Fantastic!! In the area in Holland where I live, the import company of TVR was based. In my 20’s I’ve seen them driving some Chimaera’s. That engine noise!! That shape.. it still is orgasmic!! Thanks for letting me ‘drive’ one!
Great vid !!!! The chimaera is a real awesome car !!! Had mine nearly 5 years now I've done a body off resto on the chassis which was surprisingly good for 28 years old !!! And upped the engine capacity and still can't get enough of how it drives it's so engaging. It's raw but comfortable sounds ace and pretty reliable if looked after!!!! I use mine all year round seriously good value for money
Glorious! A lovely autumn day in the English countryside and an operatic V8. Raaar! I'm starting to think an ideal 2-car garage of the future will be an electric blandmobile charged off solar panels and one of these for the weekend. Maybe a diesel V8 Range Rover for family holidays. The thing I have realised from Harry Metcalfe's videos is that you just can't use any sort of performance on real roads. Not for more than 30 seconds max anyway, and in reality more like 3 seconds. So that means it is all about how a car feels, and makes you feel. Unlike modern cars (especially premium ones) this doesn't make you feel angry, and doesn't seem to make other drivers react angrily towards you. Definitely on my one-day-I-really-must-own list.
Dont dream just get one at any cost you should not lose a lot when you come to sell as long as you dont buy a lemon I had the same dream and ended up getting a bank loan Got one loved it and still have it I have been offered 1K more than it cost ??you show me how many cars you can buy and make a profit if you are not in the trade that is??They are not what folk make them out to be as long as you do not want perfection in every area Mine has the odd fault which I live with and am happy to do so You take the roof down on a nice day and go driving This is what life is all about enjoy !!! That sound is something else it really is !!
Mine was always the Griffith, but the Chimaera is pretty much the same car only cheaper. I prefer the Griffith's looks, but this purple one looks really good!
Just do it. I was 54 when I got my 4.5 and I love it. I've just bought a second one. Why, I've bought a second one, have absolutely no idea. I just love the colour of the second one, I guess.
Thanks for the ride along in this hot car. We don't see them in the US and it would be great on our highways. Nice job getting it all together. The customer is going to be quite happy.
There goes the nice white chassis. It's an odd feeling when you finish a project and you can't wait to test it but at the same time you know it's never going to be as clean again. That was very nice, thank you.
The TVR S (fitted with the 2.8 Ford Cologne engine) used Taurus exhaust manifolds fitted back to front, allowing the exhaust to route towards the front of the car.
Never thought I'd be 'natural on camera!' If you have a Chimaera with A/C, the additional switch you see on the centre console is NOT for that purpose. It's actually for heated seats - the air-con comes on automatically when the temperature is set to coldest, and cannot be turned off. It's also colder than the arctic!
80085,great job putting it back together,I live near the old tvr factory so sad to see it shut I wonder what their cars would be like now if they were still open?
Thanks for explaining about that gap at the front of the door l thought it was a cool dedign touch great car not many in Sydney only seen two in Sydney
80085 - great video mate, thanks for taking us on a drive in the TVR, have only driven one TVR a Tuscan many many years ago and that was a great car to drive on the local roads to me. Makes a lovely noise when you floor it!
Glad you enjoyed it. Oh, random fact...in my book, I referred to the Chimaera and Griffith being named after mythical beasts...which is bollocks. The Chimaera was, sure: ("The Chimera (/kɪˈmɪərə/ or /kaɪˈmɪərə/), also Chimaera (Chimæra) (Ancient Greek: Χίμαιρα, Chímaira means 'she-goat'[1]), according to Greek mythology,[2] was a monstrous fire-breathing hybrid creature, composed of different animal parts from Lycia, Asia Minor. It is usually depicted as a lion, with the head of a goat protruding from its back, and a tail that might end with a snake's head.[3] It was an offspring of Typhon and Echidna and a sibling of such monsters as Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra. The term "chimera" has come to describe any mythical or fictional creature with parts taken from various animals, to describe anything composed of very disparate parts, or perceived as wildly imaginative, implausible, or dazzling.") The Griffith wasn't, it was named after the lairy version of a Grantura that American racer Jack Griffith created by stuffing a V8 into one (in the same vein as the AC Cobra). The 90s Griffith just reignited the name. It wasn't named after the 'Griffin' at all. I knew this, yet for some reason, I still wrote it in the blurb! Muppet...
