Mark Green

I want a convertible for the summer. Less than £15k
Should I get a Griffith or Chimera - what differences are there?
What goes wrong with them?
Can I afford the insurance - any idea how much? (28yrs, 0 points, loadsa ncb, cheap area)

btw I'm keeping the scooby

Any other suggestions for a summer toy? Open top + donut potential required.

TIFF-C20WTH

"What goes wrong with them"

EVERYTHING

ScoobySnack

Should I get a Griffith or Chimera - what differences are there?
Basically the same car underneath but with different body styles. However over the time they were built many things changed or were redesigned. I've owned both and would summarise the Chimaera as a much better car for touring, as it seems to be more for forgiving and better designed for space etc.. . I now have a Griffith, this is much more raw but what a car. Also more skitish when driven hard.


What goes wrong with them?
If you get a good one and maintain it properly not a lot. But bare in mind they are handbuilt so you have to accept a more industrial build qualiity, and that you can't scrimp on fixing things as they where out.

Can I afford the insurance - any idea how much? (28yrs, 0 points, loadsa ncb, cheap area).
32yrs, 0 points, garaged, loads NCB...£542 limited miles.. There are several specilist insurers dealing in TVRs' as classics.


btw I'm keeping the scooby
So have I for everyday use ..

Any other suggestions for a summer toy? Open top + donut potential required
Chimaera + Griffith ... rear wheel, what a noise...
Porsche 911... rear wheel, classic air cooled sound
Classic Mustang/Corvette..... rear wheel ,


Take a look on the forum at www.pistonheads.co.uk it has plenty of info

J

ScoobySnack

Where are you in the South?

Just to get the imagination going...

Mark Green

Salisbury, Scoobysnack.
Thanks J. pistonheads is v.good.

Would I regret getting a 4.0 rather than 4.3/5.0 ?? anyone....

LanciaChris

Griffith 500 everytime. Last time I met one of those, it was by sound rather than sight. I was like. hmm. that sounds like a griffith 500, turned round and lo and behold, a blue griffith 500 goes by (aberystwyth), on the high street, idling but still sounding like it was ready to take on the world and win. TVR to me is a bit more of a raw experience and the griffith is more that kind than the chimera

TVR Gary

Chimeara is more of a cruising car with a larger boot whereas the Griffith is the sports one of the two. The Griffith is the hard core one but also by far the most desirable. I would have one of those if I was you. Try to find a good low mileage 4.3 if you can. That is the best model and holds its money very very well.

Gary

medders

Well, when I bought my griffith I mentioned reliability in the garage and was told the HC engineed cars were a lot more relaible.
I had a griff 500hc.

It was a nightmare most of the time and lovely what was left.

Pros - Great noise, great pose, straight line speed.

Cons - crankshaft siezed, cam lobe fell off, 6 odometers, fan fuses blew monthly causing it to boil over withtin seconds, river flowing down channel under drivers seat every time it rained, bodywork cracked where drivers door shout. Thats all i can remember for now

I'm not sure how you would tell a "good one" ?? Mine was 2nd owner, fully serviced and in perfect nick when I got it. I did use it everyday which was a mistake.

I wont buy another.

If you get problems, make sure you have deep pockets.

Still, it got me into scoobies

cheers

Paul

mik

griff griff griff griff griff griff
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TVR Gary

Oh and by the way classic car insurance will cost you about £300 - £400 a year for 5000 miles.

Try Ian Fray 01455 619022

grandadg90

The chimera wins for me. I have had mine for five years and its been a gem. Its only covered 33000 miles in its life, thats not nad for a 1993 car. Its for sale by the way. Email me for details, if interested. The car will be much cheaper than 14000

grandadg90@hotmail.com

Ray

Tiggs

Mark,


I have just done this!

After looking at EVERY soft top out there i got a chim450, spent a bit more and sold my main car....i'll now get a cheapo for the really wet days and use the TVR 85% of the time...even in winter....a blast to work with the top down at 6am is like 25 coffees!

Bit busy now but heres a quick summary:

TVR V Other soft tops:

If you can have one get one- nothing else comes close, nothing sounds like not much goes like it...they are loved by joe bloggs.

While SN'ers like to think their scoobs look the biz...they dont to 99% of the world, only car ppl know what it is. A TVR is Soooooo different, every one loves it kids, old folk, pets....i have meet more neighbours since i got it than i knew i had! "ohh, hello i thought i'd just say hi...i live at no. 7........nice car!"

Relaibilty:
The reliability is an issue but bits of trim coming loose is not the same as the car not starting....reading Piston heads it seems rare for a car to just not work. In summary, if its a 2nd car or you can live with it not working on occasion then ikts no biggy..im my boss so if it didnt start one day id just stay at home!


Griff V Chim:

I dont like the griff! (l like it over most other cars! but not as much as a chim) i think it lacks the "classic british sports car" look that the chim has....it also has a huge boot which means i can get lap top, roof, shooping in with ease.

I drove all of them and found the 5litre griff not vastly different to a 5litre chim....the differences that were there where not enough to sway me..in fact if the chim is a "soft" ride then you can keep hard! compared to a scoob its like a go cart.

4 V 450 V 5:

I found the 4 VERY fast but lacked flexability in 5th gear at speed, the jump to a 450 was big the jump to a 5 was not so big so i picked the first of either i found- it was a 450. (as an example of flexability i drove from maidenhead to cirencester last week-at a fair old pace- and prob changed gear 15 times door to door! unless your in a jam or going nuts you can stick it in 5th on a motorway and drive like an auto- it will still pick up and FLY away from anything else)


TVR V Scoob:
as youre keeping yours you can have both..but for reference- i find the TVR 1000% more fun to drive. In many places its faster (not all- down a rough old lane im sure a tractor would beat it) it feels faster everywhere though- it feels fast sat in the garage. Its a proper sports car, roof down, engine roaring, back end moving about.....it made the scoob feel like a mondeo.

If you can get one DOOOOOO!

T

ScoobySnack

Hi Mark,

Engines for these beasts came in:

4 Litre (Chimaera & Griffith)
4 Litre HC (Chimaera)
4.3 Litre (Chimaera & Griffith)
4.3 Litre Big Value (Chimaera & Griffith)
4.5 Litre (Chimaera & Griffith)
4.5 Litre Big Value (Chimaera & Griffith)
5 Litre (Chimaera & Griffith)

I'd go for the 5 Litre straight away why not........... (Unless I could find that Non-Catted 4.5BV Griffith, now that is a rare car..)

J


HC had gas flowed cyclinder heads and produced about 10BHP more..

medders

Are all 5's HC scoobysnack ?

cheers

paul

ScoobySnack

Hi Paul,

Yep all 5Litres are in fact HC's..

The Griffith 500 was delivered with 340BHP, then detuned from 1997 onwards to 320BHP. Torque also changed to become even more drivable. These figures are based on bench top dynos..


J

ScoobySnack

Forgot to say...

I think 500 confusion arises as some say 500HC on the Plenum & some just say 500. They are the same so don't pay more for one with the extra letters

Also most think HC stands for High Compression which is logical, however it really mean't High Lift Cam

J