The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:41 pm 
Here is my 1850 HL. I have had it about 10 years. It had 8 months MOT when I bought it, but I soon realised it was a rusty heap and should never have had an MOT in the previous 5 years. After the MOT ran out I got really hacked off with it, I did loads of work but each job seemed to lead to another:
Welded up the sills,
Welded up the rear wheel arches,
Reconditioned the water pump,
Fitted a new head gasket,
Replaced the gearbox as it would jump out of first gear,
Fitted new steering rack mount bushes,
Fitted new upper and lower steering column UJ's.
Replaced all the shocks with new ones.
Fitted electronic ignition.
Replaced the rotting exhaust with a stainless one.

I shoved it in the garage and bought myself an MX5. Then this year I decided I needed the garage space to sort out the MX, so I got it out and did the following for the MOT between Feb and July of this year:

Replaced all the brake pipes with new copper brake pipes.
Replaced the Master cylinder and front caliper brake seals.
Welded up a hole I'd missed in the rear wheel arch.
Cleaned the carbs from gummy old petrol and crud.
Rebuilt both front upper suspension ball joints.
Replaced both track-rod end ball joints.


It is now on the road and just beginning to start giving a bit back in return for the work I have done.

Image

Image

Image


Last edited by Karlos on Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:10 pm 
And now for the todo list, or is it a wish list, honest truth it's a "what is actually wrong with it list"...

Replace the sills, reinforce the jacking points and inner sills and whatever I find behind the outer sills that is rottern
Replace the leaking windscreen seal
Replace the torn headlining and sunroof
Re-spray the whole car
Noisy diff -needs something to be done not sure what
Exhaust is blowing from a couple of the joints in the centre section
Re-varnish the door cappings
Boot lid flaps up and down - it doesn't close tight
All the doors are hung badly - clearances are all over the place
Carb mounts are perished / cracked
Rear end seems a bit sloppy, sometimes it feels like it is steering itself like a fork-lift truck.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:31 pm 
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Glad you've started a thread. Your rear end steering is either seriously tired bushes or one of the axle mounts for the tie bars has broken off. I had this happen on my Dolomite 1300. I tried welding it but it didn't last so I ended up replacing the rear axle.

Keep us updated with your progress and ask for any advice you may need.

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle


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 Post subject: Yes.....
PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 9:50 am 
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Thanks for starting this thread, it is one I will follow with interest.
Keeping a car on the road whilst improving it is a challenge, very different to a restoration and,
to me at least, of more interest.
Please keep us informed.




Ian.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 12:55 pm 
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I agree with Ian's comments on rolling restorations. It does cost more in the long run but the car can be enjoyed and the driving experience gets better as the car is improved. Mine is getting better since coming back from the MoT.

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 10:03 pm 
I got a replacement steering rack. I have undone the trackrod ends and the steering column and undone the clamps too. I was expecting the trackrod ends on the replacement rack to be a pain but they came undone without any problems.

It looks like I'll need to undo the front engine mounts and jack up the engine to get clearance. I had a go at just jacking up the engine but still could not get the u-bolts out. After a quick read of my "Autodata Dolomite Car Repair Manual", it suggests the rack can be removed by jacking the engine up a bit, but like everything in that book it is talking rubbish. I'll have another look tomorrow.


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 Post subject: Yes....
PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 12:24 pm 
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Location: Caithness, Scotland
You do indeed need to undo the engine mounts to be able to lift the engine sufficiently high.
The good news is that you don't have to undo anything else, the hoses, cables and so on will be okay.
As with most jobs in this area it is sensible to remove the battery first.
It is safe to use a trolley jack under the sump (with a piece of wood to spread the load).


:) You were lucky with the track rod ends, it isn't always the case.



Ian.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 1:45 pm 
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You only need undo the driver's side mount as its only that U bolt that interferes with the engine. If you undo both mounts, the engine will not tend to rotate as you lift it and that can put strain the top radiator hose.


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 7:39 pm 
All done. As you both said I needed to undo the o/s-drivers side mount then I got the engine high enough to remove the U-bolts. Got it all back together by lunch time today and borrowed my mates tracking bar to get the wheels 'close' to being aligned.

According to my Autodata manual (pinch of salt required) the tracking is correct when the distance between the rims at wheel center hieght is 1 -1.5mm less on the edge in front of the hub compared to the distance between the rims behind the hub. what this means in term of toe in angle I don't know - or if it is an accurate bit of data either.

Can anyone tell me what the correct toe in angle is?


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:27 pm 
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This is what my Haynes says:
Quote:
The front wheels are correctly aligned when they are turning in at the front zero to 1/16 in (zero to 1.588 mm).

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:30 pm 
Mmm, doesn't really make it any clearer. Does the Haynes book say where the measurement is taken?


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:11 am 
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With the track bar just get it parallel then toe in to the first graduation or half a degree IIRC

Works for me...

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.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 6:27 pm 
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More from Haynes...
Quote:
It is important that this measurement is taken on a centre line drawn horizontally and parallel to the ground through the centre line of the hub. The exact point should be in the centre of the sidewall of the tyre and not on the wheel rim which could be distorted and so give inaccurate readings.

_________________
Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:49 pm 
Fitted a solid state indicator relay. Nice steady flashing from the indicators now, instead of 1 flash in 5 seconds.
Also varnished the door cappings.


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 12:58 pm 
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Any joy whith the front wheel alignment? There should be a bit of toe-in (as per the previously mentioned figures) which means that the distance between the front of the wheels should be less than at the back. My basic diagram below illustrates toe-in. The difference is hardly noticable to the naked eye in reality but the diagram should give you the idea.

Front of front wheels
/ \
Rear of front wheels.

Hope this helps.

_________________
Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle


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