Gary Flinn

Unless someones done it before?!!🤔

This is very sad news indeed, Mark's a lovely guy and helped me with parts and engine balancing during the Rebuild of my Vitesse? Gary

If you join the Vitesse International Facebook page a guy called David Whythe is having some manufactured at the moment. He quotes a price of £15 Incl UK Postage?

I can't see any obvious broken wires on the old Regulator, although one of the coil wires maybe broken within the main solenoid part to give the same symptoms. I've decided to send the N.O.S. one back and pay the Extra for the Electronic version, hopefully problem solved then, we shall see🤔.

Johny I should imagine it was because the Voltage Regulator coil and current limiting coil couldn't operate correctly because of the broken earth wire shown in my photo. It looks like one of the Resistors on the rear of the Unit was getting very hot, although it's still intact. Previously we were getting readings of 17 Volts at the regulator 'B' terminal to earth and the Ammeter showed a charge of 25 Amps so not good! I just hope it's not damaged anything else in the Electrical system🤨 I've had my mate repair the link wire and tried it again. Now the Ignition light stays on all the time so I think there is still something wrong with the N.O.S. Regulator!!😯😢 I've rang the supplier up and they have agreed to a refund, but I've decided to have a Modern Electronic version off them, this is about twice the price of the N.O.S. one, so they're going to knock the money I paid for the N.O.S. one off the new Electronic Version. It's all very frustrating, I just hope the Electronic Regulator solves the problem?!! A Photo of the rear of the N.O.S. Regulator showing the Resistor that was getting hot and also the Electronic one I've decided to try. If anyone with better knowledge of Car Electrics than myself thinks it may be something other than the Regulator please let me know? When I tested the Dynamo after I cleaned up the Commutator and put the new brushes in it worked off the car as an electric motor would when I connected a Battery and once back on the car gave out just over 14 Volts at Tick-over speed (900 RPM) so I'm sure the Dynamo is working correctly? Gary

Some of the new Reproduction Fuel pumps provide too much pressure I'm afraid? A N.O.S. original or refurbishment of your your old one maybe the way to go, or a Fuel pressure regulator. Gary

Schematic download VR Schematic.rtf

An update on my Dodgy regulator, after removal of the cover I've found a link wire broken which is hopefully the cause of the problem? I'm going to get the wire re-soldered (I don't possess a Soldering Iron but I know a man that does!) Hopefully when this is done and I get it refitted the charging system will be back to normal. It looks like the smoking was one of the resistors getting very hot (Photo shows this and also smoke damage to one corner of the Cover) the resistor doesn't seem to have burnt out completely?. I think the Dynamo output was going unregulated, the broken wire is connected to the Voltage regulator control coil and then linked also to the Current regulator coil, so no wonder I was getting a reading of 17 Volts and 25 Amps charge all the time!! The excess current may well have been travelling via the resistor to earth A few Photo's and also a schematic I've found on line which shows how the regulator works VR Schematic.pdf

New complete Door Hinges are still available, part Number 607824 - TD Fitchett's at Telford show them in stock at £21 Each, Canley Classics slightly cheaper but none in stock? I replaced the bottom ones on my car both sides and used the best secondhand ones I had at the top when I rebuilt my car. If you still find you cannot get enough adjustment when you have replaced the hinges or pins, you can pack the rear front bulkhead body mounting to tilt slightly the front bulkhead. This is something I had to do to stop my Quarter lights catching the top of the 'A' Posts (Windscreen Surround) on my convertible🤔

Here's a photo taken of the rear, the trim piece certainly looks rounded near the Fuel filler cap? Maybe the trim piece was changed slightly during production or the N.O.S. Trim piece shown by Colin is for another Triumph?

Mine was the same as Pete's but on a 1970 Mk2? I sure the end near the filler cap was rounded too, will see if I have a close up photo of that area.

The Rear Clip Part Numbers are 559176 listed as No Longer Available on the Canley Classics site, the front ones 567228 at £0.49p I think?

