The story of Richard Dredge's Triumph Vitesse

[@BassistPaul]

What a beautiful car! I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who doesn't appreciate the beauty in both the looks and engineering of vehicles like this.

[@SubTroppo]

It always amazes me what the double headlights did for the humble Herald. I just love the look of it, and I saw quite a lot being brought up in Coventry when they were being built.

[@hughrobinson9978]

My first 6(!) cars were Vitesses - 2 1600 saloons, 2 Mk2 saloons and 2 Mk2 convertibles. I loved these cars and did many miles in them, including taking my last, Valencia Blue Mk2 convertible with me to live in Germany. I had an uprated gearbox with J type overdrive in this for the Autobahns. I loved driving these and remember playing tunes on that lovely little straight 6 with the snickety gearbox and overdrive, regularly traversing the A5 between home and Coventry at 90+ top down back in the '80s. And you could sit on the front tyre whilst doing the valve clearances, or tuning the carbs - there was even a shelf for your cup of tea on the bulkhead! Despite having had vastly more powerful, expensive and exotic cars since, the Vitesse remains as one of my favorite driving experiences. What a lovely job you did on yours!

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Thanks Hugh!

[@owbeknackin9306]

She's a beauty, the MK2 Vitesse will always be my favourite having owned a number, nice video.

[@ricrestrepo5983]

Absolutely brilliant, great story, lovely car.

[@L1V2P9]

Thanks Richard. Here in Canada I saw a lot of Heralds, TRs and Spitfires on the road when I was growing up, but I've never seen a Vitesse!

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Apparently there are 60 in the whole of North America, about half of which are on the road. No idea how accurate that figure is of course! And I have no idea how many are supposed to be in Canada - I bet there are one or two as they were sold new in the US and some must have got into Canada by now...

[@MrGman2804]

I had a 2 litre MK2 saloon . TNV606G. My first car bought in1980 for 500 pounds. Here I am 42 years later still reflecting back on it. I had some happy times driving it. I loved the sound of the 6 cylinders. That is my enduring memory. That, and the fact people used to admire it! Yours is very nice too.

[@truth901]

This is an excellent video on the Vitesse, the best on You Tube.. 😃👍 (You should have made it longer.) I have a Mk2 Vitesse which was fully restored and just love it ❤... easily keeps up with modern traffic and looks and drives great and definitely eye candy for other motorists. 10 years on after buying it and 6 years after it's full resto (and adding a D type overdrive), ...I still dont get bored one tiny bit driving it even for long periods. (Thankfully, you didnt crash a Vitesse...but glad you were all fine in the end.) Your black Vitesse is fab too!

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Just spotted your note - sorry for the massive delay but for some reason I hadn't seen it before. This was the first video that I ever made, so I was still feeling my way, and I haven't made that many more since! I think 20 minutes would have been way too long - I doubt anyone would have watched it more than half-way through! Keep enjoying your Vitesse!

[@kougerat5388]

@@BelowtheRadarCars I would have watched every second even if it was an hour long ! I love these cars as I used to have one back in 87 that I had to sell when the recession hit and most of us fell on hard times! I had spent well over 3K on it getting the engine fully reconditioned and a fully reconditioned OD gearbox + many boxes of other new parts.All I could get for it was about £700, Most people were skint like me😟 Your Vitesse is Ab Fab👌I hope to find another MKII one day.

[@johndoyle4723]

Tis a thing of beauty, always wanted a Vitesse. Not sure I would drive it through a ford. Thanks for sharing the story.

[@arfurwitt6221]

What a beautiful Vitesse both inside and out.

[@flyingcod14]

Beautiful Vitesse.

[@alhamedi66]

Really triumph vitesse out of radar amazing beautiful car and well done all upgrades amazing triumph The pride of British industry. 👍👍💐

[@EndeavorsDnB]

Yea, I’m in the states. I’ve seen a few triumphs but I have not seen, only read about a Vitesse. I def appreciate you featuring it on your channel.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

That is such a shame about the original Herald, unbelievable that you walked away from that accident! I used to have a 1980 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE, would very much like another Triumph at some point.

[@geordiechacko1394]

Amazing Thanks for the wonderful insight

[@andycouchman1]

Great car Richard and thanks for the full story. Vitesses are excellent cars, unheard of today in many countries and still very underrated in the UK too.

[@chrisdevane3486]

Great video and some great vintage pictures. I work in the old triumph racing and service building in coventry. If you are ever passing it would be good to take some photos outside

[@barrieainge4937]

Wow, what a fantastic car, so good in black which I haven't seen before. Not a car i've ever owned - the only real encounter I have ever had is when an elderly gent in the estate/van version ( I think it was called the Courier) came out of a side road in Guildford and knocked me off my Honda 50! No injuries all round thankfully. Very interesting story.

[@andyrowe1969]

Beautiful car. The attention to detail is a joy to behold. Great video as well.

[@vernonmatthews181]

Thanks Richard for the informative video regarding your prized Vitesse, I knew of someone in New Zealand whom 30 years ago bought an already converted Vitesse to 2.5L, a travelling musician. Look forward to more videos after having just Subscribed to your channel. 👍👍

[@barrettwbenton]

Great car, and great (if somewhat harrowing at times) story behind it: the story of your first Vitesse's demise sounded eerily similar to what happened to me a handful of months ago, albeit on two wheels rather than four. Like you (presumably!), I emerged relatively unscathed, and wound up with a new bike I actually wanted a bit more than the old one (which I loved *lots*). You've clearly lavished tons of attention on this car, and it shows everywhere.

[@ACF6180T]

The 67.5 Triumph TR 250 has always been my favorite ! But your Triumph Vitesse Convertible is just beautiful ! & it was sad to see what happened to the Herald ! I've always favored Triumph marque over all the other British automobiles . Thank You for the video , & the story of your Vitesse.

[@elpobrouse2277]

I had a Vitesse in the eighties, the handling was very tricky. Without a warning the back stepted out. Engine was very good, just like road holding, but that back you had to take care. Mine was a drophead and of course leaked, noise was OK, I was young so you took it in your stride. THe two chassis rails on the side where rotten but I replaced them with rails made myself. Car was killed off by a drunk that went thru the red light in my right side, bent the car beyond repair. The same engine was in our Triumph sedans, never any problem, I liked them. A six in a smal car Opel did it with the Manta and BMW with the first 3 series. Citroën with the Legerè, which my father always found one of the best cars. It was a good idea but it needed a bit more engenering.

[@lauriechilds6819]

Excellent and informative, thank you

[@Matt_from_Florida]

I'll be 60 this year. As such I'm old enough to have owned a litany of "common" (and uncommon!) British sports cars in my younger days. MG's, Triumphs, and many Lotus. But their time in America is now past, and *the plethora of independent repair shops* exclusively catering to British motors are now mostly only part of my memories.

[@SilverSurfer5150]

Quite the tale, sir! Really enjoyed it. Your Vitesse certainly looks the business and the upgrades clearly improved things overall. Fine automobile. A road test of it would be good to see.

[@garrington120]

My first car in 1972 was a 1964 Vitesse 6 saloon . Would love to own one now !!!

[@davidthomas1424]

Beautiful car. My first car was a 1360 Herald in 1987. I always loved the Vitesse too. I'm looking for inspiration 😉 Thank you 👏👏

[@1unsung971]

Gorgeous car. Good story. Thank you

[@saftevand]

Nice car and great story

[@adrianbird928]

Wow , I used to own this actual car , had some great fun in it , so glad it's got the attention it deserved . Great channel as well.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

When did you own it? I've had it for 31 years this summer and the guy I bought it from was based near Exeter. Did you own it in the eighties?

[@adrianbird928]

@@BelowtheRadarCars yes , would have been early eighties , completely original when I had it , I think I payed £1400 for it! , was living in west London at the time , sold it because I wanted a GT6.

[@ramblinman4197]

In the US, a Herald would indeed be under the radar. I learned of them while watching Last of the Summer Wine, where a Herald is frequently featured at the hands of Edie Pegden, who drove it terribly. :)

[@CommercialVehicle]

Brilliant, thanks for sharing.

[@RussellCatchpole]

Oh wow, what a beauty ❤ I had a red & white 1600 Vitesse convertible in 1978, when most 17yr olds were driving Morris Minors and 850cc Minis. Even that was like a missile compared to the other cars & I loved it. The handling was abysmal though - I nearly lost a girlfriend once when I pulled out of a T junction a bit quick & the passenger door flew open! Luckily she managed to grab something & hold on.

[@john1703]

I too have a soft spot for 6 cylinder Triumphs. My Dad taught me to drive in his 1964 mk 1 2000 in 1968, which he replaced with a new mk 2 in 1971. Although the power (GT6 head) and boot size both increased, I prefer the shape of the earlier car. The rear suspension is different to the Spitfire/Herald/GT6 and more like the TR5/6, so the handling is different. Lots of power-on negative camber thrust from the semi-trailing arm. What was fun was the reaction of a police car Rover P6 driver coming the other way on the A5 in 1968, when I was driving on L plates. There was no problem.