I've got an MX5 that's turbo'd, overall I'd say performance wise they're probably not far off each other in terms of power and weight, but the power delivery is chalk and cheese, there's no drama with this thing at all. It's effortless. The MX5 is the exact opposite. It screams its little head off 😂
80085, Just discovered your channel. Absolutely like it! Surpising mix of English and French cars, where else you get that? Love the SM en TVR episodes. Hope you can finish the SM one day. All the best to it (her!) and yourself. Greetings from Holland!
Wonderful motor car. An english Alfa Romeo, in some ways. Very rare here on the continent and actually cheap. Around 12.000 euros in Germany. I love it.
Imagine the cross country pace if it had Spheres to gobble up those niggly Road imperfections ? Seed sown? #dontfearthespheres great channel btw thanks.
80085 👍 have recently bought a chimaera 4.5 and love it, really enjoyed your video and commentary, have liked and subscribed, look forward to looking at your other videos
The 1st Vid was great, really insightful & informative. This one just a travel log! Would have appreciated a bit on life with a Chimera, you like when have new puppy. We need to know what it's like to live with how we have to accommodate it. Likes & dislike home maintenance & upkeep. Is it allergic to salt? Does it like to go out in the rain.
Noted. Worth pointing out (if you're new here) that I actually have a Chimaera of my own, and will be working on it in due course. This was a two part thing to show you around it and take it for a drive. When I work on mine, it'll get quite detailed.* *sometime before we're all nuked.
Great vid! I'm really fancying one of these over the next year, so these vids are helping me loads with my research, learning about the different specs, engines, the way they drive etc. Also, being a huge Vauxhall fan, Ive always giggled to myself about the keys, steering column and window switches haha, like the Griff with the mk3 Cav rear lights haha! Ive always loved TVRs and I know a chap with a lovely Cerbera in white with red leather, which is gorgeous! Yeh, the more I watch vids like this, the more I want one! They're such a bargain for the money, as you say! I just need to drive one now!
The earliest Griffiths used a speedo and rev counter that parked 180degrees from where most other cars do, and then swooped clockwise downwards and around the dial.
80085 .. I've had my 95 4.0L since 1999 .. I've learnt a lot about the cars over the years .. your factoid needs to be the most obscure thing you know about them .. challenge laid down to you sir! 😁 .. I look forward to learning something new ..
Funnily enough - "what is the heater like" is exactly the kind of info that potential owners DO like to know! I've had loads of MX-5s witjh their face melting heater and vents that point at your knuckles making them very usable top down in the winter. One of the biggest failings og my Elise is that you can heat your feet, or the windscreen, but not you body/face, and the actual heater capacity is shocking. I keep thinking about a Chimaera instead but I need it to have good heaters!
The TVR V8S has a bonnet with a big curvacious bulge in it, only it's offset in the bonnet. It's there to allow the fitment of a supercharger to the 2000cc versions sold in the Italian market (the 3900cc version would have been heavily taxed).
Didn't ph1 405s have the washer rail like the BX? Thought it was only the ph2 that had it on the blades? The washer rail is rubbish, in fairness, both on the TVR and on the BX!
So much want! I need a V8 engined car back in my life, and have always liked these, even with their faults (aka character). I live in South East Spain, so I think chassis issues would be much less. 80085
I see a hell of a lot of them in the same colour schemes, to be fair! Starmist blue or green with cream or biscuit interior. But the point is that all the holes will be drilled in the same places, and you could remove a part from one Chimaera and fit it to another. Try that with a Wedge!
It's hard to get a feel for how large and wide all TVR's are , I suspect they come across larger in video than they really are because of the styling. Are they more or less the same size as a MGB GT or R8?
The front suspension uprights on an S, Chimaera or Griffith are Ford Sierra 2WD items, but with the hole at the bottom reamed out to accept a Lada ball joint. TVR Chimaera and Griffith (The Essential Buyer's Guide) by Veloce Publishing
Standard on this model is 205/55R15 (front) and 225/50R16 (rear). Uniroyal Rainsport, Toyo Proxes and Nankangs all come in that size. The larger engine cars use up to 225/50R15 and 245/45R16, and they can be a bit more fun. Most Chimaeras' tyres go off with age rather than running out of tread.
Of the Griffith and the Chimaera the Griffith has always been the one that I'd want. Probably can blame that on Gran Turismo to some extent. Still one day hope to get a Griffith or a Cerbera. One day 😂 80085.
