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Castle Combe Motorsport Mania 2002Friday the 21st – Sunday the 23rd of June saw the TVR Car Club Motorsport Mania weekend at Castle Combe race circuit in Wiltshire. The annual event draws thousands of people and some very interesting cars (TVR’s, Ferrari’s, Marcos, Morgans, Caterhams etc) were dotted around the public car parks. The Sunday racing was also excellent and featured TVR Tuscans, Caterham superlites, Formula 3 and Formula Ford races however the main feature GT and GT0 race of the day saw the TVR Speed 12 disappointingly drop out early due to mechanical trouble.
The weather for the Friday TVRCC organised track day unfortunately was very rainy, the Saturday race qualifying was also a little overcast, Sunday also started out a little cloudy but later cleared to become a glorious day. The good weather on the Sunday certainly brought in the crowds, it was also good to meet up with all my TVR Wedge chums over the course of the weekend: Duncan Simey (SEAC), Jeff Morgan (420se), Mike Bowen (400se) and Simon with his newly acquired black 350i. It was also heartening to see more than the usual amount of Wedge cars come out of the woodwork.
I tried to get as
many pictures and to talk to as many of the owners as possible, however
as they were spread all over the 1.8mile circuit apologies if I missed
you. I have still got the blisters on my feet to prove that I did have
a good go! I also bumped into Steve Dallimore with his blue 280i. He runs the ‘Thin-End of the Wedge’ website which also specialises in TVR Wedge cars. He has just started the site and intends to build it up, please check it out and give him some support http://www.thinendofthewedge.com. |
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TVR Car Club 'Back Home' meeting - 18th and 19th May 2002The 18th and 19th May saw the annual TVR Car Club organised 'Back Home' event. The event offers TVRCC members, TVR owners and marque enthusiasts the opportunity to meet up in Blackpool, have a knees up and meet other people from all over the UK (and beyond) with one common interest: TVR's. Unfortunately this year I could not attend. One TVR Wedge Pages reader went and what follows is his report: 'I had been looking forward to the Back Home meeting for weeks. Unfortunately on the morning of the off it was pouring with rain, on the trip up it rained so hard that I had been better off with a jet ski than a 400SE ! I finally arrived at the De Vere hotel - the parking was easy as half of the car park had been reserved for TVRs only. Checked in etc - (I must say the the De Vere is a very nice hotel) and headed straight into town eventually finding (after a short tour of the sea front) a huge car park that had been commandeered for the day’s autotest and concourse.
The cars were parked in lines corresponding to model with wedges being very well represented - see photographs. The highlights included an immaculate white 450SE who won best wedge and a red SEAC with an engine bay so shiny that you needed sunglasses to look at it. Some people must spend a lot of time (and money) in their garages. A few wedge owners were brave enough to try out the autotest in the wet conditions and surely must have come close to the Chimera that ended up winning.
Later in the day Peter Wheeler turned up in the new Tuscan R - An extremely nice car, but in my opinion just doesn’t sound like a TVR, let alone a wedge !. The evening dinner and dance at the hotel included a raffle with some excellent prizes (my sympathy lies with the poor guy who won the dishwasher - try fitting that into your TVR). There was also a Bavarian type band trying to entertain us – enough said! Sunday morning was reserved for the lucky few (300 odd) who had tickets to attend the TVR factory tour. This was simply superb and I can highly recommend it to anyone who happens to find themselves in Blackpool with an hour or so their hands. Midday Sunday was the calvacade along the Blackpool sea front. I was told that this was supposed to have been organised by the local constabulary but they must have had something much more exciting to do as none turned up to lead the parade. The parade ended up being a bit disorganised. Some groups of cars decided to head off on their own parade and some heading back to the hotel - I did enjoy it though. One highlight of the parade that did bring a grin to my face was when the guy in the Speed Six Cerbera behind me said that he would swap the sound of his car for mine anyday – shame he didn’t want to swap the car too! Overall I did enjoy the event and will be back next year, I just hope for better weather next time. Thanks go to Colin Hewett for sending in the pics and to C. Kent for the words. |
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Wedge pic shoot or Cannonball run?? - 16/05/02The weathermen were promising it to be a sunny day and a lovely evening; I needed some nice new pics of Wedges for my Downloads section. A few quick phone calls later and it was arranged to meet up with Jeff Morgan and his 420i and Glenn Baker with his newly acquired TVR 450i. We decided to meet up in the old Garden Festival for Wales site in Ebbw Vale. Although the actual Festival had long since gone, the site was still quite picturesque and offered quite a good (although a little short) run through the Welsh countryside.
