Vitesses and other Triumphs that I have owned.

[Wagger]

I am having trouble logging in to the site as a new member, so did it this way instead of on my profile.

I am almost 74, living with cancer but in remission after chemo and radiotherapy. Some tasks are too much for me, but I have a load of experience with Triumph cars mainly, although I have done a ground up build of a Morris Traveller in 2002. I have owned two Vitesses, both 1600cc ones in the 1970's one saloon and one convertible. Both had the single big speedo. The saloon cost me £100 in 1972 at an auction and the convertible £41 two years later. I bought it because it had an overdrive. The chassis was awful so, I transferred the Overdrive to the saloon, had that resprayed for £65 and I sold the convertible with a new MOT for £70 with the saloon bits transferred.

In those days one could buy an overdrive kit for under £100 and there was a company selling bits to convert a saloon into a convertible.

When the saloon began giving problems at 160k miles, I sold it for £100 having used it for four years. Deviated into BMW land for a while (a 6 volt 1800 four door saloon) then bought a Triumph FWD 1500 in 1979. (Mallard colour). Sold that in 1987 and bought a 1500 Dolomite with square lights. Rebuilt another engine for it because of Big End failure. Gave that to my first wife and bought an 1850 Dolly with overdrive. Much nicer car. Frequently exceeded 35mpg and never had its head off in 180k miles. Before these Triumphs I had a Riley 1.5 saloon. The one with the 1489cc MGA engine. That gave Vitesses quite a challenge. 68 BHP in 16cwt, a match for the Vitesses 71bhp and 17cwt. Before that, I owned and rebuilt two Triumph motorcycles. Well, there are many Triumphs in the Bible. Can't have enough, really. My race tuned 500cc would do 0 to 60 in 6 seconds, 70mph in second gear.

Inherited a BMW 2002tii in the 1990's and really enjoyed that. Zero to 100KPH (62.8mph) in 8 seconds. (Courtesy of Kugelfischer mechanical injection).  None of my Triumphs ever managed that. It would do 35mpg on the motorway but a mere 8mph driven like a looney. (Oh what fun though). It was unbreakable, but required 5 star fuel really. One could buy Tetra-ethyl -Lead back then. I used octane booster.

Found another BMW (2500 E3 forunner of the first five series) which was tax excempt. Then went though five more BMW's ending up with a straight six 330D manual touring  that I had for 13 years before a van wrote it off this year. Same performance as the Tii but with 30 to 50 mpg. Also unbreakable.

My eldest son is a petrol head and found a Vitesse for me on my birhday last year. I have posted all about it in the engine section. I must always have a straight six. Addicted to them!

I will comment and give advice where I can. I served a five year engineering apprenticeship on switchgear that needed line reamers for bearings on large contactors, just like 'King pins'. Ended up working on tiny electronics and computer programming. I must pass my knowledge on whilst I am able. There ain't many of us left.

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Wagger said:

I will comment and give advice where I can. I served a five year engineering apprenticeship on switchgear that needed line reamers for bearings on large contactors, just like 'King pins'. Ended up working on tiny electronics and computer programming. I must pass my knowledge on whilst I am able. There ain't many of us left.

Please do! We lose too much knowledge and expertise almost daily, so it's very welcome.

[Qu1ckn1ck]

Hi and welcome.  You obviously love your straight sixes !