My New Toy (Pics).............Love it or Hate it
07-09-2008, 03:35 PM
#42
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Well.............As it totally p-ssed down all day, I spent most of it under the car instead of driving it.
Already starting to do some of the bits that TVR should have done........LOL, removing all of the shonky fuel lines, and replacing them with Goodrich Braided Hosing, and some decent aeroquip connections. Having them made up properly and shielded in the areas where there's likely to be heat build up. Also trying to find some more road friendly pads for the AP Brakes, as the ones on there seem to take alot of warming up before the start to work properly. The brake pedal is just rock hard ! ! ! ! and it's not just mine, they're all like it.
Then it'll be on to properly protecting all of the electrical connections that are prone to failure as they were never shielded properly from water ingress. The work has started........................................... ...........The Chassis is a work of art though, very impressed.
Already starting to do some of the bits that TVR should have done........LOL, removing all of the shonky fuel lines, and replacing them with Goodrich Braided Hosing, and some decent aeroquip connections. Having them made up properly and shielded in the areas where there's likely to be heat build up. Also trying to find some more road friendly pads for the AP Brakes, as the ones on there seem to take alot of warming up before the start to work properly. The brake pedal is just rock hard ! ! ! ! and it's not just mine, they're all like it.
Then it'll be on to properly protecting all of the electrical connections that are prone to failure as they were never shielded properly from water ingress. The work has started........................................... ...........The Chassis is a work of art though, very impressed.
07-09-2008, 03:37 PM
#43
Jim. RS29 pagids are reasonable pads. I used them on the M3 but it is servo assisted (maybe your car isn't?) The brake dust "looks" minging, getting the wheels dirty really quickly, however it washes off VERY easily compared with ds3000 pads, which just eat your wheels alive. I love the new motor and bet you are going to complete the job to a perfect standard.
Cheers
RW
Cheers
RW
07-09-2008, 04:21 PM
#45
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Had it three days now and it hasn't blown up.........................LOL. Has been sat in the garage for all three of them though.
They're not perfect cars, but they have all the right parts........just the build quality leaves abit to be desired here and there, but there's nothing that can't be improved on, or perfected....................... and most of what needs to be improved is mainly down to "time" and logical thinking, not huge wads of money. They already have all the right ingredients .. Power to Weight Ratio (380 bhp in a 1100kg car), Great Chassis, AP Brakes, Hydratrack Diff, Dry Sumped.....etc, so it's basically abit of tidying up after the TVR workers had a laugh as the cars left the factory.
Will post decent pics as the projects goes.
They're not perfect cars, but they have all the right parts........just the build quality leaves abit to be desired here and there, but there's nothing that can't be improved on, or perfected....................... and most of what needs to be improved is mainly down to "time" and logical thinking, not huge wads of money. They already have all the right ingredients .. Power to Weight Ratio (380 bhp in a 1100kg car), Great Chassis, AP Brakes, Hydratrack Diff, Dry Sumped.....etc, so it's basically abit of tidying up after the TVR workers had a laugh as the cars left the factory.
Will post decent pics as the projects goes.
Last edited by Jim Green; 07-09-2008 at 10:46 PM.
07-09-2008, 08:56 PM
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07-09-2008, 08:56 PM
#52
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, now I didnt look at the pictures ... Doh !
07-09-2008, 09:13 PM
#55
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Quite Ironic that in the Owners Manual they suggest a set of spares that you should carry.........and the "Throttle Cable" is one of the first items they list. LOL. Might of been easier if they'd just said "Ensure you join a good recovery service"............. But you only have to drive one of these things for a short time, and all the horror stories fade into the background. It's a racing car on the road, and the term "Monster of a Car" fits it perfectly. Not blowing my trumpet, but anybody who thinks they can drive one of these and just boot it whenever they want, would end up in a ditch or wall very soon. You certainly need to give the car alot of respect, and know what your doing.
So I'll be looking into the problem and seeing if there's something that can be done to improve it.
So I'll be looking into the problem and seeing if there's something that can be done to improve it.
Last edited by Jim Green; 07-09-2008 at 09:21 PM.
07-09-2008, 11:02 PM
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A great car you've just bought and one for the true petrolheads . Yes it will break down and fall too bits BUT it's a factory produced hot rod/Sunday afternoon blaster so it doesn't matter .TVR should be given respect for even making a car like that 
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08-09-2008, 09:08 AM
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Seen many Tuscans on trackdays???
