In Praise of my TVR
Discussion
This might read like and advert ,but it's not ... The car's not for sale ... Ever 
.
Just got back from a run out to Supercar Sunday at the Heritage Centre, Gaydon.
A 260 mile round trip to see the cars and have a good day out with my Father.
As it does every year,and on every other trip ,the Chimaera performed effortlessly ,roof down there and back with no break downs ,no problems,no drama (except winning the M6 Toll Pay Point -Drag Race .... each way
).
Not really a great achievement for a car these days of course , but the point is , my Chim has over 50 hard Track Days and 40,000 road miles under its belt, and will soon be 9 years old.
It's brilliant on track,fast ,predictable,torquey with great manners and able to keep up with all sorts of expensive Exotica
.
Its performed like this for the five years i've had it
.
The Engine is the original unit and has never had a re-build AFAIK.
Ive uprated ,brakes,suspension etc for Track driving ,but not to the point that it does'nt make a great Grand Touring car.
All in all , it's a proper British Sportscar and i Love It ,and i just wanted to share this with PH ..........
Thanks for reading ,it's been emotional
.
. Just got back from a run out to Supercar Sunday at the Heritage Centre, Gaydon.
A 260 mile round trip to see the cars and have a good day out with my Father.
As it does every year,and on every other trip ,the Chimaera performed effortlessly ,roof down there and back with no break downs ,no problems,no drama (except winning the M6 Toll Pay Point -Drag Race .... each way
). Not really a great achievement for a car these days of course , but the point is , my Chim has over 50 hard Track Days and 40,000 road miles under its belt, and will soon be 9 years old.
It's brilliant on track,fast ,predictable,torquey with great manners and able to keep up with all sorts of expensive Exotica
. Its performed like this for the five years i've had it
. The Engine is the original unit and has never had a re-build AFAIK.
Ive uprated ,brakes,suspension etc for Track driving ,but not to the point that it does'nt make a great Grand Touring car.
All in all , it's a proper British Sportscar and i Love It ,and i just wanted to share this with PH ..........
Thanks for reading ,it's been emotional
.
Nothing else came close. In the past month I have been down to Middlewich from Edinburgh to get car serviced and then upto the north west coast of Scotland with stops at Fort william,Inverness and Ullapool.
In total I have covered over 1200 miles with no problems what so ever. The car has performed fantastic has used no oil and I have enjoyed getting the roof and window off when weather allowed and then putting them back on when things got a bit damp. I have come to really appreciate the performance that these cars offer and thank goodness I ignored all the doom and gloomers that advised against getting a SP6 Tuscan.
I have just had the best 12 months motoring trouble free that I could have hoped for and I have to say the SP6 is one awsome engine and has performed faultlessly over the last 12 months and 5K miles.
Only down side is that I now have 6 points on my licence that I didn't have a year ago!!!
In total I have covered over 1200 miles with no problems what so ever. The car has performed fantastic has used no oil and I have enjoyed getting the roof and window off when weather allowed and then putting them back on when things got a bit damp. I have come to really appreciate the performance that these cars offer and thank goodness I ignored all the doom and gloomers that advised against getting a SP6 Tuscan.
I have just had the best 12 months motoring trouble free that I could have hoped for and I have to say the SP6 is one awsome engine and has performed faultlessly over the last 12 months and 5K miles.
Only down side is that I now have 6 points on my licence that I didn't have a year ago!!!
At the risk of setting myself up for a problem, I've just put 4.5k on mine since Easter. Maybe you're not supposed to use Tivs as much as that, but how can you resist when it's in the garage and you have to drive somewhere. Anywhere, whatever the weather.
I know that mine is new, and my first Tiv, and I might be counting my chickens a liitle early.
And that positive threads aren't really allowed.
But I just had to add my tuppence worth, and I'm REALLY happy to hear someones else's happiness - especially when they're 'proper' Tiv owners. I.e. not just a newbie like me. I too had a fantastic day at Gaydon, and second Madbadgers comments.
Trevor forever...
I know that mine is new, and my first Tiv, and I might be counting my chickens a liitle early.
And that positive threads aren't really allowed.
But I just had to add my tuppence worth, and I'm REALLY happy to hear someones else's happiness - especially when they're 'proper' Tiv owners. I.e. not just a newbie like me. I too had a fantastic day at Gaydon, and second Madbadgers comments.
Trevor forever...
I was having similar thoughts myself pedalling my old Cerbera 4.5 hard for 40 miles across country this evening. It is a remarkable car. It's front end paintwork is shot (looks literally shot) and the driver's footwell carpet is threadbare in places. But the paint and carpet tell a tale: this car (I bought it new in Feb '98) has been driven hard for eight years and nearly 40,000 miles. It has done Calais to Le Mans in under three and a half hours, it has been spanked to and from Spa Francorchamps several times, it's done more track days than I can remember (some of them very hard as I was giving people full-on white-knuckle rides all session, every session, all day), it's mixed it with the superbikes on the TT's Mad Sunday, it's been cooked in summer London traffic regularly, it's been a development/test mule for a new transmission... and it STILL makes me laugh every time I drive it. I bang it down lanes so hard I wind myself sometimes, catching its undertray, occasionally bottoming out the rear suspension. I blew off a bike with it yesterday. I'm not trying to claim it's faster than a bike in absolute terms (hardly any cars are) but its ability to carry huge speeds through a roundabout in a balanced drift then launch itself up a dual carriageway is epic. With the roundabout advantage over the biker, he couldn't close the gap and it wasn't too long before I was - comfortably - into speeds he simply wasn't prepared to visit yesterday. Speeds that aren't comfortable on a bike.
