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'76 Dolomite 1850HL
http://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=26111		 Page 4 of 4
Author:  Dolly-Dimple [ Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Loving reading about your 1850 adventures. How are you and the car getting on? Great to see another 1850 up this way.

Kind Regards

Russell.
Author:  captain_70s [ Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Used it all winter as my daily car with no problems. Failed it's MOT near the start of the year on a fair bit of stuff, nearly a full A4 sheet of hand written stuff that needed done...

It's currently got all new brake pipes and hoses with new discs and pads still to fit, all the surface rust has been sanded down, treated and painted in a fetching shade of red, the chassis legs need welding and will really need replacing entirely in the not so distant future. I also have a new steering rack to fit and bushes to replace, the leaky exhaust to re-hang and sort out, electrical earths to clean up, a petrol cap to un-seize, carbs to tune up, wheels to paint, lights to replace and THEN it can go fail it's MOT on some new problems. :lol:

The last few months haven't been kind to me, the cars or my wallet unfortunately. Currently at the stage where work means I rarely have the time or energy to repair them but nor do I have the money to have a garage work on them for me. Also don't have a garage since moving out of my parent's place so weather is an issue!

Hoping to get the 1850 back on the road in time for use over winter and so I can swap the engine in 1300. Currently planning to finish the brakes and then send the car to a garage to be finished although I may have to extend my overdraft for a third time... :shock:

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Author:  Dolly-Dimple [ Mon Sep 28, 2015 7:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Many thanks for the update, it's great to see you still have the car, you will get there with it mate you seem to have perseverance anyway: will all be worth it when it gets it's fresh ticket :-) Keep us posted :-) Kind Regards, Russell
Author:  captain_70s [ Fri May 11, 2018 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
So some wee updates as to the state of cars in my fleet is probably due...

Sadly the jobs on the 1850HL never got done, the car proved to be a nightmare to work on with every nut and bolt rusted and seized solid, my mental health deteriorated fairly rapidly while money was always tight. I had gotten rid of my only modern car in order to rid myself of the finance payments and be able to afford to move out of my parent's house. I never expected the 1850HL to need so much work for it's MOT and at the time (early 2015) it was my daily transport. With my recent house move having drained my finances I started using my Dolomite 1300 as daily transport out of necessity for my 60 mile daily commute.
I ended up spending pretty much all my time and money on keeping the 1300 going so I could get to and from work while the 1850HL slowly dissolved in the sea air outside my house... I would start it and run it up to temp on a regular basis until the fuel line along the underside burst! I was also having problems with rust being pulled up from the tank.

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I then had the car moved to a friend's place up the road as he had a shed to store the thing in and could weld.

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Once there we started poking and discovered that large areas of the car were held together with underseal or paint, namely the front bulkhead, chassis legs, boot floor, front valance, boot lid, rear bulkhead and wheel arches. It also seemed that the subframe was partially being held in by the steering column.

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In early 2017 I lost my job at the height of my depression and realised I needed to move house. I gifted the 1850HL to the mate who's shed I was keeping it in and he has been tinkering with it on and off since.
From what I understand it still runs/drives and the brakes have been sorted, various structural areas have been welded and cosmetic bits have just been fibreglassed. It is currently moving back to roadworthiness very slowly on the budget of absolutely nothing...
Author:  GTS290N [ Fri May 11, 2018 6:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Sorry to hear of your issues, at the end of the day the car is just a car - your health is more important.
Thanks for the update, I hope you find a job soon if you haven't already. Keep us posted on the progress.
Author:  captain_70s [ Fri May 11, 2018 6:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
I did manage to find a job actually! In fact I moved to Glasgow and my life has improved vastly! Had I encountered the issues I hit with the 1850HL with my current state of mind I'd probably have been able to sort it out!

You'd not believe it but my current fleet of cars is in some ways worse yet far more progress is being made! (more info in my Dolly 1300 thread I'm in the process of updating). ;)
Author:  Galileo [ Fri May 11, 2018 6:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Quote:
I moved to Glasgow and my life has improved vastly!
:shock:

:bluewave: <- Ignore me, I have a shite sense of humour!
Author:  dollyman [ Fri May 11, 2018 7:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Quote:
I did manage to find a job actually! In fact I moved to Glasgow and my life has improved vastly! Had I encountered the issues I hit with the 1850HL with my current state of mind I'd probably have been able to sort it out!

You'd not believe it but my current fleet of cars is in some ways worse yet far more progress is being made! (more info in my Dolly 1300 thread I'm in the process of updating). ;)
Glad to hear that you are in a better place now :D Depression is a terrible thing, my mother had it very bad.............. But keep laughing at everybody and yourself and any problems (if you can)

I have to confess.... I must have a "shite" sense of humour as well :shock: Because i had to laugh at Galileo's comment. Keep up the good work :suntan:

Tony.
Author:  captain_70s [ Fri May 11, 2018 7:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
Quote:
Quote:
I moved to Glasgow and my life has improved vastly!
:shock:

:bluewave: <- Ignore me, I have a shite sense of humour!
My flat was burgled within weeks of moving in! The thieves were so rubbish all they took was my tin of loose change and then they got chased down by the bloke who lives across the hall... :lol:

It's mostly due to social reasons, it's nice to be able to see mates without driving for 2 hours. Also nice to be able to walk to the shop/post office/bank rather than have a 20 mins drive!
Author:  Galileo [ Fri May 11, 2018 10:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: '76 Dolomite 1850HL
I get that, I've considered moving to Fetlar, Shetland a few times but always discounted it because I need my 'support group' of bonkers mates around me to keep me sane! In all seriousness though I quite like Glasgow, but there are a few areas/schemes that I'd keep a low profile in to say the least.

Worst moving story I have is from quite a few years ago when I had saved up £750 and got a full fast road suspension setup for my Golf GTi, had it delivered to work so they were in the back of the car. Had a call from my mum and dad that were moving house that day saying they needed a quick hand with some bits, so rocked up, put the kit it in my mum and dads house, loaded up. You can probably guess what happened next, house got broken into in the space of 40 minutes, all my stuff was taken and my parents had transferred the house insurance the day before, there might have been a tear...
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