Pete Arnold

For those who have booked the Novotel at Stevenage, here's what I 've found on a quick search - "The Novotel in Stevenage has been closed to the public in order to provide accommodation exclusively to asylum seekers." Be warned!!!!

From the description of the work carried out, I would consider this car to have been rebuilt - restored, definitely not!!!!!!!!!

Hi Chris, Please send us the entry form as usual when available Thanks Pete & Mary

According to DVLA website, it was first registered in May 1959.

I renewed the shut off valve a few years ago and it made no difference. I'd be interested to have details of your manual central heating valve system though. I do find, when in a traffic jam in hot weather, that the engine does overheat although it soon returns to normal once on the run again.

Have you tried asking the relevant CT model consultant? Contact details for Barry McGrath are always shown in Club Torque.

Yes, I always check the overflow bottle. As for the heater - it never stops chucking out heat even when it's turned off but I gather that's a common problem. As it's a saloon, the car was a mobile sauna in this year's summer weather!!

Have just renewed the antifreeze in the Vitesse then took it for a 20 mile run to make sure that there was no airlock in the cooling system.

Thanks for your response Gary. My seats are basically black cloth with green piping (photo attached). The piping is coming undone on the driver's door side and there is a pair on eBay which shows exactly the same wear so this may be a weak spot. My pair cost me £40 nine years ago but, as you say, there are not many good ones at that sort of price these days! Many of those currently on eBay are leather or half leather ("Alcantara" - presumably the design name) but I assume these are from later models. Newton's website confirms that the Mk I model dates between 1995-99 so presumably later models may be a different size or shape. With winter approaching I'm not desperate to get better seats so I'll keep my eyes open for something suitable over coming months.

The front seats in my Vitesse saloon (which I fitted some 9 years ago) came from a 1996 MGF. These are very comfortable for long journies but the driver's one is now beginning to look a bit tatty - piping coming adrift and stitching coming undone - so I'm keeping my eyes open for possible replacements. I would like to remain with MGF seats as my car has the correct runners etc installed. Does anyone have definite advice about seats from later MGF models? In other words, would seats from a later model still be narrow enough to fit straight into the Vitesse? Or do I need to restrict my search to seats from an MGF only up to a particular year? Any info welcome.

Alfred James Motor Company was dissolved in February 2016 and you can find names of the company's officers by entering the company name in the seach box at https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company

I presume that you are aware of the advice available on Canley Classics website. Well worth a read if you haven't done so already. https://www.canleyclassics.com/?archive=rear-end-noises

There's currently one (passenger side) on eBay. Item no: 394244547282

Simon, There's curently one on eBay for £65 "buy it now" but it's collection only from Sandhurst. See item no: 225168444086

Many thanks to both foshi and glang for coming up trumps with the info I needed. I'll have a chat with my friendly welder!

Immediately after passing the MoT yesterday the driver's side window on my Vitesse jammed after winding it down about an inch so I've spent this afternoon investigating the problem. As can be seen in my "picture 1" a piece (arrowed) is hanging loose from the regulator assembly. Initially I thought the other end had come unbolted from somewhere. However I eventually realised thst this loose piece is actually part of the channel assembly in which the glass sits. Looking at "picture 2" you can see where it should be fixed along the bottom of the channel assembly. As the part is no longer available, I am hoping that it can be fixed by welding and I have tried to measure the space (approx 3.75") between the two pieces. Does any other Herald/Vitesse owner currently have easy access to their window mechanism who could check this space for me? Any help welcome!

I assume you mean the door aperture seal. If so I fitted one to my Vitesse just over 12 months ago without any problem. You don't say where you purchased your seal but mine was from Canley Classics, part no: T4.

Although not signed up to Facebook, I tend to keep an eye on the Club page for which I believe Darren is the moderator. I note that I can no longer access it because it is now a private group. Has this been changed intentionally or is it a Facebook blip?

Well Mike, here you are in the background at Lancaster. You're looking as though you are about to have "fisticuffs" with Darren - but being kept apart by Mik & Chris!!

McJim, Thanks for letting everyone know but sorry to hear your Covid news - hope Katy is ok. Mary and I were in Mik's car with you both for the journey back from the restaurant in Dumfries on the Saturday evening and we are both fine. We stayed with friends in the nortrhern Lake District from Monday to Thursday before coming home. Best wishes, Pete

That's interesting, Danny I know Porthmadog reasonably well but I'm not sure where the Texaco garage is located. Neither petrolprices.com nor the Texaco website lists one! The only possible garage I can think of is on Penamser Road near the Travelodge but that is currently shown as Essar brand.

Dave, I trust that you managed to keep up a full head of steam for your driver all night! Best wishes, Pete

I used to have problems starting my Briggs & Stratton powered garden machinery. It often took at least 20 pulls of the cord on the rotary mower! Since a friend pointed me towards the same company's "Fuel Fit" additive it starts on the second, or even the first, pull. Another friend later told me that "Fuel Fit" is basicallly pure aeroplane fuel - althouigh I do not know if this is really true - but I haven't needed to use it in my Vitesse yet!!!

Your fuel problem sounds very like what I have recently experienced with my Vitesse, although the car had not been laid up for a long period. The car started to lose power in the autumn and I did not seriously investigate the matter until March. First the fuel pump (glass bowl type) was found to be sucking in air. This was due to a leak around the rubber seal between pump body & bowl. There were also some tiny pieces of what looked like thick paper in the gauze filter; later decided these were from the in line filter, near the tank in the boot, beginning to break up. The new seal cured the ingress of air into the pump but the engine still would not keep running. Made up a new pump using two bodies together with a repair kit. Still the engine would not keep running despite proving that fuel was getting to the carbs at full bore. Finally purchased a repair kit for the twin carbs (Stromberg CD 150s) and this cured the problem. As with the pump there were some paper like pieces in the carbs but the main problem was that both the rubber diaphragms had stretched and one had a small split. Car now running better than for a long time!

Correct Beans, And this was you!