The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum
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New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
http://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=35115		 Page 1 of 15
Author:  Tony Burd [ Sat Jul 06, 2019 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
VA485 popped up on Facebook a couple of weeks ago quite local to me so I went to have a look, a deal was done and I am the new owner. MikeyB gave me some useful tips about what to look for to check the shell was original & it seems to check out.
The car has been off the road since 1984 & is in relatively good condition despite spending the last 14 years outside under a car cover.
The car has seen some track action according to the previous owner who bought it as a rolling shell. It is fitted with a modified engine, uprated AP racing brakes & an LSD axle. The plan is to restore it to as original condition as I can.

I need to finish my Rover SD1 Vitesse first so will probably start early next year.

First thing to go will be the TriumphTune spoiler.

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If anyone has any history on this car I would love to hear about it.

Thanks

Tony
Author:  Carledo [ Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Nice find Tony! That'll keep you busy for a week or two!

Steve

PS, Does taking back to original include removing the LSD? If so, DIBS!
Author:  tangocharlie1 [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 2:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Great find Tony :D
Author:  DJP [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Cool car Tony, well done finding such an early one. Maybe it could be the LSD is original. Apparently you could specify one back in the day.
Looking forward to seeing your thread.
Regards. Dave.
Author:  Bish [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 5:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Nice one Tony, good work!
I’d be interested to see the SD1 too. Do you have a thread somewhere on that?

All the best, Bish.
Author:  Tony Burd [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Cheers guys, I can't wait to get stuck into it.

Was the LSD an option on the first 2000 cars, I'm not sure?

The SD1 is more of a recommission job as it has been off the road for about 10 years, I don't want to get in too deep & really it isn't that bad, the main problem is the flaking underseal. There is a thread on the SD1 club forum, but not much on there at the moment. Here's a pic for you, the previous owner (since 1986) handing the keys over to me.

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Author:  Carledo [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
The LSD was ALWAYS a cost option (but never mentioned in the price list under extras, you had to KNOW)

I'm not sure if it was available on the early cars, it's my understanding that it was only offered (and a couple of hundred may have been given away, literally) once Triumph decided to go racing with the Dolomite Sprint and needed to get it homologated! Bearing in mind that the first 2000 Yellow cars were actually all built in advance of the June 73 launch date (some as early as Feb/March), it's likely that it wasn't an option at that time, even though the conversion is easy since the diff is shared with certain TR and big six saloons which had been raced and rallied for years before the Sprint was launched.

Steve
Author:  Tony Burd [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 9:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Well your comment Steve got me curious, so I have just whipped a wheel nut off, expecting to see a 7/16 stud, but no they are 3/8, so it is an early axle. Of course I have not actually convinced myself it is a LSD even though both wheels turn in the same direction I need to take the cover off to see the actual diff.

There is no 'S' on the VIN either which I think there should be if it was specified from new?
Author:  Carledo [ Tue Jul 09, 2019 11:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
The 7/16" studs did not appear, I think, till the series 3 cars, VA 20000> around 76. Plenty of LSDs will predate that and be in 3/8" stud axles, so stud size is no guide.

But I think you are correct, factory fit LSD cars should have an S at the end of the Comm number, also on the axle number. I'm not sure how prevalent this was, but I also heard that Factory fit LSD axles were painted red. But I was working in a large BL dealer in 75/6 (Stewart and Arden it was, in North Harrow) and I can remember putting a couple of LSD axles in new Sprints (and other things, S+A had a thriving ST dept) as dealer fit extras, these would not have had the comm number altered, but were effectively LSD'd from new.

Of course, the passage of time and hard work can take it's toll on an axle case and there's nothing to stop someone swapping their LSD into a standard case when, for example, the tie bar ears rot/snap off the original LSD case, so anything can have happened!

Oh, and trust yourself, if both wheels turn the same way, it's an LSD! This simply CAN'T happen on an open diff!

Steve
Author:  xvivalve [ Wed Jul 10, 2019 11:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Quote:
Oh, and trust yourself, if both wheels turn the same way, it's an LSD! This simply CAN'T happen on an open diff!
Even if it's been welded up by the likes of Dan Brown?

Steve is right, the LSD didn't hit the price list until May '76 (VA20001 onwards) but was available prior. Post 20001 cars woould have had the'S' suffixes and the red casing, but not prior.
Author:  Matt Cotton [ Wed Jul 10, 2019 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Rover looks nice Tony... Oxfordshire car too - was it an ex Rover management car?
Author:  Tony Burd [ Wed Jul 10, 2019 10:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Yes you are right Matt, 1st owner was Rover Management, I'm the 3rd owner.
Author:  MagentaSprint [ Tue Aug 20, 2019 10:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
Loving the Sprint and Loving the Vitesse as well 8) 8) I came VERY close to owning one back in the day and always regretted not owning it
Author:  Tony Burd [ Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
The Rover is pretty much done, but have to wait to get a MOT, so it is still taking up my garage space.
Anyway such a nice day so I decided to make a start on RPJ, job for this afternoon was to remove the Triumph Tune Spoiler.
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The spoiler was riveted on, so just had to drill these out then prise it off as there was quite a lot of filler applied to smooth it out.
Underneath the lower valance is not too bad, a bit of a dent that might pull out & the wings look good as well.

The spoiler is for sale if anyone is interested, PM me if you are, or I will put it on ebay, it does need some repair but would be easy with a bit of fibreglass.
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The car had 2" HS8? carbs fitted, the manifold looks to have been ported to suit, these will go on ebay to help fund the project!
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Got a bit hot so called it a day. :D
Author:  Matt Cotton [ Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L
All looks very solid around there Tony... and a hell of a lot better without that spoiler I feel.

Looking forward to developments with this one.. all the best with it.
MC
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