Paul Osborne writes:
>
> Robert Greenwood writes:
> >
> > Does anybody know of anyone/anywhere with specific expertise on the TVR
> > Griffith and particularly the heating/ventilation system. I am
>
> Rob, I have worked on one for the past 3 yrs and have
> gotten to know the car quite well. What seems to be
> the problem?
Paul
Thanks for your response. From your email address I'm guessing that
you're in the US, and as it's generally hotter over there I'm
surprised that you're not already familiar with the inadequate
heating/ventilation on the Griffith!
(It's the *new* Griffith by the way, a Dec 1992 4.0 model)
I'll describe the problems on my Griffith for you, and I'll copy this
to the mailing list too. Others may be interested.
The problems revolve mainly around the fact that the ventilation system
just isn't capable of delivering enough air to any part of the car.
1. Not enough air through the window demist vents to actually
remove anything other than the faintest of condensation. The
air is strongest through the vents at the left hand side (as
viewed by driver), and progressively weaker to almost nothing at
the right hand side. Which for a right hand drive car makes the
demist facility non-existant.
2. No air *at all* through *any* dashboard vent unless you are
travelling at high speed.
3. Not enough air through the footwell vents to warm the car any
quicker than waiting for the engine temperature to increase and
warm the car through the footwell and gearbox surround.
4. It is not possible to get any cool air through *any* vent at
*any* time once the engine is warm. This means that you have to
open the windows to get cool air. This is not possible when
it's raining, cos water drips from the roof straight onto the
door facia (or your arm) when the window is open any more that
5mm. When moving, the air flow drives water from the windscreen
around the edge of the car onto the door window and *up* through
the same opening.
It seems on later Griffiths (500 onwards?) that two fans are fitted and
each is more powerful with larger pipework for the air to travel
through. There is also a larger (new?) opening at the front below the
number plate holder to allow more air into the system. This increases
air flow throughout the system. I have tried to get this fitted to my
car but everyone tells me the fans are too large and the newer cars
have the fibreglass casing reworked in the appropriate areas to take
the larger units.
I'd be interested to know if the ventilation system fitted to cars
delivered to the US is the same specification as that on the UK cars.
All this is particularly annoying because I *love* the car. It's more
fun to drive than any other I've had (my last car was a 911). It
attracts almost no negative attention, only curiosity and admiration.
And it seems to hold it's value reasonably well.
Please, please, please, can anyone help. I really don't want to sell
this car.
Thanks
Rob.
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Robert J Greenwood Salomon Brothers International Limited
<rob@sbil.co.uk> ---------------------------------------------------
Business Technology Organisation Tel: 071-721-2515
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