can you fit a chimaera dash to a Griff?
Discussion
Just a thought, I wondered if this modification might be possible, but I do not know how similar the two are under the GRP in terms of dimensions.
They seem to share screens and layout as well as chassis and one would therefore assume cabin dimensions. Can any experts shed any light on this?
Also where is the battery on a chimaera?
cheers (skiving off work daydreaming of changes to the car...)
Dan
They seem to share screens and layout as well as chassis and one would therefore assume cabin dimensions. Can any experts shed any light on this?
Also where is the battery on a chimaera?
cheers (skiving off work daydreaming of changes to the car...)
Dan
You've got the old clocks then?
I was kindly nudged in the right direction by simpo one:
I asked:
'Can the older griff dash be replaced reasonably cheaply by the newer one - I just prefer the position and design of the newer dials (jigsaw?!)! The alloy dash wouldn't really suit.. though i might be contacting Leven for the other shiny stuff.'
Simpo one:
Having had both models (4.0 and 500)I'm sure the overall shape of the dash panel itself is the same.
However, changing all the dials will be expensive and you might run into connection problems (you may have the vision of simply unplugging the old speedo and plugging in the new one - but TVRs have a habit of throwing surprises at you). The new dash will also have holes for LEDs that you won't have.
The ally dash is an optional extra, not standard. However, presuming your car is a 4.x, do you really want to bastardise it? 4.x's are getting rare and in the long run you might do better to keep it original. If I was viewing a Griff with a completely new dashboard I'd want to know what went wrong with the old one... think of this - would you buy a Jaguar E-type which had had similar treatment?
...It was like a loving parent soothing a petulant infant (...sorry!)
I was kindly nudged in the right direction by simpo one:
I asked:
'Can the older griff dash be replaced reasonably cheaply by the newer one - I just prefer the position and design of the newer dials (jigsaw?!)! The alloy dash wouldn't really suit.. though i might be contacting Leven for the other shiny stuff.'
Simpo one:
Having had both models (4.0 and 500)I'm sure the overall shape of the dash panel itself is the same.
However, changing all the dials will be expensive and you might run into connection problems (you may have the vision of simply unplugging the old speedo and plugging in the new one - but TVRs have a habit of throwing surprises at you). The new dash will also have holes for LEDs that you won't have.
The ally dash is an optional extra, not standard. However, presuming your car is a 4.x, do you really want to bastardise it? 4.x's are getting rare and in the long run you might do better to keep it original. If I was viewing a Griff with a completely new dashboard I'd want to know what went wrong with the old one... think of this - would you buy a Jaguar E-type which had had similar treatment?
...It was like a loving parent soothing a petulant infant (...sorry!)
quote:
Don't know about the dashboard – I've got nightmares changing my earlier dash for a later one, never mind swapping dashes from a different car!
What's the point may I ask ...
Battery is in the passenger footwell, at the end.
Mike
Er well I wondered if it might be possible, I like the outside of the Griff and the inside of the Chimaera, the Chimaera interior lets you have a dark top to the dash and gives a little more legroom both of which are issues in a Griff. thought it might make an interesting mod that is really all.
I think it would be good though....especially like this
www.adrianblyth.co.uk/images/Mar1/PIC00004.JPG
I think...
www.adrianblyth.co.uk/images/Mar1/PIC00004.JPG
I think...
Now that's the upgraded dash I want (in the ali too).
But I've got the older dash, with the three black buttons for the lights. Nearly bought an ali dash in the parts section, but just need to do a bit of research into how it's all gonna work (if it can)... as some of the controls/switches change position.
But I've got the older dash, with the three black buttons for the lights. Nearly bought an ali dash in the parts section, but just need to do a bit of research into how it's all gonna work (if it can)... as some of the controls/switches change position.
quote:
I think it would be good though....especially like this
www.adrianblyth.co.uk/images/Mar1/PIC00004.JPG
I think...
My Chim 450 (Silver Stardust) has almost exaclyt this interior. And it does look the muts'
. Apart from the glorious noise of the V8 it's the biggest WOW factor for anybody who get's in
.Yes it is possible as in anyone with enough money can do anything possible. Cheapest way to do this is buyt one of the last Griff 500 which have the Chim dash.
Getting the dash to fit is the least of the problems as they have different wiring looms with different switches and connectors etc etc etc etc. Nothing that can't be sorted but a lot of work for very very little. This is not a plug in replacement.
It doesn't make the car go faster so it is an immediate no-no in my book.
Steve
Getting the dash to fit is the least of the problems as they have different wiring looms with different switches and connectors etc etc etc etc. Nothing that can't be sorted but a lot of work for very very little. This is not a plug in replacement.
