GFL

Steve I'm still very keen to get that decent original Vitesse☺️ I went to view the car after the SEM but due to numerous rust blisters on the Bonnet/Roof/Boot upper surfaces, plus a very noisy gearbox in the intermediate gears (Worn layshaft presumably?) I won't be making an offer on it. The interior of the car, the panel fit and the rest of the Bodywork and underside where excellent though, I reckon it was still fitted with all the original chassis outrigger which is amazing for a 55 year old car, although the side rails had been replaced, there was only partial history with the car M.O.T's between 85 and 95 and the car had been stored in a damp garage (Leaking roof) for for near on 30 years. The Vendor (Mark) accepted the car as part payment on some restoration work he'd done on the owners Sunbeam Rapier, he had done quite a bit of recommissioning work to the brakes, clutch, cooling system and Electrical systems, he is also a keen Alvis owner and had a late Stag parked on his drive so I'm not sure if he was a part time dealer or not? I don't know if its me, but how can someone ask for near on £11k for a Vitesse Saloon that needs a respray (Which will cost anything from £3K to £6K at a guess even if I do some of the work) and it also needs a gearbox rebuild (£1K minimum?), the car didn't have Over-drive or the desirable Webasto Sunroof either. In my opinion the cars worth £6K to £7K Tops, or am I out of touch? PS - It was around 5.30 PM when I finished viewing the car, I put my Home Post Code into the Satnav and it stated 226 miles and an ETA of 9.30pm! We actually got back around 10.30pm after a couple of coffee/loo breaks and I was shattered! So the search will continue. Gary

I would check the dimensions of your spring as advised by Puglet some of the reproduction springs supplied are not to original specification (Ask me how I know!) The dimension should be as per the attached chart below for a MK2 Vitesse If the eye to eye distance and free arc height when resting on the floor out of the car are not within a few mm of these dimensions I would send it back and ask for a refund as not fit for purpose Regards Gary

Yes The bad rust scabs do put me off the car, I know how much professional paintwork can cost, no over-drive fitted also put me off it. I've had some feedback form the vendor and may be able to view it on Sunday after SEM, watch this space. Gary

Gav I'm tempted to have a look as I'm down that way (Sort of) for the SEM meeting at the Weekend. If it was a convertible I would definitely be viewing it, the interior looks very original, shame about the Paintwork issues though and no Over-drive. Gary

Colin I went to view this a couple of weeks ago, yet again far too many issues with panel fit for me, the usual mis-aligned door and slam them hard to shut them! The bonnet fit wasn't to clever either. It looked like it had been restored well though with over £2K spent on an engine rebuild, but I wouldn't be able to live with the door fit No over-drive fitted yet again and a new Hood required, although the Hood Frame and a new Header rail where present. All the other parts, bumper capping's, Engine Valances etc where in with the sale, I see he's now accepting offers for it? I will see if the SEM Show reveals any more decent ones for sale. PS - I suppose I'm just too fussy, but I'm looking for a keeper that needs minimal work ideally🤨

I can remember a guy called Phil who worked in the Spares/Accessories department, he was always very helpful. Regards Gary

Hi All As most of you know I'm still looking for another Vitesse (10 Months on!) as my next Classic Car. I've spotted this car listed on the CarandClassic site. https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1722325 Although I'm really after a Convertible this looks very straight indeed, although a number of paintwork issues spoil it, I think the vender is very hopeful with the asking price in todays climate but that's just my opinion. Does anyone know the car? Regards Gary

Colin I know the owner Lee quite well, I've made my mind up on a Mk2 Convertible though, all I can do is try and stay patient and keep looking for the right car. Gary

No chance to go goggle eyed, the car was sold before I got chance to view it? Damn!! 😔

Why not try it on this Website? I also look for cars for sale on the CarandClassic website and on E-Bay. I sold my last classic via a Classified Advert on E-Bay which only cost £20 and a recent Vitesse I was hoping to view sold within 2 days via an E-Bay classified Advert Regards Gary

Colin It was soul destroying when I got the message, the car looked exactly what I wanted (Apart from the price!) but he did tell me someone local was interested too. I'm having a ride down to the SEM meet in a couple of weeks time so may well see the car on display at the show on Sunday. I'm also hoping there may be a couple of Vitesse's advertised for sale at the show too, I continue to live in hope🙄 Gary

Yes To say I'm gutted is an understatement😔 I had a message off the owner Pete Wednesday Teatime saying sorry and that it had sold. Maybe I should have booked a day off work on Tuesday and travelled down sooner, it was a 6 hour round journey for me though and I believe someone locally got the car? The search continues Gary

