RogerD

Hi Stephen, and welcome to the club/forum! You can find some info and pictures here: http://www.vitesse.no http://www.vitesse.no/Garage%202008-2009.html I think that Einar who made this excellent site is also a club member, he can probably give you more detailed information. Best regards, Roger.

Just got an e-mail from Eurocarb, they will send me a new pump. Top notch service! I haven’t bought anything from them before I’m a new customer. But they have impressed with very quick response and good service. They also have the new world record regarding shortest lead time from order to delivery (UK => to the remote and isolated Åland Island) so I can recommend them. Can’t wait to get the new pump so that I finally can get my Vitesse back on the road before the summer is over (the summer here is usually on a Wednesday or a Thursday, then it’s gone again…) PS. I have no connection with the company

Yep, it is definitely a crack. Very small, hardly visible between the IN and OUT pipes on top of it. I noticed fuel leaking out from it, 100% sure. I have sent e-mail to Eurocarb where I bought it, and asked them about warranty. They have been supportive so far. To be continued...

Yes, I'm sure it must have been damaged when I got it, I have sent an e-mail to Eurocarb where I bought it. I do hope they will replace it. I'm living outside the EU tax zone, so even if they will replace it, I will have a bureaucratic nightmare with the customs 🙁

Hi all, I decided to buy a HUCO low pressure fuel pump since several club members recommend HUCO, and seems to be happy with them. This weekend I put it my car, and I was utterly disappointed when I found out that it was leaking. It is a crack in the pump between the IN and OUT pipes. I did NOT apply any excessive force when I tighten the screw that secures the two pipes. I’m utterly disappointed, I paid quite a lot of money for it compared to other pump brands. Have anyone out there experienced anything similar? I was hoping to get my Vitesse back on the road next week. One despairs…

What a wonderful picture! That child will go far and accomplish great deeds in the future! 😀

Thanks for your reply Nick, This might give some more clues: I removed all spark plugs and plug leads when I did the first test with the ”ignition tester” (in order to make it easier to turn the engine by hand). Today I did a new test, but this time I had all the plug leads in place and the spark plugs connected to earth so that I got a spark on all 6 cylinders when I turned the engine. This time I got a slightly different result. I still get several sparks on cylinder no one in 720 degrees, but now most of them are hardly visible (very weak) except the “real spark” at 13 degrees BTDC which is quite strong. I suspect that the current which should go to the other cylinders somehow “leaked” and got to cylinder no 1 but with reduced magnitude. I don’t know it this make any sense at all, as I said, I’m definitely not an electrician… I guess I just have to start up again, using my new HUCO low pressure fuel pump that arrived yesterday 😀 and see what happens… Cheers, Roger.

Hi All, I bought a 123 Tune distributor for my Mk I Vitesse a while ago, and I did manage to start up the engine and had it running decently for a while. Then I had some problems with flooding carbs due to fuel pressure being too high, so I have never driven it on the road with the 123 Tune. Last time I tried to start the engine it behaved really strange, barely running. I suspected something fundamentally wrong with the ignition, like if I had put the plug leads in wrong order, or mixed them up in some way. I have an “ignition tester” which basically is a light bulb connected between the spark plug and plug lead. It lights up when the spark comes (I will try to include a picture if I can…). The weird thing is that when I use the “ignition tester” on number one cylinder I get a spark not only when it is supposed to be there, but also about 60 crank shaft degrees later, and I get (I think) about 3-4 sparks in 720 crank shaft degrees, instead of one, as it should be. I’m not good with electrical stuff, I’m more into mechanical things. I hope there are some electrical wizards here that can explain this, and please tell me that I’m doing something wrong, and that there is nothing wrong with my VERY expensive distributor! 😲

My Vitesse 2-Litre Mk I also have this badge. It was build in October 1966 so I guess it was one of the first MkI to leave the factory. I'm not 100% sure that the bonnet (and badge) is original, but I think so. The carbs should be for GT6 according to the numbers stamped on them, and I think they are original too, but of course I can't know for sure. The car has not been renovated except new paint some time in the 80's.

Thanks for the picture Don, what do you think of the pump performance? Is it ok? I will post a picture when mine has been installed...

Thanks! I just bought mine from Eurocarbs. Looking forward to see how it works! Cheers, Roger.

I have done some reasearch on the Triumph forums, and have decided to buy a HUCO low pressure fuel pump (Max 2,1 PSI) to my Vitesse Mk I. But it seems difficult to find a dealer, can anyone recommend where to buy a HUCO low pressure fuel pump? Thanks in advance, Roger.

Hi Dave, Interesting to hear about another gunmetal grey Vitesse! My car is now royal blue, but I can see some spots of (what I think is) gunmetal greay under carpets etc. I checked in the Triumph Register here on this website if you had any pictures of your car there, it would be interesting to see how it looks. I have tried to Google pictures searching for "Triumph gunmetal grey" but it seems to be rare as you mention. Cheers, Roger.

Hi, Today I received the Club Torque March (it takes some time to reach this island...) and I noticed an interesting Vitesse on page 60. I have an early 1966 Vitesse MkI, and my Vitesse was painted Gunmetal Grey according to the BMIHT certificate. Is it possible that the Vitesse on page 60 is Gunmetal Grey?? Seems to be a rare color...

