1 / 36

£6,500

Asking price
Secure payments
If your offer is accepted, your payment will be protected until you have the keys.

1971 Triumph Vitesse

  • Right Hand Drive
  • 98,000 Miles
  • Manual, 4 speed
  • Petrol
  • 2000cc
  • 1971
  • FYU8J
  • Yellow
  • Private seller
  • GB
    Taylorberg, United Kingdom

Description

1971 Triumph Vitesse 2000 Mark 2
First registered: 12/ 2/ 1971
Genuine convertible
One of only 3472 Mk 2 convertibles built from Jul 68 and Jul 71
96k miles
Original, unrestored unmolested example
Ultra reliable, always starts, never broke down in my 2 years of ownership
Owned by same family almost from new (brother & sister)
Serviced less than 200 miles ago
All tyres replaced and have less than 1000 miles on them

Would suit somebody who doesn't want/ like a restored Vitesse but maybe wants an original condition one for their colleciton.

Service history
Comes with a few receipts from Chiswick Car Craft (classic car specialists) and some receipts

Chiswick Car Craft Invoice
Date: 11th May 1998
(Mileage must have been about 93, 199 as per MOT)

Work done:
Cut out & replace Nearside Rear Outrigger
Repair Nearside and Offside boot floor areas
Replace Nearside and Offside bump stops
Overhaul braking system
Replace steering col bushes
Replace handbrake cables
Carry out full service and check operation of all parts
Replace hood
Repair front wings for MOT
MOT service
Invoice for £1296

Chiswick Car Craft Invoice nos. 5772 and 5773

Date: 10th July 1998

Cut out & replace Offside Rear Outrigger
Repair Nearside and Offside boot floor areas
Repair Offside and Nearside inner sills and seat area
Blank off old bump stops
Overhaul braking system, refit pipes etc
Replace steering column bushes
Refit and adjust handbrake cables
Carry out full service
Repair front wings for MOT
Present for MOT
Replace clutch hydraulics and bleed
Free clutch
Repair front outriggers
Replace front shocks and springs
Replace 2 x front ball joints
Replace hoses
Replace rack bushes
Repair faulty electrics
Fit new radiator
Fit 2 rear shock absortbers
Supply and fit rear shock mounting kit

Labour: £1775
Parts: £216
Total £1991. 70 + VAT
£2281. 50

Parts invoice:
2 x wiper blades and fitting
2 x wheel cylinders
2 x side light switch
1 x radiator
Engine oil and filter
Anti-freeze
Oil & greases
2 x rear drums
1 x brake union
Brake fluid
Parts total: £216. 70

The MOTs I have for it are:

July 1990: 92, 491 m
July 1998: 93, 199 m
July 1999: 94, 079 m
July 2000: 94, 817 m
July 2001: 95, 006 m
(was stored in dry garage at 95, 189)

Recent works include:
All tyres replaced
Oil/ filter replaced: about 200 miles ago
New s/ s windscreen wipers
Electric washer motor fitted

Condition- body panels
Original Saffron yellow paint with 50+ years of scratches, scuffs, dents and blemishes
Worst dent is on the offside front wing by the headlight
See receipts from Chiswick garage, some welding done to the floor etc
Rust is present on just about every panel some perforations which I’ve treated with Kurust to stop getting worse
The n/ s door bottom/ corner is the worse area and could do with repair panel or replacement door but works fine.

Chassis
Separate steel chassis with outriggers
The chassis is the main structure of the car and the separate body panels bolt onto the chassis
Receipts from Chiswick garage show welding done to the chassis including replacing the outriggers

Condition-interior
4 seater with front and rear seat belts
It can only be described as tatty
Seats are usable but could do with new padding fitted.
Woodwork is nice and the door trims have been stripped and revarnished so look lovely
Fitted period Sharp radio-cassette in glove box

Hood
Chiswick Car Craft's invoice shows hood replaced in 1998.
It's in good condition although I use it hood down summer and winter (only on dry days)
Comes with hood cover

Engine/ gearbox
2000cc, 6 cylinder pushrod engine
4 speed box which changes nicely
Oil topped up recently
Overdrive works as it should on 3rd and 4th
Starts and idles nicely and is super smooth on the road
Never had it not start and it’s never overheated
I changed the coolant two years ago
Changed the oil and filter about a month ago and it’s not done many miles since
Good mix of performance and economy and with the overdrive is great on motorways.
It is ULEZ compliant

Wheels
Non original chrome wheels fitted with Roystyle stainless steel trims.

Driving experience
Starts, stops and drives beautifully.
Front disc brakes stop it adequately although it’s not like a new car so you do have to think ahead and brake accordingly!
Steering is nice and light and it has a very small turning circle
It's not a large car but the four seats make it practical if you want to take the kids out on a Sunday drive and there’s planty of room for them.

Come with 2 sets keys, original owner's manual and a file a few MOTs and some receipts.
The V5 is in my name at our address
See History section for more informationPurchased two years ago from an acquaintance in our town. She had bought it from her brother in the 80s and he’d owned it since the 70s.
She’d spent £3577 on it in 1998 at a Triumph specialist (bills available) then used it till 2002 when it went into storage in their dry garage. The fuel was drained from the tank

In 2022, her husband told me she couldn’t see herself driving it again at her age so was planning on selling it. As this was a local family known to me, and having always wanted a Vitesse, I bought it and had it recovered the mile or so to my house.

It had been stored for 20 years so I changed the rubber fuel pipes, put fresh fuel into the (previously drained) tank, fitted a new battery, cleaned the points, put new plugs in and it started immediately. It ran perfectly with no spluttering and idled nicely as the carbs must have been dry when put away. I then also changed the coolant hoses and heater valve and put fresh anti-freeze in. I have changed the clutch master and slave cylinders and changed the oil and filter. I also had a new set of tyres fitted as didn’t fancy driving on 20+ year old tyres.

As I’d moved to a job commuting by train into the City, I didn’t need a modern car anymore (my wife also has a Volvo XC60) so I’d sold my own Volvo XC90 and this was a great car for a bit of fun at weekends.

I’ve had a lot of fun with it these last two years, using it once or twice a week at weekends, going to car meets or runs out with other classic car friends. I’ve used it through two winters only on dry days with dry road and it’s always started and run fine. It never overheats or has any other problems. I’m now looking for a classic Volvo estate (145 or Amazon) but don’t want two classics so thought I’d see if I can pass this on.

About me:
I'm a private seller, not a car dealer.
I love old vehicles of all types and when this beauty came up for sale from an acquaintance I trusted, I had to have it.
My hobby is collecting and restoring classic bicycles (mainly Dutch bikes) which I’ve sold through Gumtree so you can see my seller rating there where car is also advertised showing I'm honest and reliable.
I'm honest and have tried to describe it as best I can

Vehicle background

Has the vehicle ever been imported?

No

Is there any outstanding finance?

No

Has the vehicle ever been declared a total loss?

No

Has there ever been any major structural issues which needed work?

No

Private seller

2 Listings since 2023

Vehicle location

Taylorberg, Middlesex, United Kingdom
Get directions

Gallery

Buying with Car & Classic

animation

Making an offer

All you need to know about the offering process on Car & Classic

animation

Five steps to buying safely

We make it safe and simple to secure your dream classic

animation

Shipping & transport

Useful information on collecting your new vehicle

animation

Secure payments

The safest way to buy classics online

More FAQs
Icon

Selling your Triumph?


Advertise to 4 million monthly visitors on Car & Classic

List for free

Similar Triumph Vitesses

Check out our new listings and upcoming auctions by subscribing to our newsletter

By signing up you accept our privacy policy and conditions of purchase