Trunkman Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 HI there, I'm new to the forum, and currently in the market for a MK2 Vitesse - have already seen about 4 new to the market in the last two weeks. I live in London, have managed to get a garage, have always had a soft spot for Heralds and Vitesses (they always turn up in my fave old films and my mate's mum at school had a rare estate version) but as I live in London an old car is a good idea from now on, with all the new charges coming in. Just wanted a bit of advise really - would members agree that a good, well maintained one would be a reliable run around, usable a few times a week. And also, where would be the best place to actually buy the best one I can find? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 there is no reason why any well maintained classic will not be as reliable as when newer , well capable of shopping, holidays and school bus trips i did many thousands of happy miles over 15 years with my Vit6 never missed a beat . dont discount a well set up 13/60 lighter more nimble around london ,better MPG etc doesnt have the 'sound'of the 6 pot. club classified is a good start for club cars on sale , beware of inflated trader prices ,dont buy the first , get to club meets when they do manage to restart, try some cars , where abouts in london are you , the area directory is on the main website Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Up until a few years ago I had used Triumphs as everyday transport, to and from work etc. The cars were all over 25 years old, even at the start. My advice, buy the best you can find, and expect it to need a few things "sorting" at first. Cars that spend a lot f time sitting in a garage develop a lot of niggles, that owners often live with as they are used rarely, but you will want sorted. Typically the supply of some parts iis a worry, notfor availability but because of quality. So simple stuff like a quality electronic ignition, and seeking advice on best quality parts, is essential. Put this in perspective. Biannually another Triumph club does a 2000 mile even over one weekend. well over 100 starters, and usually about 10 fail to finish. And many of those would normally "get you home" but not 1000 miles. Invariably there is an alternator failure, maybe water pump, that sort of thing. But the 2000 miles exceeds the annual mileage for most classics these days. So yes, Triumphs are perfectly reliable if (a) well screwed together (b) decent parts are used (c) regularly used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 46 minutes ago, clive said: Up until a few years ago I had used Triumphs as everyday transport, to and from work etc. As did I, until the Toledo's rather worn and abused big ends let me down on the M25, then SWMBO insisted I got something modern. An old Triumph, well maintained, will do general pottering fine, especially if you're a typical Londoner and don't use it every day. They like a few moderate (20 mile) journeys every month; they don't like a two mile daily commute, nor being left untouched for ten weeks. And, as Clive also said, some of us cover 2000 miles in a weekend in them - my GT6 has done that five times in the 26 years since I rebuilt the mechanical parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark powell Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 I did over 100,000 miles in my Midge ( Herald based throughout) including a weekly commute of 90 miles per day when on shift. The only times that it let me down were, a broken trunnion, a blown core plug and a broken diff. Not too bad really, and all repaired at home after recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 3 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: dont discount a well set up 13/60 lighter more nimble around london ,better MPG etc doesnt have the 'sound'of the 6 pot. Pete As always Pete has hit it on the head. But then I'm biased. Do you need the extra power of the vitesse? Only you can decide that. The 13/60 is a very pleasing car to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunkman Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 all very interesting. I shall get to know the 13/60 too. As mentioned above, I will be trying to get the best car I can, something that has been regularly improved and cared for is what I am after. Does The Courier mag have classifieds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 2 minutes ago, Trunkman said: all very interesting. I shall get to know the 13/60 too. As mentioned above, I will be trying to get the best car I can, something that has been regularly improved and cared for is what I am after. Does The Courier mag have classifieds? The Courier does have Classified ads as well as on line https://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/classifieds_cfs.asp Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Couple of nice cars on eBay at present: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Vitesse-1600-Convertible-1965-Matching-Numbers-Factory-Convertible/274292974217?hash=item3fdd22a289:g:0wsAAOSw0PBdDk-D https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Herald-13-60-Superb-Utterly-Original/303591882464?hash=item46af7c7ee0:g:zYkAAOSw~~Re3~Cj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunkman Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Yes, been looking at this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-VITESSE-MK2-CONVERTIBLE-FACTORY-OVERDRIVE-GREAT-CAR-FROM-HCC/184321877118?hash=item2aea70a47e:g:W~kAAOSwcpte3lCW Seems very clean, has factory replacement engine (MEA ESS Silver Seal Replacement). