Correct me if I am wrong... Please...

I was speaking with a friend who is seriously looking at buying a Vixen.

Question I have for you TVR people is this. The bodies are bonded to the chassis on these models... right? I wanted to double check and make sure my memory on the subject was still accurate.

Thanks!

I think the early bodies were bonded and the later ones were bolted to the frame.

I rent a shed to a friend who keeps the very first Vixen in there and it's bonded.

Bodies where bonded to the chassis on all models through the Series 1 Vixen. Series 2's where the first that was removed by removing the six fasteners.

Grantura_MKI said:

Bodies where bonded to the chassis on all models through the Series 1 Vixen. Series 2's where the first that was removed by removing the six fasteners.

Click to expand...

And David would be the one to know ! For some reason, I had thought the change occurred during the Grantura series. You learn something new every day ! Unfortunately, I think I forget 2 things everyday.

By the way, there are several nice looking Vixens of different series and levels of modification out there for sale in the US right now. I believe that David (Grantura_MKI) posted recently that he has one for sale also.

Thanks for setting me straight. :wink:

S1 vixens the body was bonded to the chassis, S2 vixens the body was bolted on to the chassis. There is a tube bonded into the front of the bonnet for the hinge though that can still have rust problems.

Please see above.

Just to let everyone here know, it ended up being a '71 S3 with a 1600cc Kent under the bonnet. I haven't seen it yet but is there a good source for general informaiton on them? This one was evidently sitting in dry storage in Utah for the last 20 years or so. Early report is the rear axle is noisy.

Most mechanical items on TVR's where sourced from other large volume manufacture's. This makes finding inforamtion/spares easy to obtain.

Sure it's not a S2 titled as a 71? AFAIK S3's were never brought into the states. Does the vent in the side have 3 horizontal slats or a grill type mesh? 3 slats would be an S2. Regardless the rear end would be a spitfire diff with TR6 halfshafts, TR6 brakes. I have several good spitfire Mk4 diffs sitting on the shelf.

The car could have come through Canada? Should have Ford Zepher side vents...made of pot metal. It would not have TR6 brakes, but would be fitted with a Vitesse/Spit diff. If it has a TR6 diff, then it would have been Triumph powered making it a 2500. If it has a Salisbury diff, then that is a different story.

I haven't seen the car yet. The friend of mine that bought it left for Cairo on business the day he got back from Utah with it. He won't be back until the 13th of November. Hope to give a good going over then if weather permits. I'll get pics and check the vents etc... then.

I found a parts list/manual for it that lists MkIV Spit, Vitesse or GT6 (3.89) differential with 2000/2500 halfshafts. It does list TR6 drum brakes and TR6 calipers and rotors for the front. Read an interesting bit about the front uprights being from a Herald 12/50 and reversed left for right etc... and even had a tidbit of why it was done.

I don't know for sure what all is in it. But he told me that the title lists it as a '71 S3. I haven't even laid eyes on it yet but give me some hints of what to look for and I'll report back what I find when he gets back from Cairo.

Calipers are model 16P. Manual is wrong, rears are not TR6.

Other than what I listed above, tail lites, side vents dash lay out, bonnet.

You will find that TVR was famous for switching sides on bits that they cobbled together.

Up rights are known to break at the trunion. These units where used on many a Lotus and specials of the era.

16P calipers would match early TR6, Later TR6's used 16PB's. What donor do the rear brakes come from then? Trying to get some built some good collective wisdom for my friend.

I'll take some detailed photos of the car when I see it. The taillights are supposed to be MkII Cortina taillights right? I know those well as I used to own a MkII 1600GT Cortina.

I have heard of TVR using bumpers from odd cars but mounting them upside down on opposite sides as well to lessen the identification process.

If the trunions are known for cracking, its a good thing I know where a good set of Herald 12/50 drum brake uprights are resting comfortably. The reason I found for the switched trunnions follows.

"Some Formula One cars of the 1950's featured a very similar front suspension layout to the Vixen with double unequal length wishbones and an upright+trunnion type combination. Study the Coopers of the 1950's and 1960's for examples of this set-up. As you know, when the trunnion is rotated on the upright (i.e. during steering) the distance between the top link (1/2) and the trunnion body will either increase or decreasing depending on the direction of rotation.
In a quest for more performance from the front suspension it was arranged that the distance would increase for the suspension on the outside of a corner and decrease on the inside of the corner. In order to acheive this on the TVR the trunnions are swapped whereas the Triumph designers didn't really worry about this. Probably, this is fine tuning that for most people would never be noticed. For competition use with a very stiff suspension set-up and lower profile tyres then it is more worth doing. If you wish the car to be arranged as John Thurner wished it then swap sides."

Vixen bumpers are unfortunately TVR unique. On my dads S2 Vixen the rear brakes certainly are TR6. Tail lights are MkII Cortina switched L to R.

Should have the square MKII Cortina lamp assemblies at the rear
Bumpers are unique to each corner and are not to be swapped.
16P calipers where carried through to the TR6.
Trunion failure is mostly due to lack of lubrication. I would not suggest fitting second hand units unless you have them magnifluxed. They are available new.
I have seen the article in the past. Thurner was the designer of the "new" TVR chassis.

Here are some pics of the TVR that my friend bought.













It is titled as a 1971 S3 Vixen. The Front & rear brakes, according to the parts list of recent work are TR6 (according to the part numbers anyway). The tail lights are definitely MkII Cortina units upside down. I'm very familiar with those taillight units. The gas cap is also the same that was used on 70-76 TR6s.

Looks like a pretty nice car. That was the color my dads car was originally. He did away with the mechanical fan and put an electric fan in front of the radiator. 90 degree days and no problems with it. Thats definately an S3. Fun little things to drive and one of the few british cars that does well on the highway without overdrive. Engine parts are a little expensive but at least available. We've found though that the wheels have to be balanced on the car or at a shop that has the ability to center the wheel on the lugs not the center. FWIW the TVR "center caps" are available from David Gerald in the UK.

Nice looking vehicle. Well kept from the pic's.

We were already discussing the addition of an electric fan and how little effect that engine driven fan must have given the spacing. Figured it wouldn't be much of a problem until heavy summer traffic returns.