Discussion
Ok so i have a standard chim 500 but should i keep it standard ???, bit of a moral question. Half of me wants to keep it as it came out of blackpool ! The other half wants to ..................
Tune to at least play with tuscans / cerbs ??
Was thinking OF :-
5.4 conv
stealth cam
yella terra roller rockers
steel crank
forged pistons
stage 4 head,
uprated fuel injectors
uprated clutch
DTA s80 ECU
ACT manifold and racing cats
AND FINALLY
could you go the full monty and put the sc charger on....
Just wonder what the above would be like,
Oh i have most of the parts of the above ready, and still cannot make my mind up.
Thanks for your replies
Tune to at least play with tuscans / cerbs ??
Was thinking OF :-
5.4 conv
stealth cam
yella terra roller rockers
steel crank
forged pistons
stage 4 head,
uprated fuel injectors
uprated clutch
DTA s80 ECU
ACT manifold and racing cats
AND FINALLY
could you go the full monty and put the sc charger on....
Just wonder what the above would be like,
Oh i have most of the parts of the above ready, and still cannot make my mind up.
Thanks for your replies
Edited by hiltonig on Friday 8th June 12:35
Edited by hiltonig on Friday 8th June 12:54
Why would any one want to keep it std? Then you have just the same and hundreds maybe a few thousand Chims!
SC route seem ok but I'd go for a 5.5 from V8 Rob (less moving parts!) and same or more GO.
Both aren't cheap by the time the full engine is in and the suspeniosn and huge brakes done.
SC route seem ok but I'd go for a 5.5 from V8 Rob (less moving parts!) and same or more GO.
Both aren't cheap by the time the full engine is in and the suspeniosn and huge brakes done.
Why bother going to all the expense of a big capacity conversion if you're thinking of adding forced induction? If anything, pushing the block to it's limit by going to 5.5litre (or even 5.2) would actually increase the risk of the engine failing when under boost.
I'd expect that if you strengthened the bottom-end with forged pistons and steel rods that's all you'd need to do (apart from getting the whole rotating assembly balanced of course). With the exception of some good quality valves to cope with the extra heat I wouldn't do much to the cylinder heads let alone go for really expensive alternative castings. The same can be said for the induction side of things. A new cam will be needed of course, so suite forced induction.
So, standard-ish heads, standard induction with bigger injectors coupled with a good quality supercharger (Vortech etc) and an intercooler/chargecooler controlled by a decent ECU will yield the greatest power increase for the money and probably remain reliable. Keep the rest of the money to add a decent clutch and rebuild the transmission and diff when they go bang!
All IMHO of course!
I'd expect that if you strengthened the bottom-end with forged pistons and steel rods that's all you'd need to do (apart from getting the whole rotating assembly balanced of course). With the exception of some good quality valves to cope with the extra heat I wouldn't do much to the cylinder heads let alone go for really expensive alternative castings. The same can be said for the induction side of things. A new cam will be needed of course, so suite forced induction.
So, standard-ish heads, standard induction with bigger injectors coupled with a good quality supercharger (Vortech etc) and an intercooler/chargecooler controlled by a decent ECU will yield the greatest power increase for the money and probably remain reliable. Keep the rest of the money to add a decent clutch and rebuild the transmission and diff when they go bang!
All IMHO of course!
hiltonig, V8D are putting a full spec 5.4 together for me at this moment. I did think about the supercharging option but for about the same outlay I'll be getting similar figures on the rollers. And I'll have a brand new motor instead of bolting bits onto a 57,000 miler! If you're talkin' about supercharging some time after having had a specialist large capacity motor built then I'd suspect there'd be a fair bit of expense involved in detuning the thing to make it compatible. There's plenty of expertise out there who'll be willing to tell you.
I thought about this but 1 of the considerations I thought about was re-sale value (perish the thought).
With the SC Kit you can, if you want, take it all off and return the car to standard fairly easily if your having trouble selling the car as 'modified'. A lot of TVR buyers prefer their new toy to be standard so that they themselves can modify it if they choose.
They are a bit wary of buying an already modified car as they begin to doubt your true motives for the sale. They might think that the modification you've attempted didn't quite work out as well as you'd hoped and your now putting the car up for sale because it has 'niggles' or requires more expenditure etc.
IMHO
With the SC Kit you can, if you want, take it all off and return the car to standard fairly easily if your having trouble selling the car as 'modified'. A lot of TVR buyers prefer their new toy to be standard so that they themselves can modify it if they choose.
They are a bit wary of buying an already modified car as they begin to doubt your true motives for the sale. They might think that the modification you've attempted didn't quite work out as well as you'd hoped and your now putting the car up for sale because it has 'niggles' or requires more expenditure etc.
IMHO
Things can happen in life that might make it important that you sell your car and perhaps sell it reasonably quickly. That could be an issue with a highly or permanently modified car.
Of course you'd hope that situation was never going to arise but I'll bet if it did a standard car could be sold a lot more quickly than a modified one.
I'm not knocking the Engine upgrade over an SC kit in any way just explaining that it was a consideration I had. Unscrewing a few bolts and putting the chip back to standard is a good deal easier and cheaper and gives you the option you wouldn't otherwise have. Others might not agree and fair enough.