"Of the Griffith and the Chimaera the Griffith has always been the one that I'd want" With me, it's very much the other way round. The Chimaera is just so much more practical. I've been on holiday in it and the amount of stuff you can fit in it is astonishing.
@@kingcurry6594 I can see your point. It definitely seems much more of a GT car you could actually drive a long distance in. In my head I'm just picturing them as something I'd thrash about in on weekends.
It's very simular to a triumph Gt6, the big brother of the gt6. Same driving position, same driver placement, same independent suspension, same view over the bonnet and probably as dodgy in the wet on a corner.
Mmmm, I wouldn't say it was that similar (having driven both). Chimaera is much more planted and stable, feels much more robust and chunky. Driving position kinda similar, but the gear shift is higher in the TVR, whereas it's more typically-placed in the Triumph. Rear suspension in the TVR is also a LOT better. GT6 definitely more of a handful in all conditions, and both probably as pretty as each other.
@@UPnDOWN Haha Most TH-camrs would love that problem. Now if only your factoid for 'me' was how did the Tasmin series racers modify the trailing arm suspension pin area to handle the extra hp and be more robust? I'll keep digging, the answer has to be out there somewhere! And crawl under the car to see if my pin is still straight now that its snow season here...
@@UPnDOWN I was going to say ranking the models, it would just depend on the owners of the cars I suppose. I didn't know TVRs had backlit numberplates, that's actually pretty cool & makes sense when you think about it
The headlamps on Chiameras (except the later fared-in ones) are not one piece; They're actually a separate glass lens and reflector bowl, which is taken from a 1970's Scania truck, and was NLA as much as 5-6 years ago. Since then people have been fitting LHD versions, but those have now dried up, too.
Thanks for the TVR fact. That's amazing. I had an idea that TVR's were made up of many manufacturers parts, but the headlights, I thought were British Leyland. 👍
The earliest Griffith had its heater motor behind the passenger headlamp, and used the cavity in the wing behind to duct the air through to the cabin. It worked about as well as you'd imagine.
The fuel filler is hidden in the boot, so if you ever see a Chimaera/Griffith/Cerbera etc in a petrol station with the driver apparently pouring petrol into the boot, you know why!
I dont think a modern hot hatch would see this off in the right hands thats for sure.... Its all about power to weight is it not and knowing what you do with that right foot ?? I have to date never had a so called hot hatch take me on "without wishing to sound childish" Mine is the 4 liter and I tell you what I would take most cars on in dry conditions If wet a different ball game as these will turn on you ..If my name was Max or Senna or Mansell or Alonso then the strory would be with a funny sort of ending I think ?? They are as fast or as slow as you want them to be and thats what makes them what they are in many many ways They are a dream car at a none dream price Just get one drive it for a few years and sell at probably what you paid "unless you got a lemon" So if like me you are skint most of the time dont worry the wife will understand when you come to sell if you ever do that is ?????????????????????????
I would definitely disagree! For a kickoff, a modern hot hatch would probably have 7 or 8 gears in a dual clutch transmission, 4wd and all the traction aids going, with around 100bhp more. I love the Chimaera, and I own a 400 myself, too (my second one), but realistically cars are much faster now. Like I say, though, it's not really the point - the TVR puts a smile on your face and gives you an experience that modern faster cars cannot. IMHO, of course.
The standard fit windscreen washer rail used on a Chimaera or Griffith are taken from the Citroen BX, only they don't fit under the arm like the BX's, so are fitted over the top, meaning they don't work very well!
The offset bonnet 'bulge' on the TVR S, S2 and S3 is only there to allow the throttle cable mechanism to clear on the 2.8 Cologne V6 used in the S model. On all others, it serves no purpose other than looks.
The first Griffith's are known as 'pre-cats' because they didn't have catalytic converters. They undoubtedly make the best noise of all variants of either car.
From new, Chimaeras had three catalytic convertors; One big one in front of the engine, and a small pre-cat in exhaust exhaust header. The pre-cats are only needed for cold-start; Once at N.O.T., the main cat is sufficient.
If a Chimaera has no visible boot hinges from the outside, it's got the later-type bootlid mechanism which allows it to open at 90deg, making it easier to get the roof panel in and out.
It's only possible to have a Chimaera with PAS if you have the 'serp' version of the Rover V8 engine (which most Chimaeras do). The pre-serp power-steering pump is positioned where the exhaust sits, so can't be fitted.
