Stag V8 in a Vitesse

[garyf]

Just been to new years day Stony Stratford classic car meet and see this Vitesse with a Stag V8 squezed in
it looked quite at home in there to be honest
good turnout of Stags as well this year

[mole42]

Now that’s a car I’d like a drive in! A three-litre Vitesse, just imagine the shock amongst those who thought it was a Herald!!!

[Ritchie6]

I wonder how this beast handles? I seem to recall the Vitesse being nicknamed "coffin on wheels". My first ever car was a Herald 12/50 and it certainly didn't take kindly to being thrown around and the rear wheels had a tendency to tuck under during hard cornering.

Richard

[jagorstag]

Looks great! Should be a bit of a beast in a straight line!

[RobinLegin]

The expression “coffin on wheels” is most apt. My youngest sister drove my mother’s vitesse into the back of a hearse. The vitesses was a write off!

[flying farmer]

It probably doesn't handle any worse than with the original straight six since the two engines are virtually the same weight, and it might be significantly better.

When I fitted the Stag engine to my TR it killed the inherent under steer and I reckon it is due to the lower centre of gravity of the Stag engine with the heads being aluminium and significantly lower down than the huge lump of cast iron perched on top of the straight six.

I can only hope some work has been done on the rear suspension!

[stag8manod]

Is the Vitesse rotoflex, swing spring or swing axle? There is nothing wrong with a properly set up swing spring with a Quaiffe LSD and driven appropriately. : brake before corners and power through. I could hold the modern Susuki Swifts in the corners.
Cheers Ian A

[mike@thenook]

My first car was a 1600 Vitesse, bearing in mind I was 17 and not exactly slow behind the wheel I never hit anything let alone rolled it as many who had never driven one would imply was the general manner of the car. I had a 2 litre convertible some years later F reg non RF and that was just as forgiving both though had the wider 5.5” wheels.
As Neil says, one with a Stag engine in may actually be even better particularly as it would be 2 cylinders shorter so in theory more engine further back.

[DJT]

Mate of mine had a Vitesse back in the 70’s when I was running an MGB and another mate had an MGC. I spent a day fitting a ‘camber compensator’ kit to the Vitesse. ISTR this was essentially a transverse spring to connect the lower suspension arms to the diff casing to prevent the rear wheels tucking under during spirited driving.

[mike@thenook]

Never knew about that mod Dave but the later r/f built ones which had lower wishbones had excellent handling, same as the GT'6s (had 3 of those too and wish I'd kept them all!)