Hello! My 123Tune arrived yesterday, and is in place now. Had some problems with the settings at first, since I didn't know that the first point MUST be at 500 Rpm, and the last one MUST be at 8000 Rpm. I thought there was something wrong with it since it would not store my settings... There is not a word in the manual about this 500/8000 Rpm thing! I have not started yet, will do it tomorrow since it is completely dark outdoors now. Seems to be a great thing, good quality except the manual, it sucks! To be continued...

Shaun, The only ”rolling road” I have access to here on the Åland Island is driving repeatedly up a steep hill, trying not to hit a moose in the process... Anyway, I’m afraid that the 123/Tune alone will bring back more power and torque to the old engine than my crappy UJ’s can handle   /Roger.

Hello! I just got an e-mail from the supplier which I think explains this. If I programme the static timing in the software settings, then I can "green light" it at TDC. Hence, first point in software = Zero Rpm and 13 Degrees. I bought the 123/Tune from Leen Apk and I must say that they have provided excellent service so far. I sent an email asking about this, but I did not expect to get an answer within an hour on a sunday afternoon, I thought you guys here on the forum would give me an answer quicker, but the supplier was quicker in this case! (I have no connection with that company).

Hello! I have ordered (not yet received) a 123/Tune to replace the original Lucas 22D distributor in my 1966 Triumph Vitesse Mk I 2-Litre. The static timing advance for the Lucas 22D should according to the Vitesse manual be set to 13 crankshaft degrees before top dead centre (BTDC). I would appreciate if someone who already has this dizzy installed could clarify one statement in the 123/Tune manual (Page 4, Mounting the 123/Tune in your car). Quote: “Bring the engine to the static timing point, at the end of the compression-stroke, for cylinder number 1. Rotate the unit CW until the green LED just lights up”. Does this mean that the number one piston should be: a) 13 degrees BTDC during compression stroke when the green LED just come on? b) At Top Dead Centre during compression stroke when the green LED just come on? In my mind is should be at TDC (alternative b) since the static advance number differ from engine to engine, and this number is not entered into the software. I can’t understand how the 123 Distributor can know where the piston is (relative TDC) when the green light comes on unless it is “green lighted” at TDC? Or am I wrong? Please advice. Thanks in advance! Regards, Roger.

Thanks Floyd! I have just dowloaded and installed the software. I ordered it today, so I guess it will take a week or two for it to reach this remote island. Can't wait to try it! Cheers, Roger.

Hi all, Thanks for all the information! There seems to be several satisfied 123 ignition customers, both using the programmable version and the "standard" version. However, most of the feedback I got was from 123Tune owners, so now I have ordered one (it was expensive! Phew... 😲). I will keep you posted about how it works once I have received it and tried it. I would appreciate it very much if some of you would share the settings you have in the software so that I can get started as quicly as possibe (screen shot from the 123 software would be perfect). I still think the standard 123 would probably work fine also, but this way I have more people to ask, if I have problems with the settings. No I will go and buy some flowers for the wife, and cross my finger that she does not find out what I paid for that shiny thing with a red cap...

Hi Floyd! It's good news that the 123Tune seems to work so well, there seems to be a lot of supporters. I have definitely decided to buy a 123 dizzy, but I'm still not sure which model to buy. I was hoping to find someone who had sucessfully used one of the 16 settings in the "standard" 123 dizzy. So far I have only heard of one sucess story with the "standard" 123 dizzy, but several regarding the 123Tune. Thanks for your feed-back Floyd!

Fantastic achievement to finish the RBRR in the Renown Shaun! Well done. And if a Renown engine runs with a 123 dizzy, then so should my Vitesse I guess. I’m getting closer and closer to order one here… Anyone else who have one?

Thanks! 25 years as a developer of engine control software definitely does counts! I thought OCD was some kind of instrument good to know I’m not the only one in the club with this dysfunction. Luckily I can usually cure it with a beer or two. My gut feeling is also that at least one or two of these 16 settings should be “good enough” in order to give good performance. At least better performance than I have today with my Lucas 25D. It is not slightly worn anymore, it probably passed that state during the 80’s… But I will definitely keep the old Lucas unit in case I (or future owners) would like to restore it and put it back. Same thing with tachometer, I prefer to only do modifications that are reversible. Thanks a lot for all the information!

Hi! Thanks for the feed-back Nick. The things you write about camshafts etc. is certainly worth thinking about. However, there are a few statements from 123 owners on different forums that indicates that 123 ignition have a few satisfied customers (also Triumph owners). So I agree that there is a risk that none of the 16 settings will work in my Vitesse, but I would not say that there is a low risk that I will find a setting that works... You do not mention it in your reply, but I assume that you do not have a 123 ignition system in your car, and you have no experience of using them, is that correct? I can imagine that the hot weather in Australia is a challenge for a Triumph owner, but here on the Aaland Island we have about one foot of snow at the moment, so no risk of over heating here! 🙂 PS. Stupid question I guess, but what is an OCD? Cheers, Roger.

Thanks Tim & John! Two pleased owners, then there is hope that it should work on my Vitesse too! Cheers, Roger.