The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

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 Post subject: Do You Live in the US
PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:55 am 
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Triumph TR's were very popular in the US but not many Dolomites found their way across the Atlantic. I am trying to find out just how many there might be.

If you have a Dolomite in the USA please post a photo.

This mine in snowy Denver CO.


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:00 am 
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Quote:
Triumph TR's were very popular in the US but not many Dolomites found their way across the Atlantic. I am trying to find out just how many there might be.

If you have a Dolomite in the USA please post a photo.

This mine in snowy Denver CO.
beautiful car, i love seeing and hearing about Dolomites in far flung places

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 1:47 pm 
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My current view of a 1974 Sprint in Aiken, SC, with the non-humorous task of upgrading to a 12-vane water pump (see the Restoration Projects thread for my long-winded wordz):

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 5:32 pm 
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Location: South Benfleet, Essex
Quote:
Triumph TR's were very popular in the US but not many Dolomites found their way across the Atlantic. I am trying to find out just how many there might be.

If you have a Dolomite in the USA please post a photo.

This mine in snowy Denver CO.
So where are the USA mandated amber front & red rear side-marker lights which were mandated from circa 1972/73 onward, or are historic, second-hand, grey imports, not obliged to comply with local regulations!?! :roll:

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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


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 11:35 pm 
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Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Quote:
Triumph TR's were very popular in the US but not many Dolomites found their way across the Atlantic. I am trying to find out just how many there might be.

If you have a Dolomite in the USA please post a photo.

This mine in snowy Denver CO.
So where are the USA mandated amber front & red rear side-marker lights which were mandated from circa 1972/73 onward, or are historic, second-hand, grey imports, not obliged to comply with local regulations!?! :roll:
Not a "grey" import but a personal import, which is a different thing in official terms. A "grey" import, is brought in for the express purpose of being sold, with personal imports, the inference is that it's for the personal use of the importer. Not sure in the US but I think in the UK there is a time period after import in which a PI car can't be sold. possibly only 1 year, max 3 years.

Britain and the US have a degree of reciprocity with personal imports, they don't insist on LHD or side marker lights and we don't insist on RHD or orange indicators. "Grey" imports in the UK (from ANYWHERE) have to pass an abbreviated BIVA exam and as for manufacturer imports, I could fill this page with what needs to be done to a US spec NEW car before it can be sold in the UK starting with a RHD conversion and replacement of EVERY piece of glass in the car!

Steve

_________________
'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.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:34 pm 
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Quote:
Quote:
So where are the USA mandated amber front & red rear side-marker lights which were mandated from circa 1972/73 onward, or are historic, second-hand, grey imports, not obliged to comply with local regulations!?! :roll:
Not a "grey" import but a personal import, which is a different thing in official terms. A "grey" import, is brought in for the express purpose of being sold, with personal imports, the inference is that it's for the personal use of the importer. Not sure in the US but I think in the UK there is a time period after import in which a PI car can't be sold. possibly only 1 year, max 3 years.

Britain and the US have a degree of reciprocity with personal imports, they don't insist on LHD or side marker lights and we don't insist on RHD or orange indicators.

"Grey" imports in the UK (from ANYWHERE) have to pass an abbreviated BIVA exam and as for manufacturer imports, I could fill this page with what needs to be done to a US spec NEW car before it can be sold in the UK starting with a RHD conversion and replacement of EVERY piece of glass in the car!

Steve

I read a few years ago, that South Africa has a similar scheme, regarding personal imports of LHD - left-hand drive vehicles that one already owns, but I think one can only import a single such vehicle per household. If one chooses to sell the LHD vehicle, it can only be sold outside South Africa.

_________________
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


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:23 pm 
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Location: USA
Cars over 25 years old are exempt from most of the US specific requirements.

The exception is emissions controls which vary across the country, they are not even consistent within each state.

One of the main reasons why certain cars were never originally imported into the US was the difficulty in complying with US emissions requirements. Cars like the Dolomite Sprint dont have any of the controls that other cars of the same vintage would have if they were originally sold in the US. This can make it very difficult for them to pass emissions testing in the US. California is the worst but where I live in Denver is not far behind.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:44 pm 
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Quote:
Cars over 25 years old are exempt from most of the US specific requirements.

The exception is emissions controls which vary across the country, they are not even consistent within each state.

