how quick is a 350i?

how quick is a 350i?

Author
Discussion

jamiesteak

Original Poster:

35 posts

277 months

Thursday 20th December 2001
quotequote all
HO fast is a 350i????

0-60???

30-70??

is it a good car to start with on the TVR ladder?

Jamiesteak

jmorgan

36,010 posts

293 months

Thursday 20th December 2001
quotequote all
Lifted out of TVR gold portfolio
0-60 6s
0-70 8s
50-70 in 4th 6.4
I expect most of the above is debatable. Nothing wrong with a sorted 350I but I would suggest that you get a later A frame rear suspension'd car (bound to get ear ache over that comment, I had the trailing arm and it was very intertesting with worn doghnuts)

350matt

3,792 posts

288 months

Thursday 20th December 2001
quotequote all
It's an excellent start on the TVR ladder but then I'm biased, With a few exceptions most of the parts are Ford , rover or Jag and all the bits are available relativly cheaply. A std 350 is plenty quick enough to start with and is easily tunable when you get used to the performance. The only thing I'd say change striaght away is the brakes as drive it with any sort of vigour and you'll have a floppy pedal after 4 or 5 stops. You can easily upgrade them though with 2.8 Granada bits (vented discs and bigger area pads) as opposed to the 2.3 granny bits (thin solid disc and 2/3rds of pad area) which are std.
However definitly go for a later car (post '86) to get the A frame suspension, and bear in mind that very few of the cars are identical as little things were changed all of the time throughout the production life, depending on what was in the parts bin at the time.

Best of Luck
Matt

Jason F

1,183 posts

293 months

Friday 21st December 2001
quotequote all
Mine took about 6.3 or so to get to 60... And it is fun trying..

Also, the speed that I noticed more is from about 50 - 90+ as you`ll see when you look at a 3rd gear overtake and discover you are at 80/90 as you try and pull back in...ON my private test track of course officer..

And as people have said, the brakes are not what I call dependable, get them upgraded.

Edited by Jason F on Friday 21st December 17:34

Euphoria

45 posts

277 months

Saturday 22nd December 2001
quotequote all
350matt.

I've just bought a late model 350 and was intrigued by the brake upgrade. Is it a big job to switch disks, pads & calipers from the standard

jmorgan

36,010 posts

293 months

Saturday 22nd December 2001
quotequote all
On my 83 350 I changed all the brakes due to wear and tear but the only non standard was the groved wedge auto disks on the front, mintex fast road (can't remember the number) pads on the front and kept the rear standard. I had a chat with wedge auto before buying. He asked me what I wanted to do with the car then advised. Brakes were then s*it hot fo rwhat I wanted. All flexis changed as well. I think you need to know what you want before you change?

mikeb

2,869 posts

291 months

Saturday 22nd December 2001
quotequote all
Some of the hi-temp brake pads are really meant for competition, try and use 'em on the road and chances are you will have next to no brakes until they heat up - which would be interesting!.

Mike

www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk

jmorgan

36,010 posts

293 months

Saturday 22nd December 2001
quotequote all
I did explain what I was going to do and the pads he recomended worked for normal use as well.

Dave_H

996 posts

292 months

Saturday 22nd December 2001
quotequote all
Braided hoses are always a good upgrade to any cars braking system. The standard rubber ones can swell up when the brake fluid get's hot enough under heavy braking causing the brake pedal to feel spungy.

Cheers,

Dave.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

293 months

Saturday 22nd December 2001
quotequote all
That and fit dot 5. One of the dot 5's have a problem with piston seals I am told, is that true? My 400 has steel braided all around, even the main lines ( bought as is)

GreenV8S

30,574 posts

293 months

Sunday 23rd December 2001
quotequote all
quote:
That and fit dot 5. One of the dot 5's have a problem with piston seals I am told, is that true? My 400 has steel braided all around, even the main lines ( bought as is)


I recommend DOT 5.1, it is glycol based just like DOT 4 fluid and you can mix them, only problem is it is highly flamable and is a good paint stripper. DOT 5.0 is the silicone based fluid that mustn't be mixed with any other stuff, if you're changing to/from this from many other sort you need to flush the system and change all the seals. The silicone stuff is often used fr competition cars because it has an extremely high boiling point, but isn't suitable for road cars because it doesn't absorb water, and over time water will accumulate in the brake system.

Cheers,


Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

Euphoria

45 posts

277 months

Monday 7th January 2002
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Just discovered the fronts have 4 pot calipers. Anyone know what disks are used for replacements?

350matt

3,792 posts

288 months

Monday 7th January 2002
quotequote all
The disks are probably still Ford MK II Granada either 2.8 if vented or 2.3 if not. If you've already got 4 pots on it these are probably the Austin princess caliper and in combination with the vented disc are about the best brakes TVR fitted to wedges. Thats not to say they can't be improved but I doubt if they're that bad unless they're k'ned.

Matt

EdB

7 posts

276 months

Thursday 10th January 2002
quotequote all
The 'green stuff' pads are for road use and are very good (also the dust they produce is very fine so your wheels stay a bit cleaner ;-) ) the 'red stuff' pads are for track use and will not stop you very quickly when they are cold!

jvaughan

6,025 posts

292 months

Tuesday 15th January 2002
quotequote all
I have greenstuff on my 400SE. they really are excellent pads. 18 months of abuse and high speed stopping, 1 trackday, and a 2000miles trip to Le-Mans and beond last year. I get them de-glazed every so often, and the bite returns.
I have 4 pot AP calipers on my 400se.