Despite having a V-configuration engine and two exhaust tailpipes, the exhaust is actually one big pipe for half its length, so people who test the emissions in each tailpipe when trying to diagnose a fault are barking up an empty tree.
There's a button hidden under the dashboard by your knee that knocks out all the dash lights...not everybody realises it's there, and assumes they have an electrical fault if they accidentally knock it.
Early Chimaeras use mk3 Fiesta rear lamp clusters behind a perspex cover, whereas later ones like this use M.O.D. spec Land Rover lamps individually glued in.
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Fantastic!! In the area in Holland where I live, the import company of TVR was based. In my 20’s I’ve seen them driving some Chimaera’s. That engine noise!! That shape.. it still is orgasmic!! Thanks for letting me ‘drive’ one!
The Dutch do like their TVRs. A lot of Wedges and S models have been exported there.
Love the exhaust noise, just beautiful. I wish we had a lot more TVR's in Australia.
It's the smile on your face . You got it plus the thumbs up from other car drivers and pedestrians .
Such a stunning, but increasingly rare sound from cars now❤
Could listen to that all day, intoxicating.
Great vid !!!!
The chimaera is a real awesome car !!!
Had mine nearly 5 years now I've done a body off resto on the chassis which was surprisingly good for 28 years old !!! And upped the engine capacity and still can't get enough of how it drives it's so engaging.
It's raw but comfortable sounds ace and pretty reliable if looked after!!!! I use mine all year round seriously good value for money
Glorious! A lovely autumn day in the English countryside and an operatic V8. Raaar!
I'm starting to think an ideal 2-car garage of the future will be an electric blandmobile charged off solar panels and one of these for the weekend. Maybe a diesel V8 Range Rover for family holidays. The thing I have realised from Harry Metcalfe's videos is that you just can't use any sort of performance on real roads. Not for more than 30 seconds max anyway, and in reality more like 3 seconds. So that means it is all about how a car feels, and makes you feel. Unlike modern cars (especially premium ones) this doesn't make you feel angry, and doesn't seem to make other drivers react angrily towards you. Definitely on my one-day-I-really-must-own list.
Great videos, nice to learn more about TVR's,and nice to be with you on a test drive.
A Chimera has always been a dream car of mine. I will have one one day!
Dont dream just get one at any cost you should not lose a lot when you come to sell as long as you dont buy a lemon I had the same dream and ended up getting a bank loan Got one loved it and still have it I have been offered 1K more than it cost ??you show me how many cars you can buy and make a profit if you are not in the trade that is??They are not what folk make them out to be as long as you do not want perfection in every area Mine has the odd fault which I live with and am happy to do so You take the roof down on a nice day and go driving This is what life is all about enjoy !!! That sound is something else it really is !!
Mine was always the Griffith, but the Chimaera is pretty much the same car only cheaper. I prefer the Griffith's looks, but this purple one looks really good!
@allan hughes - I got offered £10k for my BX 16v once, and paid £770 for it!
Just do it. I was 54 when I got my 4.5 and I love it. I've just bought a second one. Why, I've bought a second one, have absolutely no idea. I just love the colour of the second one, I guess.
Thanks for the ride along in this hot car. We don't see them in the US and it would be great on our highways. Nice job getting it all together. The customer is going to be quite happy.
Really like this period of TVR's. Nice work. 👍
There goes the nice white chassis. It's an odd feeling when you finish a project and you can't wait to test it but at the same time you know it's never going to be as clean again. That was very nice, thank you.
Enjoyed this road test, that V8 sounds glorious!!! 80085
The TVR S (fitted with the 2.8 Ford Cologne engine) used Taurus exhaust manifolds fitted back to front, allowing the exhaust to route towards the front of the car.
What a fabulous noise!
80085
I need to buy one now! I do enjoy how natural you are on camera.
Never thought I'd be 'natural on camera!'
If you have a Chimaera with A/C, the additional switch you see on the centre console is NOT for that purpose. It's actually for heated seats - the air-con comes on automatically when the temperature is set to coldest, and cannot be turned off. It's also colder than the arctic!
80085,great job putting it back together,I live near the old tvr factory so sad to see it shut I wonder what their cars would be like now if they were still open?
Most Chimaeras have an ice-warning light, with a little sensor in the nose detecting low temperature (less than 3c).
