I have been using the Chimp all through the wet weather and apart from the battery not having enough power to start the car if I leave it for more than 3 days and the water ingress being of biblical proportions in this terrible weather, all is well.
I have removed the driver side carpets as they were really sodden and the interesting thing is the car doesn't appear to be any more noisy.
The engine tuning really comes into its own on wet roads and whereas before I felt nervous about applying power, now I feel in complete control and can balance the car on the throttle perfectly.
The Chimp cockpit is a pleasant place to be on these wet days and driving into town is no chore at all. The heater is great, the wipers work fine, visibility is good and braking and grip are all excellent.
It would be nice to get the top off though, so role on the good weather!
Thursday 27 March 2008
Saturday 15 March 2008
More Trouble
Oh well ,TVR ownership looks like being a real roller coaster ride. I am not complaining though, modern cars are so boring and uninvolving.
Friday the Chimp had a flat battery after the awful weather we had. It had sat around for 5 days so I guess I need to use it more, though it is a new battery. I guess the alarm system is to blame.
The hood is still leaking as well, but I think this may be due to the fact that the "Elephant Ears" are missing. Apparently these seal the bottom of the hood and I can;t see any on my car.
Friday Evening I had driven through town, went to the cash point and then quickly stopped again to put some fuel in and the Chimp refused to start. Everything seemd OK, except when you turned the key to the start position nothing happened. I did notice the warning lights dimmed slightly when I turned the key so figured that because she was now running hotter the resistance in the starter wiring had increased to a point where she wouldn't turn over. Sure enough after 20 minutes, she started fine. This is a common TVR problem and somehow I will have to insulate the starter wiring from the hot exhaust pipes.
Apart from that she is running nicely, no squeks, rattles, bumps or other untoward noises, though again if you leave her for a few days, the tick over is noticeably higher for several miles, but settles down eventually.
The wife has an Audi TT (180hp) and she enjoys a laugh, so on the dual carriageway on the way home the other night we "explored the performance envelope" of our respective vehicles. Suffice to say the TVR is much quicker all through the speed range! It also handles like it is on rails as well, as nothing has been able to get near me on roundabouts or twisty roads either.
The Steve Heath bible has arrived and is a good read, though I don't agreewith all he says, especially concerning oils. It is a weighty tome so will take a while to digest.
Friday the Chimp had a flat battery after the awful weather we had. It had sat around for 5 days so I guess I need to use it more, though it is a new battery. I guess the alarm system is to blame.
The hood is still leaking as well, but I think this may be due to the fact that the "Elephant Ears" are missing. Apparently these seal the bottom of the hood and I can;t see any on my car.
Friday Evening I had driven through town, went to the cash point and then quickly stopped again to put some fuel in and the Chimp refused to start. Everything seemd OK, except when you turned the key to the start position nothing happened. I did notice the warning lights dimmed slightly when I turned the key so figured that because she was now running hotter the resistance in the starter wiring had increased to a point where she wouldn't turn over. Sure enough after 20 minutes, she started fine. This is a common TVR problem and somehow I will have to insulate the starter wiring from the hot exhaust pipes.
Apart from that she is running nicely, no squeks, rattles, bumps or other untoward noises, though again if you leave her for a few days, the tick over is noticeably higher for several miles, but settles down eventually.
The wife has an Audi TT (180hp) and she enjoys a laugh, so on the dual carriageway on the way home the other night we "explored the performance envelope" of our respective vehicles. Suffice to say the TVR is much quicker all through the speed range! It also handles like it is on rails as well, as nothing has been able to get near me on roundabouts or twisty roads either.
The Steve Heath bible has arrived and is a good read, though I don't agreewith all he says, especially concerning oils. It is a weighty tome so will take a while to digest.
Sunday 9 March 2008
Driving Pleasure
I eventually found the dashboard light switch under the dash to the left of the column and so now the instruments are illuminated again - doooh!
I am awaiting the deliverery of the TVR "bible" by Steve Heath, which if you like tinkering with TVRs is apparently a must. Can't wait to get immersed in all that technical stuff!
I had heard on the TVRCC web site and Pistonheads.co.uk that the odometer sticking is quite a common problem and can happen any time the odometer tries to roll over 1000 miles. A suggestion was to reverse quite a way then accelerate hard forward to try and force it over.
This did not work for me, but since the upgrades the acceleration of the ChimP is now very impressive indeed and opposite locking holding a controlled power slide on dry tarmac is good fun.
One of the reasons I purchased the TVR was due to the fact that I had given up motorcycling after 30 years. It really is a fun car and in many ways as rewarding to drive as a motorcycle, which I did not expect. I do make excuses just to take the ChimP out for a drive and as we get to know each other I am getting an awful lot of pleasure from being behind the wheel. Right now she is running beautifully.
I am really very pleased with the whole TVR ownership experience, from the web sites, the excellent club magazine, through the suppliers to the car itself. I just don't beleive you can get this from buying a new sports car, even if you spend more than 10 times as much.
I judge my cars on smiles per mile and even when I am at home on the internet my fellow club members make me laugh.
I am awaiting the deliverery of the TVR "bible" by Steve Heath, which if you like tinkering with TVRs is apparently a must. Can't wait to get immersed in all that technical stuff!
I had heard on the TVRCC web site and Pistonheads.co.uk that the odometer sticking is quite a common problem and can happen any time the odometer tries to roll over 1000 miles. A suggestion was to reverse quite a way then accelerate hard forward to try and force it over.
