BrianY Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Hello everyone. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Brian Aitken and I purchased my Mk1 Vitesse as a restoration project at the start of the Covid pandemic back in May 2020. I should say that up to now my restoration efforts and focus has been on motorbikes and riding a modern bike both here and I Europe with some good mates. I was scrolling through a well known web site looking for another bike project but could not find a bike that suited me and began to think about a car. I am not getting any younger and can see sadly an end of my biking adventures in the near future so a car was appropriate. Having had a 1275 MG Midget in my youth I was drawn to these but quickly discounted them as the prices for the 1275 variety were very high and widened my search. I came across my Vitesse and could not believe it when I saw that the seller was located here in Northern Ireland. Contact was made, an inspection followed and then I placed my bid. Success. Once home I established that it was virtually complete except for the rear window glass , broken accidentally by the previous owner. So far I have stripped and rebuilt the chassis and running gear, had a full rebuild on the engine to +20 with unleaded inserts and all new kit. The body is almost complete and I am working on the doors currently with the aim of a trial assembly in February. Will it be complete this summer? Possibly if I sub out the painting. We will see. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Welcome to the forum, yes photos we all love photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Brian, Welcome! I know where there might be a wealth of spares in an abandoned garage in Scarva, just down the road from you. Doug 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Hi all, and welcome Brian! Just down the A1 from you, in a garage that, despite what Doug says, is only abandoned because it's too cold today and I'm also wiring electrical sockets so need to get the electric back on asap! Who did you buy your Vitesse from? Nice to see a new one on the scene. Check out the forum section on 'Out and About in my Car' for photos of the runs we did in 2021; there's also a good events calendar planned for 2022. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianY Posted January 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Hello everyone and thanks for the welcome. yes Colin I am just up the road and having seen your posts I am not taken in about your abandoned garage . If I had an abandoned garage like the photo I saw posted of yours then I would be very happy indeed. I bought the Vitesse from a man called Martin who lives in Mayobridge with his wife Kay. Very nice people. As I said I saw the advert on e bay and was amazed that it was here in Norn Iron . I knew that if it was suitable I would save a fortune in transport costs if I had to get one from across the water. A few photos of phone numbers and I arranged to go down to have a look. Apparently Martin brought it over from the London area many years previously and may have used it for a bit . It was sitting jacked up outside covered with a tarp and was complete except for the rear windscreen that Martin had stood on oh yes one of the alloy bumper bits is missing also. He needed the space for a building project so the car had to go. There was a lot of chassis rot over the nearside at the back axle and I was a worried about repairing this but I found a repaired chassis again on e bay in Leeds and got it shipped at horrendous cost. (The chassis just fits a long wheel base Sprinter when stood up along the side of the van!!) Blasted it and powder coated it. It measures up ok as best I can see and I have rebuilt it courtesy of a big cheque to Rimmers. I now have a "spare" chassis but it needs a lot of work- if anyone needs it they are welcome .I have had the engine fully rebuilt by Derek at Byre Engineering and its back in the chassis and runs. Body work is well on the way and I am working on the doors and have a few questions to post about these. The car is/was Royal Blue and here I am going to be controversial and will probably unleash the wrath of members when I say that I really REALLY do not like the colour and plan to go with Powder blue and a cream /white stripe. Will I be expelled from the club for this .? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianY Posted January 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Photos 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 3 minutes ago, BrianY said: Will I be expelled from the club for this .? No, you'll probably give the idea to a lot of others. We're like that. You probably know already but never throw anything away; certainly not as large as a chassis - as you've already found, postage is crippling, and with the ferry so expensive these days we can't nip across to the mainland and source replacement parts as cheaply as we could 20 years ago. Is that a Police motorbike hanging up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianY Posted January 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 Hi Colin . Not a police model it is a Mk2 Velocette LE which has a hand gear change. I got it over 40 vears ago and it was in the process of its second rebuild until the Vitesse arrived. I need to fit a new wiring loom which I have, sort the new electronic ignition and put the front wheel in!! Need to stop on the Vitesse and put it together. It is sitting on my bike lift and the straps are just for a bit extra safety. The carb on these bikes give trouble and mine was shot so I have fitted a cheap Chinese pit bike carb , its 50/50 if these work according to some people but if it does it will be a really cheap fix. There is a Honda CB450 K1 and a Benelli 350 /4 hiding in the garage behind the modern Tracer . Toys and Toys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 32 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Is that a Police motorbike hanging up? Velocette? Oh boy! Does that take me back a few decades 🤪 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 3 minutes ago, BrianY said: Benelli 350 /4 hiding in the garage It just gets better . