The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Made good progress on my little list of weekend jobs - with the subframe bolts, the replacement ones I bought were too short so stuck with the long ones and used two of the metal inserts out of a set of bushes as a spacer for the mean time, that and a couple of washers. Not sure if it will pass certification but will do till I can get someone with a decent threadcutter to lengthen the thread on those two bolts.
I also hooked up the new brake fluid pipe to the booster which was easy enough. And connected the plunger to the brake pedal which needed a bit of attention to the hole in the pedal for the pin with a drill to make everything fit (due it to being a 1300 car without the brake booster prior to me adding a booster)
Ive also got the car off the stands and back on its wheels again in preparation for putting the engine back in. Im thinking it will be easier to put the manifolds back on before putting the engine in however I think I will leave the newly painted valve cover off till I have the engine back in so a chain or whatever dosent damage the paint.
Im pretty sure the slave cylinder is dead. I tried to bleed the clutch it when it was in the donor car with out much luck. so we will see what progress I can make with the brakes both front and back - I notice the backs are disconnected. I havent given the back end much attention so hopefully the backs will be useable for now.
cheers
Alastair

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Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i

Update on work on my Toledo

I had planned to have the car up and running by the end of the year but it doesn’t look like that is going to happen!

The aim of my current efforts is to get the car mobile so that I can move it around the garage and on to the drive way– to that end I have had all the engine electricals sorted out (one electrician did the work and then another had to redo it!) and have got the hand brake working so sometime soon it will go off to a local hot rod / custom workshop who are going to make an exhaust system for it and also get the motor running, bleed the brakes etc so that I can at least move it out of the garage so that when the time comes I can paint it. Also I will then be able to access the other side of the car and will be able to put the interior in and get all that side of things sorted out.

I’ve taken the rear boot floor out as it was pretty rusty – they must have run out of rust protection when the car was new as the rest of the car has been rust proofed. So once the replacement boot floor arrives I will weld that in. There are a few small patches to be made around the edges and in the wheel arches but shouldn’t take too long to get that sorted. Ive rather bravely bought a welder to do the work myself – and unless I come across someone who can do the work incredibly cheaply I will do it.

I haven’t tackled the back end yet – it may happen after I have I got it running and before I paint it. I have all the bits for it – bushes and the like but I’m not sure what I will do about the shock absorbers. When I did the front I should have bought height adjustable shock absorbers rather than standard ones I bought – may be I’ll swap them to the back and put new height adjustable ones on the front. I guess it should have the same shock absorbers all round. I wonder if anyone has a set of second hand height adjustable shock for sale?

A few things I need that hopefully someone will be able to supply for me

• The curved chrome finishers that go on the back corners of the car – both sides
• Front central interior mirror (actually I’ve got the mirror but the mounting is missing)
• The round central interior light cover for the inside of the car
• Front chin spoiler from a sprint
• Right back passenger interior door cover (in black)
• Smiths Oil pressure and Oil temp gauges
• Also a rev counter in a pod would be handy if anyone has one that is surplus – (to satisfy the inner boy racer in me!)
• 5.5 Minilite wheels suitable for the Toledo (I’m looking at putting 185/70/13 tyres on – I’m going for the slightly lowered widened rally car look), given their unique PCD they hardly ever come up for sale in NZ or for that matter dolly sprint alloys would be good)

Further down the track I’m going to need a black carpet set (there’s a company in NZ who make new ones so will prob buy new if nothing turns up)

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Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i

If it is the same as an early Dolomite, the interior light lens is also the same as a Triumph 2000/2.5 saloon.

I think 175/70 x 13 tyres should be a better option Alastair. these keep the gearing the same.
Also, the Minilight replicas usually have more offset than Sprint wheels, which is the reason I would go Minilight.




Ian.

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https://palmside.co.nz/collections/whee ... e-4-x95-25

Do these wheels look right for the Toledo? I notice they are only 5" rather than 5.5" does that matter?

Also just noticed a picture of a Toledo with the bumper under riders - I think they look quite good especially if a spoiler is also attached. Can they be added to cars that didn't already have them? I suspect NZ toledos came with out them when new.

cheers

Alastair

_________________
Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i

The seems a reasonable solution.....
https://www.willtheyfit.com/index.php?w ... offset2=20



Ian.

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According to my calculations, the 185/70 R13 tyres are of slightly larger external circumference than the 155 R13 tyres (i.e. 155/83 R13 or 155/82 R13 or 155/80 R13; dependent upon which information sources you believe!?!) and the 175/70 R13 tyres are slightly smaller.

I have run both 175 R13 (i.e. 175/83 R13 or 175/82 R13 or 175/80 R13; dependent upon which information sources you believe!?!) and 185/70 R13 tyres on 5½ x 13 inch alloy wheels; the former of which gave about 10% better fuel economy with about 5% larger external circumference.
Clearance within the wheel arches is not the only issue. In my experience, altering the steering-offset (aka tyre scrub-radius) can result in unpredictable & undesirable steering characteristics.

I originally had Cosmic 5½ x 13 inch alloy wheels, with 21 mm offset. These were okay with 175 R13 tyres but the 185/70 R13 tyres experienced rubbing when carrying loads in the rear; together with undesirable steering characteristics when negotiating bends under power. Changing over to Dolomite Sprint 5½ x 13 inch alloy wheels, with 35 mm offset, eliminated both problems.

