The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:38 pm 
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Location: South Benfleet, Essex
Looking at both front and rear wraparound bumpers of the various Toledos and Dolomites, I wonder whether they are fully interchangeable between car models and model-years!?!

In effect, I am asking the following:

Can one readily substitute a single-piece Dolomite front bumper onto a Toledo and vice versa?

Can one readily substitute one or more sections of a three-piece Dolomite rear bumper onto a Toledo and vice versa?

Substituting Rear Bumper

Although not in terrible condition, the three-piece wraparound rear bumper of my four-door, 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300, is beginning to look a little shabby, with a rash of tiny rust spots punctuating the chrome plating.

Whilst browsing on the Internet, to see what Triumph Toledos might exist in the World, beyond the shores of the British Isles, I stumbled upon a second-hand sales website in New Zealand, featuring a New Zealand specification, 1974 Triumph Toledo 1500 for sale, which seemed to have a substituted rear bumper (with an integral, centrally-positioned, large single licence-plate illumination lamp), originating from either a Triumph 1500, 1500TC or early-model Dolomite.

New Zealand specification, 1974 Triumph Toledo 1500, having a rear bumper with integral, centrally-positioned, large single licence-plate illumination lamp)

Image

What isn’t evident, is whether the two small wraparound side sections of the rear bumper are from the same origin as the large rear central section (incorporating the licence-plate illumination lamp) or those originally fitted to the Toledo!?!

Noting that the rearmost body panels of the Triumph 1500, 1500TC and Dolomite models are about 6 inches longer than those of the Triumph Toledo, I wonder whether the two small wraparound side sections of the rear bumpers, might also differ in length by up to 6 inches!?!

If illumination of a Toledo’s rear licence-plate is satisfactory (i.e. acceptable to the police authorities and MOT inspectorate), I quite fancy substituting one of these rear bumpers (incorporating the licence-plate illumination lamp) onto my Triumph Toledo.

I have a Triumph Dolomite towing bracket partially fitted to my Triumph Toledo, so I am also concerned about the possible routing of the electrical wiring from the bumper’s integral licence-plate illumination lamp, into the interior of the boot, to connect to the main wiring loom.

From the following picture of a Triumph Dolomite Sprint, which has both this early-model rear bumper and what superficially appears to be the same pattern of towing bracket as mine, I surmise that routing the licence-plate illumination lamp wiring is not a major problem, but I would be interested to know what route the wiring actually takes.

Routing the electrical wiring to the pair of Lucas Square-8 “auxiliary reversing lights” (i.e. one fog light & one auxiliary driving light) mounted below the towing bracket, is probably more straight forward.

M-registration Triumph Dolomite Sprint with early-model rear bumper (single large number-plate illumination lamp) and towing bracket

Image

Incidently, this Triumph Dolomite Sprint has virtually the same colour scheme (including black vinyl covering of the roof and rear-quarter-panels) as my 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 had from prior to May 1975 onward.

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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: Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:15 am 
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Front bumpers are the same. Rear bumper centre sections are the same provided you get one with the same type of number plate lamp as yours. Corner sections are different but its only the bracket position. If you are prepared to move that then they will interchange. Toledo bumper corners seem much easier to find than Dolomite ones, i often come across nos ones.


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 4:48 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 4:38 pm
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Location: South Benfleet, Essex
The main problem with many NOS – new old stock items, is that they tend to be excessively expensive! A few years ago, I was offered US$300 for a set of four 1970s vintage, air-cooled VW Type 2 chromium-plated hubcaps, which the punter believed to be unused NOS items. Sadly, I had to disillusion him and he lost interest!

Apart from the difference of having a single large licence-plate illumination lamp instead of two small single licence-plate illumination lamps, what if any other differences are there between the early-model and late-model style rear bumpers for the Triumph 1500, 1500TC and Dolomite models?

I was not my intention to relocate two small single licence-plate illumination lamps from the underside of the underside of the Toledo’s boot-lid overhang into a late-model Triumph Dolomite rear bumper central section.

What I hoped to do was to substitute a Triumph 1500, 1500TC or early-model Dolomite rear bumper central section, complete with associated single large, single licence-plate illumination lamp.

Early-model Triumph Dolomite front & rear bumpers (single large licence-plate lamp housing)

Image

_________________
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: Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:14 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:31 am
Posts: 121
Excluding the shorter early Toledo bumper blades that do not wrap around the front and the rear of the wings, the profile of Toledo, 1500 and Dolomite front and rear bumpers stayed the same.

There were a number of variations however, for example some of the early front bumpers were mounted differently and do not use the visible chrome bumper bolts normally used. This required additional welded brackets which are hidden from view under the bumper, these can be identified when fitted as the bumper has a cleaner finish without the dome headed bumper bolts. These can be used on later cars, but the additional mountings need to be cut off and the four bumper bolt holes added (which have flat sides so the bolts do not turn). The only other variation is that some front bumpers have holes in the return lip on the underside for bolting under riders onto, this is dependant on whether they were designed to accommodate the early or late type.

As stated by matt of the vivas, Toledo, 1500 and Dolomite rear bumper corners differ only in the positioning of the body mountings.
The centre sections only differ in the holes for the associated number plate lights, or lack thereof in the case of the Toledo.
I supplied a NOS rear Toledo centre section for use on a Dolomite, this was modified by placing a Dolomite rear centre up side down on it, marking the cut-outs / holes on the protective covering before replicating the holes prior to fitting to the car.

In regards to the economics of fitting a Dolomite rear bumper to a Toledo, unless you already have it, and you can carry out modifications yourself, it's probably cheaper to fit Toledo items, for example depending on which type of Dolomite bumper you would want, Toledo bumper centres are approximately £34.00 to £62.00 cheaper for NOS

Toledo
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-917658

Dolomite
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID008538

The bumper corners are harder to find, but availability is better and cheaper for the Toledo:
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-917659

With reference to the number plate illumination, the wiring to the Dolomite bumper is via a hole in the centre of the rear valance behind the bumper in a similar manner to Toledo's (as an aside Dolomites with rear fog lights have an additional hole both sides behind the bumper for the required wiring which are not found on earlier cars). OE Dolomite bumper lights would of course not illuminate the number plate on a Toledo, as the bumper is so much lower in relation to the plate than on a Dolomite.


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:37 pm 
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Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
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Location: Highley, Shropshire
Rimmers have today got the Toledo rear centre section on special offer for £20.10 including VAT but plus carriage. seems like a bargain to me! Either Dolomite centre section is £54+ and the early light is a whopping £115! Why waste money on the WRONG bits, when the correct parts are cheap?

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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