Not as scandalous as it sounds… Britain of the early sixties wouldn’t have stood for that! Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of a 4-seat convertible so my family and I could go out with the top down, so 4-place convertibles have always held a special appeal for me. Besides being an interesting car as it is, the Herald convertible is a 4-seater with a good-size trunk, just right for taking the family away for a weekend in the Gold Country.
The only problem with taking a Triumph Herald out with a load of luggage and people is that there’s only 39 horsepower to get them there. Luckily, someone else thought of this problem before you did, and decided the best way to resolve the problem was to install the engine from the GT6, creating the Vitesse. Then, someone else who couldn’t get their hands on a Vitesse decided a good idea would be to do it themselves. That brings us to this car, for sale in the East Bay Area near San Francisco, CA for $3000.
Not the greatest photos in the world, but it looks serviceable from a distance… so don’t expect much up close. You’ll probably need to invest in a bag full of super-fine grit sandpaper and a bucket of elbow grease. The red is nice, but what is up with putting Pinto hubcaps on a car like this? I’ve seen it before, but there are much better looking steel wheels on, say, a later Spitfire. Or, if these actually share their bolt circle with some Ford products, you could probably fit some Rostyles or something.
Pretty much the same on the other side. If you’re lucky, you’ll get an intact interior and maybe even a convertible top. Giant clamshell bonnet means it’s pretty easy to work on the engine or front end. You can probably bleed the brakes without removing the front wheels! Go all the way with the six-cylinder conversion and find a Sports 6 or Vitesse hood assembly, easily found at your local pick and pull.
The engine and running gear have been professionally rebuilt. Sweet! As for the quality of the installation, or any upgrades to handle at least triple the power of the original car, who cares about that? You’ve got a smooth, throaty six thrumming away up front. Just don’t lift off the gas going around a corner when the red mist has come over you, or you and your 3 passengers will be enjoying the countryside, close-up.
To wrap this one up, here’s a period Australian ad for the motorcar that beats them all. Since her sleeves are rolled up, I’m guessing it’s time for a valve adjustment.
Rusty But Trusty 
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