_________________
Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet

Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.

https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758

Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)

Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club

Hi All

The toledo now has an exhaust pipe! Its a locally made 2" system - looks to be pretty bore so it should sound good. Turns out the cost of getting one made was about the same as getting one form the UK so I got one made

And I have functioning front brakes! I asked the exhaust guy to bleed the brakes whilst he had it on the hoist - was able to get the front brakes sorted but the flexible hoses in the rear brake line has a blockage (which Im told they tend to do) so I will have to get another one. Im told that I will have to get one made but Im fairly sure that rimmers sell them in a set of three (one for each wheel and one for the line?

So the tow company left the car on the sloping driveway with questionable brakes - so I rushed home and thanks to wife and brother managed to push it up the hill into the garage..

So it looks like the next job is to overhaul the backbrakes/suspension etc and put the new bushes that I have had for a while in the suspension

But Im very tempted to see if i can just get it going before doing anything else.....my rather heath robinson throttle cable mounting arrangement is a bit of a concern - not sure if I have throttle cable movement but i'll give it a whirl and see what happens!

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Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i

I can't help wondering whether a 2 inch (i.e. 50·8 mm) exhaust system might be too large for a 1500 engine!?!

_________________
Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet

Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.

https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758

Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)

Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club

Thought i would put a bit of an update on here

Have been doing a few minor bits and pieces on the Toledo all whilst waiting for the boot floor to arrive from Horopito. Once that turns up it will be off to the Panel beaters to have it welded in. The certification required means that I cant weld it in myself. Ive been having a few half hearted attempts at getting the car running, so far with out much luck however last night established that the choke wasn't working so made a few adjustments there so hopefully I now have a functioning choke!
Ive been getting fuel right through to the carb bowl and I know I have a spark so hopefully it might playball when I give it a crank this evening.
Other jobs that need to be done include bleeding the back brakes now that I have replaced the central flexible hose. Once I get it running it will be interior time
Im debating changing the wheel to minilites so that - probably cheaper that the getting the wheels blasted and painted.
Then once the boot floor is done it will be time to tackle the back end including the leaking back end pinion at the front ofthe diff and painting under the floor and new bushes etc and maybe height adjustable shocks all round.
SO plenty to do!
cheers
Alastair

_________________
Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i

A quick update on my Toledo. It has had a boot floor put in at considerable expense and today the whole car is being primed. I managed to find a reasonably priced panel beater via group on face book. So I have minilites and tyres to add to the car when it come from back the paint shop.
other than the wheels and tyres I will leave the car pretty much standard untoill pastI get what promises to be the madness of the certification/ registration process.
I have to research the certification process a bit - but for now I'll get it up to warrant of fitness level and take things from there.

One thing I'm looking to do longer term is to put a weber double barrel carb on it - this will require a new manifold (if anyone has a spare manifold suitable for 32/36 weber carb - i would be interested). And while I'm at it I would like to put in a an uprated exhaust manifold - am I right in thinking that the club produce these exhaust manifolds? If so at what cost?

Im hoping to use this car a for a bit of lite motorsport and so it will need to be suitably equipped - more suspension/ handling wise than speed wise. I have uprated adjustable shock absorbers / springs on the way and I think the other area which will need attention is the brakes - particularly the front ones. Am I right in thinking that the combination of Austin Princess brakes and Toyota corolla AE86 disc will work? Both should be available locally (NZ).

whilst at the paint shop a lucky mechanic is going to bleed the clutch properly (at the moment it is a pump up clutch- 10 pushes on the clutch and it work)

So hopefully it will be back from painting in a few weeks. Then the fun begins!

Cheers

Alastair Cox

_________________
Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i

long time since I have been on here.

Update on the Toledo. It has just been repainted over the last week and once the paint has been flattened and polished it will be heading back home. It s been repainted in the same colour - Emerald green or close to it.

Looking forward to putting it all back together - although it is mostly there already mostly just windows/doors needs to be reassembling. And the chrome trim, lights grills etc. What is used to re-attache the trim to the paint work? If I can get away with not using those wee clips on the new paint work I would be happy.

I have managed to get a set of black leather seats from and Alfa 156v6 but will leave the standard seats in while i do the registration certification process but it will get the minilites and new tyres put on that are sitting waiting in the garage.

BTW this is the inspiration for my car - Im yet to see one of these BMW's in NZ so will make do with a triumph instead!
https://petrolicious.com/films/this-bmw ... grey-ghost

Currently the car has a 1500 engine in standard form which I ma looking to upgrade once everything has been done. Im not sure if I should persevere with this engine or try and find a tr7/1850 engine and overdrive gearbox - I imagine this will require changing of springs etc but am quite keen to go down this path.

I haven't worked out the details of which carb etc I am going to use but hopefully I could switch from a 1500 to 1850 with out changing the carb if i got say a 32/36 weber or something similar. If any one has a suitable manifold for a Weber I would be keen to get hold of a second hand one

Any way if anyone in NZ has a dolomite engine and overdrive gearbox sitting in a shed somewhere I would be keen to hear about them.

Will attach some pictures once I've got it all back together again.

cheers

Alastair

_________________
Alastair Cox
1971 Triumph Toledo
1975 Triumph Stag
2001 BMW 530i