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 Thu Mar 28, 2024 12:44 pm

All times are UTC




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 27 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 5:25 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Hello and where to start???

Well back in the mid eighties I had a Sprint and having had I'd guess several hundreds of various makes and models of cars ever since I've got a need to buy another Sprint. I've been checking out the 'Bay of Plenty' for the last few years and thinking perhaps one day I should scratch the itch and it looks like that day may be getting rather close :shock:
I've been told about one but don't want to give too much away at the moment as you never know who i looking and watching :wink: :wink: It's sitting in a shed unused for a long time, it's been mostly dry stored but has seen a little weather to the one side due to roof leaking in the shed in the past although it is now bone dry again. The car is mostly unmolested and pretty complete, it's I think a 76 but maybe a 75 year.
It's a little difficult to get around it for the 1st look I've taken but it looks to be very solid although the owner says it does need outer sills he says that the inner's are solid along with all the floors, in the past the outer sills have been started to be cut away which is how he knows the inner's are so good, the car was last taxed in 89 and has been inside ever since. His words/opinion are that the only welding needed is the sills apart from any minor body work repairs. There is a little bubbling to the front panel next to the offside wing/panel joint, the offside wing shows no bubbling at all, the near side wing will need looking at but again there does not seem to be enough there to worry about replacement wing.....which is good as I know steel wings are unavailable new anymore....... He has the sill sections all ready to fit. The rear arches look to be good or at least very reasonable from what I can see, I guess there will need to be some work on the near side door bottoms as I remember these were always an issue with Sprints although the offside doors look to be really sound from the outside, again I've not been able to get to open the doors to check them out properly as the car is too tight next to other cars to open them yet and investigate.
Under the bonnet although dirty with the time it's been sat looks very good, surface corrosion on the ally and bare steel parts but other than that all looks to be sound. It's an overdrive car as well 8) The boot floor and inner arches all look to be very good with no sign of any rust at all and no previous bodges.
The car is local so there will be no cost to me to get it home as I have my own trailer, it will need a repaint in full at some point but as a rolling restoration once the initial repairs/welding are done and mechanical's sorted and recommissioned with a good polish and quick blow over to the repair sections it could look reasonable to use. I'm more than capable of doing all the work myself with no added labour costs.
So although I've not been able to give it a proper look over and investigation I'm confidant it's a sound car and well worth the effort but at what price???
I know without you all seeing the car and without pictures, from my description and allowing for the fact that the current owner does know about cars as do I, we've both got plenty of experience in restoring cars so know the ins and outs of things, with the engine and box unknown at this stage but assured that it was running and driving fine before being parked up in the shed which I've no reason to doubt as it all looks very sound and un-messed with, even the spark plug tubes looked very dry inside! So what is the value at current market rates? I've looked at past Ebay prices but not many on there in comparable condition to get a decent gauge of price? The seller and I have our ideas but I'm wondering on yours 1st before I let you know ours so as not to cloud your judgment :wink: :wink:

Sorry for long 1st :lol: :lol:


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:14 pm 
Offline
TDC West Mids Area Organiser
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:13 pm
Posts: 13316
Location: Over here...can't you see me?
How long is a piece of string? is the first answer!

It is a strange time for Sprints, some basket cases have sold for over £2k recently, but there's very good cars stagnating without sale at not a whole lot more! Equally, some cars that aren't original, reshelled or need more work than expected are fetching quite robust sums. I think a lot of it is to do with the seller and buyer happening across each other, and you seem to have that bit sorted!

I always say something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, and from your description I'd probably plum for £1.2k-£1.5k, though on ebay it may fetch more...

Pictures would help...

...and welcome (back!)

(Incidentally, the club sell repair sections for the bottom of the door skins)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:20 am 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Big Thanks, both for the good helpful answer and also for the Welcome back...... not that I'm quite yet fully back in the Sprint stable but I'm sure in time I will be and hopefully sooner rather than later and with this car that I have in mind too!!

I'm keen to join the club properly and over the next couple of weeks I'm sure I'll get time and get fully sorted with that as I'm a believer in you only get out what your prepared to put in so without willing members and support clubs don't grow or thrive so when the time comes I will also support and buy what ever parts I can or need :thumbsup:

I'm afraid at this stage decent photo's are not really possible as the way the car is stored makes it too difficult to get any decent pics of any of the problem areas which I know makes it hard to ask anybody to give any sort of guide to any realistic value and also I appreciate exactly where you are coming from with your string comment and I'm not at all surprised by it because with anything cars in need of work it always comes down at the end to how ever much someone is willing to pay and also how much the seller is willing to let it go at.
Hopefully I can get a couple more views on it from a couple of other members before I say where we are both at on the pricing so as to have an unbiased or clouded guide. thanks again for your good reply :thumbsup:


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 8:21 am 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2016 9:00 pm
Posts: 1014
If you have to make an offer without being able to properly see the car, try to get the seller to agree on a conditional price, i.e. the price is only good if the car is in the condition expected. Once it's in the open, if there are no floorpans left, no boot floor and the mice have been chewing the interior and loom etc, re-negotiate.


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:24 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Yes will without a doubt be having a good poke around under and all over before any ££££££'s will be swapping hands, my eyes are wide open on this one :wink:

Anyone else care to take a stab at guide value? I won't hold you all too it just nice to get a feel for if I'm in the right ball park before I let you know his and my values :wink: :lol: :lol:


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:48 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:09 pm
Posts: 306
Location: West Yorks
Welcome back
Great name by the way :D
I'm also looking for a good body shop locally to do my inner and outer sills then fill and paint after my body repairs. I have been in contact with a couple but not firmed anything up yet.

