Discussion
I have no idea but I do think these are some of the nicest TVR ever made.
Just a few teaks to the body shape from the early Wedges yet transform it into a proper looking muscle car.
I never liked the Wedge shape for some reason until I set my eyes on one of these and with its powerful engine and sound I feel set the tone for what Tvr could achieve and became.
Sort of an important turning point and a piece of very desirable Tvr history.
Don’t worry about the history just buy it
Just a few teaks to the body shape from the early Wedges yet transform it into a proper looking muscle car.
I never liked the Wedge shape for some reason until I set my eyes on one of these and with its powerful engine and sound I feel set the tone for what Tvr could achieve and became.
Sort of an important turning point and a piece of very desirable Tvr history.
Don’t worry about the history just buy it
Edited by BritishTvr450 on Wednesday 24th July 23:59
It’s for sale if that helps https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17037035
I have noticed that on the plenum it says 3.9. Either the plenums been changed at some time or it’s not a 4.5. I’ve owned a 450SE and it should say 450. Of course the only way to be sure is to check the engine number. Some 400SE’s do have 3.9 on the plenum but not the 450’s as far as I know. Visually the 400 and the 450 cars are identical.
ElvisWedgeman said:
I have noticed that on the plenum it says 3.9. Either the plenums been changed at some time or it’s not a 4.5. I’ve owned a 450SE and it should say 450. Of course the only way to be sure is to check the engine number. Some 400SE’s do have 3.9 on the plenum but not the 450’s as far as I know. Visually the 400 and the 450 cars are identical.
Hi Tony hope all is well. My 450 SEAC has its original NCK engine and has a completely plain plenum on it, with no markings. The inlet bore on the plenum is however considerably larger than your standard Rover plenum. As always with TVR, I think they fitted whatever was next on the shelf.....The DVLA tax website shows the cubic capacity as 4441, which seems to confirm it's a 450. Currently SORNed, so you won't be able to take it on the road for a test drive.
The MoT history doesn't show too many problems, but it has recorded only about 40 miles per year for the last 3 years. I would be asking why?
NB - the recorded mileage of 73,399 for October 2011 seems to be a mis-reading of 23,399. Otherwise it would suddenly have gone from a couple of hundred per year to 50,000.
The MoT history doesn't show too many problems, but it has recorded only about 40 miles per year for the last 3 years. I would be asking why?
NB - the recorded mileage of 73,399 for October 2011 seems to be a mis-reading of 23,399. Otherwise it would suddenly have gone from a couple of hundred per year to 50,000.
frontfloater said:
The MoT history doesn't show too many problems, but it has recorded only about 40 miles per year for the last 3 years. I would be asking why?
Why not? My car has hardly turned a wheel some years apart from the trip to the MOT. It hasn't been out this year yet. There's nothing wrong with it, I just don't run my life around my (toy) car.126K is comparable with my '87 car so it has been used over the years (mine did a lot in the 90s as a company car up and down the motorways of Scotland so was relatively high mileage when I bought it in 2000, lots of the others have caught up).
Edited by Wedg1e on Friday 26th July 16:23
I have only seen a few 450SE, a couple in the flesh and all of them were proper mint, some running issues like most but all well loved..it always worries me when I see an untidy oily engine with old well out of date parts on it still..all those oily fingers are oily for a reason!..my ole 350i was very tidy, good engine good powertrain, shyte paint but I spent 10k on it over 10 years, sold for 5k...personally I would be embarrassed to ask 12k for such a dog....sorry...
Minters
Minters
I agree with Wedg1e.
My 350i has covered maybe 20 miles in the last year and a half, none last year due to a personal accident (not car).
This year has been a washout so has not been used, it is MOT'd, but not taxed.
Not all cars will be used like a daily would and rack up miles In fact, I am trying to keep mine fairly low. Mine is an evening summer (I do say that tongue in cheek) evening outing car now.
My 350i has covered maybe 20 miles in the last year and a half, none last year due to a personal accident (not car).
This year has been a washout so has not been used, it is MOT'd, but not taxed.
Not all cars will be used like a daily would and rack up miles In fact, I am trying to keep mine fairly low. Mine is an evening summer (I do say that tongue in cheek) evening outing car now.
Wedg1e said:
Why not? My car has hardly turned a wheel some years apart from the trip to the MOT. It hasn't been out this year yet. There's nothing wrong with it, I just don't run my life around my (toy) car.
126K is comparable with my '87 car so it has been used over the years (mine did a lot in the 90s as a company car up and down the motorways of Scotland so was relatively high mileage when I bought it in 2000, lots of the others have caught up).
Your 390SE is a well fettled machine though, you have done loads to it, this one just looks like it has been messed with and not looked after...as said it has a 3.9 plenum?...and wtf is that next to the fuel rail?...sure it's not a 4.0L mudplugger..126K is comparable with my '87 car so it has been used over the years (mine did a lot in the 90s as a company car up and down the motorways of Scotland so was relatively high mileage when I bought it in 2000, lots of the others have caught up).
mrzigazaga said:
Your 390SE is a well fettled machine though, you have done loads to it, this one just looks like it has been messed with and not looked after...as said it has a 3.9 plenum?...and wtf is that next to the fuel rail?...sure it's not a 4.0L mudplugger..
I don't know about 'done loads', loads of maintenance that you'd expect on a car three decades or more old, perhaps. Cosmetically... well, it won 'best rat' at an early Wedgefest and I haven't done anything to the cosmetics since I'm not that clued up on the later V8 differences but that one seems to have the 'high' water pump (and a new one at that), don't know which block version the 450SE was based on, was it the Rangey 4.2L? The hotwire AFM and alternator both look recent as well (fair wear and tear, high miles, not unexpected?).