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 3 minutes ago, Trunkman said: Yes, been looking at this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-VITESSE-MK2-CONVERTIBLE-FACTORY-OVERDRIVE-GREAT-CAR-FROM-HCC/184321877118?hash=item2aea70a47e:g:W~kAAOSwcpte3lCW Seems very clean, has factory replacement engine (MEA ESS Silver Seal Replacement). Great colour though I might be a tad biased When I was looking for a Vitesse I tried a convertible but preferred the saloon with a sunroof. The overdrive is a must for me . Motorway driving is much more comfortable If you can buy from a club member the pricing will be realistic Good hunting Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunkman Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 yes, a Club Member sale is what I am hoping for. I shall lurk patiently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 When you join the TSSC the Courier publishes insurance valuations for our Triumphs all based on condition . These valuations are replacement valuations and reflect the condition of the vehicle. Buying prices are generally lower than the insurance valuations by approx 25%. This isn’t a hard and fast rule though useful as a guide , As far as I know these insurance valuations are not available on line Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 go to the clubs main website and click "the club"in the LH tabs you can download insurance values and a valuation form from there as a PDF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 2 hours ago, Trunkman said: Yes, been looking at this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-VITESSE-MK2-CONVERTIBLE-FACTORY-OVERDRIVE-GREAT-CAR-FROM-HCC/184321877118?hash=item2aea70a47e:g:W~kAAOSwcpte3lCW Seems very clean, has factory replacement engine (MEA ESS Silver Seal Replacement). Not perfect but seems quite honest; a bit of work and tidying to do, but it seems solid enough. 45 miles from Central London so worth a sneaky non-essential trip.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 I use my 1973 Dolomite as my daily driver, work and back every day. Touch wood it hasn't let me down to date. Having "fettled" my Spitfire 1500 over the years since I bought it I'm quite confident getting on a ferry and driving around 10 Countries in 4 or 5 days taking in alpine passes. Obviously I take a decent basic spares and tool kit with me (and have recovery policy in place!) With any engine/model there will be weak spots or concerns that need addressing but once they are sorted there's not reason not to trust a classic as a daily runner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunkman Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 2 hours ago, yorkshire_spam said: I use my 1973 Dolomite as my daily driver, work and back every day. Touch wood it hasn't let me down to date. Having "fettled" my Spitfire 1500 over the years since I bought it I'm quite confident getting on a ferry and driving around 10 Countries in 4 or 5 days taking in alpine passes. Obviously I take a decent basic spares and tool kit with me (and have recovery policy in place!) With any engine/model there will be weak spots or concerns that need addressing but once they are sorted there's not reason not to trust a classic as a daily runner. Nice one. It's a steep learning curve but I'm on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 6 hours ago, Trunkman said: Yes, been looking at this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-VITESSE-MK2-CONVERTIBLE-FACTORY-OVERDRIVE-GREAT-CAR-FROM-HCC/184321877118?hash=item2aea70a47e:g:W~kAAOSwcpte3lCW Seems very clean, has factory replacement engine (MEA ESS Silver Seal Replacement). Not necessarily a major problem, an ME engine is from a 2000 saloon, so would have originally had a much softer cam, takes some of the life out of a Vitesse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave.vitesse Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 I used a Triumph as an everyday car up to 5 years ago, up to then it was 50 years of use. 100,000's of miles covered and totally reliable. Believe me in some of the cold winters and hot summers we used to get you wouldn't want to use an unreliable car. Agree with Pete, also look at the 13/60 Herald. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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