Nightmare on Vitesse Street...

[Hammer67]

Interesting journey back from the pub last night ~ left at half ten, Vitesse on fire ten minutes later. Ignition light came on, headlamps went off, engine died, hideous smell of burning and smoke pouring out of bonnet vents. Bonnet up with fire extinguisher primed and ready ~ wiring loom on fire. Pulled the fuses out which stopped it ~ all in the middle of nowhere in pitch darkness. Trip home on back of a truck.

Looks like the alternator has had some sort of hissy fit and set the wiring loom on fire through to the back of the dash , looks a right old mess.. My first insurance claim since I fell off a 125 in 1985.

I could fking weep I really could... poor old Trumph

[TriumphVitesse]

Oh st, that sounds nasty! Think I will get myself an extinguisher for my Vitesse after hearing that! At least you managed to save the car & from what you have said it sounds like its all repairable.

Good luck at getting it sorted & back on the road

[Hammer67]

TriumphVitesse said:

Oh st, that sounds nasty! Think I will get myself an extinguisher for my Vitesse after hearing that! At least you managed to save the car & from what you have said it sounds like its all repairable.

Good luck at getting it sorted & back on the road

Thanks mate, am just waiting for another recovery truck to collect it. Insurance co have been very good so far (Chaucer via Norton Heritage).

[Yertis]

Just out of interest, does the loom pass through the bulkhead via a sort of plastic block? It does on the GT6 (and Spitfire), these fail then one of the big fat ignition wires rubs against the bulkhead, eventually going through the insulation and, hey presto, smoke and flame. Happened to me on the M32, apparently not an uncommon event.

[Hammer67]

Yertis said:

Just out of interest, does the loom pass through the bulkhead via a sort of plastic block? It does on the GT6 (and Spitfire), these fail then one of the big fat ignition wires rubs against the bulkhead, eventually going through the insulation and, hey presto, smoke and flame. Happened to me on the M32, apparently not an uncommon event.

Nope don`t think so, looks like a rubber wiring grommet. Vit has been estimated at about £1500 to repair.

[Hammer67]

Well, finally after 3 months, have got my Vit repaired and back in my garage. New wiring harness, alternator, battery etc and a new MOT. Just in time for winter.