Thanks for explaining about that gap at the front of the door l thought it was a cool dedign touch great car not many in Sydney only seen two in Sydney
80085 - great video mate, thanks for taking us on a drive in the TVR, have only driven one TVR a Tuscan many many years ago and that was a great car to drive on the local roads to me.
Makes a lovely noise when you floor it!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Oh, random fact...in my book, I referred to the Chimaera and Griffith being named after mythical beasts...which is bollocks. The Chimaera was, sure:
("The Chimera (/kɪˈmɪərə/ or /kaɪˈmɪərə/), also Chimaera (Chimæra) (Ancient Greek: Χίμαιρα, Chímaira means 'she-goat'[1]), according to Greek mythology,[2] was a monstrous fire-breathing hybrid creature, composed of different animal parts from Lycia, Asia Minor. It is usually depicted as a lion, with the head of a goat protruding from its back, and a tail that might end with a snake's head.[3] It was an offspring of Typhon and Echidna and a sibling of such monsters as Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
The term "chimera" has come to describe any mythical or fictional creature with parts taken from various animals, to describe anything composed of very disparate parts, or perceived as wildly imaginative, implausible, or dazzling.")
The Griffith wasn't, it was named after the lairy version of a Grantura that American racer Jack Griffith created by stuffing a V8 into one (in the same vein as the AC Cobra). The 90s Griffith just reignited the name.
It wasn't named after the 'Griffin' at all. I knew this, yet for some reason, I still wrote it in the blurb! Muppet...
@@UPnDOWN Was the "chimaera" a reference to the car having bits and pieces from many different manufacturers (beautifully integrated, evidently)?
@@UPnDOWN Talking of 80085 and factoids... About the only thing I know about Cerberas is that a Cerbera is a scary Italian female.
I've got an MX5 that's turbo'd, overall I'd say performance wise they're probably not far off each other in terms of power and weight, but the power delivery is chalk and cheese, there's no drama with this thing at all. It's effortless. The MX5 is the exact opposite. It screams its little head off 😂
80085, Just discovered your channel. Absolutely like it! Surpising mix of English and French cars, where else you get that? Love the SM en TVR episodes. Hope you can finish the SM one day. All the best to it (her!) and yourself. Greetings from Holland!
80085 I've loved the sound of TVRs since I first saw Griffith many years ago 🤯
There weren't many Griffiths produced in 1993 as TVR paused production to introduce the Chimaera.
Lovely Car Kitch.. nice work.. Nice to see it ripping round those roads... i like to take my Fiat for a rip round there on a Sunday evening..
So when I get into mine I like it to climbing into a canoe, it handles better but the driving position is the same! 👍
Nice Trevor, that.
Wonderful motor car. An english Alfa Romeo, in some ways. Very rare here on the continent and actually cheap. Around 12.000 euros in Germany. I love it.
Imagine the cross country pace if it had Spheres to gobble up those niggly Road imperfections ? Seed sown? #dontfearthespheres great channel btw thanks.
80085 👍 have recently bought a chimaera 4.5 and love it, really enjoyed your video and commentary, have liked and subscribed, look forward to looking at your other videos
Thanks, there will be more TVR content soon too. Have run out of random facts at the moment, but there are loads in the previous comments
The 1st Vid was great, really insightful & informative. This one just a travel log! Would have appreciated a bit on life with a Chimera, you like when have new puppy. We need to know what it's like to live with how we have to accommodate it. Likes & dislike home maintenance & upkeep. Is it allergic to salt? Does it like to go out in the rain.
Noted. Worth pointing out (if you're new here) that I actually have a Chimaera of my own, and will be working on it in due course. This was a two part thing to show you around it and take it for a drive. When I work on mine, it'll get quite detailed.*
*sometime before we're all nuked.
Great vid! I'm really fancying one of these over the next year, so these vids are helping me loads with my research, learning about the different specs, engines, the way they drive etc. Also, being a huge Vauxhall fan, Ive always giggled to myself about the keys, steering column and window switches haha, like the Griff with the mk3 Cav rear lights haha! Ive always loved TVRs and I know a chap with a lovely Cerbera in white with red leather, which is gorgeous! Yeh, the more I watch vids like this, the more I want one! They're such a bargain for the money, as you say! I just need to drive one now!
