Things to do

 

The TVR is running well, but there is already a short list of things to do, or find out more about (separate to the “Things to fix” page).

  • Getting better at checking the oil level. On stopping the car, the oil in the tank is a bit frothy. This seems to make it hard to get a sensible reading. I am assuming the garage filled it correctly, but given the frothiness the level reads above max. When the engine is cold, the oil still reads at ‘max’ on he dipstick. Oil pressure seem fine, 40 psi when cruising and warm. I had a chat with Richard at TrackVRoad, and he was happy with the oil levels as they left the garage. They might seem a bit high on those measurements, but that is how they set them, and it works well. it would run just fine with a bit less oil in there, but the higher level shouldn’t cause any problems. I understand that if it is very full, then oil can make its way down the breather pipe to the airbox, but it is some way off that level.
Cold engine oil level
  • Learn to drive the car. It is easy to drive normally, with fairly light controls and a flexible engine, but it is a new type of car for us to drive, and there is a lot to learn. Some focused driver training, on- and off-track would be ideal, and get us ready for some track driving. I need to get used to the responsive steering. Driving quickly on country roads, which aren’t very smooth, can make the car feelĀ  like it wants to move a lot. It doesn’t ignore the imperfections like the big cars we are used to. A day with CAT Driver Training has been booked.
  • New tyres. They feel ok when driving, and look in great condition, but the fronts appear to have been made in the 16th week of 2002, and the rears in the 16th week of 2003. That is older than I would like. A drift day may be a good way to wear them out at relatively low speed and learn more about the car. This link contains some info on Toyo tyre dates that backs up my interpretation of the markings.
  • Interior trim. Nothing really wrong with it, but some of the carpet on the rear shelf has faded, and the light-coloured bison trim is a little worn and does not look pristine. A re-trim in black and blue leather and new carpets would be very cool.
  • Shiny bits. It is somewhat unnecessary, but a powder-coated rocker cover (blue) and some silicone hoses (blue) would make the engine bay look very nice. The alloy washer bottle could be an option as well. And the fuel filler cap. The exterior is nearly perfect though.
  • Exhaust. Do we stay with the JP sports exhaust, or swap back to the regular exhaust which is a bit quieter. The exhaust was slightly hard work on the initial 150 miles motorway drive home in heavy traffic, but having used it for a lot of A-road driving, I am growing to like it. Track Day noise levels might be an issue though.