Theres a reason
Cool cars as Toys and for straightline blasts or burbling along a country lane in, or posing in...
OR tinkering with!!
As you said I think Jims a perfect owner for one as he is going to make it better! AND enjoy tinkering and fixing!
All my mates that owned them are TOTALLY mechanically inept like me... and bought them when they were new and they were utterly disgusted with them!!! and so would I be with a near Ł50k car that was totally and ridiculously unreliable!
I was driving the TVR press car when they were first out... I pulled into a petrol station and looked like a movie star as a little crowd formed around the car... it was all cool until I had to climb out the passenger door as the drivers door wouldn't open!!!
The car broke down the next day with engine problems when someone else had it!
and that was a PRESS car... imagine how bad the public ones were!
Wicked cars for the money now though! and alot of the problems are known and can be sorted alot cheaper than they were originally.
The engine is both the best and easily the worst thing about them though! which is kinda weird!
Last edited by Porkie; 08-09-2008 at 09:10 AM.
08-09-2008, 04:02 PM
#65
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The reason for the engine problems are known, (Poor quality material used on the finger followers, cams, and valve guides). These can all be replaced during the first rebuild, and then the engine is good for 40k, which is about the same as a BIG BHP Cossie Lump, so no real difference there, and rebuild for rebuild, they both work out about the same cost. There are a couple of companies......TVR Power, Racing Green, who have redeveloped the top end of the engine, and changed the design slightly, fitting buckets to the valves, which causes less wear on the valves/valveguides/followers.........with this done you have no more reliability issues with the engines.
The electrics were very poorly done, but not hard to rectify. The loom is good, the connections and insulation are poor..............But again, nothing that can't be done correctly with abit of time and inginuety.
Handling..........LOL, well it's way better than most sports saloon cars, but admittedly isn't as good as the league of cars it's pitted against. But, it does have fully adjustable suspension, caster, camber, toe in, toe out......Everything + Coil over adjustable shocks, so it's not beyond reality to be able to adjust everything to better settings. Have to admit that suspension isn't my forte though, so will have to check who's the TVR Suspension Guru and see what they suggest.
Basically all the right bits are there................they just need putting together properly.
The electrics were very poorly done, but not hard to rectify. The loom is good, the connections and insulation are poor..............But again, nothing that can't be done correctly with abit of time and inginuety.
Handling..........LOL, well it's way better than most sports saloon cars, but admittedly isn't as good as the league of cars it's pitted against. But, it does have fully adjustable suspension, caster, camber, toe in, toe out......Everything + Coil over adjustable shocks, so it's not beyond reality to be able to adjust everything to better settings. Have to admit that suspension isn't my forte though, so will have to check who's the TVR Suspension Guru and see what they suggest.
Basically all the right bits are there................they just need putting together properly.
08-09-2008, 04:48 PM
#68
Testing the future
fantastic cars. i will have one some day, and i don't mind the little problems that can occur as like you i would pro-actively sort them out in advance and keep an eye on things
i believe a lot of problems occur as geeks buy them new that have no mechanical knowledge or sympathy so don't know how to take care of them.
having said all of that, i pulled in to south mimms services yesterday and saw a tuscan being looked at by the RAC
i believe a lot of problems occur as geeks buy them new that have no mechanical knowledge or sympathy so don't know how to take care of them.
having said all of that, i pulled in to south mimms services yesterday and saw a tuscan being looked at by the RAC
10-09-2008, 10:09 AM
#69
10-09-2008, 10:18 AM
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10-09-2008, 10:24 AM
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The reason for the engine problems are known, (Poor quality material used on the finger followers, cams, and valve guides). These can all be replaced during the first rebuild, and then the engine is good for 40k, which is about the same as a BIG BHP Cossie Lump, so no real difference there, .
Sorry... disagree with that mate.
A cossie can do LOADS LOADS more than 40k at 400bhp on the right Turbo!!!!
and whats it going to do really other than maybe smoke a little?
The Speed 6 engine will 99% of the time break. Its not just poor materials... its poor design of the valve train. Lubrication system is also completey wank according to those who understand these things...
The YB is not the most subtle or refined of lumps and it sounds pony... but its VERY strong, very reliable and VERY well proven!
the Speed 6 is the opposite!
Last edited by Porkie; 10-09-2008 at 10:30 AM.