The plenum looks to have the port at rear for the over-run valve blanked; I thought the hotwires had a stepper motor there for the idle but as I say, I'm not up on the later injections.
Some odd pipework on top of the nearside footwell, is that for aircon?
Lots of stonechips around the nose, leather could do with some treatment, some flaking veneers on the door, again all typical for the age. No chassis shots doesn't help (though not easy to do on your driveway).
As to the price: we'd all like top dollar and don't want to give anything away. Would I like £10,000 for my 390SE? Of course. But after almost 30 years of owning TVR wedges and repeatedly hearing 'prices are set to take off', flight to Mars will be taking off sooner.
By way of comparison, my mate imports DeLoreans and they change hands for £50,000 plus. Are they £40,000 'better' than a TVR wedge? Certainly not rarer: there were over 9000 of them built, versus 2500 or so TVRs.
Value is in the eye of the purchaser. If someone is gagging for a 450SE and that's the only one going, then it's their call.
Wedg1e said:
I don't know about 'done loads', loads of maintenance that you'd expect on a car three decades or more old, perhaps. Cosmetically... well, it won 'best rat' at an early Wedgefest and I haven't done anything to the cosmetics since
Was that the one when you arrived sideways in the car park at Ettington..
Wedg1e said:
I'm not that clued up on the later V8 differences but that one seems to have the 'high' water pump (and a new one at that), don't know which block version the 450SE was based on, was it the Rangey 4.2L? The hotwire AFM and alternator both look recent as well (fair wear and tear, high miles, not unexpected?).
The plenum looks to have the port at rear for the over-run valve blanked; I thought the hotwires had a stepper motor there for the idle but as I say, I'm not up on the later injections.
Some odd pipework on top of the nearside footwell, is that for aircon?
Lots of stonechips around the nose, leather could do with some treatment, some flaking veneers on the door, again all typical for the age. No chassis shots doesn't help (though not easy to do on your driveway).
As to the price: we'd all like top dollar and don't want to give anything away. Would I like £10,000 for my 390SE? Of course. But after almost 30 years of owning TVR wedges and repeatedly hearing 'prices are set to take off', flight to Mars will be taking off sooner.
By way of comparison, my mate imports DeLoreans and they change hands for £50,000 plus. Are they £40,000 'better' than a TVR wedge? Certainly not rarer: there were over 9000 of them built, versus 2500 or so TVRs.
Value is in the eye of the purchaser. If someone is gagging for a 450SE and that's the only one going, then it's their call.
The Delorean original ashtrays in the Wedge are probably worth more than the Wedge...You are right in what you say Ian, it was my personal opinion though and do not wish to offend...but always manage to...The plenum looks to have the port at rear for the over-run valve blanked; I thought the hotwires had a stepper motor there for the idle but as I say, I'm not up on the later injections.
Some odd pipework on top of the nearside footwell, is that for aircon?
Lots of stonechips around the nose, leather could do with some treatment, some flaking veneers on the door, again all typical for the age. No chassis shots doesn't help (though not easy to do on your driveway).
As to the price: we'd all like top dollar and don't want to give anything away. Would I like £10,000 for my 390SE? Of course. But after almost 30 years of owning TVR wedges and repeatedly hearing 'prices are set to take off', flight to Mars will be taking off sooner.
By way of comparison, my mate imports DeLoreans and they change hands for £50,000 plus. Are they £40,000 'better' than a TVR wedge? Certainly not rarer: there were over 9000 of them built, versus 2500 or so TVRs.
Value is in the eye of the purchaser. If someone is gagging for a 450SE and that's the only one going, then it's their call.
Thanks for all the input, Guys!
I've made an offer, and just waiting for it to NOT sell(I hope??)
I've not looked at it yet, as it's a fair distance, but I'm not expecting a minter, for that price...
I've owned an S2, a 390SE, and recently a Griff, rebuilding the Griff from the ground up, so any pointers to look for, specific to the later wedge would be much appreciated!!
Manic
I've made an offer, and just waiting for it to NOT sell(I hope??)
I've not looked at it yet, as it's a fair distance, but I'm not expecting a minter, for that price...
I've owned an S2, a 390SE, and recently a Griff, rebuilding the Griff from the ground up, so any pointers to look for, specific to the later wedge would be much appreciated!!
Manic
Pretty much anything you encountered on the Griff will be just as bad on the wedge: chassis tubes, suspension bushes, brake lines, exhaust (unless stainless), calipers, door hinges, gas struts, wheel bearings, oil leaks, water leaks, PAS leaks, fuelling, braking, steering UJs, headlamp pod motors, dash switches, heater fan, gearbox remote bushes, driveshaft UJs (not so much the propshaft ones though), handbrake calipers.
And then you can start on the cosmetics
And then you can start on the cosmetics
Wedg1e said:
Pretty much anything you encountered on the Griff will be just as bad on the wedge: chassis tubes, suspension bushes, brake lines, exhaust (unless stainless), calipers, door hinges, gas struts, wheel bearings, oil leaks, water leaks, PAS leaks, fuelling, braking, steering UJs, headlamp pod motors, dash switches, heater fan, gearbox remote bushes, driveshaft UJs (not so much the propshaft ones though), handbrake calipers.
And then you can start on the cosmetics
Yep! It's a 33 year old TVR...What could possibly go wrong?? And then you can start on the cosmetics
Thanks for the advice, and indeed ALL of the 'input' from the other guys!
Manic
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