Jason C

Hi @glang! Apologies for my tardy reply, this is really helpful. I’ll do some investigation on specialists locally that could make a new prop shaft. The postage to NZ would perhaps be prohibitive for the size and weight. Do you think the best course of action would be to remove the prop shaft from the car and take to a specialist to build one from new?

Also, I have now received a nice new OD speedo cable, another part ready in the kit. 🙂 

Thank you

On 17/11/2022 at 00:45, glang said:

The prop is easy as your set up will be standard Vitesse OD length and from here thats 43.5"

Thanks @glang this is a great help! Is the 43.5inch measurement from end to end? If I reuse the existing prop-shaft, I would need to find an expert to cut down the prop shaft itself, to make the 43.5inch total length? Do people typically rebuild the prop shaft, replace UJ etc while it‘s removed?

Thank you

Hi @glang nice one, yup I have sourced a Stanpart overdrive adaptor plate. Also have the mount bracket and rubber mount. 🙂

Current item to ponder is the prop shaft, namely how long it should be. And the cleanest method to cut the gearbox tunnel and make a cover.

12 hours ago, glang said:

ok so just to check, you have sourced a 3 rail mainshaft for J type (part TKC899)? This is different to one for D type and was originally for a Spitfire but presumably can be used with the Vitesse internals.

Hi @glang yup, have the correct main shaft for the unit. Thanks for cross checking, most appreciated. Always best to have the correct parts to help reduce frustrations when it’s open on the bench. 

Appreciate all the help guys! 

2 hours ago, RobPearce said:

The J-type is a tiny bit longer than the D-type - perhaps an inch all in - but the difference to the speedo cable is minimal. There is a tendency for the angle drive to sit very close to the chassis and floor pan, though.

Great info, thanks @RobPearce by the sounds the standard Smiths OD cable length should be perfect. My current non-OD cable has a nice flowing curve, seems plenty.

1 hour ago, Martins Stag said:

I would also cut an inspection hatch in the side of the gearbox cover to enable you to access the top up plug on the gearbox to save you having to take the whole cover out aswell... ? 

@Martins Stag Good idea! Would you believe I still have the original cardboard material, but should be able to add a port, maybe with a simple large rubber bung.

56 minutes ago, glang said:

What exactly is the spec of the new set up Jason. Are you modifying the existing box or swopping the complete unit?

Hi there @glang, looking to rebuild the original box (needs rebuilding in any case), and fit the Overdrive at the same time. Have most of the major parts, need to rebuild gearbox and overdrive. Its been a very slow burn as have other items to fix... 🙂 

Interestingly, a Smiths Speedometer flexible drive catalogue from 1968 lists the Vitesse, 2 Litre OD with a 1525mm length cable. 

Although, the Vitesse would have originally been fitted with a D-type OD. Anyone know if the D-type is a similar dimension to that of the J-type unit?

16 hours ago, Martins Stag said:

I would think so, I assume you have an angle drive too?  Make sure you have the right end to attach to your speedo too and i think there we two different ends? I would also suggest to try and make the installation of the cable as smooth as possible so there are no tight bends....  

Hi @Martins Stag thanks for the pointers, will aim for a nice smooth arc. 

15 hours ago, RobPearce said:

I would think 1600mm would be plenty. As I recall, when I converted my first Vitesse from non-OD to D-type and then to J-type, I retained the same speedo cable all through.

Thanks @RobPearce very useful info! Perhaps I will try the original cable on for size once the OD unit is in the car. By the way, did your Vitesse have a bracket to secure to Speedo cable within the engine bay? 

9 hours ago, thescrapman said:

Make sure your J-type has the adapter fitted to allow you to screw the angle drive to if you intend to use one, J-types do not always use them in Triumph applications 

Thank you @thescrapman good tip, just checked my angle drive. Connects perfectly to the drive, I managed to find an original Smiths one.

Thank you all, most appreciated.

Hi folks,

Slowly working through items to purchase for my overdrive conversion. Good things take time, so people tell me. 🙂 

I am installing a J-Type Overdrive unit to my Triumph Vitesse, 2 Litre, 1968. 

Does anyone know what the length of Speedo Cable should be to accommodate the overdrive unit?

My non-overdrive speedo cable measures 1400mm long from end to end of the inner cable. Would 1600mm be correct? Enough cable to be safe...?

Thank you

14 minutes ago, glang said:

Yes the mk2 attaches further back to the last joint on the gearbox which would give even more stability. The choice is yours....

Thanks @glang will scout out beneath the car and make a bracket. 🙂 

1 hour ago, JohnD said:

I have extractors (6-3-1) and use sealant on the joints.   Important to smear it on the male part, leaving a narrow area adjacent to the open end free of sealant.    Don't smear it inside the female part, else a bulge of goo will develop on the rim of the male part, and solidify, spoiling the lovely flow down the pipe!

