Vitesse project

[triumphlux]

As promised a few pictures of my latest project.

 

Vitesse Mk2 rotoflex chassis and very good Herald 12/50 bodytub :

 

 

[Mark]

Looks like a really nice tub judging by the boot floor. Probably being a saloon has helped. A bit more water tight than a convertible. I am in the process of building a MK2 convertible myself and am after a spare wheel well if anybody heres of one.

http://triumphmodsandrestoration.blogspot.com/

[mk2vitesses]

Without wanting to sound like some anorak judge at a classic car meet, the bulkhead for a Mk2 should have the wide spaced wiper posts.

The LHS post should be on the outside of the screen washer jet!

Just for info 8)

 

[triumphlux]

I didn't know that they changed the wiper position on the Vitesse .... I always assumed that nothing was changed on the bodytub.

 

Then I need the wiper mechanism from a Herald to fit to that front end ?

 

Originality doesn't concern me because in the end it will look like a Herald 12/50, but it will hopefully have powerfull Vitesse mechanics  ;D

[mk2vitesses]

Yes the tube length is different between the wiper posts, the Mk1 Vitesse and early Herald are the same as far as I know. The 13/60 bulkhead is the same as the Mk2's.

The cold air grill is also different.

 

Simon

[mk2vitesses]

Oh I meant to say your rear tube looks good, much better than mine started off!!!

[Gerard]

Wow, that's moved on a bit since I last saw you!

[Buster]

Without wanting to sound like some anorak judge at a classic car meet, the bulkhead for a Mk2 should have the wide spaced wiper posts.

The LHS post should be on the outside of the screen washer jet!

 

Only on late ones, design changed in 1969. Same change on late Heralds.

[mk2vitesses]

 

Only on late ones, design changed in 1969. Same change on late Heralds.

 

The only Mk2's I've seen with the close spaced wipers have had the bulkhead replaced with the earlier type. The only bloke I know who would no for cert is Bill.

[Smallfry]

Only the very last mark 2 Vitesses AND 13/60s had this wiper arrangement. It occured mid to late 1970.

[lordleonusa]

I believe that the change occured from August 1969.

 

My Herald and Vitesse both have the original arrangement, but I never noticed any problem with washer jets or wipers...

 

My Herald 1200 Cv was built in early 1967, and the bulkhead on my Vitesse originated on a 1969 Herald 13/60 Cv.

 

Regards

 

Léon

[triumphlux]

Some photos of the work I have done the last two weeks :

 

- fitting grease nipples to the roto wishbone

- sandblasting

- rebuilding front suspension

 

[Oracle]

Interesting colour that...Quite like it

[triumphlux]

Primer ... will be painted black  

[lordleonusa]

Grease nipples on the wishbones, intriguing idea, did it in October 1990, no photo of stainless steel nipples but found this photo showing bearing races instead of standard nylon bushes.

 

still going strong, 17½ years later!

 

a Steve Phillips mod'

 

L  

[triumphlux]

Leon, do you know which bearings you used ?

 

and I suppose that these alloy plates on your pic seals the bearings inside the wishbone !?

[lordleonusa]

I do not seem to have a record of the ball bearing races used, which is strange, as I thought I did, but I can ask my supplier, who may still hav ethat information as mine was not the only set made.

 

The end caps are stainless steel, not alloy.

 

and yes they do.

 

Here's my only other photo, taken in falling light, which is why it's a little fuzzy, like my memory.

L

[GT]

Yes it was me that did that modification in fact.

 

It entails boring out (line boring) the wishbone bushes and fitting klnj 1 1/8" bearing I think was the size.

 

SO,- I/D bore is the bolt size, O/D the new wishbone bore size and the spacers have to be JUST the right length, so there's no free play, but no friction either.

 

(so it's the length of the orginal spacer minus the bearing width divided by 2 to get the right length half spacers)

 

To be honest it was better using 2 bearings and single spacer between them, because if a little moisture gets in there, the bearings don't last long.

It looks to me like SP used a non STD bolt and spacer.

I didn't want to do that for compatibility reasons and the original bolt is cadmium plated (or should be)

 

The whole lot I packed with grease and sealed with O rings.

 

It was a very nice mod, but even better if you rose joint the radius arms one end too.

[triumphlux]

Thanks for the detailed info and pics

 

I will measure the wishbone and spacers, then check which bearings I find and modify to suit the bearings.

[GT6Steve]

Yes it was me that did that modification in fact.

 

It entails boring out (line boring) the wishbone bushes and fitting klnj 1 1/8" bearing I think was the size.

 

 

My memory is a bit fuzzy as well but I have a note in my original GT book correcting that bearing number to KLNJ 1 1/2 or R8.  I explored it at one time but went a different route entirely.  

HTH, Steve

[GT]

Think you will find it's KLNJ 1 1/8". 1.175".

 

The bores of the wishbone are so rough and nasty, you have to line-bore it, to get the eyes to be in line at all.  ;D

[DaveNotSoSideways]

E-Type has a similar system with grease nips to lube em.

[GT6Steve]

Think you will find it's KLNJ 1 1/8". 1.175".

 

The bores of the wishbone are so rough and nasty, you have to line-bore it, to get the eyes to be in line at all.  ;D

 

Reproducing my understanding of it from so long ago...

 

The bearing manual lists the KLNJ 1-1/8 as a 1.125 bore, a 2.125 OD and a .375 width.  These are Inch Single Row Radial Extra Light Series Unshielded bearings.

 

Wanting to use the stock bolts, I went up column to the R8/ KLNJ 1/2 with a .500 bore.  NOT the 1-1/2 as I mistakenly wrote above.

 

The full spec of the KLNJ 1/2 is a .500 bore, a 1-1/8" OD and a .375 width.  I think the OD is what's sticking in your memory.

 

BTW, that KLNJ is listed as the old RHP number while the new number is R8 and R18 respectively.

 

No disrespect intended here, just trying to help

 

[GT]

You know how it is as you get older....... ;D

[lordleonusa]

SP did use stock cadmium plated bolts in mine.

 

So I take it, from all of the above info kindly supplied by SS, that in order to have used the stock bolts, my bearings must be the KLNJ 1/2" R8 with 0.500: bore, 1 1/8" OD & 0.375" width.

 

ps, GT, you should know that SP did not claim the work was his, but 1990 was 18 years ago, and he may have told me that it was your work, but I honestly cannot remember.

 

His wife, 'B' did mention something about your oily shoes and her white carpet though!

 

L