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Herald / Spitfire / Vitesse madness

To: "6-Pack" <6pack@autox.team.net>, <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Herald / Spitfire / Vitesse madness
From: "Terry Geiger" <tgeiger@ShoalsBritishCars.org>
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 13:27:48 -0500
Fellow Triumph nuts,

Much too my surprise, my wife has taken a serious interest in an LBC, a Herald
of all things.  I had a call the other night from someone wanting some help
with a herald which prompted her to question, What's a Herald?  I dug some
pictures up off the internet and she's enthused. There is one here locally
that I think can be purchased for a reasonable price (my internet research
show they aren't worth much).

We went and looked at the car (a '61 or '62 Sports 1200).  This is a southern
car so the frame is solid.  There is some minor rust around the front fender
lips and in the doors.  The floorboards and trunk floor have been replaced.
It's an amateur style job but it looks to be well done and solid. The car has
been upgraded to Spitfire MK3 components (1296 engine FE engine code), front
disc brakes) but still retains the stock Herald transmission and differential.
I have a few questions if someone can help:
1) Is the 1296 and 1500 externally identical?  Will manifolds, gearboxes etc.
interchange between the two?
2) Can a transmission from a spit be transplanted.  The car is geared 4.11 and
could benefit from an overdrive spit gearbox.
3) Can the 1500 from the Spit be transplanted if the need arises?
4) is the speedo gearing the same between heralds and spits?
5) Will the differentials and rear hubs/axles transplant from a Spit?
6) There is a Vitesse there as well but it is in very poor condition.  If I
decided to get both cars, could I use Herald frame/body and transplant the
vitesse running gear (engine, gearbox and differential/axles/hubs) into the
Herald?  Would this be a "bolt in" installation or are there some differences
between the Herald and Vitesse frame/body?

The down side of all this is if another car is acquired, the TR3 will have to
go.  And I just got the darn thing running and driving! :^(

Terry Geiger
http://www.shoalsbritishcars.org
'74 Triumph TR6 (for sunny days)
'59 Triumph TR3A (basket case)
'84 Mercedes 300D Turbo Diesel (for the wife to drive)
'90 Chevy S10 (parts fetcher)




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