This is a read-only archive of the old Madabout Kitcars forum. New posts and replies are no longer possible, but every thread is still here to browse and read.
Hi all, I've taken the first step and am now the proud owner of my donor vehicle, a 1969 Vitesse Mk 2 which has been dry stored for 31 years!
It will be a while before I see it turning into a Sammio as I intend carrying out a full strip, refurbish and repaint of the donor parts before ordering the kit (Stand by Gary! )
I'm also part way through a build of an Eco-Exo trike which takes a bit of time away from my schedule. Nonetheless, as I go, I'll be posting here and look forward to many happy e-chats with you all.
Hi Andy, nice to see another Vitesse based Sammio being started and I hope you find less horrors hidden under your donor body than I did with mine. Look forward to seeing some progress.
Welcome aboard.....please put pics up as you go , if possible , the prep work and renovation etc is just as interesting and relevant to us and lurkers etc as the actual kit fitting can be ...
A lot of my customers and potential customers are fairly new to the hobby , having been drawn in by the price and styling of the Sammio ....all reference articles and help is invaluable to these guys...
I'll certainly keep a photo log from day 1. Whilst you are here, is the lovely 'D Type' Fin you mocked up in card likely to be available on a Sammio body sometime soon or do you see the idea as a one off?
If your like me you are going to enjoy this big time even the set backs and there is always this place for solace "Sammio's Annonymouse" (spelling not requiered). I've found myself in the garage just finking then getting on with it, welcome and enjoy, Pat (& Skippy)
hi Andy welcome, and happy building, you find lots of helpfull tips and tricks on here, and if your not sure just ask, one of us on here would have the answer....
I'll certainly keep a photo log from day 1. Whilst you are here, is the lovely 'D Type' Fin you mocked up in card likely to be available on a Sammio body sometime soon or do you see the idea as a one off?
AVAILABLE END OF JANUARY...Price to be finalized but in line with our existing price structuring ....ie. CHEAP !
Gary, That's just the answer I was hoping for
I hope to start the strip as soon as tomorrow (If it stops raining )and will soon have an idea of the timeline but end of January sounds ideal for when I'd be ready to put an order in.
Jan 1st 2012 and as it stopped raining for a few minutes, I popped outside to take a few photos of the donor as delivered.
I really had to make a hard decision whether to restore it to its former glory as a Mk 2 2Ltr Vitesse or start stripping to become a Sammio Spyder. The Spyder won hands down but I'm hoping to put some of the nicer body parts into the hands of a Vitesse restorer.
Watch this space!
I'm not sure what the colour is but if you could guide me to where the paint code is on the vehicle I'll certainly have a look (Not sure if it's 'Cherry' on the link: http://www.classiccarhub.co.uk/tech/triumph-paint-colours.html#reds )
I've not started looking too deep yet but on a first walk round, I'm impressed and hope the deeper inspection doesn't turn up anything nasty. I'm currently feeling lucky as it came to me at a grand with a spare (!) Engine and Gearbox which I've yet to collect.
Hi Andy
I know only too well that guilty decision that has to be made, restore or use as you intended, I too slept on it for a night before I made my mind up Sammio won hands down,
E bay fetches a lot of the initial outlay back and I guess goes toward restoring others that would other wise be lost.
Paint code should be on the commission plate located on the passenger side of the bulkhead just behind the front wheel.
Useful link btw, looks like yours could be Cherry or Burgundy from the examples given.
If the condition of your panels is as good as they look in the pics you should get most of your grand back if not more. My bonnet sold to a chap who'd had his daily-driver Herald 13/60 bonnet crunched by an uninsured teenage driver a couple of days before the auction ended and he was desperate to get his pride 'n' joy back on the road. I've never seen anybody look so pleased with an ebay purchase when he collected it.
Just so you've got something to compare yours with here's a picture of mine before I started stripping it:
The decision for me to convert mine to a Sammio was easy as I bought the Vitesse with that intention in the first place. I also don't find the Herald/Vitesse to be a particularly attractive design personally, while Gary's take on the fifties sports racing car really floats my boat.
The clincher for me has been uncovering the bodged repairs that had been made to the chassis of a solid looking 'classic' however. It wouldn't have taken much to get it through the mot which would have left me unknowingly driving a potential death-trap.
Anyway, enjoy the challenge and I look forward to seeing your build progress.
Whats it they say ....'' you gotta crack eggs to make Omelettes'' or something like that.
Some people like eggs ....I'm an omelette man myself !!
Ebay and club forums etc will get you a fair chunk back ...good Vitesse bonnets can make 2/3/500 a time , those wheel trims and ally bumper trims etc will get a decent return as well....
I've had a good day stripping the Vitesse and it looks like I may have been a lucky lad!
The tank was first out which let me get at the rear tub mounting bolts. Rear seat next followed very quickly by the front ones. The carpets and trims went straight in the bin as they were pretty manky (though not damp luckily) and I've taken all the trim panels off too. The result is that I've now got 10 items for sale on eBay and it still looks like a Vitesse from the outside. THe interior, however, is a different story:
Driver's side Footwell - Looking good!
Passenger's side footwell
Driver's side floor
Passenger's side floor
Driver's side rear view
Passenger's side rear view
Driver's side door
Passenger's side door
Boot
All wiring now tidily wrapped up in the footwell and tomorrow I may get onto the bumpers and brightwork.
Happy times!
Sorry it's taken so long but I've checked out the colour code from the commission plate. It's a '17' which according to the link on the first page is 'Damson'.
It's been 'orrible weather for photos but there has been plenty going on with the strip.
The interior is now bare with the dashboard and instruments out, extra wiring was found to a bizarre alarm system consisting of a 'heath robinson' motion sensor linked to two air horns! The wiring loom has now been completely disconnected from all lights etc and is rolled up either side of the bulkhead.
I've removed all the bolts holding the roof down (Including the 'B' Post fixings) so all that's holding it on now is the mastic. The sills are nearly off apart from three bolts needing some touches with the angle grinder.
On another subject, I've been the lucky bidder on a set of 4.5 x 15 wire wheels and adapters. (Without researching too much as to whether they will fit the Sammio as even if they don't I'll be happy to refurbish and sell them on). They should be arriving on Thursday so I'll get a 'before' photo prior to my taking them to my favourite blast/powder coaters.
Photos when it clears up. I've got my first batch of eBay items finishing tomorrow so I'll report back on those too.
Sorry it's taken so long but I've checked out the colour code from the commission plate. It's a '17' which according to the link on the first page is 'Damson'.
Thanks Andy - changing my mind about what colour I'm going for on an hourly basis at the mo'.
)and will soon have an idea of the timeline but end of January sounds ideal for when I'd be ready to put an order in. 