10-09-2008, 10:40 AM
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shonky electrics and very poorly built and all the development was done in the normal TVR way.... by the customers
don't get me wrong... its a cool car.
but the terrible reliability was caused by TVR. NOT by 'geeky' customers with no mecahnical knowledge...
This wasn't a Ł10k kit car... it was a proper Ł40k+ junior supercar!
The TVR Griffith and Chimera were niggly and unreliable as well... but they were cheap enough and mechanically solid enough in the engine department and therefore they were huge a huge sales success and made TVR and its customers very happy!
The Tuscan was a fooking disaster and was the beginning of the end for the company! expensive for TVR and a nightmare to own new...
Now though for someone like Jim who likes to tinker and play... they are an cheapish car for something so awesome looking and brutal in a straight line!
Last edited by Porkie; 11-09-2008 at 06:45 AM.
11-09-2008, 10:38 PM
#75
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There is a couple of Tuscans that ditched the Speed Six engine when it needed a rebuild and fitted the Corvette LS2 Engine.........When the day comes, I'll make my decisions.............but a straight six M Power engine would also be a good choice.
At the end of the day it does have the right bits, it just needs improving.........and I knew that when I made the choice to buy one. Parts Quality is actually good.......you only have to look at the quality of the chassis, suspension components, brakes, gear box, diff, and an awesome body, however....... Assembly is poor, but nothing that can't be sorted given time. The oil issues were sorted A LONG TIME AGO by TVR Power and is a simple (Relativey) mod to solve the problem.
The engine was a genuine Race Engine Design........Dry Sumped, Flat Plane Crank, etc.........and many owners who bought the cars new, had no mechanical knowledge or understanding of the consequences of this design, and some of them DEFINATELY contributed to the short lived engine. Basically it's a road car with a race engine in it, and requires addititional maintenance and precautions to be taken.
And the fact that there was more parts going out of the back door, than there was out of the front door, didn't help TVR.
It's a true petrol heads car.
If you don't like a challenge, don't like getting your hands dirty and have lots of money...........................Buy a porsche and be just another 911 on the road.
At the end of the day it does have the right bits, it just needs improving.........and I knew that when I made the choice to buy one. Parts Quality is actually good.......you only have to look at the quality of the chassis, suspension components, brakes, gear box, diff, and an awesome body, however....... Assembly is poor, but nothing that can't be sorted given time. The oil issues were sorted A LONG TIME AGO by TVR Power and is a simple (Relativey) mod to solve the problem.
The engine was a genuine Race Engine Design........Dry Sumped, Flat Plane Crank, etc.........and many owners who bought the cars new, had no mechanical knowledge or understanding of the consequences of this design, and some of them DEFINATELY contributed to the short lived engine. Basically it's a road car with a race engine in it, and requires addititional maintenance and precautions to be taken.
And the fact that there was more parts going out of the back door, than there was out of the front door, didn't help TVR.
It's a true petrol heads car.
If you don't like a challenge, don't like getting your hands dirty and have lots of money...........................Buy a porsche and be just another 911 on the road.
Last edited by Jim Green; 11-09-2008 at 10:54 PM.
20-09-2008, 08:53 PM
#76
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Well, Over 1,000 miles of spirited driving has passed (Portsmouth - Hull, Hull - Middlesboro, Middlesboro - Goodwood, Goodwood - Portsmouth, and plenty of driving around in between) and the TVR is proving herself as reliable as any car I've had. Engine takes everything in it's stride and hour after hour both sat at 90mph and also sat in traffic with no problems at all.
Mod's to ensure her reliability are ongoing......(Teflon Braided Fuel lines throughout, Wiring Loom improvements, brake pad changes, and rubber seal replacements) are all going as programmed, and so far no problems learning the car. And anyone who says these things don't handle..........well, I guess it's all relative, but believe me they go where they're pointed with very little fuss. It's a car that you need to understand to drive propertly, and not suited to anyone who has no mechanical or track style driving knowledge.
Mod's to ensure her reliability are ongoing......(Teflon Braided Fuel lines throughout, Wiring Loom improvements, brake pad changes, and rubber seal replacements) are all going as programmed, and so far no problems learning the car. And anyone who says these things don't handle..........well, I guess it's all relative, but believe me they go where they're pointed with very little fuss. It's a car that you need to understand to drive propertly, and not suited to anyone who has no mechanical or track style driving knowledge.
Last edited by Jim Green; 30-10-2008 at 01:50 AM.
