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Wedge First drive in the latest modified TR8

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T

tr8todd

Jedi Knight
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Let's just start by saying "Nobody needs a TR8 this fast". This car breaks the wheels free at will- even at modest throttle rolling along in third gear. I built this car for an Army buddy of mine who just came off active duty. We started with his rusty TR8 convertible that all ready had a 4.6 liter installed. I picked up a very clean white body shell in Georgia. While the body was off being painted, Woody built a new motor for it. It's now a 4.9 liter with a solid lifter cam, lightened internals and roller rockers. All of the go fast goodies were bought and bolted to the engine. New carpet, canvass top, wheels and tires were added. A Ford rear end, Wilwood brakes and master, new brake lines and hoses, coil overs with Konis, custom exhaust, yada, yada, yada, were all bolted to the new body. Nothing was left off of the wish list. His budget was 30K- the cost of a new Honda S2000. We came in under that, but just barely. I am now in the process of debugging the car. This thing is scarey fast. I hope he doesn't hurt himself with this car once I give it back to him. I thik he is very happy that he didn't buy that S2000.
 
Did you build (modify) your own coilover from a TR8 tube?
 
I've been to Woody's shop and it is a "very interesting" place to be when a new engine is being fired up or a TR8 is being tweaked for power.
 
I have built several sets for wedges. You start by grinding off the original spring perch. Then you weld on a piece of 1.5" black gas pipe that is 1" long just above the brake line mounting tab. This will serve to support the threaded sleeve. You will have to slice the black pipe and open it up slightly to get it over the tube. Our tubes have an outer diameter of something like 1.8". Once the new perch is on, you can slide a 7" threaded sleeve over the tube. I usually buy the sleeve and adjuster nut from Afco. Unless you have camber plates for the top, you will have to get creative for the top mount and adapt the stock one to use 2.5" coil over springs. On this car, I welded 2" gas pipe into the center of the top cup and ordered urethane bushings from Energy Suspensions. A bit of advise here- don't plan on running any springs that are longer than 8". In order to lower the car to the proper ride height with a 10" spring, the lower adjustable perch will contact the top of the tire. This car has 8" 225# springs for the front and 9" 200# for the rear. I haven't yet built the rear control arms with the adjustable spring perches for him. I'll do that over the Winter once we start getting snow and it's harder to move cars around. I need a couple more sets for my cars anyway, so I'll make them all at once. He also wants a different roll bar. The one he has in there now is an early Kirk roll bar and it doesn't allow his seat to go back far enough. He is 6'3" tall and needs the seat to go all the way back.
 
Michael- Not a lot of V8 Wedge talk here. Maybe you'll liven things up a bit
 
I think you hit it on the head, The Wedgies seem to have started the holiday season early. I am well intended, I have emptied my trunk and started to take my seats out to work on my floors. I am still debating on how to repair my rear mounting point
 
DNK said:
Michael- Not a lot of V8 Wedge talk here. Maybe you'll liven things up a bit
Click to expand...

Yeah, Michael - you registered in July of '07 and just now getting around to posting?! C'mon, Man, you've some catching up to do! :jester:

Welcome aboard, officially!

:cheers:
Mickey
 
I know it was the excuse of I signed up for the forum per tr8todd suggestion and then lost my user name and password. I found it yesterday so I was lost and now I am found! I figured there would be more wedgie chat for this size forum covering British cars in general given no specific classifications. So how do we get this party started?
 
Well, although we are few, there are a number of "vocal" V8 members here. Consider us the "enlightened" ones! :wink:
 
Here's a picture of the car.
 

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Todd-
Thanks for the pics. I am glad to see the car has reached this point. I remember it was yesterday when the coupe nose was spliced onto the old body after the accident. What did the interior end up like? Keep the check or custom?
 
I'm just glad to see the car go away at this point, and get my lift back. I want to get back to working on my stuff. I need to sort thru the two red TR7 verts and get them ready to sell. The BMW race car has sat in raw fiberglass for a year awaiting paint, plexiglass, and a new cage. And there is that 4 liter turbo motor that needs to be finished up and dropped into my green TR8. If I thought 300HP at the rear wheels was too much, what am I going to think about the 400 I should get out of that lump?
 
Todd,

What about your 275 horse prototype? You didn't have an issue with it! a few hundred more should be fine!
 
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