The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

good work, certainly seen far worse.

i was gona offer you a front inner panel, but looks like you have the bits to sort it...

watching with interest...

Thanks Dollyboy.

I need the eyebrows and headlamp mounts if you have any?

Thanks Mike, very tempting. Does it still have the light panels and eybrows etc rot free. Where are you?

Ok so this is the idea. oringinal top section, pattern lower. Nothing is fixed yet as I need to repair front edge of sills then get o/s wing on and ensure all gaps are correct. Also need to put light panels in and repair eyebrows as they are not as far gone as I thought.

The lower section of the panel needed some adjustment to get it to fit and had to remove the the panel below the headlights on both sides as they were too close together. they'll be re attached when everything is lined up. Bloody pattern parts.

yup, great work and I'm worried now that I should have ripped the entire front of my sprint and started from scratch the way you have done. Great pics and report, thanks heaps for putting it up, watching every step with interest.

stu

Excellent progress and a sensible approach. Those pattern lower panels are OK after fettling (often considerable). Brings back memories of when I did a 74 Sprint 'oh so many year ago (about 20...).

You may find yout headlamp mount panels can easily be repaired, I used the inner half and made up new outer half.

Eybrow panels, same agin, the top section was good, just a bit down the sides.

Keep the photo's coming, i'm a bit of an armchair car restorer at the moment so it is great to see Dolly's being restored the world over - although I did brave the 'not as cold as it has been, today' and valeted the interiors of both daily drivers - amazing how much crud accumulates over the winter months

Just what I had planned in the absence of OE stuff
Again, will fabricate as close as possible to original. I found another wing with half the eyebrow and light panel where it had been sliced off so can drill the welds out and use these as templates.

Looking a bit different to when it was on Mums driveway!
I will get a scan of that old V% to you eventually - honest!

Those odd wheel nuts were as I got it. A random selection of all sorts on that. I hadnt realised there was a proper locking one in ther too though

I thought the body was pretty good, but I cannot belive how good the sills and inner wings were underneath. Its a shame about that chassis leg. Exhaust, tyres and interior were always destined for the bin. Welldone!

Oh.. and that bindweed on the front struts is original too!

Found the 'original' remains of a mouse/rat/rodent nest in the n/s fresh air vent tube as well.

headlight panels - rimmers, 20% off this mth, i have a pair but may need them

I know but even at £70 after discount, I'd rather make my own and put that money somewhere else on the resto. £70 is just obscene for 2 small panels like that.

OK, Frenchie got some more attention today. Sorted out the front nearside rust.

First the sill. cut away the outer to reveal a really solid inner section, even the sill reinforcer still sports its red oxide paint, so a neat patch let in to restore strength. The lower part of the A post again had a lower section cut out and new metal let in. Covered it all in Kurust hence the black look



Then the wing reinforcer section. When I started cutting it away, the metal was so thin I ended up going all the way to the front. I drilled the spot welds out and took the baffle plate off, fabricated a nice new panel to fit flush and butt welded/plug welded it in. Welded the baffle plate back on. Now just got to fabricate and replace the thick square washer bit that ties the box section to the bar that passes through from the suspension turret. Scrape off all the old underseal and move to the offside. And that was Saturday over with.

ah, so that's what it looks like under there

great job, welding looks schmick, thanks for putting up those pics, very useful.

stu

OK, got to work on the off side front sill today. Rebuilt the sill reinforcer then the outer sill. Strength now returned.

As was



With the outer section removed, you can clearly see where the timworm has been happily munching away unseen



Edges cleaned up and new panel to suit welded in. Incidentally, I'm re-using genuine 1975 BL metal removed from the from of the car. Waste not...........



Outer sill reinstated before final cleanup. I was going to cheat here and cut and
graft on the front section of a NOS full outer sill, but just couldn't bring myself to do it.



Cleaned up and rust coated



Just the chassis leg to go now, then onto the rear of the car