2001 TVR Chimaera 450 |

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2001 TVR Chimaera 450

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£9,540

Mileage~71,880
TransmissionManual
Engine4.5L
LocationMacclesfield

SOLD

2001 TVR Chimaera 450

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Paul Wright

Professional Consigner

Coming in at ~1060kg, the Chimaera has a fibreglass body with a 4.5 litre V8 hiding beneath which makes for very entertaining motoring.

TVR is notorious for doing things a little differently. The Blackpool-born company started around 1947 and has produced some of the most iconic lightweight sports cars the UK has ever seen. The Chimaera hits the sweet spot between a highly focused performance car and a useable weekend toy. Under the lightweight fibreglass bonnet, you'll find the Rover V8 - built around simple and strong mechanics and underneath the body, the Chimaera was based on the same tubular chassis as the Griffith but with more forgiving suspension and more luggage space. As time passed, it quickly became TVRs best-selling model, surpassing the Griffith, and despite its laid-back setting, many actually preferred the handling balance of the Chimaera.

This 2001 example comes to market from ~5 year ownership. It comes with an excellent service history and will also have a fresh MOT by the time the auction ends, and the car benefitted from a respray in 2018 before the current ownership.

This listing was written from information supplied by Paul after meeting John the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Since the age of 18, I have wanted to own some kind of V8 TVR, this has been a real joy.

John has been a TVR fan since the early age of 18. He became hooked on them after living by a garage that specialised in tuning them. A weekend would often see John hanging around the garage, quizzing the mechanics and generally enjoying being around the V8 monsters.

Some years later, in 2018, he finally got to purchase his very own TVR Chimaera, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Only covering around ~3,000 miles in five years, he has decided it's not really economical to have two cars, one which spends most of the time on a maintenance charger, with the odd run out on a sunny day. John will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

John

Vehicle Owner

John saved £1,620* when they
sold their TVR with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

With curves in all the right places - the TVR is a splendid design which still looks fantastic today.

Wheels and Tyres

The original five-spoke alloy wheels are generally in good condition, with just a few minor age-related marks here and there.

Matching Toyo tyres on each corner have a good amount of tread remaining. Please see the image gallery to take a closer look at the wheels.

Bodywork

The fibreglass body is in good shape, the panels look to be straight and even, and the panels fit well with an equal gap. A minor repair has been carried out to the bonnet-stay bracket, which has made it solid. We must also mention that the offside door mirror no longer folds in.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The TVR did receive a full respray in 2018 when John got the car. Since then, a few scratches have been picked up and a couple of blow-in repairs, which have been noted: one on the nearside front wing, rear wheel arch and offside door around the mirror. There are a few other minor scratches and chips.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The windows are in good condition with just a few minor age-related marks. The aluminium door window frames are in good condition, and the seals appear in good order.

The fabric on the carbon roof was replaced in May 2021 and is in great condition, with no damage to the fabric or plastic rear window. The headlight lenses have a few age-related chips in keeping with the mileage. The rear lights are in good order with no splits or cracks, but look like they have a bit of condensation on the covers.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

A full leather interior with aluminium controls gives the TVR a modern feel and is a comfortable place to be.

Seats and Carpets

The "Portland Grey" leather seats are in good condition with a minor amount of colour wear that you would often see in vehicles of this age. The door cards are in good condition with no damage or scuffs.

The grey carpets are in good order, with just a light amount of wear, again in keeping with the vehicle's age and mileage. Inside the boot is clean and tidy, with the spare wheel and tool kit present. Please note that the trolly jack in the boot photographs is not included with the car, but the original jack is included. Please see the interior gallery for more detailed images.

Dashboard

The brown-coloured and "Portland Grey" leather dashboard is in good condition with no damage to mention. The wooden fascia has a couple of small cracks in the lacquer around the heater controls and near the tachometer.

The instruments are working correctly; the odometer has a reading of ~71,880 miles, and the tachometer was replaced in March 2021. Please see the interior gallery for more hi-resolution images.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

A light brown Personel steering wheel matches the dashboard and is in good condition with just a small amount of shining to the rim. The aluminium gear knob has a few scratches, often caused by a ring but in keeping with the mileage.

Please see the interior gallery for more detailed images.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

285BHP with 319lb-ft of torque is enough to propel the Chimaera from 0-60mph in ~4.7 seconds.

Engine and Gearbox

The 4.5 litre V8 is the heart of the TVR, and it beats with no issues reported. In January 2022, the car had both cylinder heads skimmed and the gaskets replaced. The car fires up without hesitation and sounds fantastic.

The five-speed gearbox has a precise short change, and the car pulls exceptionally well through the full range of gears.

Suspension and Brakes

On the road, the car is firm without being harsh, and no knocks or bangs are coming from any of the suspension components. The brakes bring the TVR to a stop in a straight line and with no juddering through the pedal.

The Drive

With ~285BHP being pushed through the five-speed manual gearbox, it makes for an exciting drive in the TVR, which can be very rewarding. But with that much power, you do have to be in complete control. In reality, though, with the roof down, you don’t even have to be going very fast, as that sound from the incredible V8 doesn’t fail to make you smile.

