Should I buy a scimitar?
Discussion
Im looking for another car and thinking scimitar, what are they like to live with? Iv had MGs and VWs and a mate has a TVR S3. Id like something I could use 'daily' (i have a works van just need a can to use at weekends, all year live on drive way etc)
Id like something quick ish though to match my mates tvr, ok plenty of four pots out there but i want v6 or v8 sound. Was thinking of stripping one out, classic bucket seats, harnesses and some engine mods, what could i expect it to perform like and be like to live with?
Thanks
Id like something quick ish though to match my mates tvr, ok plenty of four pots out there but i want v6 or v8 sound. Was thinking of stripping one out, classic bucket seats, harnesses and some engine mods, what could i expect it to perform like and be like to live with?
Thanks
Hiya,
although im a scimitar competitor, im not an expert on the V6s, but here goes.
in the owners club speed championship, therte are lots of guys that compete in basically 'fast road' spec cars such as you describe. 180hp ish is common, poly bushes, uprated pads,7" wheels, decent seat, full interior, set of aftermarket shocks (AVO and Spax are the most common) and these tarde times on sprints and hillclimbs with similarly specced but more powerful TVR Chimeras, TVR series etc.
the next level up sees the scimitars running between 220-240hp, List 1B tyres such as R888s, Kumho V70s or Yoko A048Rs, mods as above but fully stripped interiors, brake conversions (wilwood are popular) full roll cages, and lightened, stiffer shocks and special front anti roll bars, and these are a match at speed events for the top of the TVR championship give or take 9in fact been some cracking battles between the two clubs over the years).
certainly the old Essex 3L V6 sounds great, and theres a wealth of tuning knowledge within the owners club on engines, suspension and chassis mods.
the 'fast road' spec cars are great to drive on the road, but the fully stripped 'Mod Prod' cars are a bit more hard work, lots of heat transmitted from the engine bay into the cabin and under the floors from exhaust systems, and the fibreglass bodies can be a bit 'boomy', but its the sort of thing thats no worse than driving a caterham really.
its worth lookresearching which model you want as the early GTEs are lighter and smaller, but are older so more resto work may be needed. Later models are often better nick and ebays full of them.
Pre GTE cars such as the Coupe are very popular with the competition scene too, shares much of the design ethos too but looks different.
Get yourself to curborough weekend of 14/15th august where the club runs its annual National Sporting weekender, with a sprint test session on saturday AM, autotest in the afternoon and a double lap sprint on the sunday. Plenty of scimitars in action, along with a few TVRs, lots of Ferraris and lots of the usual sprint-type cars too.
usually see approx 500 scimitars attend, camping and pi55 up, autojumble, live band etc etc
CNH
although im a scimitar competitor, im not an expert on the V6s, but here goes.
in the owners club speed championship, therte are lots of guys that compete in basically 'fast road' spec cars such as you describe. 180hp ish is common, poly bushes, uprated pads,7" wheels, decent seat, full interior, set of aftermarket shocks (AVO and Spax are the most common) and these tarde times on sprints and hillclimbs with similarly specced but more powerful TVR Chimeras, TVR series etc.
the next level up sees the scimitars running between 220-240hp, List 1B tyres such as R888s, Kumho V70s or Yoko A048Rs, mods as above but fully stripped interiors, brake conversions (wilwood are popular) full roll cages, and lightened, stiffer shocks and special front anti roll bars, and these are a match at speed events for the top of the TVR championship give or take 9in fact been some cracking battles between the two clubs over the years).
certainly the old Essex 3L V6 sounds great, and theres a wealth of tuning knowledge within the owners club on engines, suspension and chassis mods.
the 'fast road' spec cars are great to drive on the road, but the fully stripped 'Mod Prod' cars are a bit more hard work, lots of heat transmitted from the engine bay into the cabin and under the floors from exhaust systems, and the fibreglass bodies can be a bit 'boomy', but its the sort of thing thats no worse than driving a caterham really.
its worth lookresearching which model you want as the early GTEs are lighter and smaller, but are older so more resto work may be needed. Later models are often better nick and ebays full of them.
Pre GTE cars such as the Coupe are very popular with the competition scene too, shares much of the design ethos too but looks different.
Get yourself to curborough weekend of 14/15th august where the club runs its annual National Sporting weekender, with a sprint test session on saturday AM, autotest in the afternoon and a double lap sprint on the sunday. Plenty of scimitars in action, along with a few TVRs, lots of Ferraris and lots of the usual sprint-type cars too.
usually see approx 500 scimitars attend, camping and pi55 up, autojumble, live band etc etc
CNH
In no particular order:
They leak and rot their carpets; not hard to solve and carpets are available.
Chassis peripherals rot, but nothing like as badly as MG shells.
Electrics are standard Lucas with all the associated headaches compounded by poor earthing - patience and a soldering iron needed.
Old GRP bodies are very challenging to paint well - they may not rust, but it can still cost a mint to make them look nice.
Plastic interior trim - all of it - can age badly and is difficult to repair.
They can be prone to overheating: but nothing that a re-cored radiator, block flush and decent quality waterpump and electric fan won't fix.
Because they don't rot they have almost all been through the hands of at least one 'budget classic' owner who will have failed to attend to anything but the absolute essentials, bodged the electrics to buggery and run them for years on the verge of headgasket failure for want of £80 to re-core the rad.
Mechanicals don't come much simpler and mildly worked-over they're a hoot to drive - if not especially fast.
They leak and rot their carpets; not hard to solve and carpets are available.
Chassis peripherals rot, but nothing like as badly as MG shells.
Electrics are standard Lucas with all the associated headaches compounded by poor earthing - patience and a soldering iron needed.
Old GRP bodies are very challenging to paint well - they may not rust, but it can still cost a mint to make them look nice.
Plastic interior trim - all of it - can age badly and is difficult to repair.
They can be prone to overheating: but nothing that a re-cored radiator, block flush and decent quality waterpump and electric fan won't fix.
Because they don't rot they have almost all been through the hands of at least one 'budget classic' owner who will have failed to attend to anything but the absolute essentials, bodged the electrics to buggery and run them for years on the verge of headgasket failure for want of £80 to re-core the rad.
Mechanicals don't come much simpler and mildly worked-over they're a hoot to drive - if not especially fast.
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