Sounds great @JohnD are any sealant types/brands preferable? Guessing only a small amount on the gasket? Are there any flexible sealants that scrap off easy later on...

1 hour ago, glang said:

As you say not generally available but easy to make and should help reduce strain on the main joint...

 

My thoughts exactly @glang ! This bracket should reduce some of the strain. Attached a picture from the manual - referring to bracket 'B'. 

Thanks chaps

Thanks all for your help with my manifold questions!

Another couple of things I’m pondering;

- My current extractors are connected to the exhaust pipe with a 'slip joint' and a U bolt clamp. Is it preferable to use sealant on exhaust slip joints, (in this case steel pipes) or best to simply connect without any sealant? The old sealant just broke away like brittle dust. 

- Best to use the exhaust gasket only, without any sealant? The cylinder head exhaust surface area is nice and flat. When removing the gasket was broken by one port, not sure if due to the homemade extractors not being true.

- It appears the original exhaust had a curved mount bolted to the bottom of the engine to support the exhaust pipe here, are these still available? 

Thank you

10 hours ago, glang said:

Have to say though it is a bit noisy (wasnt the sport version) so Im thinking of fitting a cherry bomb midway along the main pipe as I want a gentlemans carriage rather than a hot saloon😁

Has a sweet sound to it, “gentleman's carriage” until you push your foot on the pedal. 🙂

3 hours ago, glang said:

I think to aid this the exhaust design was changed at the same time and certainly when I came to buy a new stainless exhaust system for my Mk1 I got a Mk2 version because in my opinion the bigger diameter tail pipe looked better and it was cheaper.

Most interesting @glang any idea of the difference of diameter pipe between the two? I’ve found the Mk1 version of the exhaust harder to track down to purchase, maybe because its less popular. 

2 hours ago, RobPearce said:

I strongly suspect the change was driven almost entirely by cost, but supported by a change of emphasis from "gentleman's carriage" to "hot saloon".

@RobPearce Love this phrase! And perhaps the Mk2 was one of the very first "hot saloons"? Before the format become popular. 

17 hours ago, RobPearce said:

If it's a Mk1 then it should be a two box system - long centre silencer between the chassis rails then a second, fatter one under the boot, hung off the RH rigger. Back in the day I got one from Bell's (via TSSC) which was correct. I'm not sure whether Canley sell the right one, as most of them seem to drop the centre silencer (as the factory did for Mk2, I think).

@RobPearce Interesting that the Mk1 had the additional silencer at the front, and removed for a straight through pipe on the Mk2 – do you think to improve performance? 

15 hours ago, drofgum said:

Along with supporting the inlet manifold the attachment points also transfer heat to the inlet to aid warm-up.

Thanks @drofgum this is a really interesting design note! I noticed the exhaust manifold has almost like a little shelf, perhaps as you mention to aid in heat transfer.

1 hour ago, RobPearce said:

I haven't driven a Mk1 with a tubular manifold but comparing my Spitfire (tubular) against how it was before, the cast manifold is quieter. The Mk1 Vitesse is a very understated engine tone, as befits a car with class and breeding. As to whether the engine bay is cooler with a cast one, I'm not sure, but it's certainly plausible.

Thanks @RobPearce I like the sound of the engine being quieter, not that it is noisy. On a different path, I noticed Triumph originally had sound deadening material on the timing cover, so they must have been interested in keeping sound levels down.

By chance do you know which stainless steel exhaust closely matches the original design? Looking for a standard exhaust, non sports, baffled muffler... 

38 minutes ago, glang said:

I think cast iron ones can be coated in vitreous enamel to your choice of colour but its expennnnnsive. 

Most appreciated @glang it would be cool to coat in a similar colour to the original appearance. The few I have seen off a car have been rusty, I wonder if theres a method to return back to how they may have left the factory – but perhaps they change colour over time anyway.

1 hour ago, RobPearce said:

If you mean the fixing holes at the extreme ends of the manifold, they should still be there on a Mk1 2L (but not a Mk2). I don't think there's much difference between a 1600 and a Mk1 manifold, although the bore may be larger on the 2L.

Thanks @RobPearce appreciate your help. Sorry, I wasn’t very clear – I was trying to say the lugs which look to hold a mounting bracket on the 1600 Vitesse manifold. Attached a photo below of a 1600 manifold on eBay. On the 2 Litre version, judging by Triumph illustrations, blank lugs remain in the casting, but the bracket is deleted.

1 hour ago, RobPearce said:

They occasionally crack, and the downpipe flange studs rust badly. They don't breathe as freely as a tubular but they do sound more refined. My Mk1 has what I suspect is its original 55-year-old manifold and there are no problems with it other than needing a workaround for the downpipe studs.