Electrics and Other

John reports there are no issues with the switchgear to his knowledge, and it all appears to be in good order and looks especially good finished in the billet aluminium. There is a JVC headunit fitted and a boot-mounted Pioneer CD multi-player, but John admits he has never used this, so he isn’t sure if it works. Who needs CDs anyway with the V8 soundtrack!

Please see the interior gallery for more detailed images.

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History and Paperwork

The TVR has an excellent history as documented suggesting a well cared for car, it comes to market from ~5 years ownership and will have a fresh MOT actioned for sale.

The invoices included with the TVR date back to when the car was new in 2001. Since then, there are several invoices showing various repairs and servicing which have been carried out, some of which have included a new camshaft clutch plate in 2004 and another camshaft and larger exhaust system in 2007. The original handbook and a healthy number of service stamps are present. The car has recently run out of MOT, but John has said he will put a full MOT on the car before the auction ends. We didn't manage to photograph any MOT certificates but they can be found online on the DVLA website.

British made with a whopping 4.5 litre V8 and an excellent history makes for an ideal British sports car offering excellent value for money and a fantastic driving experience.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks, including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
18.08.2023	Power Steering Pipes
22.09.2022	MOT	70,781
19.01.2022	Service/head gaskets	70,415
01.09.2021	MOT	70,305
25.08.2020	MOT	69,948
08.05.2020	Service	69,573
29.08.2019	MOT	69,143
14.06.2019	Service	68,671
19.10.2018	Respray
02.05.2018	MOT	68,098
13.04.2018	Service	68,085
06.04.2018	Service	68,012
21.02.2017	MOT	67,123
12.09.2016	Service	66,592
11.02.2016	MOT/Service	65,903
24.01.2015	MOT/Service	64,994
07.02.2014	MOT/Service	63,983
16.02.2013	MOT/Service	62,438
24.02.2012	MOT/Service	61,023
10.02.2011	MOT/Service	59,320
17.02.2010	MOT/Service	57,291
20.02.2009	MOT/Service	53,771
18.04.2008	MOT	52,462
09.10.2007	Service	51,014
10.04.2007	MOT	46,499
20.04.2006	MOT	39,168
04.04.2006	Service	38,940
08.07.2005	Service	35,998
24.11.2004	Service	30,710
22.07.2003	Service	22,191
14.06.2002	Service	14,520
15.05.2001	Service	1,108

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Key Details

ModelChimaera 450
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date23.05.2001
CC4,556
Mileage~71,880
HistoryYes
ColourBlue Frost Metallic
Interior ColourPortland Grey
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #SDLBA03R61B001290
Engine #37A45P8422
MOTExp. 21.09.2023 New MOT will be on before the end of the auction
HPi ClearYes
Former Keepers3
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~5 years
Key FeatureExcellent history
Auction ID1660

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Ask Questions

Seller : JohnTVR Sale Date 05.10.2023

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

9 Comments

steviegtr

9 months ago

Sorry to be a pain but looking on dvla mot site. The car failed the MOT with quite a few things. Corroded Suspension coil springs, All corroded brake pipe banjo fittings. Have these been addressed or is the car to be sold with no MOT. As it seems a lot of work to be done to pass. The failure was on the 27th Sept.

ColinB

Admin

steviegtr

9 months ago

Hi John asked me to pass on his reply:

Hi,

The items listed were advisories to keep an eye on, it failed on the 27th because the steering rack gaiter was perished, this has been replaced and re MOT’d today, so has a full 12month MOT.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

John

steviegtr

9 months ago

Hello. Can I ask how much the annual road tax is please. As i suspect because it was registered after March 2001 it will cost £725 per year.

ColinB

Admin

steviegtr

9 months ago

Hi,

John asked me to forward on his reply:

The road tax is £325.00 per year.

Radothon

9 months ago

Hi John,
Noticed on one of the videos throttle was being feathered whilst waiting at traffic lights. Does the engine tick-over smoothly without that intervention, please?
Many Thanks

steviegtr

Radothon

9 months ago

I also noted that. I know the stepper motors sometimes fail . But also see through the service history it had a new one some time ago. But has a performance cam & upgraded ecu chip. So maybe thats how it is supossed to be. Lovely car.

ColinB

Admin

Radothon

9 months ago

Hi,

John asked me to forward on his reply:

It ticks over quite well, but does feather sometimes especially when the engines cold.

Scotsitalian

9 months ago

Hi,
Can you tell me if the Tremec gearbox has been rebuilt or the clutch changed?
Can you tell me why the heads ere skimmed?

ColinB

Admin

Scotsitalian

9 months ago

Hi,

John has asked me to forward on his reply:

I’m not aware of the gearbox being rebuilt or the clutch changed.

The heads were skimmed because of the engine overheating and on investigation the reason was that the head gaskets were gone and needed replacement, so the heads were skimmed at the same time.

Hope this answers the questions.

Cheers,

John.

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Macclesfield

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