It doesn't make the car go faster so it is an immediate no-no in my book.
Steve
quote:
Yes it is possible as in anyone with enough money can do anything possible. Cheapest way to do this is buyt one of the last Griff 500 which have the Chim dash.
Getting the dash to fit is the least of the problems as they have different wiring looms with different switches and connectors etc etc etc etc. Nothing that can't be sorted but a lot of work for very very little. This is not a plug in replacement.
It doesn't make the car go faster so it is an immediate no-no in my book.
Steve
Cheers Steve.....I was thinking more about the similarities between the Griff and Chimaera. I was trying to work out if a Chimaera interior would fit into a griff, because they are essentially the same car except for the GRP and the configuration of the loom.
The controls still operate a common set of functions (for the most part) and given that it is reasonably easy to pick up a Chimaera interior from a specialist scrappies I thought it might make an interesting project to swap the interior for that in my griff which is a dodgy colour called Parchment and has seen better days. If I can successfully manage this I will also be able to go faster as I will be able to see something other then reflected dash in my windscreen
The question perhaps should have been can I get a whole Chimaera interior into a griff....
Dan
quote:
The question perhaps should have been can I get a whole Chimaera interior into a griff....
Yes. In theory but really you should be asking is how much work is involved to get a whole Chim interior into a Griff? The answer is quite a bit.
Will it fit correctly? Not without some changes I suspect. Different moulding internally for the tunnel and all the other important bits. May need some adjustment shall we say.
Will all the control bits fit? No but like anything else it could be changed.
Personally it would be a lot cheaper and easier to get the current one redone.
Steve
Steve
Obvoiusly it would be cheaper and easier, but less interesting. I reckon that there is not too much difference in the transmission and virtually none in the dash attachments having owned and poked about in both, there might be some issues with the doors but the opening mechanism is the same in both. This is most unscientific, but the result might just be rather nice...
Obvoiusly it would be cheaper and easier, but less interesting. I reckon that there is not too much difference in the transmission and virtually none in the dash attachments having owned and poked about in both, there might be some issues with the doors but the opening mechanism is the same in both. This is most unscientific, but the result might just be rather nice...
Yeah... but
The wiring loom is all wrong and would need re doing. The Chimaera has different control functions for the heatings and so on and doesn't have the Griff electronic geewhiz panel. The Chimera relays are seperated into some into some behind the dash which in the griff are in a different position. The Chimaera may have the full electronic locking system (button under the mirror) while the Griff doesn't. The Griff doesn't have the door lock on the tunnel and so on and so on.
Now if you want to go ahead with this cos it is interesting then fine but please do not under estimate anything with these cars. Do not assume that because they have the same dimensions that they have interchangeable parts and so on.
The two biggest concerns I would have is that the Chim interior would need modifying which means stripping off the covering, cutting the GRP and reupholstering. Not easy to get right. The second problem is splicing the Chimaera interior loom into the Griff engine bay and rear lights. Almost an unknown as there are virtually no circuit diagrams available. Even if there were, no guarentee that is how the donor and your car were done. This means working out what each wire does and then reproducing this function. This is particularlu difficult with the electronic function boxes that TVR frequently use.
Steve
Doesn't mean it can't be done but it is like stepping into the big unknown. I would do a lot of measuring and thinking about this as I don't think it would be a simple weekend job.
The wiring loom is all wrong and would need re doing. The Chimaera has different control functions for the heatings and so on and doesn't have the Griff electronic geewhiz panel. The Chimera relays are seperated into some into some behind the dash which in the griff are in a different position. The Chimaera may have the full electronic locking system (button under the mirror) while the Griff doesn't. The Griff doesn't have the door lock on the tunnel and so on and so on.
Now if you want to go ahead with this cos it is interesting then fine but please do not under estimate anything with these cars. Do not assume that because they have the same dimensions that they have interchangeable parts and so on.
The two biggest concerns I would have is that the Chim interior would need modifying which means stripping off the covering, cutting the GRP and reupholstering. Not easy to get right. The second problem is splicing the Chimaera interior loom into the Griff engine bay and rear lights. Almost an unknown as there are virtually no circuit diagrams available. Even if there were, no guarentee that is how the donor and your car were done. This means working out what each wire does and then reproducing this function. This is particularlu difficult with the electronic function boxes that TVR frequently use.
Steve
Doesn't mean it can't be done but it is like stepping into the big unknown. I would do a lot of measuring and thinking about this as I don't think it would be a simple weekend job.
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