New to 3000 M questions
Discussion
Hi,
I'm in the process of buying a '76 3000 M and have a couple of questions. The car concerned has 4 odd tyres and from my brief test drive the brakes didn't seem up to much.
So, what tyres are people using on the 14" T-Slots?
What brake upgrade options are there? (from new pads to 4-pot vented disks)
Finally, the engine sounded a bitt tappetty, does the Essex V6 have hydraulic lifters?
Thanks,
Simon
I'm in the process of buying a '76 3000 M and have a couple of questions. The car concerned has 4 odd tyres and from my brief test drive the brakes didn't seem up to much.
So, what tyres are people using on the 14" T-Slots?
What brake upgrade options are there? (from new pads to 4-pot vented disks)
Finally, the engine sounded a bitt tappetty, does the Essex V6 have hydraulic lifters?
Thanks,
Simon
Simon
Tyres, getting decent rubber for the 14in wheels is now becoming difficult. You can either stay with a standard 185HR tyre or go to a 195/70 (fitted to the turbo models, and roughly the same rolling radius). I would talk to Adrian Venn at ExactlyTVR to get his recommendations (depending on your intended driving style).
Brakes - The standard caliper is a TR6 unit, upgraded pads can be bought and I would recommend Mintex M1144 compound parts, part no MGB633. There are 4 pot upgrades available such as Willwood (again from exactly TVR), but I would recommend changing the fluid, making sure the hoses/seals are all ok and then upgrading the pads first. Then go drive the car for a bit before going for the 4 potters, you may want to spend your money elsewhere.
Engine, Essex engines go tappety very easily especially if they are given some stick. If you haven't already bought this car I would ask the owner to have all the papets reset and then go on a 20-30 mile test drive, if it goes significantly tappety in this period of time, there may be some other tappet related problem namely:-
The tappet locking nuts are an interfernece fit and over time these can become non-interference.
or
The rocker stud could be coming out of the head - much bigger job, again not uncommon on Essex engines that have been given (too mich) stick.
Remember it is a buyers market out there at present (I know I have just sold one) so there are plenty of cars to look at. I Owned M-series cars for 12 years and if you have any questions then post the message or email me offline. I may know the car that you are looking at, if you want to email me the reg no, I'll let you know.
davidy
Tyres, getting decent rubber for the 14in wheels is now becoming difficult. You can either stay with a standard 185HR tyre or go to a 195/70 (fitted to the turbo models, and roughly the same rolling radius). I would talk to Adrian Venn at ExactlyTVR to get his recommendations (depending on your intended driving style).
Brakes - The standard caliper is a TR6 unit, upgraded pads can be bought and I would recommend Mintex M1144 compound parts, part no MGB633. There are 4 pot upgrades available such as Willwood (again from exactly TVR), but I would recommend changing the fluid, making sure the hoses/seals are all ok and then upgrading the pads first. Then go drive the car for a bit before going for the 4 potters, you may want to spend your money elsewhere.
Engine, Essex engines go tappety very easily especially if they are given some stick. If you haven't already bought this car I would ask the owner to have all the papets reset and then go on a 20-30 mile test drive, if it goes significantly tappety in this period of time, there may be some other tappet related problem namely:-
The tappet locking nuts are an interfernece fit and over time these can become non-interference.
or
The rocker stud could be coming out of the head - much bigger job, again not uncommon on Essex engines that have been given (too mich) stick.
Remember it is a buyers market out there at present (I know I have just sold one) so there are plenty of cars to look at. I Owned M-series cars for 12 years and if you have any questions then post the message or email me offline. I may know the car that you are looking at, if you want to email me the reg no, I'll let you know.
davidy
My comments, in addition to the points made by David, would be that I'd be very suspicious of a car that has four different makes of tyre fitted. This suggests to me that the owner is not an enthusiast and that the car has had minimal servicing. I'd get the chassis checked thoroughly as well.
M-series braking systems, when in good condition, are more that up to the job so an overhaul, rather than an upgrade may be the solution.
As David says, it's a buyers market so look around and travel to see as many cars as you can.
>> Edited by Terminator on Tuesday 18th June 09:26
M-series braking systems, when in good condition, are more that up to the job so an overhaul, rather than an upgrade may be the solution.
As David says, it's a buyers market so look around and travel to see as many cars as you can.
>> Edited by Terminator on Tuesday 18th June 09:26
Thanks for the advice guys. I intend to adopt the approach suggested by Davidy and get the standard brakes up to spec first. Good to know there are other options though.
I also hope to get Exactly-TVR to give the car a service to see where things need doing.
The car is based in Licestershire and the reg number is TWNIH. Been owned for the last 15 years, but not used very much (summers only).
I also hope to get Exactly-TVR to give the car a service to see where things need doing.
The car is based in Licestershire and the reg number is TWNIH. Been owned for the last 15 years, but not used very much (summers only).
Simon
That reg no doesn't make sense, could you try again.
Other info:-
If the car has been owned for the last 15 years then its not been too carefully looked after (as Terminator says) as why are the tyres all odd.
Has the chassis been overhauled, the easy place to check if there is corrosion is on two square rails that run across the width of the car at the top of the rear wheels. If these are stiff covered in what looks like carpet underlay, then almost certainly the chassis is corroded, i've not seen one car with this still present that is not corroded, its just then the extent of the corrosion. If the car had been restored properly its unlikely that the tyres would all be odd and the brakes s**t.
