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RE: Herald / Spitfire / Vitesse madness

To: "'Terry Geiger'" <tgeiger@ShoalsBritishCars.org>,
Subject: RE: Herald / Spitfire / Vitesse madness
From: "Bill Davies" <bill@rarebits4classics.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 21:18:39 +0100
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]
> On Behalf Of Terry Geiger
>  
> Much too my surprise, my wife has taken a serious interest in an LBC, a
> Herald
> of all things.  

Hi Terry,
Your wife has excellent taste!

> 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?

Many of the answers depend on the age of the car. There was a change point
in 1200 production which occurred at commission number GA80001,
approximately June 1962, and including all cars with a GB commission number
prefix. An entirely new chassis was introduced, essentially the same design
as the Vitesse. There is no problem in swapping Spitfire and Vitesse
mechanical components into these later cars, but with the early cars it is
far more difficult. The overdrive gearbox won't fit between the early
chassis rails, and the frame itself is very weak and prone to stress
cracking. Fitting a 1300 or 1500 engine into an early chassis will cause
further problems, the differential mounts are prone to breakage. 
If it's one of the later cars I would say go for it, the earlier cars
however are far better left in substantially original condition. 
For Herald matters there is a Yahoo group which is well populated and
active:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/triumph_herald/
Cheers,
Bill.

Rarebits4classics
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