The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 10:28 am

All times are UTC




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 68 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 3 4 5 Next
Author Message
 Post subject: New member- 37 years on
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 6:35 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:40 pm
Posts: 90
Hi,

My first car was a Dolomite 1500HL in Honeysuckle Beige...

Image

but I always wanted a Sprint as both my mates had them.

Now 37 years on I'm about to start a restoration of one.

Image

I'm sure I'll be looking for help and parts over the coming months and I look forward to meeting many of you at events soon, although it won't be in this Dolly for a little while.

I am a serial BLARG offender - I'm currently on my fourth R8 Rover 200 and had to sell a rather lovely late-S1 SD1 V8 last year as my wife really didn't like it. Luckily the Sprint got the thumbs up !

_________________
After 37 years I've finally got my hands on a Mimosa Sprint :-)


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 7:50 pm 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7014
Location: Highley, Shropshire
Welcome to the madhouse John and good luck with the project! There is a great fund of knowledge on here, just ask, someone will know!

Steve

_________________
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:36 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:58 pm
Posts: 1293
Location: London
Always liked a yellow/black Sprint 8) good to see another.

_________________
NRW 581W Sprint


On the motorway no one can hear me sing!
Construed as a public service, self preservation in reality.


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:49 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 2:06 pm
Posts: 628
Location: Outer Hebrides
Look forward to following this :)

_________________
Triumph Dolomite Sprint,RNK 957W

Built 26/6/1980 (one of the last built), Auto, Porcelain White - Genuine Mileage 52,820 (warranted).

Only 3 previous owners, (2 within the same family).

Supplied by Lavender Hill Garage Ltd, Enfield, London, by garage owner Jimmy Metcalfe on 30th September 1980 to Geoffery Robinson, Enfield.

Club Membership No: 2017092


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:00 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2014 11:02 pm
Posts: 2279
Location: Nr Kenilworth
Welcome John, looking forward to seeing it restored. Is that another sprint in the garage?

Cheers

Tony

_________________
Membership 2014047


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:08 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:38 pm
Posts: 213
Location: Horndean, Hampshire
Welcome to the yellow Sprint brigade. Looks as though it could be an early car, can you let us know the VA number so that it can be added to the list.

Is the one in the background yours as well?

Len

_________________
1973 Mimosa Sprint
1973 Magenta TR6


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 10:39 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:40 pm
Posts: 90
Thanks for the welcomes.

The (Carmine ?) red car in the background is the previous owner's other Sprint - the one he's just restored and it's spotless.

My two mates cars were these two colours which was even more emotional when I walked in to see 'mine' for the first time.

I do have plans for this car, which I'll elaborate soon, which involve be brought back to life after a long time off the road.

_________________
After 37 years I've finally got my hands on a Mimosa Sprint :-)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 10:11 am 
Offline
TDC West Mids Area Organiser
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:13 pm
Posts: 13317
Location: Over here...can't you see me?
Is this the car that was available in Nuneaton recently?


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 7:58 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:40 pm
Posts: 90
Quote:
Is this the car that was available in Nuneaton recently?
Yip and it'll be moving to warwick on Saturday all being well. Not under its own steam though...

_________________
After 37 years I've finally got my hands on a Mimosa Sprint :-)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 3:47 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:40 pm
Posts: 90
Just started to poke around under the bonnet. I wasn't expecting to find any coolant still in it and there wasn't.

Image

Image

The brown remnants quickly disintegrated and the cavity didm't seem too bad.

How well does this bode for the rest of the system such as the heater matrix? Is it likely to be salvageable?

The sills are well ventilated but it went up on a 4-posted with only a quiet crunch...

Image

Image

Proving that the structure is still pretty solid

Image

And the interior has been kept nice and dry

Image

_________________
After 37 years I've finally got my hands on a Mimosa Sprint :-)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 4:59 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:10 pm
Posts: 1926
Location: Holland on sea
Looking forward to seeing this car restored, personally I would not have lifted a car on it's jacking points with the amount of rust that's visible :)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 5:10 pm 
Offline
TDC West Mids Area Organiser
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:13 pm
Posts: 13317
Location: Over here...can't you see me?
You'll be needing this!

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31388

This can't be the same 'Nuneaton' car that Ken Clarke declined but promoted on facebook; he told me the seller was looking for £2k for that one, but interestingly that too had a non original beige interior and late dash...


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:01 am 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:48 pm
Posts: 8446
Location: Winscombe, North Somerset, England
If the thermostat looks like that, I can't wait to see the waterpump! :lol:

_________________
Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. :boggle2: ... Still Sprintless.

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


1997 TVR Chimaera 450


Image


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 8:33 am 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:40 pm
Posts: 90
It is the 'Nuneaton car' which I came across separately to Ken and £2k wasn't the asking price when I visited.

The cooling system is going to be fun but I expected a full overhaul anyway,

The repair panels are the only reason I was prepared to take this on. Putting it on the 4 poster was my way of seeing just how much rot/strength there was in the structure before I made my mind up to buy it.

The interior colour looked 'wrong' to me (I thought all Mimosa cars were black) but I 've the checked the codes on the VIN plate and they are 064 - Mimosa - and 074 - Beige - so it's still as built even if it's unusual.

The plan is to stock up with all the necessary parts between now and April and then trailer it down to my mate's garage in Hungary for a full rebuild as quality is high and labour rates are low there.

_________________
After 37 years I've finally got my hands on a Mimosa Sprint :-)


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 6:19 pm 
Offline
TDC West Mids Area Organiser
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:13 pm
Posts: 13317
Location: Over here...can't you see me?
https://m.facebook.com/ken.clarke.31/po ... d%3D&mdf=1

It's certainly an enigmatic one with that combination; the seats, capable of having headrests have the Marina style blanking plugs inserted (headrests were optional on Marinas), but I had thought until now that beige interiors were post '76 only! It has the early front valance badge, but also wears door rubbing strips and a late dash...it would be interesting to know how close to the 'changeover' the chassis number is...?


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 68 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 3 4 5 Next

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: AhrefsBot [Bot], Google and 33 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited