The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Will soon have the Dolly under cover and will in a position to remove the windscreen and rear screen to replace the torn headlining. Before I do this I wanted to get recommendations on which was the best lining to buy?

Also while I have the lining out I am going to checkout the roof, still have a leak into the passenger footwell, which despite all my best efforts I cannot beat. After eliminating everything else the only thing I can come up with is some hidden rot in the roof which is allowing water in.

Got mine from Newton Commercial, it has been professionally fitted.

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Modified Dolomite Sprint MSO 662P VA485 1973 Mimosa Sprint

'Longhorn' is the original pattern, I believe...

Yes the Newton one uses the Longhorn material.

https://newtoncomm.co.uk/collections/do ... headlining

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Modified Dolomite Sprint MSO 662P VA485 1973 Mimosa Sprint

I have found that one way water can get into a dolomite is via the roof gutters. When the cars were built the roof was one side of the gutter and was sealed into part of the gutter and this seal breaks down with age and this allows rain water to find its way into the front foot wells and the boot. To find out if your problem is this joint can I suggest you cover the gutter with masking tape and then see if you get water in the car when it rains hard. See photo of my red car 's roof gutter covered in masking tape.


It is very difficult to stop this leak and I am considering just filling the gutter with silicon sealant.

I have just found Tony Burd's photo which shows the arrangement of the roof / gutters and you can see if the water gets from the gutter to the inside there is another gutter like path for it to flow along to both the front and rear of the car depending on how level the car is.

I believe the inside sections are called cantrails (or should that be cant-rails?)
Their primary purpose is to act as a bodyshell strengthener

A good thing about ye olde fashioned Dolomite gutter arrangement is that it protects the doors from above
so in the winter no snow falls onto the seats upon opening the doors



Ian

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Another often neglected spot for water entry is around the rather hard rubber seals that surround the wiper spindles, the water then fills the box section below the screen, rotting it in the process (almost invisible till the dash crash pad is out) and finally running down onto the floor.

Because, at least at first, the box below the screen frame is closed off except the ends, most of the water that enters here runs down the A posts behind the trim and you don't see it till it soaks the carpets.

I have a NOS cantrail section (N/S IIRC) if anyone is interested.

Steve

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'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.
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Thanks for the suggestions but I don't think you know the lengths I have gone to find this leak. I stripped out the entire interior and removed the screen. Went from top to bottom to find every possible rust hole and welded them up. I have also fixed the potential leak from the wiper spindles and fully sealed the screen.

In my defence I beat the leak into the drivers side but not the passenger side. Somehow it is still getting in. Which makes me suspect something is up with roof. Could be the gutters but I resealed the entire length of those as well.