The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 1:21 pm 
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After restoring and creating a concourse Sprint/Hill Climb/Track car from a pretty derelict 1975 Sprint, I always had it in mind that I would like to have a road going Sprint, and an as early as possible one at that. After restoring my first '73 M reg Sprint way back in the late '80's, the ideal scenario was to buy that back and re-restore it: UUW 410M was last on the road a few years ago and is currently SORN'd and is known to be in the Llandudno area according to he DVLA MoT website, but that's where the trail goes cold! I just can't quite track it down!

However, just to complicate matters further, when VA138 popped up on eBay, and the fact that is such an early L reg car, I'm afraid my curiosity got the better of me; after some tense negotiating with She Who Must Be Obeyed, we went half's on it paying £3450, and bought it! Even now after the dust has settled, this still seems a decent price to pay.

VA/138-DL or TXL 649L, which is probably quite well known by some on here, was built on the 14th March 1973 and registered on the 6th of June later the same year. The current mileage of just under 66,000 miles looks to be entirely genuine as it comes with a sheaf of history indicating this to be correct. I am the fifth owner in 45 years, the first having it for nearly 20 years when it then passed to his daughter before entering the open market around the 2003/2004 mark, so it was in the same family for 30 years!

Overall condition is pretty good to be fair considering it's 45 years old - sure there's enough corrosion to fail an MoT, but it's no where near as rusty as my '75 Sprint was and mechanically it needs quite an extensive overhaul with all the brake pipes and fuel lines etc. needing to be replaced, whilst the interior will need to be renewed due to an attack of a Rodent variety!

My plans are to eventually rebuild it to a concourse standard using as much of the original car and bits that I can to preserve the originality and then to keep hold of it, but in the meantime will probably get it recommissioned so it can be a rolling restoration.

To this end, I've enrolled someone who has the sort of attention to detail that I like to think I have, and who will go at it like a Pig at a tater, whilst doing everything right!

I am totally delighted to say that James Shepard has agreed to be the expert lead, and as things progress will populate this thread with what I imagine will be his customary attention to detail and zeal!

I will start to populate this thread with images soon and as and when progress starts to be made.

In the mean time any former owner or the like, please feel free to chip in! :)

Onwards and upwards!


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The pictures won't be all that good as the car's now stored at the back of some cars in a dark barn: the reason being that it's free storage for as long as I want it!


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Last edited by shaunroche on Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:57 am, edited 5 times in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:23 pm 
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Nice one Shaun, glad you got it.

I thought it was a good price too, I was expecting it to go for quite a bit more being such an early car & relatively good nick. I think you we lucky it was advertised when a lot of people were on holiday.

Good luck with it, I'm sure James will do it justice.

:thumbsup:

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:20 pm 
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Thanks Shaun! Well I wouldn't say I'm an expert, MikeyB knows far more than me about the early cars and I will be looking for plenty of his input as well. But the main thing to do is ensure that the car gets back on the road and any repairs are done correctly and sympathetically given the historical significance of the vehicle.


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:57 pm 
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Thanks Shaun! Well I wouldn't say I'm an expert, MikeyB knows far more than me about the early cars and I will be looking for plenty of his input as well. But the main thing to do is ensure that the car gets back on the road and any repairs are done correctly and sympathetically given the historical significance of the vehicle.
Oh, I don't know, I think you're quite handy at what you do! :)

As an aside, I note that it has inertia reel seat belts fitted as standard - I recall my M Reg Sprint had fixed seat belts so that's interesting. Well, if you're a tin hat like me!

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I will be fitting seats with headrests as I know they were an option at the time, and whilst I will be getting the 4 speed box rebuilt, I'll still fit an overdrive box even though I don't think they were an option on the early cars, as I am planning on using it.

With the 4 speed to OD 'conversion' the original prop will still fit won't it?


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:16 pm 
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Nice one Shaun, glad you got it.

I thought it was a good price too, I was expecting it to go for quite a bit more being such an early car & relatively good nick. I think you we lucky it was advertised when a lot of people were on holiday.

Good luck with it, I'm sure James will do it justice.

:thumbsup:
Cheers Tony - couldn't help myself, just didn't want it to fall into the hands of someone who didn't really appreciate it's worth!


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:33 pm 
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There seems to be a queue forming in Fleet!


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:43 pm 
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Shaun is aware of his position in the queue! :lol:


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:06 pm 
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Shaun is aware of his position in the queue! :lol:

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:27 pm 
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Shaun is aware of his position in the queue! :lol:

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PMSL :lol:

Well done Shaun.


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 9:06 pm 
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Congratulations on your purchase of an early one! I look forward to reading about its restoration.

Is your long lost M reg Sprint (last seen in Wales) an earlier VA number?

Cheers
Keith


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2018 10:17 pm 
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Congratulations on your purchase of an early one! I look forward to reading about its restoration.

Is your long lost M reg Sprint (last seen in Wales) an earlier VA number?

Cheers
Keith
Cheers Keith, no, it was probably built around the same time but registered if memory serves on the 3rd August 1973.....so I imagine it was probably quite a bit higher than 138?


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 9:29 pm 
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Interesting that the heritage cert has 15" wheels on the record.
Good luck with the build Shaun. On your past build this should be cracking, looking forward to it.

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75 Sprint in Magenta called GunGaDiN GGD944N
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 10:59 pm 
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Interesting that the heritage cert has 15" wheels on the record.
Good luck with the build Shaun. On your past build this should be cracking, looking forward to it.
Ha, didn't spot that Trevor! Thanks for your kind words too!

I don't plan on spending as much on it as I did on my white Sprint, but it will be done properly and having done the previous one so recently, I have gathered a lot of experience!


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:40 am 
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I don't plan on spending as much on it as I did on my white Sprint
Hmmmmmm Ive heard that before - well done Shaun.

Paul

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:11 am 
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I don't plan on spending as much on it as I did on my white Sprint
Hmmmmmm Ive heard that before - well done Shaun.

Paul
Haha, yes I know!

Mind, it's gone a bit more expensive as it looks like the engine is siezed!


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