At the risk of tempting fate, in all its 8 years, my Cerbera 4.5 has never had any electronic gremlins and has stranded me only twice (throttle cable five years ago, alternator three years ago). I've been recovered more times in German saloons. The way I abuse the 4.5, it has every right to disintegrate. But it hasn't. It recently had its chassis wire brushed and repainted at Silverstone Performance so it's now cleaner underneath than across its 'war zone stylee' front. I feel as strongly now as I have since I first got it that nothing beats a Cerbera.
More eulogising about it here Why don't some of you guys write about your TVRs on www.Auto-Journals.com?
At the risk of tempting fate, in all its 8 years, my Cerbera 4.5 has never had any electronic gremlins and has stranded me only twice (throttle cable five years ago, alternator three years ago). I've been recovered more times in German saloons. The way I abuse the 4.5, it has every right to disintegrate. But it hasn't. It recently had its chassis wire brushed and repainted at Silverstone Performance so it's now cleaner underneath than across its 'war zone stylee' front. I feel as strongly now as I have since I first got it that nothing beats a Cerbera.
More eulogising about it here Why don't some of you guys write about your TVRs on www.Auto-Journals.com?
BossCerbera said:
I was having similar thoughts myself pedalling my old Cerbera 4.5 hard for 40 miles across country this evening. It is a remarkable car. It's front end paintwork is shot (looks literally shot) and the driver's footwell carpet is threadbare in places. But the paint and carpet tell a tale: this car (I bought it new in Feb '98) has been driven hard for eight years and nearly 40,000 miles. It has done Calais to Le Mans in under three and a half hours, it has been spanked to and from Spa Francorchamps several times, it's done more track days than I can remember (some of them very hard as I was giving people full-on white-knuckle rides all session, every session, all day), it's mixed it with the superbikes on the TT's Mad Sunday, it's been cooked in summer London traffic regularly, it's been a development/test mule for a new transmission... and it STILL makes me laugh every time I drive it. I bang it down lanes so hard I wind myself sometimes, catching its undertray, occasionally bottoming out the rear suspension. I blew off a bike with it yesterday. I'm not trying to claim it's faster than a bike in absolute terms (hardly any cars are) but its ability to carry huge speeds through a roundabout in a balanced drift then launch itself up a dual carriageway is epic. With the roundabout advantage over the biker, he couldn't close the gap and it wasn't too long before I was - comfortably - into speeds he simply wasn't prepared to visit yesterday. Speeds that aren't comfortable on a bike.
At the risk of tempting fate, in all its 8 years, my Cerbera 4.5 has never had any electronic gremlins and has stranded me only twice (throttle cable five years ago, alternator three years ago). I've been recovered more times in German saloons. The way I abuse the 4.5, it has every right to disintegrate. But it hasn't. It recently had its chassis wire brushed and repainted at Silverstone Performance so it's now cleaner underneath than across its 'war zone stylee' front. I feel as strongly now as I have since I first got it that nothing beats a Cerbera.
More eulogising about it here Why don't some of you guys write about your TVRs on www.Auto-Journals.com?
At the risk of tempting fate, in all its 8 years, my Cerbera 4.5 has never had any electronic gremlins and has stranded me only twice (throttle cable five years ago, alternator three years ago). I've been recovered more times in German saloons. The way I abuse the 4.5, it has every right to disintegrate. But it hasn't. It recently had its chassis wire brushed and repainted at Silverstone Performance so it's now cleaner underneath than across its 'war zone stylee' front. I feel as strongly now as I have since I first got it that nothing beats a Cerbera.
More eulogising about it here Why don't some of you guys write about your TVRs on www.Auto-Journals.com?
It is a giggle when you cane TVR's finest hard across country isnt it?
I swear I try to restrain myself, but sometimes 140 appears on the speedo all by itself!
BossCerbera said:
I was having similar thoughts myself pedalling my old Cerbera 4.5 hard for 40 miles across country this evening. It is a remarkable car. It's front end paintwork is shot (looks literally shot) and the driver's footwell carpet is threadbare in places. But the paint and carpet tell a tale: this car (I bought it new in Feb '98) has been driven hard for eight years and nearly 40,000 miles. It has done Calais to Le Mans in under three and a half hours, it has been spanked to and from Spa Francorchamps several times, it's done more track days than I can remember (some of them very hard as I was giving people full-on white-knuckle rides all session, every session, all day), it's mixed it with the superbikes on the TT's Mad Sunday, it's been cooked in summer London traffic regularly, it's been a development/test mule for a new transmission... and it STILL makes me laugh every time I drive it. I bang it down lanes so hard I wind myself sometimes, catching its undertray, occasionally bottoming out the rear suspension. I blew off a bike with it yesterday. I'm not trying to claim it's faster than a bike in absolute terms (hardly any cars are) but its ability to carry huge speeds through a roundabout in a balanced drift then launch itself up a dual carriageway is epic. With the roundabout advantage over the biker, he couldn't close the gap and it wasn't too long before I was - comfortably - into speeds he simply wasn't prepared to visit yesterday. Speeds that aren't comfortable on a bike.