I can't remember what the mileage was back when I saw it at the TSSC Stafford International, but it was certainly more than 99!! It is strange how they've sold it twice, I would have thought it would be one to keep?🤔 I know it was a cracking original car when I first saw it, with the original hood fitted, although I think Gordon did subsequently did have the hood replaced Gary

Spotted this well known Vitesse 6 Convertible for sale again at what looks like a good price to me? https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1162516 I remember talking to the Original Owner Gordon at the Stafford International, the car back then was in excellent condition (A1+) If anyone is on the lookout for a nice early convertible its definitely worth a look, shame he didn't choose the Overdrive option back in 1965? Gary

I suppose an Alternator is an option, although I was trying to keep the car standard. A check of the Regulator to make sure none of the contacts are stuck closed or open will be the first thing. An inspection of my secondhand Dynamo and see if it works will be the next thing I'll also do a check & test on the wiring from the Dynamo to the Regulator too, although it is only a short run and I can't see this being the problem? It seems strange that two Voltage regulators have given the same symptoms? Thanks for the advice, I will keep you all posted on what I find. Regards Gary

I suppose a quick look inside the Regulator to check the 3 contacts move can't do any harm (I'm not going to adjust anything though!) If I can't find any obvious faults I will have a check on my spare dynamo and see what condition that's in, then check the operation as my other one with a battery then when on the car and give that a try, its only a 20 minute job to swop one. It's a bit annoying because the replacement Regulator is N.O.S. and was supplied in a sealed box, so hopefully no corrosion on any of the contacts, although being stored for 50 years or so can't help. Old cars, don't you love em😐

A replacement (N.O.S.) Control box is also smoking so that's what made me think it was a possible Dynamo Fault? The car is a Sunbeam Tiger so the Dynamo & Control box are Ford (Autolite) sourced parts. I do have a secondhand Dynamo so was going to test this and replace and see if the same thing happens?

Can anyone offer advice on why the Voltage Regulator on my car is smoking!😯 I've recently had charging troubles which I assumed was the Dynamo, I had the ignition light on and discharge shown on the Ammeter under normal running conditions After inspecting the Dynamo and finding one of the brushes completely worn down, the other one very similar and the commutator very worn, I have replaced the brushes and cleaned up the Commutator with fine Glass paper and re-cut the best I can the Mica sections, the Dynamo now seems to work again. After joining out the Armature and field connections with a link wire and then connecting one of the Link Wire Terminals to positive on a battery and a link wire to the Earth terminal on the Battery and the dynamo casing, the pulley rotated. After refitting to the car, I left the link wire on and when putting a volt meter connected to earth and one end of the link wire, I got a reading of just over 14 Volts at tick over which I have read on the Net is correct🙂. Now with all the wires re-connected correctly (I've double checked this) the Ignition light is now on at the first position of the key and goes out when the car is started and revved, however the Ammeter show a charge of about 20 to 25 Amps initially and this doesn't drop. Even if I switch the lights, heater fan and wipers on it still shows a charge of around 5-10 Amps at tick-over and the Regulator box starts to smoke, obviously I've only ran the car for twenty seconds or so till I saw the smoke and then switched off and disconnected the battery immediately, although there is no smoke when the engine is not running. Can any Car Electrical guru's offer any advice, I'm beginning to think it may be some sort of fault inside the Dynamo as I cannot see any wiring faults between the Dynamo and regulator PS - I have noticed on the back of the Regulator one of the Resistors was getting very hot (The one connected to the Cut-out coil) and presumably it was this that was smoking!! The car is not a Triumph (Its a Sunbeam) the Dynamo is an Original Auto-lite item and the Voltage Regulator a replacement Motorcraft one. Can anyone give me a clue whats wrong?

The Standard Mk2 Vitesse Camshaft (308778) is ideal for fast road use, giving a good spread of Torque, and good pick up from 3,000 RPM all the way up to 5,500 RPM. Should be even better with your exhaust Manifold😉

£750 to £1,000 for a Vitesse Diff?!! I suggest you shop around, Chic Doig should be able to help. If not TD Fitchett in Telford will no doubt have one in stock, if you pick up a secondhand one you can use this to exchange for a reconditioned one?

Yes the control boxes can suffer from corrosion on the contacts, a quick clean with fine emery paper can sometimes restore operation? There are 3 sets of contacts for cut-out, voltage & current. I was messing about with a Mate trying to get a faulty one working on Sunday morning on my car but no amount of cleaning and tweaking of contacts helped this one, when Overheating and Smoke started coming out of it I thought a new unit was the best option?!!😮

That's me on the Left?🤣

I'm having similar charging issues with my car, I found this link very helpful regarding testing the output of the Dynamo?

Arguably the Fastest Piston Engined Aircraft of WW2 They've recently restored one at East Kirby although it is only allowed to Taxi not fly which is a shame🤔