_________________
Trevor

75 Sprint in Magenta called GunGaDiN GGD944N
2017 Jaguar XE R-sport


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:27 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Well just as a bit of an update to this...........
Quote:
I think a lot of it is to do with the seller and buyer happening across each other, and you seem to have that bit sorted!

I always say something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, and from your description I'd probably plum for £1.2k-£1.5k, though on ebay it may fetch more...
xvivalve is spot on where I'm valuing the car at, £1,200 to £1,500 is where I'd put it all day long, the seller on the other hand has it in his head at £1,800 which is in my head a little strong.....BUT the car is local to me so no travelling cost to view or collect which can always get expensive especially if it's a wasted trip to see a car not as described, IF it's as solid underneath as he is adamant that it is then that is a plus but it will need to be very carefully checked out before any £££££'s swap hands. I'm in no screaming hurry to buy another project although I do fancy taking this one on so from that side I'm in the right buyers place to be BUT the problem is he is also in no rush to sell, the car is not actually advertised and not actually for sale, I only heard about it through a friend and decided to go take a look which was probably a mistake that I will long regret if a deal is made :lol: :lol:
I'm playing it cool as is the seller but I feel if a deal is not struck soon then I may just go off the boil as the head wins over the heart!! I've searched all over the wwwdots and can't find anything in similar condition to gauge the car against, there was a yellow one sold on Car and Classic which looks as close to similar in condition as I can find but being as the car is sold there is no price on it so I don't know what it went for.....anyone know that car?
In fact does anyone know of any cars in similar condition for sale anywhere?

If we could meet at the £1,500 I'd be there with the trailer in the morning :lol:


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:41 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Hi there

I too am in the process of looking for a sprint. As with all classic cars these days it seems most owners think they are sitting on a gold mine! I think you are spot on with your valuation by the sounds of your description. I am looking for car to improve on rather than a resto and from what I can see values are wide ranging.

If it was me in your position I wouldn't want to loose the car to someone else. If it is the right one for you don't loose it for the sake of a couple of hundred quid. At the sort of money you are talking about you aren't ever going to get on the wrong side of things money wise.

The link below is to a car for sale that looks to be well overpriced in my eyes and may help in your valuation efforts?

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/ ... 2Bdolomite

Happy hunting!

All the best, Bish.


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 3:27 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 2:06 pm
Posts: 628
Location: Outer Hebrides
I'd be careful what you buy in terms of what it needs - I'm new to the Sprint scene too and I'm shocked at how hard panels are to find for Dolomites, and just parts in general.

I've always had Fords, and I thought they were hard to find panels for, but a piece of cake in comparison - at least with Fords you always had the option of pattern although poor.

_________________
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: Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:16 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Well having gone off the boil slightly with this I started thinking about it again last week, so yesterday morning I popped upto see the seller again just out of curiosity, he started off by saying he's been having second thoughts about even selling.... remember that the car was not even for sale when I first got to hear about it and go and see it....... but after a little chat with him and my powers of persuasion he said he'd have a think about it, I left it by saying "well don't think too long or I may well go off the boil again" At the moment the way life is going for me the last thing I should be doing is looking for another project but life is short so why not have too many projects :lol: :lol:
Well this afternoon I got a phone call from him, the deal is done!! I just need to have a big sort out here and go and collect, I offered to pop up and give him a deposit but he was happy to do it all on a gentleman's agreement which I'm happy with providing he proves to stay a gentleman :lol: that if nothing else will motivate me to get the clearout sorted sooner rather than later before he changes his mind again!!


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:00 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 2:06 pm
Posts: 628
Location: Outer Hebrides
Pics as soon as poss lol

_________________
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 Feb 02, 2018 12:32 am 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Quote:
Pics as soon as poss lol
Yep first chance I get it will be pics and the start of the running restoration thread :wink: :wink:


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:53 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Well I've been sorting the garage where the Sprint will live and it seems a never ending task but I'm glad to say I seem to be making progress although I'm sure that the two week time scale that I gave him will be a little longer :( But in the interest of getting the project up and running as soon as possible once I do manage to get it home I've been starting to think what I'm going to need, the car does come with a pair of sills, an inner and outer for one side and just an outer for the other though I'm not sure yet which way around! It also apparently comes with a full set of coolant / heating hoses and I think that's about it, the car looks to be pretty much complete although some of the interior is removed it apparently is all there apart from maybe some carpets, the prop is off as it needs a center support bearing and there is no exhaust.

So what I could do with some advice on is where would the best place be to get a prop support and which exhaust to go for and where from. I'm not over fussed about keeping with the standard exhaust, back in the day I used to have what I seem to remember was a 'SAH Triumph tune' exhaust does my memory serve me right??

To start with rather than do a full strip and rebuild of everything I'm thinking more along the lines of getting the car up and running, fitting the sills and doing any required recommissioning works then hopefully get some miles on it over the summer and hopefully a more comprehensive rebuild over next winter as required.
Can't wait to get back in a Sprint just hope my memories are not all through rose tinted glasses :lol: :lol: :lol:


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:05 am 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:54 pm
Posts: 85
Well all being well and weather permitting I should be the proud owner of a Dolomite Sprint again tomorrow...with a little twist to it all which I shall reveal hopefully tomorrow :wink: :wink: 8) 8)

If it's raining though I won't be moving it because I'm in no real rush as I've no time at the moment to do any work on the car and to save me from the distraction I'm only moving it to a friends shed to store it until I'm fully ready to get started on it so there's no point in it getting wet after nearly 30 years of dry storage to then sit damp in another dry storage shed!

All being well I shall have some photo's for you as well 8) 8)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:02 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2016 9:00 pm
Posts: 1014
Oh, you tease...... :)


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 27 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 Next

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google and 3 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