Griffith 5.0 Power Output / Torque question.

[Scoobysnack]

I've been doing some reading up before making the decision to go back to TVR's, this time a Griffith 5.0.

One question that I have is...

The power output of the car has been said to be 320BHP in some adverts and at other times 340BHP. Please could someone tell me the power and torque of this model?

Many thanks

J

[smifffy]

penscanofworms:

[mel]

started at 325, then up to 340, then back to 320...

Well according to the factory that is, if its not embarrassing I'll post copies of my dyno charts later today when I get them.

[Scoobysnack]

So I take it this may be a sensitive issue to some people


J

[GarryM]

Earlier cars were 340bhp, later cars 320bhp. The later ones were tuned to give a smoother ride at low speeds/revs. I think the torque dropped from 350 to 320lbs/ft (not sure). General concensus seems to be that you can't tell the difference in terms of acceleration or top speed.

[Scoobysnack]

Is there a year that the 340's were made in? I know that each car is indivdual, but 20BHP is a bit of a difference

J

[cutmonster]

20bhp a bit of a difference between 320 and 340?!!! Seems like the difference between "Wow, that's fast" and "Wow, that's a (little bit more) fast"!!!!!

[griff2be]

I think the 'sensitivity' is that TVR's V8 horses (as in bhp horses) are generally believed to be slightly smaller that other manufacturers' horses.

Hence TVR's 320bhp is worth around 280 ish of your BMW bhp, to choose one at random.

The Speed Six horses however, are more of your regular horse size. Just a little temperamental, like any thoroughbred!

[Scoobysnack]

quote:
20bhp a bit of a difference between 320 and 340?!!! Seems like the difference between "Wow, that's fast" and "Wow, that's a (little bit more) fast"!!!!!

Perhaps I should have not used the bhp as the example, but the 30lb/ft of Torque. The difference between pushing you into the seat and pushing you slighty harder into your seat..

I also just been told that the reason that TVR's do not show this power is that the engines are tested on a bench dyno not in the car, there are some loss's

J

>> Edited by Scoobysnack on Wednesday 4th September 15:42

[CleG]

Most 500's usualy give about 270+ bhp no way near the 300+ clamimed.

Joolz gave me this info from all the ones he has seen, worked on when up at HHC and other rolling road info.

>> Edited by CleG on Wednesday 4th September 16:09

[davidd]

quote:
Most 500's usualy give about 270+ bhp no way near the 300+ clamimed.

Joolz gave me this info from all the ones he has seen, worked on when up at HHC and other rolling road info.

>> Edited by CleG on Wednesday 4th September 16:09

I hear it is less than that, from what I remember it went from 340bhp (quoted) down to 320 sometime around 1998. I bet no-one would be able to tell the difference.

Remember these engives are pretty much hand built and so can vary wildly.

D.

[jacksdad]

Whatever.....you'll still lose your licence if you try to use all of it

[joospeed]

quote:

quote:


I also just been told that the reason that TVR's do not show this power is that the engines are tested on a bench dyno not in the car, there are some loss's

J

>> Edited by Scoobysnack on Wednesday 4th September 15:42

the reason the power doesn't show on the rolling road is cos it wasn't there in the first place. tvr hide behind that bench dyno thing all the time.. the bhp figures are purely marketing led so a factory insider (who knows what he's talking about) says.

[pete]

People can moan all they like about the cars not meeting TVR's claimed power levels, but the simple fact is that whatever the engines put out on a dyno, the performance figures appear to be accurate. i.e. 60 in a shade over 4 seconds.

My Griff 500 was tested recently on a private dual carriageway against a new BMW M5. Flooring it after I short-shifted into 3rd, it kept side by side against the beemer up to the limiter in 4th. Sounds about right, given that the BMW has a genuine 400bhp but weighs a fair bit more.

Ho hum,
Pete

[mel]

1994 Griff 500 dynoed this afternoon 274bhp actual and apparently thats about "normal"

[powelly]

Always wondered.. when mfrs make these claims, is it at the wheels of flywheel, is it on a test bed or measured across an avg of 10 cars they put on the rolling road...

Anyone got a Mark Adams chipped 5.0 and had it on the rolling road, if so what results..

questions questions...

[kevinday]

Steve Heath has a 'sorted' 500 and I believe his makes a shade over 300 genuine full-sized horses (but that is his Griff, not his 520 wedge). Figures I have seen and heard vary from 265-280 for a standard 500, around 200-210 for 4.0 and about 235-240 for a 4.3. But as has been pointed out, who cares how many, its the actual performance that counts and that appears to be correctly claimed.

[Mark Adams]

Did you know that in a given size paddock, you can fit in a lot more Shetland Ponys than you can Shire Horses?

Still, they're all horses....

With these motors it is the torque that does the damage to the opposition anyway.

[griff2be]

I've been surprised at the backlash against Horse & Hound on this forum - odd as we each keep (or aspire to keep) about three hundred of the blighters in the garage......

[anonymous-user]

Doesn't really matter too much where you start from, take it to somewhere like RollCentre, put it on a rolling road and tune it till you're happy or your money runs out!!!