IMO
If you are worried about stuff like that - then best not do either.
Think most on here would just GO FOR IT and enjoy the fun - you will sell a modded one fast on here - you will of course never get back that much of the modded costs but you get cash back.
But if that worried - keep it standard.
TVR just make (made!) an OK base level car to develop yours from (IMHO).
Think most on here would just GO FOR IT and enjoy the fun - you will sell a modded one fast on here - you will of course never get back that much of the modded costs but you get cash back.
But if that worried - keep it standard.
TVR just make (made!) an OK base level car to develop yours from (IMHO).
im, is your current engine cross bolted?
I think it needs to be for the sc route and possibly with the Taraka upgrade (as your list of parts approximates a Taraka upgrade).
To retro cross bolt a case requires changing crank bearings and bearing caps along with expensive case machining, this would probalby make a JE or V8D 5.* new engine the cheaper route
I think it needs to be for the sc route and possibly with the Taraka upgrade (as your list of parts approximates a Taraka upgrade).
To retro cross bolt a case requires changing crank bearings and bearing caps along with expensive case machining, this would probalby make a JE or V8D 5.* new engine the cheaper route
Valid points from both Jellison and im.
We all weigh up our options and do whatever we think best: buzz factor/resale value. As for me, it's important to keep the appearance of the Griff as intended; or at least with the option for returning it to such.
So, as far as the engine goes, a reversion to the old plenum and no one would know what lurked within my block. I'm sure anyone doing a thorough research (as he should) before buying his Griff would soon discover which mods are worthwhile and have been developed by those of reputation and mods which are not. And as I think jellison was implying, the Griff is a great car that can be made greater.
We all weigh up our options and do whatever we think best: buzz factor/resale value. As for me, it's important to keep the appearance of the Griff as intended; or at least with the option for returning it to such.
So, as far as the engine goes, a reversion to the old plenum and no one would know what lurked within my block. I'm sure anyone doing a thorough research (as he should) before buying his Griff would soon discover which mods are worthwhile and have been developed by those of reputation and mods which are not. And as I think jellison was implying, the Griff is a great car that can be made greater.
Bluebottle said:
im, is your current engine cross bolted?
I think it needs to be for the sc route and possibly with the Taraka upgrade (as your list of parts approximates a Taraka upgrade).
What list of parts are you talking about, I don't remember posting any list of parts or am I having a 'senior' moment.I think it needs to be for the sc route and possibly with the Taraka upgrade (as your list of parts approximates a Taraka upgrade).
No idea if its cross-bolted or not but judging by the work you say would be required if its not cross-bolted then it must be because none of that work has been done on my car.
Bluebottle said:
To retro cross bolt a case requires changing crank bearings and bearing caps along with expensive case machining, this would probalby make a JE or V8D 5.* new engine the cheaper route
Got a few quotes for an upgraded engine...Trust me, none were even close when you took into account all the other stuff that I was told needed doing (£££'s). I had no particular preference (SC or Engine upgrade) but as I said, the fact that it was/is reversable together with the cash/performance/time-to-do-the-job figures swayed it for me.And I don't believe a modded car is as easy to sell, even on here, as an unmodded one - not even an SC which I have. There are FAR more buyers after a standard car than an enhanced one.
From what I have heard some 500's were cross bolted and some weren't - but at Taraka level it woul not matter - this is a very mild upgrade (even if power do not say so) gaining about 10% in power so ennd up around 300bhp or maybe a tad more if a good one. This is just a blueprinting job and a cam swap and ecu / chip change.
For monster 5.5 or SC yes agree Cross-bolted bolt would devinately be best. Sparks 5.5 was truely MENTAL but then so is HE -he has now sold the engine (needed the cash - unfortunately!).
For monster 5.5 or SC yes agree Cross-bolted bolt would devinately be best. Sparks 5.5 was truely MENTAL but then so is HE -he has now sold the engine (needed the cash - unfortunately!).
well chaps thanks for the replies 
, I guess firstly i am not sure i would use the sc conversion without beefing up the bottom end. I had a vr6 and fitted a vortech charger and even though the company said "yeah the engine will handle it" they were wrong, After 6k miles the diff in the gearbox let go. Thats why once bitten etc on that one, yes i have though about selling but somehow i think i would miss the v8 which is what attracted me to the tvr!. 2 Munkys let me know how you get on with the 5.4 because that company is on my doorstep !.It may be that the 5.4 might just fit the bill ,but then having had a super charged car before I now how the rush and sound of the charger spinning up feels like. Seems like on this occasion i want the cake and to eat it !
, I guess firstly i am not sure i would use the sc conversion without beefing up the bottom end. I had a vr6 and fitted a vortech charger and even though the company said "yeah the engine will handle it" they were wrong, After 6k miles the diff in the gearbox let go. Thats why once bitten etc on that one, yes i have though about selling but somehow i think i would miss the v8 which is what attracted me to the tvr!. 2 Munkys let me know how you get on with the 5.4 because that company is on my doorstep !.It may be that the 5.4 might just fit the bill ,but then having had a super charged car before I now how the rush and sound of the charger spinning up feels like. Seems like on this occasion i want the cake and to eat it !Gassing Station | TVR Major Mods | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff