Vitesse 6 convertable

C REG 1965

Welcome to my 1965 Triumph Vitesse Convertible homage
The Two Seater Beater!
YouTube Driving this car

I bought my 1965 Triumph Vitesse 6 on 16th April 2007 having just sold on my 1966 Swiss Army Jeep a few weeks before, I felt lost without a soft top in my life. It was a complete change of scene from a military jeep to a cool sixies car, Vietnam swapped for Carnaby Street, which being an anti war in Iraq type person suited me just fine.

When I stop to think about it Triumph cars and engines have been a theme in my car buying history. I passed my test in a Dolomite in 1979 and 20 years ago I owned a Triumph Herald which was bought for £300 and was painted battleship grey with a brush,(not by me I hasten to add). It was in bad shape even then, a week after buying it blue smoke came pouring out the exhaust, so I had to recondition the engine with oversized piston rings and seals etc. When I took the hard top off on a sunny day she sagged and the doors would not shut! I took it to Brittany for a week where it just about made it home.

In 1988 I bought the first of two MG Midgets, a 1500 British Layland one ( my favorite of the two, more power with the triumph Spitfire engine) It was my only car. I rebuilt the engine, replaced countless parts and welded new sills, door pillar and footwell, I got ripped off by two garages over gearboxes, and I even got attacked in Bath by a nutter who rammed into the back of me cos I overtook him on Urban dual carrageway. That said, I had a fantastic 3000 mile trip to Monte Carlo via the Alps in that car. An unforgettable holiday. In about 1993 I bought a 1200 Mk2, which had been rebuilt onto a new body shell, very nice but lacked something for me, never really fell in love with it. It was a poor starter in the mornings.

In 2004 I bought the jeep which I did up, great fun however, not as family friendly as the Vitesse. Now I have returned to the Triumph stable with a 1965 Vitesse 6. Triumph's iconic four seater sports car.

Will I be showing it? well not much, thats not really why I bought it. I bought her to use on the open road not sit in a field all day while others comment on the state of the car. Rather I like to get out there and drive! Mind you any convoy and I'm there. So any local Vitesse or Herald owners who would fancy getting in touch or going for a spin out to a pub, give me a shout. I hope to get down to the local Triumph Six club meet soon as they meet in a pub near me.

Choosing a car? I had been looking on e-bay and the wider web at several Heralds and Vitesses and almost bought a Herald, but boy am I glad I bought this Vitesse. In fact I nearly did buy a Herald 13/60 but on inspection found it had 2 inches of water in the footwells and growing fungus on the carpets so I walked away from it. OK for a DIY project but I wanted a running car in nice condition. At the other end of the spectrum I saw a Herold in very very nice condition, about £3000 but I think I would be afraid to take it on the road in case it got damaged it was so nice, the kind of car you put on a trailer and take to shows, not what I wanted. Although I love e-bay, I find buying a car on it stressful, in the old days when they were just advertised locally in the paper or autotrader you had more time to look and make sure of your purchase, E-bay opens up a national window but can involve buying from much further away. So I started looking mid price range and in good condition but useable fun.

260 miles first trip. DUV was in the Wirral, near Liverpool, When I saw DUV I was drawn to her, however I was put off a bit by the fact she was so far away. It meant putting blind faith in Steves description of her as I could not spare time from work to go see her before buying. Having been successful biding I traveled by train to Liverpool to get her and bring her home to Yeovil, arriving at 7.30pm at Lyme Street Station. Beatles connection there I think. It was a nightmare journey by train via Newport South Wales where I missed my connection, making me an hour late. I drove her back at night, MAP getting completely lost around Chester, The M5 was closed through Birmingham so I was diverted off the M5 and around the east side of Birmingham M6- M42 (past Coventry was DUV trying to go home?) and back to the M5, It took me till 3.00am to get home, but she made it all the way. £55 in petrol at 92p a litre. Not bad for an old girl of 42 years. Steve ( the guy I bought her from) has done loads of work on her so there is little to do but enjoy the ride when the sun shines. Famous last words I hear you cry, OK I have done the rear brakes and put seat belts in so my little one can also enjoy the ride. That's the great thing about the Vitesses, a four seat family sports car.

Triumph Vitesse 65

DUV Vital statistics

First purchased Friday 12.03.1965 -Tom Jones was No.1 with
It's not unusual

List Price 1965 :£657 plus £138:8s:9d Purchase Tax

Boby Type: Convertible

Engine: Straight Six

Cylinder capacity: Originally 1596cc HR24588HE now 1998cc as engine was replaced in 2003.

Fuel: Petrol

Colour when new Red/White
Present Colour: Red/white

Production of the Vitesse

Vitesse 6 (1600): 31,261 May 1962 - September 1966.
saloon: 22,814
convertible: 8,447, includes 679 Sports 6 (USA)

Vitesse 2-Litre: 10,830 1966-1968
saloon: 7,328
convertible: 3,502

Vitesse MK2: 9,121 1968-1971
saloon: 5,649
convertible: 3,472

DUV History supplied by DVLC

Dates purchased	Location of new home
12 /03/ 1965	Ware, north of London
20/12/1972	Ilford, Essex
20/06/?	Wotford, Herts
? 04/ 1977	Kettering. Northants
29/03/1981	Irthlingbourough Northants
20/05/1982	Rushden Northants
21/06/1984	Higham Ferrers, Rushden, Northants
20/06/1989	Corby Northants
15/08/1991	Derby
23/08/1993	Ashby-De-La-Zouch, Leics
10/06/1995	North Cheam, Surrey, back to London
01/05/1997	Prince of Wales Drive, London
30/12/2002	Sutton Courtney Abingdon
01/01/2003	Wavertree, Liverpool
18/08/2004	Wirrel	Re-spray undertaken
16/04/2007	Yeovil, Somerset