Johny You are correct, the Over-drive was retro fitted recently I think, I don't know if the owners also retro fitted an Over-drive badge after the photo's where taken? He told me he's fitted the standard Cowl switch, a relay and the additional wiring loom via a separate fused circuit. You never know with these cars till you actually view them close up in the Metal, I think the only near perfect Vitesse is the one in the TSSC Museum, so I don't expect it to be perfect. I certainly can't afford the asking price, I was hoping to get a really decent car for around the £12K mark, this seems to be over an above that, it's just a matter how much the owner is going to compromise on the price and how much I'm willing to go up? I've been looking for 10 months now, as you probably know and it's starting to get a bit tiresome to say the least, there's a lot of mis described cars and one mans perfect is another mans average as I've been finding out over the past year or so. I'll keep you posted on what I find, I'm taking my good friend John with me who's forgotten more about these cars than I will ever know, I'll take is opinion on board, he's got a very good eye. I'll try and not go all goggled Eyed when I see it😁 Gary

Colin I think I could live with that?😁 I'm going to view it on Saturday (If it doesn't sell in the meantime) What do you think it's worth. Gary

This car was recently listed on E-Bay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256487768223?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20230811123856%26meid%3D15e6694fbec44131a9217acfd035b012%26pid%3D101770%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D256487768223%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4375194%26algv%3DRecentlyViewedItemsV2&_trksid=p4375194.c101770.m146925&_trkparms=parentrq%3A0f3f013b18f0a56643c99492ffff5e20|pageci%3Aa0b0ba5c-0215-11ef-a35c-fef2fc93da3d|iid%3A1|vlpname%3Avlp_homepage I've never seen the car in the Metal, anyone seen this car close up and if so what do they think of it? Regards Gary

Peter Yes, a lot of the door catches and anti-burst catches get seized as well as worn, which isn't going to help. I spent an age adjusting the doors and bonnet for a good fit and also easy closing on my old Vitesse, I managed to source some decent catches off a low mileage 13/60 Herald Saloon and with the correct 'J' Section door seals and unseizing of the Anti-burst catches, they shut well. I'm sure that when the cars were new slamming wasn't required, but 50+ years on things are bound to have worn and the bubble type seals don't help matters. Gary

Hi Jonny Yes, I presume you mean the Damson car? I've been in touch with the owner via messenger who I have had correspondence with in the past on the Vitesse Facebook group, I will call him tonight to discuss. The asking price is out my remit though so unless there's some movement I won't be viewing it. I actually went and viewed the other one listed on E-Bay (White Mk2 Convertible) yesterday as it's quite local to me. This had been subjected to a Chassis up rebuild and a lot of expenditure, it only needed the Hood frame fitting, a new hood and a few other minor jobs to finish it, however I was put off by the panel fit and the lack of over-drive. There seems to be a lot of Heralds/Vitesse's that need the doors slamming to shut properly, and I'm sure its not just incorrect profile door seals. The interior (Ox-blood colour with White Piping) wasn't my cup of tea either. More cars seem to be appearing for sale now it's spring so I'm hopeful of getting one soon. Regards Gary

Slick 50?

I shall be travelling down from Up North, not good news☹️

Colin I believe Andrew moved to France, I actually helped a Mate with the rewire of his premises in Belper in the early 1990's on Derwent Street in Belper, I do currently live quite local to Belper. I often wonder what happened to John Hills at Redditch, I had loads of stuff off them in the mid 1980's. Regards Gary

I can remember ordering the steel trim pieces and the outer/inner door weather strips from my local BL dealer in the mid 80's for my first Vitesse, a place called Service Motors in Leabrooks, Derbyshire. It's long gone now, there's a Co-op Supermarket on the site, they call it progress!! Regards Gary

It looks like its been ran over and bent, the end should be at 90 degrees I reckon. I don't recognise it as a Triumph Part. Regards Gary

For anyone looking for N.O.S. Aluminium bumper capping's for a Vitesse rebuild, someone is listing 3 on E-Bay presently https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196337268000?itmmeta=01HV64NTV36SV2TQHBXGRF06YT&hash=item2db69cf520:g:8SEAAOSwO1xmFYn- I can remember searching for N.O.S. during the rebuild of my Vitesse 20 years ago, I only ever found one at the Stoneleigh Triumph Spares day, I gave up in the end and had a good second hand set stripped, polished and re-anodised for less than the cost of one of these?! Regards Gary

You've been very busy Colin, great work. I too dread working on the inside of the doors on a Herald/Vitesse, too many fiddly clips and sharp edges, fitting the round clips that retain the window channels to the winding mechanism is a fiddly job, there must be a knack to it but I've never mastered it yet. Think positive, it will start first time, prime the fuel pump and make sure you have a spark and away she will go🙂 Regards Gary

Pete Interesting, I thought the uprated Swing Springs for the Herald/Vitesse were the way to go to tame the rear? However from your experience it would seem the stiffer/flatter Courier Specification spring and a lowering block is the way to go. Gary