80085 - love these factoids. You've sold the TVR brand well, I now find them far more interesting
The earliest Griffiths used a speedo and rev counter that parked 180degrees from where most other cars do, and then swooped clockwise downwards and around the dial.
80085 - Love the Star Wars & HubNut references.
If the original Ford washer bottle cap goes missing, a plastic milk bottle cap fits pretty well, and comes in a range of colours!
80085 .. I've had my 95 4.0L since 1999 .. I've learnt a lot about the cars over the years .. your factoid needs to be the most obscure thing you know about them .. challenge laid down to you sir! 😁 .. I look forward to learning something new ..
The exhaust rubbers in the centre mounting tray are from a Nissan.
@@UPnDOWN Excellent .. I didn't know that .. thank you .. 😀
Funnily enough - "what is the heater like" is exactly the kind of info that potential owners DO like to know! I've had loads of MX-5s witjh their face melting heater and vents that point at your knuckles making them very usable top down in the winter. One of the biggest failings og my Elise is that you can heat your feet, or the windscreen, but not you body/face, and the actual heater capacity is shocking. I keep thinking about a Chimaera instead but I need it to have good heaters!
Being that the heaters on a lot of TVRs don't work, I'm not sure most owners think the same way as you!
Oh how i love a good Chimaera vid. 80085. When i spot one on the road its still a thrill
The TVR V8S has a bonnet with a big curvacious bulge in it, only it's offset in the bonnet. It's there to allow the fitment of a supercharger to the 2000cc versions sold in the Italian market (the 3900cc version would have been heavily taxed).
Invaluable as I'm in the market for one :)
A great time to buy one, the values have tumbled again.
@@UPnDOWN Values seem to be all over the place. Str8six have a lovely mk3 4.5 but its 26K! Also looking at a 'cheap' Tuscan. Need my head looked at!
405 had different spray bars to bx- straight clipped on blade on 405, looped pipe fixed to arm on bx- i tried both types on various cars! 😁
Didn't ph1 405s have the washer rail like the BX? Thought it was only the ph2 that had it on the blades? The washer rail is rubbish, in fairness, both on the TVR and on the BX!
So much want! I need a V8 engined car back in my life, and have always liked these, even with their faults (aka character). I live in South East Spain, so I think chassis issues would be much less. 80085
The chassis was designed by a man called Neil.
It's probably colour differences inside and out and engine specs to make them "all" different
I see a hell of a lot of them in the same colour schemes, to be fair! Starmist blue or green with cream or biscuit interior. But the point is that all the holes will be drilled in the same places, and you could remove a part from one Chimaera and fit it to another. Try that with a Wedge!
awesome vid - im looking to buy my fist TVR and i cant find your book available to buy anywhere. :( any suggestions?
Google 'Essential Buyer's Guide TVR Chimaera' and you should spot one.
Mines for sale if your interested
Butch
Very informative and entertaining- need to sort out the quality of audio - it’s as though your mic levels are too high.
It's the lapel mic; it's a cheap, crap one and it can't handle the sound in the TVR. All levels are down as low as they go.
Another good video 🚘🚙🚗⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you 👍
It's hard to get a feel for how large and wide all TVR's are , I suspect they come across larger in video than they really are because of the styling.
Are they more or less the same size as a MGB GT or R8?
They're nothing like as big as they look. The Chimaera is little bigger than an MX-5.
80085 really interesting video. What is the name of your book?
The front suspension uprights on an S, Chimaera or Griffith are Ford Sierra 2WD items, but with the hole at the bottom reamed out to accept a Lada ball joint.
TVR Chimaera and Griffith (The Essential Buyer's Guide) by Veloce Publishing
Such cool cars! What tyres do you fit to something like this with the big sidewall?
Standard on this model is 205/55R15 (front) and 225/50R16 (rear). Uniroyal Rainsport, Toyo Proxes and Nankangs all come in that size. The larger engine cars use up to 225/50R15 and 245/45R16, and they can be a bit more fun.
Most Chimaeras' tyres go off with age rather than running out of tread.
@@UPnDOWN so the sportier end of the fast road tyres then
Nice 👍
80085 thanks for the two-parter.
'Ned the dog' didn't bite a chunk of out the styling mould, it's a myth.
Of the Griffith and the Chimaera the Griffith has always been the one that I'd want. Probably can blame that on Gran Turismo to some extent. Still one day hope to get a Griffith or a Cerbera. One day 😂
80085.
Same, I love the looks of the Griffith.