One of the main reasons why certain cars were never originally imported into the US was the difficulty in complying with US emissions requirements. Cars like the Dolomite Sprint dont have any of the controls that other cars of the same vintage would have if they were originally sold in the US. This can make it very difficult for them to pass emissions testing in the US. California is the worst but where I live in Denver is not far behind.
It seems strange that states of the USA are and have been pernickety about exhaust emissions and yet most if not all seem to be very lax about having regular, comprehensive roadworthiness inspections! :shock:

During my past several years' participation in The Samba forum re 1968~79 VW Type 2s, I have been horrified to learn of the extreme extent of unroadworthiness, of many vehicles owned by subscribers in the USA and to a lesser extent Canada, which they were still regularly driving at the time. Had they been brought to a British MOT testing station, for inspection several years earlier, they would probably have been impounded, pending being transported to a workshop on a trailer or low-loader for repair or transport to a car breaker's yard! :twisted:

_________________
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


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:40 pm 
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Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
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Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
So where are the USA mandated amber front & red rear side-marker lights which were mandated from circa 1972/73 onward, or are historic, second-hand, grey imports, not obliged to comply with local regulations!?! :roll:
Not a "grey" import but a personal import, which is a different thing in official terms. A "grey" import, is brought in for the express purpose of being sold, with personal imports, the inference is that it's for the personal use of the importer. Not sure in the US but I think in the UK there is a time period after import in which a PI car can't be sold. possibly only 1 year, max 3 years.

Britain and the US have a degree of reciprocity with personal imports, they don't insist on LHD or side marker lights and we don't insist on RHD or orange indicators.

"Grey" imports in the UK (from ANYWHERE) have to pass an abbreviated BIVA exam and as for manufacturer imports, I could fill this page with what needs to be done to a US spec NEW car before it can be sold in the UK starting with a RHD conversion and replacement of EVERY piece of glass in the car!

Steve

I read a few years ago, that South Africa has a similar scheme, regarding personal imports of LHD - left-hand drive vehicles that one already owns, but I think one can only import a single such vehicle per household. If one chooses to sell the LHD vehicle, it can only be sold outside South Africa.
British rules are not so harsh, I've owned 3 cars which were personal imports by British citizens (none of them me) a '64 Volvo 122S estate imported from Belgium in 1967, a 1984 Cadillac Seville imported from Florida by my late father in law in 1995 and a 1963 Ford Thunderbird, imported (from Sweden of all places, so a double import) in 1976. All were LHD and only the Volvo had amber indicator lights. The T-bird I bought from ebay, I inherited the Caddy and took the Volvo in PX for a later 240 estate in 1982. I don't think there's a limit on how often you can do it here either, though I suspect weekly would raise a few eyebrows with officialdom! Drive side appears to be irrelevant to British authorities, which makes sense, surrounded as we are here by LHD countries.

Steve

_________________
'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.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:46 pm 
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Quote:
I could fill this page with what needs to be done to a US spec NEW car before it can be sold in the UK starting with a RHD conversion and replacement of EVERY piece of glass in the car!
Ford are selling left hooker Mustangs here now, aren't they?


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:50 pm 
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Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Quote:
I could fill this page with what needs to be done to a US spec NEW car before it can be sold in the UK starting with a RHD conversion and replacement of EVERY piece of glass in the car!
Ford are selling left hooker Mustangs here now, aren't they?
You can go to selected Ford dealers in the UK and buy a new Mustang, only the top spec cars are offered and it'll be RHD. The price will make even your eyes water, it'd almost be cheaper to buy a new Aston. Which is why there are late model LHD Mustangs in the UK in considerable numbers, it's massively cheaper to buy a new LHD 'Stang stateside and then get it shipped over as a personal import. You still have to pay import duty, but that's a pittance compared to the conversion costs.

The reason is, of course, the amount of stuff that needs changing to fit UK/EU rules. (And a touch, no doubt, of rank profiteering) Ford USA have not built a factory RHD car since the 60s so all the conversion parts from the dash crashpad through the steering rack to the light lenses and headlamps and ALL the glass (American safety glass apparently doesn't shatter into the right size pieces for British regs) are bespoke and only made in pitiful quantities.

I know a bit about this because I worked for Ford PIE (personal import/export) in Slough in 1979 and 1980. Whilst our main business was in providing parts for imported Fords from all over the world and parts for Ex-pats and Diplomatic staff with British Fords abroad, we also kept the conversion parts for the US cars sold new in Britain. In 79 and 80 that was the 5.0 litre V8 Mustang Ghia and the Mercury Monarch (a horrible 4 door saloon that is thankfully and justifiably forgotten) Just those 2 were available, yet nearly 1/4 of our available warehouse space was devoted to storage of conversion parts.

