Chimaera 4.0 v 5.0

[Corin Denton]

I have a 96 Chimaera 400 a great car 37k , full history fab colour combo (Cureton green with biscuit doeskin) but given the immenent demise of the Chimaera is it worth upgrading to a 5 litre now to grab a good one as I can't see me changing models in the near future , what are they like in comparison ? Are they that much quicker/better or are they a handful in other words would I be able to drive my 4 litre quicker when it matters without my car going "George Michael style" (total arse out action!!!!) Would I be better to get something like a Mark Adams chip and have the car tailored to me ?
Comments please......

[loon]

I"ve had a 4 and a 5 litre chim, and I would suggest you try a 5 litre and see what you think!. Is it that you want more power? because the 5 litre certainly delivers in that department over the 4 litre. I chipped my 4 litre to gain a bit more power and in the end I was advised to buy a 5 litre which I done and wow, what a difference. I have since bought a 4.5 Cerbera but would still recommend that you go for the 500. Happy Hunting !!!
Regs
Tony..

[Corin Denton]

What sort of chip did you go for ? how much was it ? was it worth it ?

[RobM]

Difference power wise is very noticeable. Especialy midrange. If you need advice on modding then maybe graham can help as he cant fit anything else on his I think Got that supercharger yet then graham ?


less than 2 months :/

[barter]

I had a 4.0 HC Chimaera for 2 years before trading in for a 5.0L. The difference was amazing. The 5.0L is much smoother and power all the way through the range.
I wish I had gone for the 5 from the start.

The brakes are bigger I believe. I don't get so much brake fade going down the Mulsanne as I did with the 4.0HC. If you're too late for a new one I might be selling mine after LeMans this year. I've never kept a car this long before (almost 4 years). Sorry about the advert but it does indicate that the Chimaera 5.0L is a well sorted car a step above the 4.0.

[pbrettle]

Never driven a 5.0 but currently own a 4.0HC. Didnt think that the performance could be too much different, but how wrong could I be!!! Joining the A14 near Huntingdon last night and was being followed by Marshy...

I hoof it and get the power down first as he is behind. Join the A14 and cane it in all gears. Marshy just catches up!!! Doesnt sound dramatic, but when you consider the distance, acceleration and the fact that he had to put the power down later than me - quite impressive indead! Backed off at 90 as there are speed cameras, but a good clear indication that the 5.0 is truely faster than the others.

Oh, and Marshy - chating with Andy on the way home - the sports exhaust is a definate winner!

Cheers,

Paul

[Marshy]

To be honest I wasn't expecting such a difference in "visible" performance, although I think I may have become rather too used to the way it goes.

Successful wind test for the antenna mount though :-)

[barter]

I was at Goodwood for a track day a few years ago when I had my 4.0HC. Standing at the pits the cars were coming through the chicane and accelerating hard. All the 5.0L were changing up 50-100m before the 4.0L. My 4.0HC when on the track was also changing up later. I believe, at the time, all had the same gearboxes and ratios?

Experience when in convoy going through France has shown that the difference is very noticable. I wish I had my accelerometer back then to measure it.

[Jason F]

On the way home from a club meet a few months ago I had a 5.0 following me (4.0) and as I exited the roundabout (50ft in front of him) I gave it full throttle, only to see him quite happy on my bumper. As I hit the limit I pulled over and he just screamed past me. Helluva a speed difference. Spoke to him later and he said he wasn't really really caning it...

[apache]

marshy, just got back home again after 2 weeks of pistonheads denial...aparently compuserve don't cover Finland.....have you done your exhaust yet? and whats this about an arial?

[Marshy]

Exhaust - yes. Went for the halfway house conversion in deference to my neighbours: baffles out, but no pipes welded to make it straight through.

The antenna is a business project... see the thread in "General TVR" entitled "Marshy goes too far...". It may have fallen off onto the second page now.

[pbrettle]

Apache (pete),

Can concur with Marshy on the exhaust. Much more of a burble and a deaper underlying tone. Very nice indead. Is it louder? Not sure, but certainly a meaner noise....

Mines got to go to for a service shortly - maybe a sports exhaust at Offord then.... Not sure what a 4.0 would sound like - 5.0 are nice...

Cheers,

Paul

[Corin Denton]

I had my exhaust converted on my 4.0 litre by Peninsula last month , split the large box and welded in two straight through pipes , sounds fantastic , slightly deeper , a little louder , 103.4db at 3000RPM and a lovely burble on deceleration. All for £120 + VAT.