The Triumph Vitesse, produced from 1965 to 1971, offered a sporty alternative to the Triumph Herald platform. With a more powerful six-cylinder engine, it was designed to offer more performance.
Rust (especially in chassis outriggers, sills, and floors), engine overheating, rear suspension trunnions wearing, Lucas electrics problems, and differential failures.
Rust is a primary concern, paying close attention to structural areas. Suspension trunnions need to be checked for wear and free movement. Ensure all lights are working correctly. Brakes should be effective and balanced. The differential often suffers from wear in NZ conditions due to how hilly our country is.
The Vitesse was a fun little car which came in both a coupe and convertible configuration. As it shares its underpinnings with the Herald, a lot of parts are interchangeable. The weak points common to all triumphs of this era include rust and poor electrics, so be sure to check this thoroughly. These cars were very popular throughout New Zealand and are steadily gaining popularity in the classic car market.