Famous Vitesse owners

[PeteH]

With Thora Hird, (in)famously mangling the gearbox?. Hope they replaced it for the poor owner?.

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

Yes. I did.

Actually there were quite a few of them; I ended up with one back around 2002 which was originally registered WYO 626H, a 13/60 convertible - they used them until they fell apart, and really destroyed them during filming. The model changes during the series and some keep the same registration number between models. This one was featured in The Courier around that time, it went through a number of owners as it was so rotten but I had the body rebuilt and resprayed and replaced most of the mechanicals. Engine and gearbox were completely rebuilt. When it came to refitting the trim I found that the bonnet had been welded completely wrong; the new wings had been welded with no 'step' for the side trim, so there was no chance of getting the gaps or profile right, after which it lay outside in my yard for an age, full of water, until eventually it went to a new home where it still lies in the same state, or probably worse by now.

  

I had a rather irate e-mail from a lady in England demanding to know how I claimed to have the car from the series, as she had it. I had to explain there were about half a dozen of them...

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_276618-Triumph-Herald-13-60-Convertible-1970.html

[daverclasper]

I knew this, but had forgotten. James May, as the new Courier I received yesterday reminded me. 

[Ascalon]

On 27/12/2020 at 15:27, dougbgt6 said:

Fiona lived near Maidenhead for awhile, used to see her about in a Roller with the plate FU2.

Typed in famous Triumph car owners and got a thread of a bloke trying find them. So far all  he’s got is Tippy Hedron, Spitfire and a bloke who once played in a band that supported Radio Head on Tour.😆

db

Now I’ve learned more about her, it’s no wonder I got the bums rush from her on that morning.

[Colin Lindsay]

You'd probably have got more than that off her, too.

[dougbgt6]

Just looked for Fiona on the interweb, research, you understand  Here she is with FU2 not at this point a roller, but what is it?

 

Doug

[andycouchman_5147]

Looks like an E Type?

[Ascalon]

On 28/12/2020 at 10:07, Colin Lindsay said:

Yes. I did.

Actually there were quite a few of them; I ended up with one back around 2002 which was originally registered WYO 626H, a 13/60 convertible - they used them until they fell apart, and really destroyed them during filming. The model changes during the series and some keep the same registration number between models. This one was featured in The Courier around that time, it went through a number of owners as it was so rotten but I had the body rebuilt and resprayed and replaced most of the mechanicals. Engine and gearbox were completely rebuilt. When it came to refitting the trim I found that the bonnet had been welded completely wrong; the new wings had been welded with no 'step' for the side trim, so there was no chance of getting the gaps or profile right, after which it lay outside in my yard for an age, full of water, until eventually it went to a new home where it still lies in the same state, or probably worse by now.

  

I had a rather irate e-mail from a lady in England demanding to know how I claimed to have the car from the series, as she had it. I had to explain there were about half a dozen of them...

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_276618-Triumph-Herald-13-60-Convertible-1970.html

Thanks for reminding me about IMCDB.   And also someone else here for doing the same re Tippi Hedren ( correct spelling ).   She, of course, appeared in the film “ The Birds “.   In this film her Australian co star Rod Taylor drove a metallic pale green  Aston Martin DB2/4 drop-head .  My dad, who sold this car to an American Air Force colonel when we lived in Norfolk back in the 1960’s, always swears that I learned to drive in this car.  First of all I didn’t, I learned to drive in an old 1948 snot green coloured Ford Pilot V8 , and secondly I remember our Aston as being pale metallic ice blue.  The Old Man has long since permanently hung up his string backed driving gloves, but for my own enlightenment I’ll see if IMCDB can advise me who’s correct.

[trigolf]

36 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

Just looked for Fiona on the interweb, research, you understand  Here she is with FU2 not at this point a roller, but what is it?

 

Doug

Confirmed. It's a late E type - probably 5.3 L, V12 variant.

Gav

[Chris A]

42 minutes ago, andycouchman_5147 said:

Looks like an E Type?

Another vote for E Type

[Ascalon]

14 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

Just looked for Fiona on the interweb, research, you understand  Here she is with FU2 not at this point a roller, but what is it?

 

Doug

Oh mate, as the once proud owner of a beautiful silver Jaguar “E “ Type Series III V12 drop head, I can attest to it being one of those, at least if I’m right in identifying the grille surround as being a chrome trim.   If it isn’t a chrome trim ( I removed mine since I thought it was vulgar ), then it is one of the earlier six cylinder cars.     I well remember that huge one piece bonnet.   It was secured at the back by a pissant little catch that frequently didn’t lock.    One day I braked at the approach to a roundabout and the whole front view through the windscreen became silver.  The catch hadn’t secured and the bonnet was pivoting up and forwards on its hinges just behind the front bumper. The more I braked the higher it became and the less became the forward view.  Rightly or wrongly I decided to accelerate onto the roundabout ( a ) in the hope that no other car already had the right of way, and (b) I could remember where the exit was to get off the roundabout.   Luckily I got both guesses right.     Incidentally, when I bought the Jag in about 1979 I had ten grand to spend on a classic sports car.  Visiting a classic car dealer I saw two beautiful convertible cars in his showroom. They were both metallic silver with pale grey leather interior, black double duck hoods and chrome wire wheels.  One was the Jag as per above, and one was am Aston Martin DB5 Volante.  The Jag was priced at about £7k and the Aston was £9995.00.   With ten grand to spend I could have bought either of them.  I decided against the Aston because of the running costs, so I bought the Jag.  It was a 1972 build car when Jaguar and Lucas were going down the shitter fast, so it’s eventual running costs in repairs were probably equal to or greater than the Aston.  Ten years later I sold the Jag for a colossal amount of money.  Had I have bought the DB5 and sold it ten years later, I’d be looking at well over a half a million.

[dougbgt6]

But I see no power bulge, surely Fiona's E type would have a power bulge? 

Doug

[PeteH]

2 hours ago, dougbgt6 said:

But I see no power bulge, surely Fiona's E type would have a power bulge? 

Doug

Is that what it was known as?. Well I never knew that!. and me an ex Matelot too.😇