The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I wasn't intending to restore another Sprint this year but MikeyB & Alun (xvivalve) contrived to get me interested in a nice Sapphire blue Sprint resto.

This Sprint is known to many of us on this forum as one of Calum's (hutch76) excellent restos...




...Calum sold it around 1999 & when he saw it again approx. 4 years later, it looked a bit worse for wear. Here are some photos taken last year (I think)...







The bodywork is completely shot, although I haven't actually seen it first hand yet, but I do have more photos, so the idea is to reshell it into this...

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Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450

That sure has deteriorated badly even if the original pictures were some years ago.

So you are going to put temptation in our way again Martin !

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Mike

1980 Vermillion Sprint - 174bhp

Mart

Excellent. Whilst I get little time to 'forum' these days (Being race mechanic to a young Kart Racer is more than a full spare time role) I have missed your 'winter resto'.

A Sapphire Sprint is a rarity and to see this one come back will be a joy to watch. At first I thought 'how could it become kanckered after 4 years' but then recall that even in the late 80's there were many 'trashed' by the time they were 4 years old, just we get used to the more modern stuff. We have a 1993 Rover 400 that is all original, no rust and nothing really special other than some waxoyl. The lacguer is peeling off now, but other than that, 18 years and no rot.

Finding out it was Calum's old Sapphire makes it extra nice. A shame it has to go into a 'diff shell' but one has to balance cost and practicality and by the time inner wings, outer wings, floor pans, doors and IIRC (PFJ) roof are replaced then it would hardly be an original shell anyway.

Good luck and keep the piccies coming, cracking colour. May I suggest Tahiti for the one after this....arf arf

Oh Goodie!

Perhaps you should start putting a little signature plaque on each resto, Mart, just like the Aston Martin engine builders.
In years to come people will start referring to them as a "MadMart" Sprint in much the same way as they refer to Broadspeed Sprints, and Grinnall TR8's etc

My favourite Sprint colour by a country mile.

Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out Mart.

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Martin.

2021 Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE PHEV
2021 Dacia Duster 1.3 TCe
1963 Austin A40 Rally Car
2021 Honda Cross Tourer Highlander

excellent mart, I'm surprised it isn't already stripped and down to bare metal. What seems to be the hold up ?



congrats on the sale of THJ, both to you and the new owner.

stu

Definitely my favourite colours for a Sprint.I've been after one in this colour for ages.Mart your one lucky chap.I like the idea of the MadMart plaques!

Nick.

I always find it quite incredible how an owner can let something so nice, deteriorate so badly and so quickly, that it has to be reshelled!

Best of british luck to you both..

Is this the first one you have re-shelled Martin?

Yes Alan, it is.

_________________
Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450

Looking at the number plate..will you be painting it Mimosa or Inca?

I'll get me coat..(..As a tumbleweed rolls past..)

I was thinking Mimosa with a touch of Brooklands.

_________________
Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450

Before we go any further I must say a big thank you to MikeyB for donating the Sprint, to Alun for volunteering a shell and for storing PUS and to Ben for donating the 1500 shell.

_________________
Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450

I observe a Tandem Brake Master 1979 Spec onwards, unusual for Calum juding by his old white Sprint.

I observe a Tandem Brake Master 1979 Spec onwards, unusual for Calum juding by his old white Sprint.