GFL

I've had some further e-mail correspondence off the Vendors Wife or Daughter (Not sure which), the owner is 82 and it would appear I was correct about the flat paintwork, it sounds like it needs respraying? I've now gone off the idea of travelling 400+ miles over a Bank holiday weekend🙁 I've had a kind offer by someone I know via the Vitesse Facebook Group to view the car for me, he lives locally so I reckon I'll get him to go and have a look and advise me Someone else is also viewing it at the weekend so I've been informed, they may well make an offer for it the vendor can't refuse, who knows. Gary

I've asked the vender to contact me on my Mobile via E-Bay so I can try and find out a bit more, the M.O.T. History looks like it goes back to the mid 70's so maybe the mileage could be genuine? The car is 56 years old and it looks like its never been restored, so unless it's been fastidiously looked after, the chances are there will be rust and other mechanical issues. Only a viewing will confirm. Gary

Johnny It looks like the first owner had the car for 50 years, so if the current owner is the third owner which is how it reads then not long? I did request more photo's of the interior, boot and dashboard which they have added to the listing and it all looks in good fettle and original, no photo's of the underside have been added though. The paintwork looks very flat and the M.O.T. History reads like the chassis needed repairs to pass in the past. I don't see any mention of Overdrive which puts me off, to view or not to view that is the question? Gary

I did get one garbled reply back, I asked if they could send me more photo's of the underside/chassis, the interior, the Dashboard and the Boot area. The reply was brief stating its just got 12 Months M.O.T. So the Chassis is fine! I suspect the vendor won't take the time to send me any more photo's so its either bite the bullet and travel there and back in a day or pay for an overnight stay and take her indoors for a mini-break looking around Canterbury on the Monday? Someone I know who owns a Vitesse and lives within 20 Miles as offered to have a look for me so that's another option, if he reckons its a good one and worth viewing then I could travel down on the Sunday to view it The trouble is I will have to travel the 200+ miles back on a Bank Holiday afternoon/evening and that fills me full of dread!! 😲

It's a 2 Litre one Pete, one owner for 50 years so the Advert reads with the original bill of sale. Its a 400 mile round trip to view it though and a bank holiday weekend coming up, do I really want to get stuck in a jam on the M1? I'll sleep on it Gary

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145256132004?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20221115143056%26meid%3D5514d36b49bb4c31b49579586057b38a%26pid%3D101612%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D145256132004%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4375194%26algv%3DRecentlyViewedItemsV2&_trksid=p4375194.c101612.m4236&_trkparms=parentrq%3A21b9036a18a0ad984b0b89faffffdbbc|pageci%3A5eac9654-4197-11ee-8d54-826a84428120|iid%3A1|vlpname%3Avlp_homepage Are all the decent low mileage Vitesse's down south? I'm beginning to think so, another full day out and back if I want to view this one, I have asked for more Photo's of the Underside, Interior, Etc but as yet no response I'm very tempted to have a ride down and check it out. Gary

The Wings are best fitted with the Bonnet still on the car so you can line everything up properly with the door and sill before the final welding. Some of the reproduction wings may well not be the correct profile either, which obviously won't help. It's still a very nice car and with a bit of fettling will no doubt give the new owner great pleasure Gary

Pete Yes, there would have been several issues I would have had to sort out to be happy with it. The chances are, with it not being used for a while either other things would raise there heads too, the brake and clutch hydraulics and no doubt those troublesome Solex carbs would need sorting too! I've not heard anyone say a good word about the Twin Solex set up on the early Vitesse 6's, someone I know called them Sludge Gulpers😁. The car had no recent M.O.T. History and although I know it doesn't presently need a M.O.T. Test, I would have got it done for peace of mind. Another thing that put me off was no history with the car, the only things present at the auction to see were a number of old M.O.T's, a handbook, a Workshop Manual and a 3rd place Trophy from the TSSC Stafford show. No receipts for the restoration work detailing what had been done, no previous owners receipts or history either. The search goes on Gary

Jon The car had been repainted for sure, the front off-side wheel arch and wing had been repaired and you could feel a small hole/slot on the outer wheel arch were it met the wing repair panel, the lower edges of the front wings under the bonnet catches were different each side too, so one had been repaired. I wasn't happy with the fit of the nearside front wing with the door either, you can make this out in the attached Photo. I could see a number of repairs to the front floor pans and also feel repairs to the rear nearside inner arches, but the car is 60+ years old so to be expected I suppose I couldn't see any rust issues though, apart from a few minor surface imperfections to the paint/underseal near the differential. My preference is for a convertible model anyway and I'm probably too fussy! Regards Gary