Also M-series cars like being used, they do not take too kindly to being left for long periods of time.
Unless this car is as cheap as chips (sub £2.5K) then I would suggest on the evidence present so far that you could be buying yourself a money pit. Even at £2.5K your rectification costs could be more than a slightly more expensive minter.
Regarding pricing the bottom has completely fallen out of the M-series market. £5500 should buy you an absolutely concours car and £2.5K or less something that is a runner with an MOT.
Please tell me that you have looked at several cars before deciding on this one, if not, as the saying goes, you need to get out more. There is no shortage of cars for sale and dealers at the moment are not stocking or holding these cars, they are very difficult to sell. Mine took 6 months to sell (but it was a heavily modified, but restored car) and I only received a very small fraction of the money >20K that I had in the car. Don't get me wrong I'm not bitter about that, I had a lot of fun with car and decided to move on, but with so many out there if you take your time and your heart is set on an M you will get the right car.
davidy
>> Edited by davidy on Tuesday 18th June 09:55
That reg no doesn't make sense, could you try again.
Other info:-
If the car has been owned for the last 15 years then its not been too carefully looked after (as Terminator says) as why are the tyres all odd.
Has the chassis been overhauled, the easy place to check if there is corrosion is on two square rails that run across the width of the car at the top of the rear wheels. If these are stiff covered in what looks like carpet underlay, then almost certainly the chassis is corroded, i've not seen one car with this still present that is not corroded, its just then the extent of the corrosion. If the car had been restored properly its unlikely that the tyres would all be odd and the brakes s**t.
Also M-series cars like being used, they do not take too kindly to being left for long periods of time.
Unless this car is as cheap as chips (sub £2.5K) then I would suggest on the evidence present so far that you could be buying yourself a money pit. Even at £2.5K your rectification costs could be more than a slightly more expensive minter.
Regarding pricing the bottom has completely fallen out of the M-series market. £5500 should buy you an absolutely concours car and £2.5K or less something that is a runner with an MOT.
Please tell me that you have looked at several cars before deciding on this one, if not, as the saying goes, you need to get out more. There is no shortage of cars for sale and dealers at the moment are not stocking or holding these cars, they are very difficult to sell. Mine took 6 months to sell (but it was a heavily modified, but restored car) and I only received a very small fraction of the money >20K that I had in the car. Don't get me wrong I'm not bitter about that, I had a lot of fun with car and decided to move on, but with so many out there if you take your time and your heart is set on an M you will get the right car.
davidy
>> Edited by davidy on Tuesday 18th June 09:55
Since I live in Wales now, I should really learn the language, I mean how else can I express myself down the pub.
You would have to really like brown (or be stuck in a 70s timewarp) to buy a brown car. Now I reckon that would be really hard to resell. If its still brown my price estimates have just gone down at least 500 notes
davidy
You would have to really like brown (or be stuck in a 70s timewarp) to buy a brown car. Now I reckon that would be really hard to resell. If its still brown my price estimates have just gone down at least 500 notes
davidy
Guys,
Thanks again for the advice. The reg number is correct, its a private plate. Sounds like Terminator knows the car anyhow.
I'll check the chassis in the place suggested, but I'm almost certain that it hasn't been replaced/restored.
I have looked at some others. This one is cheap, has a new MOT and a private plate that can be sold.
I'm planning just to use it for a while to see if I like the TVR experience (small 2 seater car...). If I like the car, I can spend some money on it, if not, hopefully I can sell it on as a cheap runner.
Short term I'd like to get some decent tyres and make sure the brakes and suspension are OK (hence my questions).
Simon
Thanks again for the advice. The reg number is correct, its a private plate. Sounds like Terminator knows the car anyhow.
I'll check the chassis in the place suggested, but I'm almost certain that it hasn't been replaced/restored.
I have looked at some others. This one is cheap, has a new MOT and a private plate that can be sold.
I'm planning just to use it for a while to see if I like the TVR experience (small 2 seater car...). If I like the car, I can spend some money on it, if not, hopefully I can sell it on as a cheap runner.
Short term I'd like to get some decent tyres and make sure the brakes and suspension are OK (hence my questions).
Simon
As davidy says, yes they do. The standard Ford pinch nut is pinched in 2 places. JW Developments also do a pinch nut that is pinched in 3 places.
I know this because a couple of months ago one of these pinch nuts came loose. Fortunatly I stopped the car and engine before any damage was done (I could hear the rocker knocking on the rocker cover!). When I took the rocker cover off, I was able to lift the rocker off the push-rod and turn it through 90 degrees, without loosening the pinch nut any further - it had almost come off but not quite. I was VERY lucky. I think that Adrian Venn had an engine in a few months before that had the same problem, but was not stopped in time - had to be rebuilt I believe.
>> Edited by sprintmp on Wednesday 19th June 23:39
I know this because a couple of months ago one of these pinch nuts came loose. Fortunatly I stopped the car and engine before any damage was done (I could hear the rocker knocking on the rocker cover!). When I took the rocker cover off, I was able to lift the rocker off the push-rod and turn it through 90 degrees, without loosening the pinch nut any further - it had almost come off but not quite. I was VERY lucky. I think that Adrian Venn had an engine in a few months before that had the same problem, but was not stopped in time - had to be rebuilt I believe.
>> Edited by sprintmp on Wednesday 19th June 23:39
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