O.K. you knowlegable lot,
Triumph Vitesse 2litre greg 98 k miles. Condition at this juncture unknown. saloon not rag top in a medium blue which I have to say I don't know whether it is original. If it is in reasonably good nick, i.e. those sills not rotted out etc. and with a reasonable engine what is its likely worth. Am thinking of revisiting youth! (Stupid boy!)
Regards as ever.
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About fifty quid if it has a MOT!
Every "Herald" ever made was horrible!
Roger.
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Have a look at the club triumph website www.club-triumph.org.uk they might have some classifieds in there with something similar. Ditto autotrader.
The saloons vary a lot in price and are usualy around half of what the equivalent rag top would fetch. So a rough saloon is usually less than a grand to buy. A few hundred quid if it needs a lot doing to it.
I think they did do a blue, if it is the same shade as some of the stags and 2000s then it is an original colour but not necessarily original to the car.
If you do buy it then the following places are also useful:
www.quillertriumph.co.uk
www.rimmerbros.co.uk
www.canleyclassics.com/
I think they're great cars but I am biased as I have a mark 1 rag top :-)
If you're anywhere near the midlands the the Triumph International Weekend is on in July (stafford county showground) and there is usually a decent autojumble. Or tatton park classic car show is on at the end of May/start of June which is another good place to get bits.
teabelly
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Don't worry about the sills on a Vitesse, Herald, Spitfire or GT6. Worry about the chassis. It's very lightweight, so get it on a ramp, get yourself a small screwdriver and start prodding.
HJ
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The separate and rather lightweight chassis makes the Vitesse a bit shaky to drive but I think it is a superb 'fun car'. It's a long while since I had anything to do with them but I still remember some of the quirks.
The chassis was fairly durable but the rear outriggers were prone to corrosion and it is vital that they are in sound condition because they carry the radius arms that locate the rear suspension. Also, the main chassis member could corrode around where the diff is mounted. Those are the two points that need particularly careful checking. Rust is the major weakness in the Vitesse so a thorough all-round check is important.
I can't remember much about the Vitesse front suspension but the Heralds often suffered wear in the trunnions (the swivels behind the front wheels) and I suspect the Vitesse is the same.
The 2-litre sixpot is a lovely engine, not as refined as the 1600 but very flexible. A friend owned one in the 1960s and the clutch failed just as he was due to depart from East Anglia for a week's touring holiday in Scotland. By letting the car run downhill and then dropping it into gear, he and his wife managed to complete the tour by staying in top gear most of the way.
I think the gearboxes were fairly good. The Vitesse box was similar to the Herald but had needle-roller layshaft bearings, instead of plain bearings, and dismantling was from the other end. I mention this because I found out the hard way, trying to overhaul a Vitesse gearbox using a Herald workshop manual!
The Vitesse is easy to work on and parts should still be plentiful and reasonably cheap. I think it is a fine choice so long as you can put up with the shakes and rattles that won't let you forget that you are driving what must be one of the very last mass production cars to have a separate chassis.
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Practical Classics price guide which is based on asking prices for cars in adverts give the following:
Mk 1 2litre Vitesse Saloon: cond 1 2500 cond 2 1450 cond 3 500
Mk 2 2litre Vitesse Saloon: cond 1 2800 cond 2 1500 cond 3 625
I've had a bit to do with a few herald-chassis based cars over the years. Just look for rust, rust, rust! The mechanicals are reasonably cheap to fix with plenty of s/h bits around.
Good luck
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Also look out for badly-repaired rust. Practical Classics has often warned against repaired outriggers that look OK but have only been welded along the (accessible) bottoms. To do a proper job the bodywork has to be lifted clear so that the tops can be welded.
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Martin,
I went just the same route - had a Vitesse in my twenties, got another nearly thirty years later. SOME of the best fun ever - I\'m now racing my Vitesse.
Don\'t just visit the TSSC website - contact your local TSSC Area Group and go along to a meeting - you will be very welcome. See the TSSC Area finder - www.tssc.org.uk/area.asp . Tap the regulars for advice and expertise - nothing like an expert with you when buying a car.
Good luck and have fun!
John
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Don't worry about the sills on a Vitesse, Herald, Spitfire or
GT6.
The sills on the Herald and Vitesse are just pretty covers over the side chassis members ... but on the Spitfire and GT6 they are important structural members!!
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Thanks to all and thank God for this site.
Huge Regards.
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