Interesting, does the car sound quieter compared to tubular extractors? I have read that with the cast less heat goes into the engine bay, any truth in this?

Where the studs originally threaded into the cast, and I assume rust in place overtime, and need to be drilled out?

Was the cast manifold originally non-painted, what colour was it?

Thank you

Hi folks,

I currently have some home made exhaust extractors on my Triumph Vitesse, 2 Litre. I am looking to track down an original Stanpart cast manifold, namely because I would like to replace my exhaust system with a new stainless steel one. The current steel extractors are in good condition, I’ve painted them in heat temperature silver which match quite well with the inlet manifold. But the rear muffler is rotten, so now maybe is the time to change to the original set-up. What seems better with the original cast manifold design (than my extractors) is the inlet manifold can be supported by a stud to the exhaust manifold... (which seems to be not available?) supporting the weight further out, rather than relying on the bolts to the cylinder head. Although, with the amount of people with custom extractors, maybe a non issue.

If someone could be so kind to help with a question in helping me try and track down a manifold locally:

- Is the Triumph 2000 Mk 1 exhaust manifold identical to the Triumph Vitesse 2 Litre? 

- It appears to my eye, the Triumph Vitesse 1600 exhaust manifold is similar but has two mounting bolts on the outer face, with only the lugs remaining to the cast on the Triumph Vitesse 2 Litre manifold.

- Are there any disadvantages to the cast iron manifold? My car is not performance orientated, if anything I like things quite original. 

Thank you

Thanks @RobPearce sounds spot on. 👍

A follow up question – brass or steel blanking plug in the cylinder block? Does it make a big difference for corrosion (removal if needed later) if the head is steel? Any preference, experience over the long term for plumbing tape on threads vs Loctite thread sealant?

Thanks everyone for the help on the heater plumbing. Spent today cleaning the Smiths heater, removed and flushed the radiator and valve. Cleaned the cables with compressed air, and applied some Teflon dry glide inside the cables. Cleaned the heater mechanism flap, hopefully once assembled it will be smooth operating. 🙂

9 hours ago, RobPearce said:

They often are very stiff but it's usually the cable more than the valve itself. The inner rusts to the outer. Lubrication requires you to pull the inner through and then refit, which can be a pain, otherwise the oil doesn't get distributed well enough. Take the opportunity to clean the inner cable up.

People sometimes suggest replacing with a bike brake cable, with the PTFE liner and flexible inner. That's all very well for accelerator and choke cables, but the heater cable operates in push as much as pull, and therefore needs to have the solid inner.

While it's disconnected, check that the valve itself is not ceased up. They can get pretty solid even if only a few years old.

Awesome, thank you @RobPearce for the detailed help. Will flush the valve, remove and lubricate the cable. I’ve noticed the O-ring on the valve has perished, so on the to do list.

11 hours ago, Rutty said:

Yes they are heat shields to try and stop the hot exhaust vaporising the fuel in the carbs when the engine is stopped. This is why it can take a good few seconds of cranking to start the engine even when hot as the bowls on the carbs need to be refilled. To be honest I don't think they make much difference.

Thanks @Rutty most interesting. I have seen larger heat shields and always wondered what they are designed for. I haven’t driven my Vitesse much yet (need to get running first!), is fuel vaporising a common issue with all carb engines? Do people have other solutions to help smoothen or just a fact of life with older engines? In another thread folks mentioned using larger fuel line from the tank helps reduce vaporisation.

A heating related question, the heater valve – mine is very hard to pull in the cabin, pulling the wooden dash when operating. Is this due to not being adjusted incorrectly, or do I need to lubricate the cable? Anyone encountered this and have a remedy? The valve itself it relatively new, well 5 years or so.

58 minutes ago, Rutty said:

The heater hoses are connected the same as my Mk1 2L. The front hose is a little bit to long if it worries you then cut a bit off the end. Mine has a blanking plug on the head.

Thanks @Rutty thats perfect! Appreciate the photos, made life nice and easy. Your images sparked my curiosity, what are the plates on the manifold between the carbs, some type of heat deflector? 

3 hours ago, RobPearce said:

I think your hoses on the heater end are correct. The extra brass tapping should be replaced with a plug as in the exploded diagram. Some early cars had heater hoses direct from the head so that's probably a Vanguard 6 fitment (or very early 2000 saloon?)

For the front hose, have you tried turning it round? It looks like the two ends are different lengths and it might well fit better with the long end on the manifold.

Thanks @RobPearce most appreciated, will replace the brass pipe with a plug. I’ll admit it caused some confusion having the extra hose, so thats a relief. The previous owner had a short rubber hose attached with a bung in the end, which made me curious. Could the hole in the block have served any practical use, like draining? Or like you say an appendage from the past. Will try turning the hose around, nice and simple, but I still didn't think of it myself. 🙂