) that sounds like a pretty good deal too, but its a bit more money. I'd be tempted though (if I didn't have my own baby to look after, a 350i that is).
Good luck
David
There is also a 390se for sale (on PistonHeads) that sounds like a pretty good deal too, but its a bit more money. I'd be tempted though (if I didn't have my own baby to look after, a 350i that is).
Good luck
David
I think all the suggestions listed below are excellent. If you have not already done so, pick up Steve Heath's Wedge Bible; it has an excellent chapter on what to look for on these cars.
Also, just by looking at quite a few cars first, you will soon become knowleadgeable about what to look for because you have probably already viewed some very tatty cars. You'll know 'it's the one' when you see it for it will stand above the rest cosmetically and mechanically.
I like to see these wedges go to appreciative owners, so Good Luck in Your Search.
Shawn Ford
450 SE
Also, just by looking at quite a few cars first, you will soon become knowleadgeable about what to look for because you have probably already viewed some very tatty cars. You'll know 'it's the one' when you see it for it will stand above the rest cosmetically and mechanically.
I like to see these wedges go to appreciative owners, so Good Luck in Your Search.
Shawn Ford
450 SE
I originally wanted an S and have done my research accordingly... I was told that the wedge in question was a good buy, so went to have a look.
I offered £2000 (must have been feeling generous) and almost got escorted off the premises... unfortunately the owner is somewhat deluded as to its value. Great shame.
I'll probably return to the S, since that was what I initially wanted. Thanks for all the advice though guys, much appreciated.
I offered £2000 (must have been feeling generous) and almost got escorted off the premises... unfortunately the owner is somewhat deluded as to its value. Great shame.
I'll probably return to the S, since that was what I initially wanted. Thanks for all the advice though guys, much appreciated.
The way I see it, his loss your gain on the 2000 Pound offer. In the meantime, keep looking, and accumulating cash in the bank. With perserverence, you will find the car. I looked at about 40 websites each day for 2 years before I found an excellent 450 for the right price. Winter is a good time, car prices, especially convertibles, will be cheaper than in summer months.
Shawn Ford
Shawn Ford
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