At the risk of tempting fate, in all its 8 years, my Cerbera 4.5 has never had any electronic gremlins and has stranded me only twice (throttle cable five years ago, alternator three years ago). I've been recovered more times in German saloons. The way I abuse the 4.5, it has every right to disintegrate. But it hasn't. It recently had its chassis wire brushed and repainted at Silverstone Performance so it's now cleaner underneath than across its 'war zone stylee' front. I feel as strongly now as I have since I first got it that nothing beats a Cerbera.
More eulogising about it here Why don't some of you guys write about your TVRs on www.Auto-Journals.com?
At the risk of tempting fate, in all its 8 years, my Cerbera 4.5 has never had any electronic gremlins and has stranded me only twice (throttle cable five years ago, alternator three years ago). I've been recovered more times in German saloons. The way I abuse the 4.5, it has every right to disintegrate. But it hasn't. It recently had its chassis wire brushed and repainted at Silverstone Performance so it's now cleaner underneath than across its 'war zone stylee' front. I feel as strongly now as I have since I first got it that nothing beats a Cerbera.
More eulogising about it here Why don't some of you guys write about your TVRs on www.Auto-Journals.com?
Good stuff BossC, Auto Journals atrticle was good to read. Just one question, how many clutches has your 4.5 got through since it was new in 1998?
spartacus said:
Good stuff BossC, Auto Journals atrticle was good to read. Just one question, how many clutches has your 4.5 got through since it was new in 1998?
Cheers Spartacus!
Clutch: One was changed at c.30,000 miles but it wasn't because it had worn out (I've kept it as a spare - me not silly). We were about to embark on some clutch automation work in a development programme so thought it best to start with a fresh clutch. I have no doubt that as I approach 40,000 miles, the original clutch could still be in the car.
nice to see a great positive thread
just quickly - i bought my 4.2 AJP cerb last April, i've put approx 9,000 miles on it and all i've had to do is fuel it and service it
just got back from Le Mans, 1,100 miles... no problem
me and a mate just had one of the best weekends ever and his respect for the TVR mark and admaration of the cerb is sky high
this car is a dream to own it was for sale but now i'm not so sure...
cb
just quickly - i bought my 4.2 AJP cerb last April, i've put approx 9,000 miles on it and all i've had to do is fuel it and service it
just got back from Le Mans, 1,100 miles... no problem
me and a mate just had one of the best weekends ever and his respect for the TVR mark and admaration of the cerb is sky high
this car is a dream to own it was for sale but now i'm not so sure...
cb
I have a friend who had had tvr's since 97 as daily drivers(chimera and now tuscan).Despite a few niggles he has never been left stranded by either car and the biggest problem he had was a gearbox rebuild in the chimera when 5th gear could not be selected(cost around £450).I told him that he could have fixed the problem for around £5 by just fitting a 4 speed gear knob but he wasnt amused!!
cdt said:
Did you see my car as you drove past it at the services, was parked a few cars along from you? Your car looked and and sounded good. Pity I was going up north and not to Gaydon.
Saw you're wedge coming in ,thought - that looks good , i'll seek it out when we get to Gaydon - Could'nt find it , now i know why
..Well having returned from a trouble free 1500 mile Le Mans trip with a couple of Chimearas Im with you. Even in the 90 degree plus heat the only problem was sunburn 
.
I cant possibly see any reason why Id want to drive anything else
Theres even enough room for several cases of Vin Rouge for the trip back!
. I cant possibly see any reason why Id want to drive anything else
Theres even enough room for several cases of Vin Rouge for the trip back!
While we're on a positive note...
Last weekend my rear wheel decided to part company with my car (400SE) while doing towards three figures in the outside lane of a dual carriageway.
Now that wasn't a pleasant experience, but what was impressive was the way the car handled,
and what (hopefully) little damage was sustained after I managed to bring it in a very controlled way over to the nearside of the road, and to a stop.
I know it would have been different on a bend, but I can tell you that Wedges are tough cars,
and superbly balanced on THREE wheels.
Do check their hub nuts though.
Last weekend my rear wheel decided to part company with my car (400SE) while doing towards three figures in the outside lane of a dual carriageway.
Now that wasn't a pleasant experience, but what was impressive was the way the car handled,
and what (hopefully) little damage was sustained after I managed to bring it in a very controlled way over to the nearside of the road, and to a stop.
I know it would have been different on a bend, but I can tell you that Wedges are tough cars,
and superbly balanced on THREE wheels.
Do check their hub nuts though.
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