[@ussweeneyd]

Beauty!

[@vinm300]

Oh wow, triple Webbers. Mine had twin Strombergs, and it was beautiful ; overdrive n 3rd and 4th. With an all iron engine and rear-wheel drive, one could step the back out with ease, especially in the wet. The driving position was strange - with offset pedals and a steering wheel in one's lap.

[@paulmuff9883]

Lovely car , thanks for sharing 👍

[@towerdave4836]

You’ve done to your vitesse what probably most owners can only dream of! I had two Mk2s and always wanted to fit a 2.5PI engine and overdrive. Great video. Stay away from lunatic drivers!

[@davidgreaves9165]

Have a good mate in Lewisham who loves the hell out of the vitesse. Beautiful car

[@ottonormalverbrauch3794]

Great job on a unique car.

[@shankarbalan3813]

Well done!❤

[@dr.leftfield9566]

What a peach. well done

[@buxvan]

My first car was a 13/60 harvest gold (orange) ELN106J . I used to unbolt the saloon roof too. I also had a gunmetal mk2 vitesse saloon. YGO287G, Great cars but the gearbox wasn’t man enough for the vitesse.

[@musoseven8218]

Ive always wanted one of these, a fixed head (later MK2 suspension etc) would be fine, especially with a Webasto sunroof etc. I love that 2.O six cylinder engine. Your car, current spec and trim, would be my ideal. I've always used that sort of ethos with my car's, classics or otherwise. To make the car the best it can be, using sympathetic methods and parts, good, usable, easy to live with, motors, that are 'safety fast' to coin a phrase. You were very lucky in that crash, glad to hear that you were unhurt - sorry about your beautiful car. I've heard similar stories re Morris Minors (in restored/good condition I hasten to add), lorries crashing into and falling on them. Rescue services commenting to the unscathed owners that if it had been a modern car it would have folded up under the weight of the lorry!✌️😲 Thanks for sharing 👍😊

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Thanks for this. If I was doing it again I'd stick with a 2.0-litre engine as it's more free-revving, but I'd fit electronic fuel injection which will be more efficient than the three Webers, and probably cheaper to fit as well. The 2.5-litre engine is incredibly torquey however...

[@Matt_from_Florida]

@@BelowtheRadarCars Which injection system is it that you'd fit? The kind which fits the carburetors with injectors?

[@andyfrary5492]

The herald and vittess are still one of the best cars on the road

[@nygelmiller5293]

How fantastic that you were unharmed in the crash! I like Triumphs more all the time! But since I believe they didn't have a collapsible steering column for safety - did the steering wheel get pushed back into the passenger compartment?

[@Lee-cz6ss]

Just Lovely .....I AM going to treat myself one day ...and I know it will be one of these...Hardtop version, Webasto .. Chrome Wires ....poor mans E- Type ... And so very MOD ! 200Kid

[@saxon-mt5by]

I've owned dozens of Heralds and Vitesses (and Spitfires and GT6s!) over the years. By far my favourite was a 2-litre Mk1 (which I prefer to the Mk2) which had been heavily modified by SAH; I never actually measured it, but my estimation was that the compression ratio was around 14:1 (it would only run on good-quality 5-star petrol - remember that?) and was faster (both top speed and acceleration) than a friend's then new Dolomite Sprint. Not only that, but I could regularly see around 50mpg if I didn't use all the performance. Sadly KVO 117E is no longer with us.

[@davidhoward7532]

Looks fantastic. What size wheels and tires are use using?

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

They're genuine 14" Minilites with 185/60 14 tyres

[@philtucker1224]

“Trigg’s broom”, but a very attractive one at that! I’m pleased that you managed to shoehorn the 2.5 engine in there, as it’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask Elin Yakhov.. (is it much bigger than the 2 litre six?)

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

It's the same engine, just with a longer-stroke crankshaft. The sump is different so you have to switch the sump for the 2.0-litre item to clear the crossmember, but the 2.0-litre block is interchangeable with the 2.5

[@philtucker1224]

@@BelowtheRadarCars that’s really good to know! Thanks for the response! 👍

[@joshuabell6476]

I must ask is there anyone I could speak to or any forum post in particular I could seek about how to fit those MX5 seats to a Vitesse, as I am planning to start driving a Vitesse daily when I pass my test, but because of my back issues I must have head restraints. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

David Aspinall at Anglian Triumph Services (www.angliantriumphservices.co.uk) fitted my seats, but lots of people have done this. Just check out the forums for Club Triumph or the Triumph Sports Six Club (I'm in both) - ask away and you're bound to get plenty of responses. I fitted heating pads to mine and it was a good move as the car's heater isn't much good...

