My new toy - Triumph Vitesse
Discussion
Well just like usually happens I was looking for a particular car after selling my Esprit Turbo recently(I was thinking of a K Series Midget conversion or a fast GT6) then this came along and I lost all direction and bought it.
The wheelchair is a much easier fit in this though.
It's a 1964 Vitesse 6, started as a Mk1 1600 but now the spec's somewhat altered...
2600cc Triumph striaght 6, 289 cam, twin 1.75 SU's, gasflowed Triumptune head and uprated valves / springs, 6 branch manifold and twin Bell system, lightened & balanced rods & crank.
Overdrive on 2nd, 3rd & 4th with a J type box with Dolomite 1850 internals.
Fully adjustable suspension & tubular wishbones & polybushes / GT6 Mk3 Swing spring rear with 3.89 diff. Capri 2.8i discs and braided lines - stops really well.
Rear cage, 4 point SD Harness' and low back period buckets.
It's been used for hillclimbing / track days and such - which is also my intention.
It has some finishing touches required to make it how I want it (minor body stuff and extra cooling, Triple Webers lol...)but is great so far, and god it sounds fantastic it doesn't half shift.
If anyone from the Triumph forums is here it's "Brummie Daves" old car - nice chap too.
The wheelchair is a much easier fit in this though.
It's a 1964 Vitesse 6, started as a Mk1 1600 but now the spec's somewhat altered...
2600cc Triumph striaght 6, 289 cam, twin 1.75 SU's, gasflowed Triumptune head and uprated valves / springs, 6 branch manifold and twin Bell system, lightened & balanced rods & crank.
Overdrive on 2nd, 3rd & 4th with a J type box with Dolomite 1850 internals.
Fully adjustable suspension & tubular wishbones & polybushes / GT6 Mk3 Swing spring rear with 3.89 diff. Capri 2.8i discs and braided lines - stops really well.
Rear cage, 4 point SD Harness' and low back period buckets.
It's been used for hillclimbing / track days and such - which is also my intention.
It has some finishing touches required to make it how I want it (minor body stuff and extra cooling, Triple Webers lol...)but is great so far, and god it sounds fantastic it doesn't half shift.
If anyone from the Triumph forums is here it's "Brummie Daves" old car - nice chap too.
No but I know the car you mean, it's similar but this one's gunmetal grey with a red interior.
It's on youtube at Prescott Hillclimb I will try and post a link.
It really suprised me with it's pace as I always thought of them as heavy but it's actually under 950kgs. It "feels" very fast.
Previous owner had 15 second 1/4 mile slip for it so thats not bad for a 45 year old district nurses car eh?
It's on youtube at Prescott Hillclimb I will try and post a link.
It really suprised me with it's pace as I always thought of them as heavy but it's actually under 950kgs. It "feels" very fast.
Previous owner had 15 second 1/4 mile slip for it so thats not bad for a 45 year old district nurses car eh?
Edited by racingsnake on Friday 25th September 12:56
It's the first car in this clip.
The spitty behind it is even quicker!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWrVxROhYA
The spitty behind it is even quicker!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWrVxROhYA
And again with that pesky spit chasing.
I am loving the sound of these sixes now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=624HM3_Wsj8
I am loving the sound of these sixes now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=624HM3_Wsj8
Edited by racingsnake on Friday 25th September 13:20
It'll be even lighter if you unbolt the roof...
Great fun. I had a 'Mk1' 2.0 convertible as my only wheels for a number of years.
Bear in mind that the O/D oil pressure is dependant on road speed, not engine speed, so low road speed and high engine revs are an unhappy combination - don't use it in 2nd unless you're running out of revs.
I put a Moto-lita wheel in mine after a couple of the standard one's spokes broke loose - made a big difference to the feel of the whole thing.
Webers would be nice, but PI would be much nicer.
Great fun. I had a 'Mk1' 2.0 convertible as my only wheels for a number of years.
Bear in mind that the O/D oil pressure is dependant on road speed, not engine speed, so low road speed and high engine revs are an unhappy combination - don't use it in 2nd unless you're running out of revs.
I put a Moto-lita wheel in mine after a couple of the standard one's spokes broke loose - made a big difference to the feel of the whole thing.
Webers would be nice, but PI would be much nicer.
Edited by Nick_F on Friday 25th September 13:07
racingsnake said:
It's the first car in this clip.
The spitty behind it is even quicker!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWrVxROhYA
That sounds like a V8 in that Spit.....The spitty behind it is even quicker!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWrVxROhYA
30 years ago, I nearly got a Vitesse as my first car, (Dad had a Triumph 2500S at the time so I knew the engine etc) but I just couldn't afford to insure one as a 17 year old on an apprentice wage
, but an 8-point cage in place of the current four-point would see to the wobbles, and for a fraction of the weight of the lid.
Ah, what memories ... one of my early cars many years ago was a Mk 1 Vitesse 2-litre convertible.
Don't remember the doors ever coming open on roundabouts though!
ETA Scanned image of bad original print - so faded I had to convert it to monochrome.
On the back of the print it says '15th May 1977'!
Don't remember the doors ever coming open on roundabouts though!
ETA Scanned image of bad original print - so faded I had to convert it to monochrome.
On the back of the print it says '15th May 1977'!
Edited by Evangelion on Saturday 26th September 19:38
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