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerguzzi Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 36 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: is that a Police motorbike hanging up Hello All Velocette LE flat twin water cooled it was nick named the Noddy bike as the police used a lot of them Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 I thought I recognised it from Shed and Buried, they bought one a while back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 50 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: I thought I recognised it from Shed and Buried, they bought one a while back. Now l do feel old! I remember them from when they were used by the police or at least there were regular sales of ex police ones for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianY Posted January 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2022 Mine is a local bike which I purchased from a guy in Killyleagh. The police used the MK3 models which had a foot gear chamge and were generally black. The MK1 150cc and the Mk2 200cc all had three speed hand change purposely as it was a machine designed for the commuter and ladies and a foot change would had caused damage to delicate shoes. Obviously for the polis with big boots a foot change was superior. There is a very active owners club and they have a fantastic spares scheme. These wee bikes were very much scorned in the classic bike brigade until recently when they have seen a surge in acceptance. The engineering in them is interesting however a bit flawed in places. Horizontally opposed water cooled flat twin with shaft drive . Side valve engine. They made a sporting variant called the Valiant it had OHV, air cooled and regular style tubular frame. Quicker but very fragile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted January 8, 2022 Report Share Posted January 8, 2022 My first mechanical love was bikes. Wifey loved horses. Broke her neck riding one, but carried n regardless. We bothe agreed to ditch the 2 wheeled and four legged addiction. If one of us default, so will the other. She now paints while I work on the car. Nice Vtesse, and Colin will be a great help to you. It is in aboutthe same state as mine was. It is now roadworthy but tatty. Local mechanic told me to use it as it is because it is a Survivor, like me. Pictures are on an older computer, but here is one. It has a 2.5TC engine. Welcome to the Triumphant band of brothers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted January 8, 2022 Report Share Posted January 8, 2022 Welcome indeed Brian. Anyone with a love for old bikes and Triumph cars has got to be a top notch bloke! I only ever had one Velocette and that left me back in the mid to late 70s when coincidentally I also sold on my last Vitesse when I "upgraded" to a Mk1 GT6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianY Posted January 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 Thank you everyone for the welcome and your kind comments and appreciation of my bikes. I got my first powered two wheleer as the EU now calls bikes as a 90cc Lambretta when I was 16 54 years ago!!. It was a disaster and failed everyway it could. next a BSA C15 and so on . I have had bikes most of my life but my wife has never been interested in being a pillion. An increasingly sore hip might curtail getting the leg over ( the bike). Does a big Burgman reckon? possibly but the range is poor. The Triumph will be ok if things get worse .I also have a 90cc Bridgestone and a 200 cc Bridgestone , yes look them up the tyre people made bikes. A bit rare here in the UK as they targeted the USA and the bikes were good enough to give the other Jap manufactures a scare in competitions. Bridgestone stopped making bikes around the early 70's and concentrated on tyres and I think golf balls and clubs. I will stop going on about bikes as this is a car club!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 3 minutes ago, BrianY said: a 90cc Lambretta when I was 16 54 years ago!!. It was a disaster and failed everyway it could. Fine character building exercise for owning a Triumph 4 wheeler. Just when you think you've got it running it's best ever, something else drops off!! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 53 minutes ago, BrianY said: this is a car club!!! Aha now you have let the secret is out happy motoring Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 2 hours ago, BrianY said: I will stop going on about bikes as this is a car club!!! You'll find it's more of 'just a club'. I don't think we really worry about the topic, it's just great to chat to enthusiasts who love their hobbies. It's also amazing the things you learn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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