The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Due to my sprint killing it's engine I needed another car. So introducing my 1980 1500HL Automatic!

I got it yesterday from Adam, and involved him on a massive roadtrip - first driving the 1500 to from Wales to London, then returning in a Peugeot from London back to Wales

Adam - nice to meet you, and hope that the Peugeot made it back OK

Anyway, more on the car. It's a 1980 1500HL Automatic in Brooklands Green. I'm the 8th owner and it's got 70,000-ish miles on the clock. Interestingly it's a London car (NGU is a London reg) and it spent a most of it's life about mile from where I live now! A 1500 Auto is not the car that most people would think of getting... but for around central London in stop-start traffic it is perfect. Central London in my Sprint usually leaves me with a dead left leg due to all the clutching, but not so in an Auto! It's a bit scabby in places, noticibly around the rear wheelarches, but nothing a but of minor bodywork can't sort

The interior was rather grubby, so I spent most of today stripping it all out, cleaning it and putting it back together, so now it looks lovely. Interior is Chocolate Brown, but I think originally it was tan, as it still has tan coloured trim for the handbrake cover, front kick panels, the bit inbetween the doors and under the rear window.

A previous owner had also fitted the car with 1500TC style grills, headlight surrounds, hubcaps and badges. Although they look nice, I've put original Dolly parts back on (all the old bits from KSF!). It was registered in November 1980, so it's got to be one of the last ones built...

There's a few things I need... so if anyone can help...

Bit of cardboard behind the rear seat
Wiper washer motor
Rear boot chrome trim
Chocolate brown door panels (uncut for speakers)

Jobs to do:

Repaint the satin black on the rear panel
Sort out rust bubbles along the upper chrome trim on the passenger side doors
Fit radio
Sort wheelarch rust bubbles


I'm dead chuffed with it

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1978 Triumph Dolomite Sprint (project thread)
1966 Volkswagen 1300 (project thread)
1962 Austin Mini (project)
1962 MGA 1600 Mark II
1965 Mobylette SP50 (project)
2001 Rover 75 2.5-litre V6

Nice one - glad you've put the original (style) bits back on, where possible - the 1500TC bits did add character but IMHO original is best.

Enjoy the car and I'm sure it won't by long before you have it looking as good as your Sprint

bit of cardboard behind the rear seat....do yo umean the parcel shelf or the bit in the boot howard? either way I can probably help

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Previous owner of 42 Dolomite shaped vehicles, 14 Sprints, 12 1850s, 8 1500s, 3 V8s, 3 Toledos and 2 SEs

Is this the car adam picked up a few months ago as he desperatly needed a daily car?

I can help with the trim as well. is the TC grill you removed in good condition and going spare?

glad you saved it from a certain slow death at Adams hands.

Nice one Howard!

Excellent choice Howard, looking sweet.

Gonna show my anorak here. How is the fog light wired? On mine they were wired with blue wire festooned under the carpet completely ignoring the correctly colour coded wire built into the late loom.

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1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.

Thank goodness you took the WRX spoiler off as well...
Or was that just a bit of photoshopping???

Jonners

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Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

I think it was just sat on there Jonners.
How many of you guys is that on ex-Adam cars now? 2 That I know of...
He must do something right.

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1978 Sandglow Dolomite 1850HL The Lolomite - MOT pass! (broken again in 55 miles though...)
It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.
Hit it.

I gave NGU to Adam - glad it's found a good home. I had no trouble from it and it passed it's MOT when I had it (probably now expired) with flying colours which was a great relief.

Hope you enjoy it and look after it

Dean

Good to meet you howard Glad to hear you are likeing your new transport!!!
richard

not as many as people who own ex david6214 cars

I'll have to check, but didn't late cars have two foglights?
It was just rested on for the photos (thank goodness) Although it would have looked right at home in East London

_________________
1978 Triumph Dolomite Sprint (project thread)
1966 Volkswagen 1300 (project thread)
1962 Austin Mini (project)
1962 MGA 1600 Mark II
1965 Mobylette SP50 (project)
2001 Rover 75 2.5-litre V6

I ran about 40 miles yesterday, and as I said before, it's a dream to drive! On the dual carriageway it wouldn't go more than 50mph, but after I put in some decent fuel with octane booster it went up to 70mph no problem.

Went to Greenwich park for the day, but when I came back to the car there was a stonechip and a giant crack across the passenger-side of the windscreen

Luckily my insurance company will replace it on Tuesday (with a £50 excess ), but I've told them it NEEDS a new rubber and chrome, so they'll replace those too

The passenger wing mirror also fell off along Old Kent Road

Something at the rear of the car used to squeak at idle, but it seems to have stopped that now. Also there is quite a strong smell of petrol but I can't find any leaks. I'm going to replace all the rubber fuel pipes with new, but anything else I should check?

I also removed the seatbelt from the rear - seemed a bit silly just having one!

_________________
1978 Triumph Dolomite Sprint (project thread)
1966 Volkswagen 1300 (project thread)
1962 Austin Mini (project)
1962 MGA 1600 Mark II
1965 Mobylette SP50 (project)
2001 Rover 75 2.5-litre V6

On close inspection the engine number starts DH.... that's a 1296cc Dolomite engine, isn't it?

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1978 Triumph Dolomite Sprint (project thread)
1966 Volkswagen 1300 (project thread)
1962 Austin Mini (project)
1962 MGA 1600 Mark II
1965 Mobylette SP50 (project)
2001 Rover 75 2.5-litre V6