Major M Body Mods

[Slow M]

I've been planning this look for quite a long time



but last night I saw THIS.



Although I've seen other pictures of the SE body, all of the other cars have trouble filling the wheel wells. This one looks lower and, IMHO, BETTER than any other M I've seen! The wheel arch extensions look easy but can I buy them?
How much?
Where?
Do any of you have any good pictures of front bumper delete body modifications that look well thought through and finished?

[intermediate]

more pictures on www.bravo-racing.be of a red 3000M SE.

[stainless_steve]

Thats the sort of arch i'm looking at,could do with some a little wider though

Adrians got some wide arches,not sure what though

[Slow M]

intermediate said:

more pictures on www.bravo-racing.be of a red 3000M SE.

Thanks Jos, I stole 'em all.
B.

[Slow M]

stainless_steve said:

Thats the sort of arch i'm looking at,could do with some a little wider though
Adrians got some wide arches,not sure what though

Steve, like this ?

[stainless_steve]

Slow M said:

stainless_steve said:

Thats the sort of arch i'm looking at,could do with some a little wider though
Adrians got some wide arches,not sure what though

Steve, like this ?

erm ... not quite








rear wings a bit too small

[intermediate]

Bernard
if you need more give me a mail.

[KANEIT]

Hmmmm! Now looking at those piccys has got me thinking what an M would look like de-bumpered and with 90s Griffith/Datsun 260Z style faired in lights??? Maybe I'm wrong in the head!

[Slow M]

KANEIT said:

Hmmmm! Now looking at those piccys has got me thinking what an M would look like de-bumpered and with 90s Griffith/Datsun 260Z style faired in lights??? Maybe I'm wrong in the head!

uh, I think you're running a slight temperature.
Hmm, headlights look too small.

edit:headlights larger

Edited by Slow M on Monday 27th October 05:34

[KANEIT]

That looks really smashing! I think it would need to retain some of the squarer edges of the M though.

[TVR_owner]

Tell me this thread is a wind up..

I don't mind the SE arch mods, but the rest....

Why buy a classic car and then turn it into a dogs breakfast - why not just buy a horrible looking kit car in the first place?

[Slow M]

TVR_owner said:

Tell me this thread is a wind up..

I don't mind the SE arch mods, but the rest....

Why buy a classic car and then turn it into a dogs breakfast - why not just buy a horrible looking kit car in the first place?

OK, I'll tell you.
This thread has now been WHINED up.
Glad you "don't mind" the SE arches; they were, after all, period correct.

I have an idea, let's start yet another argument between those who feel you shouldn't change a classic and those who think it's good to improve classics. That'll be exciting.

Also, as long as one doesn't plan to put the front of the car out to the trash on garbage day there's nothing that would be irreversible in building a new one for one's personal transport.

The reason for the train of thought IF you must know (or if you even care beyond your own existance), is that I am building a car that should be good for (I'm hoping) almost 200 MPH. You may or may not understand that there are some inherent problems with the M aerodynamics for anyone wanting to do this somewhat safely, particularly in the area of rear lift but also in the way of drag (no, it's not a pun so don't touch it).

I'm hoping to find people here who can provide me with a few good high resolution images of SE M series cars in addition to the few that I've been able to grab from the internet so that I can do a decent job implement this modification on my own car. In addition, if anybody has good pictures of M series front ends that have been smoothed after bumper removal, would you please post them or PM me?

Thanks,
Bernard

[TVR_owner]

Slow M said:

TVR_owner said:

Tell me this thread is a wind up..

I don't mind the SE arch mods, but the rest....

Why buy a classic car and then turn it into a dogs breakfast - why not just buy a horrible looking kit car in the first place?

OK, I'll tell you.
This thread has now been WHINED up.
Glad you "don't mind" the SE arches; they were, after all, period correct.

I have an idea, let's start yet another argument between those who feel you shouldn't change a classic and those who think it's good to improve classics. That'll be exciting.

Also, as long as one doesn't plan to put the front of the car out to the trash on garbage day there's nothing that would be irreversible in building a new one for one's personal transport.

The reason for the train of thought IF you must know (or if you even care beyond your own existance), is that I am building a car that should be good for (I'm hoping) almost 200 MPH. You may or may not understand that there are some inherent problems with the M aerodynamics for anyone wanting to do this somewhat safely, particularly in the area of rear lift but also in the way of drag (no, it's not a pun so don't touch it).