This did not work for me, but since the upgrades the acceleration of the ChimP is now very impressive indeed and opposite locking holding a controlled power slide on dry tarmac is good fun.
One of the reasons I purchased the TVR was due to the fact that I had given up motorcycling after 30 years. It really is a fun car and in many ways as rewarding to drive as a motorcycle, which I did not expect. I do make excuses just to take the ChimP out for a drive and as we get to know each other I am getting an awful lot of pleasure from being behind the wheel. Right now she is running beautifully.
I am really very pleased with the whole TVR ownership experience, from the web sites, the excellent club magazine, through the suppliers to the car itself. I just don't beleive you can get this from buying a new sports car, even if you spend more than 10 times as much.
I judge my cars on smiles per mile and even when I am at home on the internet my fellow club members make me laugh.
Thursday 6 March 2008
Injection Upgrades
I have just got the ChimP back and the good news is that she is running even better! The difference is quite marked all through the rev range, but especially at the top end.
It did cost £1693.76 for this work, but some quite major bits have been changed that provide benefits now and will provide further benefits if and when I go to a 4.6L engine. I now have:
Ported inlet manifold
Modified Plenum with enlarged throttle
Modified trumpets and base.
Variable fuel pressure regulator.
As well as a host of other bits and the oil has been changed.
RPI have checked the engine and all is well. It appears the cam and tappets have been recently
changed, which is good news. the tapping noise at startup has stopped as well.
Chris from RPI has driven the car quite a bit and his opinion is that in terms of handling and performance it is in good condition and quite impressive. RPI went to great lengths to explain to me the care and attention they have lavished on the car and you can certainly appreciate that. I wish my Suzuki dealer would do the same!
I have been doing some more investigation and the next phase for the ChimP(funds permitting) is as follows.
New Alloy wheels 17" front and 18" back with toyo tyres - £800
New Steering Wheel - £250
Partial interior re-trim to change the cracked seats etc from cream to light grey - £1500
Racing Red Shocks - £700
Leven Kick plates, column stalks, switches, vent decoration etc - £225
A tidy sum indeed, but I could have easily spent £20K on something that basically is not as accomplished.
The Chimaera really is designed for the kind of twisty A and B roads I use most. There is no motorway in Norfolk after all. I think it is the perfect base on which to build an ultra fast A-B sports car, probably one of the best ever designed. Sure there are other cars in this bracket, but not for £6.5K and the main point is that other cars are not as customisable, look as good or sound so gorgeous.
My mate Will has just sold his S2000 and purchased a 4 year old BMW M3 convertible. I have been passenger and it certainly has all the toys , is beautifully made and is very quick in the mid range, though it weighs 1660Kg; 600Kg more than the ChimP and 260Kg more than the Camaro! Will is not mechanically minded and does longer trips than me so it is the perfect choice for him. Will is not the best passenger and after a little trip down my favourite back roads admitted that the ChimP was a pretty awesome motor vehicle and really quite scary!
The dash lights have stopped working now, which I hope is just a fuse but I suspect I will be changing to the new Leven dashboard sooner than expected. It all points to the dash having been removed for whatever reason before and things not being replaced properley.
This is sooo much better than buying a new car, all ups and downs and excitement and expectations. I have owned the ChimP for 3 months now and the buzzz just goes on and on...
It did cost £1693.76 for this work, but some quite major bits have been changed that provide benefits now and will provide further benefits if and when I go to a 4.6L engine. I now have:
Ported inlet manifold
Modified Plenum with enlarged throttle
Modified trumpets and base.
Variable fuel pressure regulator.
As well as a host of other bits and the oil has been changed.
RPI have checked the engine and all is well. It appears the cam and tappets have been recently
changed, which is good news. the tapping noise at startup has stopped as well.
Chris from RPI has driven the car quite a bit and his opinion is that in terms of handling and performance it is in good condition and quite impressive. RPI went to great lengths to explain to me the care and attention they have lavished on the car and you can certainly appreciate that. I wish my Suzuki dealer would do the same!
I have been doing some more investigation and the next phase for the ChimP(funds permitting) is as follows.
New Alloy wheels 17" front and 18" back with toyo tyres - £800
New Steering Wheel - £250
Partial interior re-trim to change the cracked seats etc from cream to light grey - £1500
Racing Red Shocks - £700
Leven Kick plates, column stalks, switches, vent decoration etc - £225
A tidy sum indeed, but I could have easily spent £20K on something that basically is not as accomplished.
The Chimaera really is designed for the kind of twisty A and B roads I use most. There is no motorway in Norfolk after all. I think it is the perfect base on which to build an ultra fast A-B sports car, probably one of the best ever designed. Sure there are other cars in this bracket, but not for £6.5K and the main point is that other cars are not as customisable, look as good or sound so gorgeous.
My mate Will has just sold his S2000 and purchased a 4 year old BMW M3 convertible. I have been passenger and it certainly has all the toys , is beautifully made and is very quick in the mid range, though it weighs 1660Kg; 600Kg more than the ChimP and 260Kg more than the Camaro! Will is not mechanically minded and does longer trips than me so it is the perfect choice for him. Will is not the best passenger and after a little trip down my favourite back roads admitted that the ChimP was a pretty awesome motor vehicle and really quite scary!
The dash lights have stopped working now, which I hope is just a fuse but I suspect I will be changing to the new Leven dashboard sooner than expected. It all points to the dash having been removed for whatever reason before and things not being replaced properley.
This is sooo much better than buying a new car, all ups and downs and excitement and expectations. I have owned the ChimP for 3 months now and the buzzz just goes on and on...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
