Nick Jones

+16 sounds promising. + 25 is too much (even though some sellers are marketing wheels for small chassis Triumphs with ET25). Hence Ian’s need to add 5mm spacers giving him effectively ET20. With just 4mm more I reckon you are in the happy zone. I had problems with tyre rub on the bulkhead with 165/80 on 5.5”Dunlop steels on my Herald years ago. Not really comparable with your situation but has meant I’ve tended to stick with 175/70 on Vitesse, GT6 and Spitty with good results. The Falken SN832 is reasonably priced, excellent in the wet and seem to wear quite well too. Nick

Exactly this. But wheel offset/ET is also an important factor. Do you have an ET figure for the wheels? Nick

Nice looking car 🙂

Indeed...... big saloon and GT6 exactly the same from sometime in 1973. https://www.chriswitor.com/cw_technical/head_applications_chart.pdf 219015 is probably the most common today. It has the smaller exhaust valve so is less likely to be cracked between the valves - this doesn't mean the large valve can't be fitted as part of a refurb. 218225 probably the next most common and 516816 still turn up occasionally. All can be used. It is the thinner ones for the flat piston 2L that are getting harder to find now. Nick

Problem was stopping them from going right through when you put the bolt in. I did try threadlock but it didn't work very well - possibly because the anaerobic conditions needed for cure were not met. A smear of epoxy followed by a tap once set would probably do it though. Ok now though and hopefully I won't need to mess them again as the door fit is nice. Nick

They start off as 5/16 UNF. You could try M8x1.25 but you’ll not gain a lot I don’t think. Going up to 3/8UNF sorts the thread but the bigger bolt size limits the available adjustment. I helicoiled some of the holes on my GT6. Worked but not ideal as the insert comes out if given half a chance. Nick

I have heard of him but only at about two removes. Appears to have given what I would consider questionable advice about a suitable cam upgrade (too lumpy!) for a 1500 Spit for normal road use (by a middle aged lady), though to be fair I can't be sure what the customer (the husband) gave as the brief! Apparently the proprietor has been running and racing Triumphs for decades. Didn't recognise the name (and since forgotten) but that doesn't mean much. Nick

Suggests that the Ford M16 might fit direct to the Herald/Spit vertical link..... don’t know about offset thought. Worth noting that there is also a vented-disc-ready version as used on the Capri 2.8 and Granada. We found the M1144 pads to be a little fade-prone with solid discs. We overcame that with Ferodo DS2500 pads which seemed fade proof and long lasting for road use, even in the Alps. However, less cold bite than the Mintex and we pretty much destroyed a set the first time we did a track day in the dry..... hence the move to vented discs. Nick

Princess calipers fit the lug spacing of the Herald/Spit vertical link, but not the Vitesse/GT6. Princess calipers are very heavy and need a link pipe adding as they are designed for true dual circuit systems. The pad area is no bigger than the Girling type 16 already fitted to the Vit/GT6. They need spacing for use with vented discs. IMO the standard iron Princess calipers offer no worthwhile advantage of the type 16. HiSpec used to offer an alloy copy of the Princess caliper, including a version for vented discs (and possibly a version with wider lug spacing) which might tip the balance. However, they are no longer listing any of these on the website so maybe NLA. The route I took was to recondition my original 16P calipers with new seals and stainless steel pistons. I also spaced them for use with Capri 2.8 discs. With Mintex 1144 pads these are working really well, though haven't been properly (dry track day!) fade tested yet. I suggest avoiding the new repro type 16 calipers as most if not all seem to give problems with excessive pad return causing a really long pedal. We wasted many hours trying to sort a pair out and everyone I know who has tried them has had similar problems. Nick

That is a weird looking torch. I assume it's a MIG that can only use the flux cored wire. More like continuous stick-welding where the slag has to be chipped off after welding. Ok-ish for basic repair work I suppose, but really, better to save up a bit more and buy a real one! Nick

Ah, well, a phrase much loved by the vertically challenged 😋 As a Vitesse owner who is also properly sized (6'3") and alot of that in the leg, are you sure that the original seats are a problem? I have MGF seats now (since 2006 or so) but I managed 17 years with the original seats before that, doing many long continental runs in the car with them, and I don't remember legroom being the issue with them. They became uncomfortable because they fell apart due to old age and use. Suggest you check that you've got the full adjustment available before condemning them. Nick

Split skirt and 4 rings is archaic. They went away from the 4th ring due to the considerable extra drag they cause, sapping power, and increasing fuel consumption. If you do use those pistons, at least leave the 4th ring off! Nick

Pistons likely to interchangeable even if different. At some point the cam follower diameter changed (increased to 0.8” IIRC) and possibly some breather changes. My 64 built 1200 had an open breather tube on the rhs under the manifolds. Later engines were blank. I have also seen them with core plugs fitted in the hole. Nick

Fear it says more about the quality of the garages than anything else.... My ‘96 Audi A6 has all the things mentioned in the film plus a few. Car check and bulb check, electronic engine management (diesel style) and ABS. Also luxuries such as climate control, electric windows and central locking. If I had to choose one it would be the ABS. Traction control would be nice..... but it doesn’t have it....... nor did the Triumph in the film Nick

Well, I thought they were releasing and the brakes weren’t dragging excessively, but the dust was incredible with build-up in the drums enough to cause judder within 1000 miles and adjustment needed more often than that. I did blame crappy shoes initially (for about 2 years in fact), but as I said above I had to fit new slave cylinders back in May and have done nearly 4K miles since (including lots of Alps) without needing to adjust or knock the dust out - and the shoes are the same ones..... Nick

Not really..... without taking it off, at which point you may as well fit new. You should also check that your slave cylinders pistons are free moving (moving grudgingly is not good enough). The shoes I have fitted on the Vitesse now initially appeared to be producing epic amounts of dust (had to remove the drums and knock them out twice a year to prevent judder) and wearing fast for no obvious reason. However, having found a partially seized slave cylinder in pre-mot checks this spring and renewed both the problem has gone away....., Nick

Yes, I think the LT77 box has an oil pump driven by the input shaft, which would not be turning unless the engine is running. I expect towing a short distance at low speed would not be an issue but for anything more the propshaft should be disconnected. Nick

Is the choke fully returning? You need to check that both jets go back to their normal warm ruining position against the adjuster nuts when the choke is pushed in. My vote is over-fuelling. Possibly due to excess fuel pressure if the choke is working as it should Nick

Will need some heat I think..... takes a fair amount of force to twist a 3/8” bolt off so clearly well stuck! Nick

That one is a through bolt. No tapping. Heat and (controlled) violence required...... Nick

That’s not quite right Pete...... it’s true that there are no threads in the vertical link, but the end hole in the steering arm is tapped and this is the one that tends to give trouble. Can be drilled and re-tapped with care..... Standard high tensile bolts (S, US grade 5). Don’t use stainless. Nick

Arrrgh.... my eyes! That fell out of the ugly tree.... and hit every branch on the way down. Must be light though. Nick

Sprint Wheels need an horrific amount of spacer to work on a Herald/Vitesse. Had them on mine briefly but had vibration and fear-of-death issues so bought a Dolly to put them on! Have a nice set of 5" oval hole wheels on the GT6 which are a perfect fit on the front but too narrow/inset on the back with Roto suspension. Will probably get a pair of my standard 4.5" banded to 6" for the rear. Nick

Not legal now. If they ever were?

Surely there should be a seal of some kind on that shaft? One that has long turned to dust? That or a decent close fit between shaft and housing now worn.....