In the states, the Mustang is considered a cheap car, A guy I follow on YouTube has just bought (in Kansas) a top spec, brand new 2021 model Shelby GT for (IIRC) $67,000 US. He did get a deal cos it's last years model, still, thats what? A bit under £50k for 760bhp? That same car from Ford UK in RHD form is more like £150k!

Steve

By the way, If you want to import a musclecar,, get one from Australia, they have the same scale and brutal V8s of their American counterparts, but they are built with RHD and have more European brakes (ie ones that WORK) and ride quality/handling.

_________________
'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.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:26 pm 
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One of the reasons that we latched onto PFJ was that it was a Sprint that had a documented 1974 production date. That is the final year (or maybe it is 1975, I forget) that escapes the draconian California initial registration inspection for compliance with emissions requirements. Since the Sprint was eventually going to go to my son in California, this 1974 model was perfect.

Yes, the US is a patch work of varying vehicle operational safety requirements. We are almost like 50 different countries stitched together, with some states even having varying county requirements. Some of us even like this anarchy. Here in South Carolina, we did away with annual safety inspections about 30 years ago. There were too many wink-wink-nudge-nudge inspections. It was left up to the police to remove the obvious defectives. One night while I was driving my RHD Jaguar 240, I was stopped by flashing blue lights, resulting in a warning to replace a burned out license plate bulb. The officer was momentarily stunned to discover no one in the “driver’s” seat, only to notice me in the “passenger’s” seat.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:56 pm 
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Quote:
One of the reasons that we latched onto PFJ was that it was a Sprint that had a documented 1974 production date. That is the final year (or maybe it is 1975, I forget) that escapes the draconian California initial registration inspection for compliance with emissions requirements. Since the Sprint was eventually going to go to my son in California, this 1974 model was perfect.

Yes, the US is a patch work of varying vehicle operational safety requirements. We are almost like 50 different countries stitched together, with some states even having varying county requirements. Some of us even like this anarchy. Here in South Carolina, we did away with annual safety inspections about 30 years ago. There were too many wink-wink-nudge-nudge inspections. It was left up to the police to remove the obvious defectives. One night while I was driving my RHD Jaguar 240, I was stopped by flashing blue lights, resulting in a warning to replace a burned out license plate bulb. The officer was momentarily stunned to discover no one in the “driver’s” seat, only to notice me in the “passenger’s” seat.
Interesting, I remember land rover's pre-1975 being advertised as "suitable for US export".... quite often only the reg. document crossed the atlantic and they were used to register newer land rovers from Mexico/Canada for use in the USA and the authorities never knew the difference.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 4:40 pm 
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Interesting, I remember land rover's pre-1975 being advertised as "suitable for US export".... quite often only the reg. document crossed the atlantic and they were used to register newer land rovers from Mexico/Canada for use in the USA and the authorities never knew the difference.
The Feds eventually tumbled to that dodge. If memory serves, sometime in the latter 20-teens, up in New England, there was “The Summer of the Great Land Rover Extinction”. A sharp Fed finally looked at the paperwork and closely inspected the vehicles. People went to jail, $six-digit fines were assessed, claims of “but the dealer told me it was a 1969” were heard, and a good number of confiscated Land Rovers went directly into the crusher.

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I was “SCMike” in a previous life on this Forum.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 9:19 pm 
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Interesting, I remember land rover's pre-1975 being advertised as "suitable for US export".... quite often only the reg. document crossed the atlantic and they were used to register newer land rovers from Mexico/Canada for use in the USA and the authorities never knew the difference.
The Feds eventually tumbled to that dodge. If memory serves, sometime in the latter 20-teens, up in New England, there was “The Summer of the Great Land Rover Extinction”. A sharp Fed finally looked at the paperwork and closely inspected the vehicles. People went to jail, $six-digit fines were assessed, claims of “but the dealer told me it was a 1969” were heard, and a good number of confiscated Land Rovers went directly into the crusher.
Interesting! I can't say I'm too upset, the number of perfectly good landies over here that got scrapped just to export the ID was terrible. I was offered one very cheap with the dealer telling me to "just register it on a Q plate as 'built from parts' "... I politely declined.

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