The rear lamps on a Griffith are from a mk3 Vauxhall Cavalier hatchback, just turned upside-down.
"Of the Griffith and the Chimaera the Griffith has always been the one that I'd want"
With me, it's very much the other way round. The Chimaera is just so much more practical. I've been on holiday in it and the amount of stuff you can fit in it is astonishing.
@@kingcurry6594 I can see your point. It definitely seems much more of a GT car you could actually drive a long distance in.
In my head I'm just picturing them as something I'd thrash about in on weekends.
Wasn't there a really fast one on Top Gear once?
The later cars (Cerbera, Tuscan, Sagaris etc) all got faster. They all got more fragile, too!
It's very simular to a triumph Gt6, the big brother of the gt6.
Same driving position, same driver placement, same independent suspension, same view over the bonnet and probably as dodgy in the wet on a corner.
Mmmm, I wouldn't say it was that similar (having driven both). Chimaera is much more planted and stable, feels much more robust and chunky. Driving position kinda similar, but the gear shift is higher in the TVR, whereas it's more typically-placed in the Triumph. Rear suspension in the TVR is also a LOT better. GT6 definitely more of a handful in all conditions, and both probably as pretty as each other.
80085 Hehehe. See who's still with you? It is a nice car.
A hell of a lot more people than I expected, and I'm running out of factoids!
@@UPnDOWN Haha Most TH-camrs would love that problem. Now if only your factoid for 'me' was how did the Tasmin series racers modify the trailing arm suspension pin area to handle the extra hp and be more robust? I'll keep digging, the answer has to be out there somewhere! And crawl under the car to see if my pin is still straight now that its snow season here...
80085
For a moment, I thought you were offering a free TVR (which would have to have been a reverse Betty), but a factoid will do.
TVR never sketched cars, they started with a lump of clay and sculpted from there.
would be great to see you driving more Trevors, I'm tempted to say you should rank them but it may be a little unfair to compare customer cars. 80085
I can rank TVR models as it's a subjective thing, but I wouldn't compare individual cars with one another.
Oh....factoid. the earlier Chimaeras and most Griffiths use a backlit rear numberplate.
@@UPnDOWN I was going to say ranking the models, it would just depend on the owners of the cars I suppose. I didn't know TVRs had backlit numberplates, that's actually pretty cool & makes sense when you think about it
Great vid. Want to know a tvr factoid - 80085
The headlamps on Chiameras (except the later fared-in ones) are not one piece; They're actually a separate glass lens and reflector bowl, which is taken from a 1970's Scania truck, and was NLA as much as 5-6 years ago. Since then people have been fitting LHD versions, but those have now dried up, too.
Thanks for the TVR fact. That's amazing. I had an idea that TVR's were made up of many manufacturers parts, but the headlights, I thought were British Leyland. 👍
Thanks for this test drive. 80085.
Air-con was a cost option on the Chimaera, and if fitted included a cooled fuel intake manifold before the injector rail.
Bit harsh on Portsmouth
...but fair?! Haha!
@@UPnDOWN Like Old Portsmouth
Yes, mud… we feel your pain Vic Aus
Great insight thanks! 80085
Great video, thanks mate. 80085
Early Chimaeras had an alarm that was activated by the key slot in the door release button.
Shock Absorbers make a big difference .
They do.
80085 gang
The radio aerial for the Chimaera & Griffith is hidden under the dashboard.
80085!
The earliest Griffith had its heater motor behind the passenger headlamp, and used the cavity in the wing behind to duct the air through to the cabin. It worked about as well as you'd imagine.
80085…… fact me!
The black rubber 'bumper' strip on the earlier Chimaera's rear end is the same item as the 'bumpers' on a TVR S-Series.
Lovely car 👍👍👍 80085
The fuel filler is hidden in the boot, so if you ever see a Chimaera/Griffith/Cerbera etc in a petrol station with the driver apparently pouring petrol into the boot, you know why!
80085 whuh?
The coolant cap on the all TVRs from the Griffith onwards is from a VW Golf.
I shall sleep sounder tonight knowing this.
80085
80085😢
The front and rear wheels are different sizes on the Chimaera: 15in front, 16in rear.
80085
The headlights lens' from most Chimaeras come from a 1970s Scania lorry, and there are no RHD spares left.
80058
So close!
Bloody cyclists lol
What is the purpose of a POV video while driving? Except to be so boring despite the fantastic car …….