I'm hoping to find people here who can provide me with a few good high resolution images of SE M series cars in addition to the few that I've been able to grab from the internet so that I can do a decent job implement this modification on my own car. In addition, if anybody has good pictures of M series front ends that have been smoothed after bumper removal, would you please post them or PM me?

Thanks,
Bernard

The SE arches were sort of period, but don't look right on an early M - my opinion - I'm still permitted one am I?

You do what you want with your car its your car and your money - I think its sad (its one of those opinions again).

Thanks for your considered response - and please let me know if you need any advice on M series cars (or hi res photos of anything) in the future and I'll let you know where to shove it.

[DavidY]

Bernard

Although I'm in the TVR_owner camp with reagrd to body mods, if you are serious about those sort of speeds I would strongly suggest that you contact (somehow) Bert Zimmerman in Germany. I know many (older) UK club members will have some contact details for him. He (more tastefully than some) modified his M (last time I saw him he was running a 420bhp Cosworth Turbo) but had made a number of body modifications to reduce high speed lift (including a venturi). He found that at 165mph+ he has getting significant lift issues and so designed aero aids to cope with it. Bert works in industries related to the automotive industry so IMO his modifications are worth considering.

Personally I'm not srprised that he was geeting lift as IMO an M starts to go light at about 120mph and by this time if you've kept the windows and sunroof shut the windsreen is also trying to leave of it's own accord!

davidy

[TaimarSE]

Personally I'm not srprised that he was geeting lift as IMO an M starts to go light at about 120mph and by this time if you've kept the windows and sunroof shut the windsreen is also trying to leave of it's own accord!

davidy
[/quote]

I have not noticed my M going 'light' at 120mph and have had her up to 128mph SATnav speed although I do go light-headed with the noise and fumes

Garry

[stainless_steve]

TVR_owner said:

Tell me this thread is a wind up..

I don't mind the SE arch mods, but the rest....

Why buy a classic car and then turn it into a dogs breakfast - why not just buy a horrible looking kit car in the first place?

John,is the green M above fitted with the SE arch mods front and rear ?

[DavidY]

Stainless_Steve

It certainly looks like it is, sails up the front and a more squared off arch at the rear.

I bought a set of SE arches once (s/h) but having held them up to the car, I thought that this isn't for me. If you need to make the rear wider then you can cut the existing arch off and put in a small extension piece and then bond back on the arch. This will keep the original profile.

I however ran 15"x9J Rims with 255/50 tyres with no external arch modifications, I did remove some of the lip back under the arch though.

Sorry about the crap photos but I don't have many of the car in this configuration! (Fronts were 15x7Js with 205/55's on them, with a 19mm spacer) All wheels were 5 spoke Revolutions.

[stainless_steve]

Thanks DavidY

[DavidY]

Sorry memory playing tricks, rears were 225/50 and fronts 205/55. This gives approx the same rolling circumference on 15" wheels. Hence why the 225 look a little angled on the 9in rims, they were the narrowest tyre I could fit within the manfacturers specifications!

davidy

[Slow M]

DavidY said:

Bernard

Although I'm in the TVR_owner camp with reagrd to body mods, if you are serious about those sort of speeds I would strongly suggest that you contact (somehow) Bert Zimmerman in Germany. I know many (older) UK club members will have some contact details for him. He (more tastefully than some) modified his M (last time I saw him he was running a 420bhp Cosworth Turbo) but had made a number of body modifications to reduce high speed lift (including a venturi). He found that at 165mph+ he has getting significant lift issues and so designed aero aids to cope with it. Bert works in industries related to the automotive industry so IMO his modifications are worth considering.

Personally I'm not srprised that he was geeting lift as IMO an M starts to go light at about 120mph and by this time if you've kept the windows and sunroof shut the windsreen is also trying to leave of it's own accord!

davidy

Davidy, thanks!

I'll try to dig Bert Zimmerman out of therse forums or look for him on the German one.

I also did not notice lift up to 125 but I was very worried about the price of the back glass as the rear started whistling quite badly.

I've downloaded pictures of your Taimar before, liked the look of the Revolutions.

Bernard.

Edited by Slow M on Monday 27th October 19:15