We met up, had a good chat and tyre kick and some great pics were taken. I will be processing the pics shortly and will be posting them on the Downloads section so that you can use them as computer background ‘wallpapers’. By the way, If you have any high quality pics of your Wedge in picturesque or unusual locations please send it in I could always use more.
The photo session also proved to be quite a spectacle, drawing several interested locals and their offspring. One amusing moment that comes to mind was when Jeff offered one eight year old a sit in the drivers seat of his car. The boy said ‘Wow thanks mister, the kids in school are never going to believe me when I tell ‘em I had a sit in a Ferrari !(?)!’ (Well, Jeff’s car is red).
After the meet up,
the trip home can only described as more than a little quicker (and nosier)
than the usual more sedate club outings - Cannonball 2002 eat your heart
out! It is only during these fast journeys that the additional power of the 400 and 450i series cars becomes evident compared to my humble 350i. In Jeff Morgan’s words ‘I need more power, I NEED MORE POWER….’ Thanks go to Jeff and Glenn for making the evening quite memorable, we must do it again soon. |
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ACT Silicon Samco hoses now available for Wedges - 09/05/02ACT Performance Products are now a supplier of Samco silicon hoses, they can now offer coolant hose kits for TVR’s available in Blue, Purple, Green, Yellow & Red.
Not all models are
covered yet but they have supplied V8 wedges, Griffith's, Chimaera’s
and I am told that TVR Cerbera’s are being prepared. Most of the
hoses are specials, i.e not on the regular Samco price list. In some cases
ACT have had special tooling made. Price examples:
Act also carry stocks
of individual hoses, for example a replacement for convoluted inlet pipe
from air flow meter to plenum. For more info call ACT on 020 8715 3160 you could also e-mail the man himself timlamont@actproducts.co.uk or visit the Act website at: www.actproducts.co.uk |
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Locking petrol caps for Wedges - 20/03/02If you leave you Wedge unattended one of the possible things to nick (apart from the car itself !) is the petrol. To help combat the thieving lowlifes that would stoop to stealing fuel, Mike Hurley has developed a locking petrol cap for his TVR. Apart from his own, he has made up several sets and is offering then for sale to other interested TVR Wedge Pages readers at a very modest cost.
The petrol cap locks to a special collar that fits on the filler neck. The cap is hidden behind the flap on the drivers RHD side of the car, or the passenger side on LHD Wedges. If you fancy one, Mike can supply you with the kit for £10.00 including (UK) postage. Mike informs me that the number of kits available are dwindling fast so be quick if you want one! You can write to Mike at the address below:- 1 Shaw Close |
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Wedge kick plates available from Leven - 02/05/02After a long wait, Leven Technology have finally gone into production of the wedge kick plates. The plates are made from durable high quality bright polished (NOT bright anealed) stainless steel, according to Simon at Leven this is more reflective and gives a higher spec finish than the norm. The size of the plate is 1050 x 65mm (please check both sides of the car prior to ordering as the sill sizes do vary across the wedge range!). The wedge model logo is permanently acid etched into the surface and is protected by a plastic film for delivery. Fitting is easy and the plates come with cleaning degreaser sachets and full fitting instructions.
