Advice Received and Thanks

 

Editors note: I realise this page is a 'little' out of date now - I'll be going through the hundred of emails we've received on one thing and another, and putting extracts of them up here soon. Thanks, and keep them coming, Tony.

Even with this site only being live for a few weeks, we've received an amazing amount of advice, support and offers for help from all over the world. Many many thanks to those who have been in touch - it's great to know there are so many people willing to pass on specialist knowledge that in the long run is going to help us and potentially save money too!

To pass information on to people attempting a similar project, we've published some of the advice emails below.

From Russell Talbot on removing UJ's

I believe it's preferable to use a big vice to avoid damage to the bearings (unfortunately we don't always have such luxuries). Squeeze the cups in and out using a socket or similar on each end.  If they are the type with grease nipples check when reassembling whether there is more clearance depending on the position of the spider (the joint halves aren't symmetrical and neither is the spider).  I've found that sometimes they're impossible to grease and I think this is what makes the difference.
From David Yeoman - Various questions Wiring Loom, some 76 cars were coloured wires, others were black, the coloured wire version had plug in connectors between engine bay and body, by the bulkhaed, the black wired ones don't. If you are going to uprate things, ie more powerful headlamps, a few extra fuses and relays, then you will be changing the wiring anyway. The loom isn't that complicated. I made up custom cables for everything in the engine bay but left most of stuff inside the body alone.

Rear Discs. Firstly why??? unless you are going for a substantially more powerful car you will not need them. They can be done, but involve modifications to the uprights. Several people have undertaken the conversion using 2wd Cosworth rear hub/brake assemblies, and there is a guy in Switzerland who manufactures new hub carriers and modifies the Cosworth drive shafts to fit. You will also need to install a brake bias value to enable adjustment front to rear, otherwise you will get premature rear lock up. I have a 200+bhp engine in my Taimar and have uprated the front brakes (custom system Brembo 285mm discs with AP 4 pot callipers, it will fit behind a 14" wheel but I run 15s anyway). My brakes are outstanding, it will outbrake most modern TVRs.

5 speed gearbox. Again why???, if you are not going to use the car much then you are going to a lot of hassle for very little return. Also if you are going to use the car in any mild competition (sprints, hillclimbs, etc) you have to retain the original gearbox to run in Road-going or Modified Road Going classes. If you must then there are two routes to go, Capri 2.8 5 speeder or 2wd Cosworth box. Both require a different bell housing (Consul 2.5, I believe or one from Flowtech (if you can wait until they build another batch)). Both will also require a different clutch assembly and you will have to modify the chassis to move the rear gearbox mount. Be warned the Capri 2.8 box has a weak first gear, if you intend to modify the engine much you may break first gear, the Essex engine always produced more torque than the 2.8. The Cosworth box though capable of taking a lot of power is not a terribly fast (gearchange) box.

Both the rear disc and gearbox change are relative significant in cost, look at the expected return before you do them, they will make not a jot of difference to the resale value!!

If you have any other questions email me, also subscribe to the usa-tvr email group, this is full of older car owners (mainly US,, but who cares where the advice comes from)
From Matt Barker - Various questions Wiring loom: on my `78 3000M the wiring was shot, and rather than faff around cutting out sections etc, I contacted AutoSparks (http://www.autosparks.co.uk/) and ordered one from them. All the correct connections and a doddle to fit. Obviously there are some things either there/not there depending on the spec of your car and what's been added over time. £226 inc VAT/P&P - well worth the hassle. If you want a copy of a `theoretical' wiring diagram from chassis #3668 onwards, give me a shout. The loom from AutoSparks matched it more or less perfectly. 

The 5-speed conversion is something Adrian's been working on. Uses a Sierra (?) box, and when I mentioned it some time ago, he said he was in the process of having bellhousings cast.