[@leonguyot4991]

You might also consider joining the facebook group at Triumph Vitesse International.

[@tombaker9341]

a classic 🎉😊

[@pobinr]

Any need for the loud penetrating noise at the start of the vid? Nice car

[@TheRecruitmentGuy]

My second car was a 1966 Vitesse 6 in Signal Red with overdrive. I fitted an SAH exhaust and was a member of the TSSC. There were 3 other Vitesses in my road - as a 17 year old in 1979 I thought I was the bees knees. I kept the '6' and bought a stunning 2 Litre convertible for £1250 as a 19 year having joined Barings Bank on £3500 p/a. So, maybe £8,000 today ( 2022). On April Fool's Day 1981, I drove too quickly for the conditions and lost the back several times in a double appex curve. I managed to FLIPO the car end over end into a ditch half full of water. My friend and I walked away. We were wearing seat belts. If we had had the roof up, it would have crushed us. If we had not been wearing belts we've have been thrown out , maybe with the car crushing us. If the girlfriends had been in the back...well!!! I thank the strength of that Vit for keeping us safe that night. My friend damaged his leather jacket and his GF (now wife) didn't talk to me for months. I got £300 salvage for the remains as I was only Third Party Fire & Theft! Lot's of lessons were learned that night. I went back to y '6' which I had kept. I went on to drive carts and then campaign at track days, also owning various Lotus & Porsches. But the sound of that straight 'six' still makes me smile and I thank Michelotti for designing a car with such strong A pillars. They saved our lives . Graham Martin...

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Sounds as though you had a lucky escape! The separate chassis on my Herald is what saved me, I'm sure of that; the bodyshell wasn't that strong but the frame it sat on was very tough. Thankfully!

[@theashbys8863]

Very pretty car

[@CaptJerry]

I wish I still had mine, owned one in 1979 and no way convert her to electric

[@racketman2u]

What a nice Vitesse. I couldn't make out whether the diff was still a Vitesse unit, although higher gearing made sense; reason I ask is that the standard stube axles were a weakness even with a slightly hotted up stock 2L engine, let alone a triple -webered 2.5!

[@pashakdescilly7517]

If I remember correctly, he fitted a GT6 differential, and then went for a Spitfire 1500 one for even higher gearing

[@philtucker1224]

That’s right but vice Versa, I think he said the final drive is currently a 3.25 to 1 from the later GT6..

[@tommcguire6472]

Im planning to retire to the uk for at least 1/2 the year. And i like the vitesse for both looks and price point, but i want to restomod it. Any help as to where to begin would be greatly appreciated. I have heard of difficulties with frames and diffs.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

There are lots of people doing relatively wild things to these cars nowadays. Your best bet is to join either Club Triumph or the Triumph Sports Six Club. I'm in both and also follow both on Facebook; both of these forums are very active and you should be able to glean lots of useful information from them. Good luck with it all!

[@chrisg6086]

I've always been puzzled by the photo at 2:04 - I've seen it elsewhere in period publications, but it appears to show a Vitesse chassis with a GT6 front cross tube rather than the Herald/Vitesse type. Any info on that, at all? Also, whilst the Vitesse may not be strictly "under the radar", the Bond Equipe 2 Litre derivative most certainly is, and with an interesting back story about the local links with Leyland Motors, and the much-prized distribution arrangement with STI. I'm sure there would be an interesting video to be had there.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

I'd never noticed that front tube; the picture is taken from the Vitesse 2-litre Mk2 brochure so it must have been a shot of an early pre-production chassis. I'm friends with Bond Registrar Guy Singleton so I suspect a Bond film is on the cards at some point!

[@chrisg6086]

@@BelowtheRadarCars As a Bond-owning Prestonian, I shall look forward to it!

[@Rugbyman269]

Triggers broom broom?

[@andrewbrady7909]

What is the wheel/tyre combination on your car Richard?

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

They're aluminium Minilites (the real ones). 6x14 compared with the original 4.5x13 steel wheels fitted at the factory. They're fitted with 185/60 14 tyres.

[@andrewbrady7909]

@@BelowtheRadarCars many thanks! I’ll copy that look on my Vitesse.

[@nathanhobson1142]

... ❤️