Vitesse Mk2 - acceptable chassis flex?

[Gary Flinn]

Pete

Be very careful with the Bonnet to Door gaps, yours look a bit tight, 5/16" is recommended with the rear of the doors to 'B' Posts set to 3/16"

If you get the Front door to Bonnet gaps tight you will get paint chips for sure 

The Herald/Vitesse range never had tight panel gaps like some other period cars, due to the flexible method of construction!

Not sure if you've seen this before the Standard Triumph service notes for building up the Body, it is very useful when setting gaps and adjusting things? 

Regards

Gary 

Triumph Service Training Notes Herald Body.pdf

[PeteH]

4 hours ago, Gary Flinn said:

Pete

Be very careful with the Bonnet to Door gaps, yours look a bit tight, 5/16" is recommended with the rear of the doors to 'B' Posts set to 3/16"

If you get the Front door to Bonnet gaps tight you will get paint chips for sure 

The Herald/Vitesse range never had tight panel gaps like some other period cars, due to the flexible method of construction!

Not sure if you've seen this before the Standard Triumph service notes for building up the Body, it is very useful when setting gaps and adjusting things? 

Regards

Gary 

Triumph Service Training Notes Herald Body.pdf 7.14 MB · 1 download

The Bonnet gaps are not hard to open up, getting the lines to flow front to rear without big gaps to the cill was not easy though.

Pete

[daverclasper]

4 minutes ago, PeteH said:

The Bonnet gaps are not hard to open up

My bonnet to door gaps are on the large side. I understand the adjustable rods are used to, well, adjust this?. Anything need loosening at the front pivot/hinge first?, to allow movement/adjustment.

[Colin Lindsay]

Yes, you need to loosen the bolts under the overriders, and usually both, otherwise the rod will strain against them and you won't get a proper adjustment.

I usually do it with a jack under each 'loop' of the bonnet support tube, this prevents the bonnet from dropping down at the front onto the chassis cross tube when the bolts are loosened. You then tighten the adjusting rods - undo the nut on either side of the centre threaded section, and turn as required. 

[daverclasper]

24 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Yes, you need to loosen the bolts under the overriders, and usually both

Thanks, Is that, one each side?

 

25 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I usually do it with a jack under each 'loop' of the bonnet support tube,

Not had a look, though not sure what the bonnet support tube is?, is the loop obvious?

[Colin Lindsay]

The two loops that curl under the front cross tube, and which attach to the brackets. These guys:

 

[PeteH]

They look like two different ones?. From different cars?. The one on the left looks the same as the one on My 13/60?.

Pete.

[Pete Lewis]

i have always found the height links under the overider do swing when you adjust the tie rod turnbuckles 

but yes if they are lossened it must be easier , just be aware the bolt on the slotted hole in the droplinks will affect the bonnet height 

if you just undo it and it drops  and then theres the old addage are the links the right way up or not 

from a engineering point the bonnet pivots on the single hole  the height is adjusted to the chassis by the slotted holes 

many are opposite , some tubes have a crush tube   some earlier   do not you cant do a non tubed pivot up tight or you wont pivot the bonnet 

you cant have a loose pivot bolt in a slotted hole it will move on the first bump you find .........and so on 

Pete

[PeteH]

I assumed this was the right way round?. with a crush tube inside the carrier?.

Pete

[ahebron]

On 26/09/2022 at 09:48, Nick Jones said:

Yes. Problem is that there is nothing structural on the bulkhead to attach to, so something has to be created. Maybe this winter…..

TBH that is something I have often thought about but getting the car back on the road is the priority, mods come later.