I actually went to have a look at the car on Friday, it was very good but not without a few bodywork issues. The interior was about as good as your going to get for a Vitesse 6, the engine, gearbox and Differential, who knows as your not allowed to even start the car up, never mind go for a test drive with it being auctioned. I did register to bid, but in the end it went for more than I and a good mate who knows these cars well thought it was worth (Hammer price was £8K plus the commission) The search goes on. Gary

Here's your old Vitesse Pete Lewis Gary

Wow! That's quite a diverse mix of Classics, surely the best way to sell is to auction them all off? Gary

I've seen the Electric Vitesse featured on the Vitesse International Facebook group. It looks to be a very nicely restored Vitesse, but one of the attractions for me is the lovely 6 Cylinder Engine and the noise it makes? I do drive an Hybrid Golf as my main transport, it is an excellent car. But not for a Vitesse in my opinion. Gary

The Mk3 Spitfire was introduced January 1967 I believe, the Mk2 Vitesse October 1968 so they couldn't have been fitted with the Lower Wishbone Roto-flex type suspension? Maybe they had a de-cambered spring fitted to them for the press to use. Gary

A very nice original low mileage Vitesse up for auction next week, overdrive fitted and in a rare colour of Black. If only it was a convertible model🙁 https://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic-auctions/2598-19-Aug-2023/3064~1-1963-triumph-vitesse-6 What will this one fetch?

Looks like it was a different car, but the same year and colour? https://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-494---1974--triumph-toledo/?lot=14978&so=0&st=toledo&sto=0&au=42&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=1&pp=48&pn=1&g=1

Yes, I suppose all in all its not an unreasonable price for something so low mileage. It looks like its been hit and repaired on the offside rear though, which makes the description in the Advert incorrect and would certainly put me off. I wonder if there are any Vitesse Convertible's out there still with similar low mileage, I live in hope? Gary

Another low mileage Triumph listed On E-Bay, just goes to show they are still out there? All Original panels and paint according to the advert, I'm not so sure looking at the off-side rear door shut area, still nice though but a tad optimistic with the price I reckon. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204417758359?hash=item2f983f7497:g:zMkAAOSwy01kzG6i

No, the Main Chassis rails will get in the way, far better to remove the Gearbox Tunnel. If you have a sliding Prop shaft it may push back far enough for you to remove the rear flange but I fear you may need to remove the Prop shaft too to get the drive flange off to swop the seal. Regards Gary

Pete Bains sell it by the Metre, 2 Metres should be more than enough. James Paddock also sell a similar seal. Regards Gary

Pete This is similar to the seal I fitted on my Convertible several years ago https://coh-baines.co.uk/collections/classic-cars/products/black-epdm-u-channel-16mm-wide-x-15mm-high-srs155 I think I got mine from Canley Classics though back then? James Paddocks shows the seal too https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjig5PH0b2AAxUWXUEAHQRbANIQFnoECBQQAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jamespaddock.co.uk%2Fseal-front-hood-3&usg=AOvVaw28IsHoKuGF_2jMuV8-hSZP&opi=89978449 You shouldn't need glue, mine was a tight fit in the 'U' Channel and stayed in place Regards Gary

The seal shown on the Baines website is very similar to the one I fitted on my car, however it isn't the same as the originals It will rely on being a tight fit in the 'U' shaper Header rail channel and may need persuading into position with a blunt tool, I used a Blunt wood chisel if I remember correctly It stayed in place and kept the rain out? Gary

Paul That's a great set of instructions, I've seen something similar but not as informative as that one. It goes into a lot more detail on fitting out the doors and adjusting the Hood too. Excellent🙂 Gary

Pete Ok thanks for the update, I was wondering if it may be for sale? Gary

I was wondering if anyone knows who currently owns the White Vitesse convertible previously owned by Bill Sunderland and then the TSSC, Registration number DLA 282J It is a well know car and was sold about 5 years ago at Auction, I've been told by Chris at the Club it was subsequently sold on again and they don't know its current owner or location. It is currently taxed, as anyone spotted it recently? Gary