The designs available at the moment are for the 280i, 350i, 400SE and 450SE (450 special order only). The plates are priced at £59.98 which includes VAT and UK next day delivery. I have mine already and I am very impressed, not only by the quallity of the product itself but the presentation, packaging, instructions and ease of fitting, they have been worth the wait. I think that these plates really add the finishing touch to the wedge. Check out the full review by clicking HERE. Leven also have a ONE off special offer on a set of TVR 350SE plates (as pictured above right). The plates are 1060 x 70mm and have the 350SE logo acid etched into the steel and a slightly different stripe pattern to the standard plates (compare the 350se and 400se pics above). The not to be repeated price is £45.00 including VAT and UK delivery, they only have one set of these so be quick!. For more information on these plates and the rest of the TVR products Leven Technology produce, call them direct on: 01633 484844 or check out their website by clicking HERE. |
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Tasmin Challenge Lydden Hill - 06/04/02Round one of the 2002 Kumho Tyres TVR Tasmin Challenge, and an excellent start to the season with some fantastic racing throughout the field. This first round was very closely contended but finally won by Steve Lewis (pictured below). To read more about the race, check out Graham Walden's detailed race report by clicking HERE.
For more information on the series and the points tables for the individual races, please check out the Tasmin Challenge website or contact the series co-ordinator Steve Lewis directly. Thanks to Patrick Weightman for supplying the pics used on the reports for that race. |
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Castle Combe 2nd April 2002It was good to take the 350i out for it's first good real blast of the year, and what better place than to the first TVR Tuscan race of the season at Castle Combe. It was good to see that the Tuscan race series had lost none of it's drama and excitement. It was also good to see some of Blackpool's finest creations in the car park - Wedges of course (there were also plenty of 'normal' TVRs present as well !!). In between races I got the chance to meet up with quite a few people who I know and several who have contributed to this site including Duncan Simey and his blue SEAC, it was good to meet you all, and to put faces to the names. One of the highlights of the day for me was hearing Duncan's newly re-built SEAC roar, it certainly shook a few cobwebs loose!. I blasted away with the camera all day and would like to take this opportunity to publish a few of interest. I am sorry if I missed anybody but I am hoping to get to as many of the seasons TVR highlights as possible, with the aim of meeting up with as many 'Wedge nuts' as possible - catch you soon.
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New ACT Performance carbon fibre trumpet bases - 20/03/02Those clever boys at ACT Performance Products have designed and now manufacture a "trick" trumpet base that fits onto a standard bore inlet manifold, ideal for all V8 wedges as well as 4.0L 4.3L & 4.5L Griffiths and Chimaera (for 5.0L TVR’s ACT supply a 45mm trumpet set).
The steel tubes in the trumpet base (within the plenum) are replaced with carbon fibre trumpets (pictured in the foreground in the pic above) which are then bonded and blended together. The shape is unique 38mm bore at base and 50mm bore at opening designed for increased airflow at higher revs (3000+ rpm) ACT now supply racing teams such as touring cars so they understand trumpet shape / design. Power increase is approx 10+ peak BHP with more torque from 3000 rpm. There is nothing else that can offer this performance increase for so little money ! ACT will give full refund if the customer isn’t totally happy with results, the price is £250 +VAT exchange. For more info call ACT on 020 8715 3160 you could also e-mail the man himself timlamont@actproducts.co.uk or visit the Act website at: www.actproducts.co.uk |
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Replacement OZ alloy wheel bolts - 13/02/02Hans Daalhuisen has been recently having problems finding somewhere to get hold of (less pricey) new OZ split rim bolts to replace the corroded ones on his TVR 430SE wheels.
He has been able to locate a source that will supply him polished titanium replacement bolts at around £1.75 each. If you are on the look-out for new bolts or require any further information, please feel free to e-mail him at the address below. I have not seen the bolts in the 'flesh' but Hans assures me that they are a direct replacement. On the subject of alloys, please keep an eye out for my own article on having your Wedge alloy wheels refurbished - coming very soon. |
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Tasmin Challenge 2002 race season dates setThe 2002 Kumho Tyres TVRCC Tasmin Challenge race dates have been announced and are provisionally as below. The TVR Wedge Pages will be keeping a close eye on the season and will be posting the results after every date, so keep tuning in. Please note, since the dates were posted the date for Rockingham on the 27 / 28th April has been cancelled due to track surface problems. If you fancy joining in the fun yourself, see what's involved in converting a TVR 280i by clicking here. Also if you want the series BARC regulations please click here.
For more information on the series, please check out the Tasmin Challenge website or contact the series co-ordinator Steve Lewis directly. |
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