Well, today I actually drove it!
Admittedly, it was only into the garage, but IT MOVES!!!
The clutch is job number one, need to see if I can get some meat into it so we can at least move the car into and out of the garage. Seems obvious to me a full master cylinder rebuild will be in order before I'm done.
Aaaaaanyway, it's now over the inspection pit, and I have pictures!!!!
The BIG thing one has to check on TVR's is the condition of the chassis. They are known to be suceptible to heavy corrosion, as they were onlt lightly painted from the factory. If the outriggers etc have corroded, it's often not financially viable to have it fixed on a car like this.
Thankfully, all was well it would appear! Will have the sill covers off at some point, but appears the chassis on this one is very solid
Now would you believe this, having a good look over the front end, someone before my ownership has fitted brand new balljoints!
On both sides! In fact, it gets even better!
BRAND NEW steering rack and track rod ends, anti-roll bar bushes! Tie rod bushes! Amazing!
Looks to me that someone started down the path of trying to get this car on the road, and at some point ran out of time/money/ability/enthusisasm (delete as appropriate).
This has been a serious result, as there must be a few hundred pounds worth of parts here alone, along with many hours labour.
Another fabulous feature of this car is its brilliant rear end.
Here you can see the Salisbury 4HU differential.
It's the same diff fitted to E-type jags, early XJS, XJ12 and XJ6.
Note the inboard brakes. fabulous for reducing unsprung weight. Very BAAAAD for ease of service.
All the discs, and calipers will have to come off here.
I need to see if this particular diff is a Power-Lok (i.e. LSD).
If not, I've almost made my mind up I'm going to hunt for a 3.07:1 ratio Power-Lok diff.
Don't fancy doing all that work on the brakes only to repeat the task once I want to put an LSD in!
Rear suspension. My car I believe is a fairly early S2 wedge (sometimes called a 1.5 I think), as it still retains the trailing arm rear suspension system. Later cars moved to an upper and lower A-frame arrangement.
190-200 BHP Rover SD1 Vitesse Spec V8 ;D
It's currently a bit of an oily mess, and the Fuel Injection system needs sorting as its running rough from cold and generally very rich.
I'm planning on stripping it all back to the lifter gallery and cleaning/servicing the lot. Whilst it's all off, I'm thinking about painting the plenum and rocker covers in black crackle with polished fins. A bit like this:
static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/dcc-5007611_w.jpgHere are the original alloys, which appear to have survived in really good condition!
The tyres on the car are utterly buggered (cracked sidewalls and hard old rubber), not to mention being very dodgy el cheapos too - 'Marshall Power Racer' anyone
I'm currently looking very strongly at fitting Toyo T1-R's when the time comes.
Don't you just want to jump in and go?
Sadly my car doesn't have the expensive leather trimmed interior of most TVR's. It is however all there and whilst a bit tatty in places will come up to scratch. Strongly thinking about having the seats re-trimmed in leather (depends on how the budget goes!).
Dash veneer is cracked, needs all the varnish stripping off and re-laquering. Wheel is the original, period MOMO.
My first present to the car, a new gear knob! What do you think? I think it suits the overall mood of the interior pretty well
I've put it away for the night now, the V8 Landy can look after it until the morning
Admittedly, it was only into the garage, but IT MOVES!!!
Sadly my car doesn't have the expensive leather trimmed interior of most TVR's. It is however all there and whilst a bit tatty in places will come up to scratch. Strongly thinking about having the seats re-trimmed in leather (depends on how the budget goes!).
