Every cloud...... British Vita

[davidscothorn]

A bit off topic, but I am just finishing the renovation of a 1071 Cooper S, registered BRT 970C. Not far off the cars BRT raced and hillclimbed, christened BRT 970S and BRT 1275.

Here is one photo found on this forum. Does anyone know of other photos?

http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/133616 ... mpetitors/

[trevorhp]

If as Rich suggest they are through bulkhead fuel line fire proofers could the hole pattern be from P clips holding twin (supply and return?) fuel lines to the bulkhead as they look like they lead to those holes ?

Well that's a real possibility Thanks for that suggestion

Just need a period photo of the inside of the boot of a Vita car ....very small needle very large haystack

[trevorhp]

OK folks need some advice or guidance
The shell was cut to accept Mk2 rear lights and the larger rear window in 1969
The upholstery was painted black also in 1969 (I did it too to my first cars so no recriminations)
There appears to be some original under body protection still under the wheel arches (there is no blue paint under it just the red primer and amazingly bare bright metal) is this normal for this age shell ?

What do I do to resolve these issues ?
I could just put it back to 1968 spec but somehow this does not seem right for a racecar which has evolved over time.

If I do one then I suppose I must do the other !!

Any suggestions will be very gratefully received.
Thanks Trevor

[mk1coopers]

I'd say pick a spec for the car you like and build it, it's yours and if it ran a certain way at a certain time what ever you do will be right, put it back to when it first went on track, into its last spec, or anything in between

[Pete]

It's a significant competition car that was made famous by Vitafoam in 1968 and that's exactly how I'd want to return it to, ie with Mk1 rear window and rear lights. Yes Whizzo modified it when he ran it but if it's easy enough to put back without sacrificing too much original metal (if any!) then that's the way I'd go. My Unipower had been modded a little by later owners but I returned the features it had when Janspeed raced it for the same reasons. Your car Trev and your preference ultimately mate!

[trevorhp]

Thanks for the input guys

I guess as long as it actually ran in the format we return it to, it will stand scrutiny.

Bit of an odd one really because I don't really mind either way
I kind of err towards the 1968 spec with you Pete, but that would destroy a little bit of the evolutionary history.
I have all the bits to go 1968 ie Mk1 rear panels/lights etc.
I think I may have to sleep on it

Trevor

[Pete]

I would remove as little of the original steel as you can so graft the Mk1 lights back on, rear window (which is what Heritage have done to make their Mk1 shells!) without removing the whole rear panel and that way you've got the best of both cos you're adding to it not taking anything away?

[mk1coopers]

Personally I'd go 68' spec to and do what Pete suggests, reinstate the lights and window size in the original panel that's there, but, as I said before if you have a preference and it ran in that spec it wouldn't be 'wrong', this is what I did with my Sprint, put it back to the earliest configuration I could using the original parts that came with the car and finding a few that matched what used to be there.

What a great car to have, I had a look around it at Blyton a couple of years ago

[mk1]

For what it's worth I agree with the comments above. KDK is famous for what it did in 1968, I would return it to that spec as close as I can while at the same time trying to preserve as much of the original car as possible.

Underneath a standard car would have primer, a sort of textured shutz type stuff with top coat over the top of that. I can only assume that the shutz type stuff has been removed to save weight.

[trevorhp]

For what it's worth I agree with the comments above. KDK is famous for what it did in 1968, I would return it to that spec as close as I can while at the same time trying to preserve as much of the original car as possible.

Underneath a standard car would have primer, a sort of textured shutz type stuff with top coat over the top of that. I can only assume that the shutz type stuff has been removed to save weight.

Thank for all the suggestions.
I tend to agree and having slept on it I feel that the Mk1 spec from the '68 season is the correct way to go.
I will use the only picture I have from Jerez, which was the last race of the '68 season, as a guide.

I have a pair of original used Mk1 light panels which I can reinstate without removing anything.
I have a pair of original used C pillars and can just add to the side edges, it's so not much anyway.

The underside is bare apart from the wheel arches which have the Schutz stuff that mark suggests.
Ironically the weight saved by the numerous holes cut into panels and especially the rear radius arms would probably just about equal the weight of the Schutz under the wheel arches
More pictures to follow.

[trevorhp]

Personally I'd go 68' spec to and do what Pete suggests, reinstate the lights and window size in the original panel that's there, but, as I said before if you have a preference and it ran in that spec it wouldn't be 'wrong', this is what I did with my Sprint, put it back to the earliest configuration I could using the original parts that came with the car and finding a few that matched what used to be there.

What a great car to have, I had a look around it at Blyton a couple of years ago

Thanks for the support;
I think you did the right thing with your sprint.
I agree and intend to do much the same, having slept on it.

[Pete]

It's amazing how many old circuit racers still survive and have been restored or are being. Whether it's Steve Neal's 1071, the Broadspeed GTS, Jeroen's Marcos, my Unipower, the Trickett sprint racer, the Longman GT, Bill's Coldwell, Jack Davies' Downton, Nicky Porter's Downton, Alec Poole's Arden racer... the list goes on and there's a refreshing lack of secrecy, unlike many of the red and white cars. Safe to say there's certainly a few very iffy ones aswell but the Vita cars seem to have survived very well indeed compared to the other works supported teams, probably just more by luck than anything else.

[trevorhp]

It's amazing how many old circuit racers still survive and have been restored or are being. Whether it's Steve Neal's 1071, the Broadspeed GTS, Jeroen's Marcos, my Unipower, the Trickett sprint racer, the Longman GT, Bill's Coldwell, Jack Davies' Downton, Nicky Porter's Downton, Alec Poole's Arden racer... the list goes on and there's a refreshing lack of secrecy, unlike many of the red and white cars. Safe to say there's certainly a few very iffy ones aswell but the Vita cars seem to have survived very well indeed compared to the other works supported teams, probably just more by luck than anything else.

Agreed Pete.
It would be nice to see an up to date list of any old circuit racers in existence, just so that we could all keep in touch and share some information if required.

As you know I have KDK 320F, HDK 443E and another almost identically modified shell bought from Spain via France, probably for rather more than I should have paid, but as they say nothing ventured......
It was sold to me as ex-Vita with a dubious story, but with no records just a commission plate as it was exported and re-registered first in France then in Spain where all the records disappeared. It's heritage certificate gives no clue other than it was supplied to Appleyard Limited Leeds, on 21st march 1967 and was originally Red and Black
I wish there was some way to link the Car/chassis number to A registration number in some way but DVLC cannot or will not help here.

[rich@minispares.com]

I wish there was some way to link the Car/chassis number to A registration number in some way but DVLC cannot or will not help here.

the only way to do that is to hpi it, but of course, it need to be live on the dvla system for that to be any use

[Pete]

Or you could look at the Lancs registration archive and ask if you can get access to the records for the year you think it was registered in (ie probably 1967). A long shot and time consuming but sometimes can pay dividends if the chassis number's recorded. Have you looked at those for the '68 season cars? Pretty sure I've seen them.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... /A13530664

[Austin Costin]

I think your odd holes in the boot fire wall were for a fuel cell, the same as the CCC used in 68, they put the fuel cell into the RH corner and then boxed it in with alloy panelling in the exact shape as your holes.
Will look for the picture from "how to make your mini smoke" the CCC article.

I guess that the odd oval brackets were for holding the bag into place ?

[mk1]

Full article here:

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... 221068.pdf

Pic of tank below.

[Austin Costin]

That's the one, thank you Mark.

[trevorhp]

Thanks for that
Looks like we have a winner

[Austin Costin]

19642733_1411776235575184_3761955237308560232_n (1).jpg