Buy a TVR he said.............

[crank_case]

Yeah it's all about torque with this lump. I am used to having to work for my umph, so there is something surreal about driving along at 50kph at 1,200 rpm in top gear, and being able to accelerate off smoothly with no stress. I can only imagine what the proper big American V8s are like.

My only experience of a big US V8 is Jaws 383 (6.2 litre) Dodge Charger. It's a big engine, but it's also a big car. Acceleration without kicking down a gear isn't dramatic but it's sort of this big wave or surge of the thing just picking up a huge amount of box girder steel with not much effort, like throttling up a big speedboat or something. I think the TVR, despite having a "small block" is probably a bit more dramatic as you've got a fair slug of torque, but in something that weighs feck all.

Perhaps the only things that would combine these two in an older car would be a big block Corvette.

[markcro]

Yes indeed - torque limited in 1st and 2nd, by the driver's right foot

1st and 2nd are only for tooling around in traffic and keeping the magazine 0-60 stats aficionados happy: 3rd gear roll on is where it's at. I imagine there's a fairly big flat torque curve on that engine, so no need to rev it out when you're always dropping back into a meaty part of the curve.

Yeah it's all about torque with this lump. I am used to having to work for my umph, so there is something surreal about driving along at 50kph at 1,200 rpm in top gear, and being able to accelerate off smoothly with no stress. I can only imagine what the proper big American V8s are like.

[-alan-]

Yes indeed - torque limited in 1st and 2nd, by the driver's right foot

1st and 2nd are only for tooling around in traffic and keeping the magazine 0-60 stats aficionados happy: 3rd gear roll on is where it's at. I imagine there's a fairly big flat torque curve on that engine, so no need to rev it out when you're always dropping back into a meaty part of the curve.

[markcro]

Sounds like you short shifted on 1st and 2nd and then let it have its head a bit more in 3rd. Was that anywhere close to or at the redline for the big V ?

That wasn't a hard launch obviously, don't want to break anything! 1st feels very low and so I never feel right reving it out with what feels like no load. So that was probably about 4k revs. Even second runs out pretty fast, you could see me selecting 2nd and reaching for the steering wheel but not making it as she was already nearing 5k. 3rd there I let her pull to about 5.5k. From the specs, she makes peak power at 5,200rpm so there is no real point going to the 6k redline. So a big lazy lump, not a rev monster.

There is a stupidly big speed bump near me, and a few weeks I slowed to a near stop to get over it. I then pulled off once I was clear. She pulled away nice and smoothly, but I had a feeling that she wasn't as peppy for some reason. "What's up?!" I thought to myself...... and then I realised that I was in 3rd gear, not 1st..

[-alan-]

Making a nice tune...

Sounds like you short shifted on 1st and 2nd and then let it have its head a bit more in 3rd. Was that anywhere close to or at the redline for the big V ?

[markcro]

Great thread Mark,

Sounds like you are enjoying the TVR. Nice to know there is another one added to the TVR tally over here. Will you be going to the classic show in Galway, if so I might be there to say hello if I can spare a few hours.

Sorry, I haven't been on here for a while because I have been a bit busy with other stuff...
Full resto of a MK5 Hilux and also whipping out the engine and box in my own TVR to replace a worn camshaft which is now a full engine rebuild because I thought I might as well while I'm at it! Fabricating a new exhaust system, replacing all gaskets and seals in the gearbox and overdrive unit, painting the chassis, refreshing the engine bay and now I am in the middle of building a boarding cattery for my wife's new business so Backroads took a back seat for a while as I've been posting on a Hilux forum (as Deadly Dave will know) and also lurking on the TVRCC forum as it needs the support due to facebook diverting a lot of traffic away from Club forums.
I will try to get back on here a bit more now too.

Yeah I am really enjoying it, just struggling to get out more in her. I won't be going to Galway as my wife is working that day, so I'll have to hold the fort at home. This year she has been working every weekend that there has been something on.
Wow, you have some very interesting projects on your plate! You should keep a report of the progress of each, the cattery too!

[markcro]

Making a nice tune...

[GJL]

Great thread Mark,

Sounds like you are enjoying the TVR. Nice to know there is another one added to the TVR tally over here. Will you be going to the classic show in Galway, if so I might be there to say hello if I can spare a few hours.

Sorry, I haven't been on here for a while because I have been a bit busy with other stuff...
Full resto of a MK5 Hilux and also whipping out the engine and box in my own TVR to replace a worn camshaft which is now a full engine rebuild because I thought I might as well while I'm at it! Fabricating a new exhaust system, replacing all gaskets and seals in the gearbox and overdrive unit, painting the chassis, refreshing the engine bay and now I am in the middle of building a boarding cattery for my wife's new business so Backroads took a back seat for a while as I've been posting on a Hilux forum (as Deadly Dave will know) and also lurking on the TVRCC forum as it needs the support due to facebook diverting a lot of traffic away from Club forums.
I will try to get back on here a bit more now too.

[markcro]

I've always found warm overcast days and nights the best for having the top down. I burn up too quickly on sunny days.

I spent a sunny day driving around West Meath with the top down. I was thinking to myself that I don't get the supposed feeling of freedom/ blue sky that a convertible is meant to give. And then I realised that because it was a sunny day, I had a baseball cap on to stop my noggin getting burnt to a crisp. And sure the cap's peak over your face gives the same feeling as having a roof over you!

[Deadly Dave]

I'm still getting used to the whole convertible thing. I've only gone topless a few times. I never had a convertible before so it feels very odd still....

I've always found warm overcast days and nights the best for having the top down. I burn up too quickly on sunny days.

[Conorw89]

Looks lovely!

[davemx-5]

Yeah the classic tax is great. I'm still getting used to the whole convertible thing. I've only gone topless a few times. I never had a convertible before so it feels very odd still....

It really comes into its own at night. Love driving topless at night for some reason!

[markcro]

Fair play markcro looks a great car you got there. Good to see your getting plenty of use! Can''t wait until my Mx5 is €56 tax next year and make some use out of the convertible.

Yeah the classic tax is great. I'm still getting used to the whole convertible thing. I've only gone topless a few times. I never had a convertible before so it feels very odd still....

[davemx-5]

Fair play markcro looks a great car you got there. Good to see your getting plenty of use! Can''t wait until my Mx5 is €56 tax next year and make some use out of the convertible.

[markcro]

Ring of Kerry May 2022