Amazing question. I have one, too - What's the point in watching a POV video when you already don't like them?
I dont think a modern hot hatch would see this off in the right hands thats for sure.... Its all about power to weight is it not and knowing what you do with that right foot ?? I have to date never had a so called hot hatch take me on "without wishing to sound childish" Mine is the 4 liter and I tell you what I would take most cars on in dry conditions If wet a different ball game as these will turn on you ..If my name was Max or Senna or Mansell or Alonso then the strory would be with a funny sort of ending I think ?? They are as fast or as slow as you want them to be and thats what makes them what they are in many many ways They are a dream car at a none dream price Just get one drive it for a few years and sell at probably what you paid "unless you got a lemon" So if like me you are skint most of the time dont worry the wife will understand when you come to sell if you ever do that is ?????????????????????????
I would definitely disagree! For a kickoff, a modern hot hatch would probably have 7 or 8 gears in a dual clutch transmission, 4wd and all the traction aids going, with around 100bhp more.
I love the Chimaera, and I own a 400 myself, too (my second one), but realistically cars are much faster now. Like I say, though, it's not really the point - the TVR puts a smile on your face and gives you an experience that modern faster cars cannot. IMHO, of course.
80085 !
Damn I can't remember what facts I've done and haven't done now! Erm, the earlier Griffith uses fibreoptics for its heater blower switchgear.
@@UPnDOWN WOW!
80085
The standard fit windscreen washer rail used on a Chimaera or Griffith are taken from the Citroen BX, only they don't fit under the arm like the BX's, so are fitted over the top, meaning they don't work very well!
80085
The last Chimaeras used Citroen Xsara Picasso side repeaters.
80085
The BTR different used in the Chimaera was also used in the London Taxi.
80085
The offset bonnet 'bulge' on the TVR S, S2 and S3 is only there to allow the throttle cable mechanism to clear on the 2.8 Cologne V6 used in the S model. On all others, it serves no purpose other than looks.
80085
The first Griffith's are known as 'pre-cats' because they didn't have catalytic converters. They undoubtedly make the best noise of all variants of either car.
80085
From new, Chimaeras had three catalytic convertors; One big one in front of the engine, and a small pre-cat in exhaust exhaust header. The pre-cats are only needed for cold-start; Once at N.O.T., the main cat is sufficient.
80085
There are 24 bolts securing the body to the chassis on a Chimaera/Griffith.
80085
If a Chimaera has no visible boot hinges from the outside, it's got the later-type bootlid mechanism which allows it to open at 90deg, making it easier to get the roof panel in and out.
80085
The door mirrors on the last Griffiths (models designated 'LE') were from a VW Corrado, same as all TVRs from the Cerbera onwards.
80085
It's only possible to have a Chimaera with PAS if you have the 'serp' version of the Rover V8 engine (which most Chimaeras do). The pre-serp power-steering pump is positioned where the exhaust sits, so can't be fitted.
80085
Despite having a V-configuration engine and two exhaust tailpipes, the exhaust is actually one big pipe for half its length, so people who test the emissions in each tailpipe when trying to diagnose a fault are barking up an empty tree.
80085
The Chimaera weighs nearly 100kg less than the old Tasmin.
80085
There's a button hidden under the dashboard by your knee that knocks out all the dash lights...not everybody realises it's there, and assumes they have an electrical fault if they accidentally knock it.
80085
The outriggers on a Chimaera/Griffith are 38mm O/D tube...basically exhaust pipe!
80085
The very last Chimaeras had fared-in headlamps and seats from the Cerbera.
80085
The latest Chimaeras used side repeaters from a Xsara Picasso.
@@UPnDOWN no way
@@andreivoi1 Yes way!
80085
Many versions of the TVR M-Series use Triumph TR6 rear lights. They almost look better on the Tiv than they do on the Triumph!
@@UPnDOWN Am I really the only one??? 😳
80085
TVR, for a time, had Chimaeras produced in Malaysia.
@@UPnDOWN What Are the signs of a Blackpool / Malaysian car? I once read, a TVR 97 sign under the bonnet near the hinges makes the difference.
80085
Early Chimaeras use mk3 Fiesta rear lamp clusters behind a perspex cover, whereas later ones like this use M.O.D. spec Land Rover lamps individually glued in.
@@UPnDOWN Always wondered where the later light cluster originated. Good fact. Thanks.