The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 5:13 am

All times are UTC




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page Previous 1 2
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Build dates
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:13 am 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:48 am
Posts: 41
Quote:

I don't know much about the O series development, but Sprints are a different thing! It was never a Homologation special, like the TR7 Sprint was and I rather fancy that the original Triumph plan for the slant motor was that it WOULD have replaced the venerable inline 6 in the T2000 and it's replacement, had not the SD1 come along (which was originally designated RT1)
The first 2000 (not 5000) Sprints, all in Mimosa yellow, were built prior to the model launch in June 73 and it was a kind of "put a toe in the water" experiment, to see if they would sell! When they did, production recommenced around August 73 and a range of colours and trim options became available. But the Sprint was ALWAYS a niche market, production hotrod, in the same fashion as the RS2000 Escort, Droop Snoot Firenza, HS Chevette etc and as such, never built or sold in large numbers. In a sense, it was the rally and race winning hook they used to catch customers for the lower output models.

Steve
Well, it depends on how you define a "homologation special".

But the use of the Dolomite Sprint in the Group 1 British Saloon Car Championship required 5000 Dolomite Sprints built "for the normal sale" i.e. "distribution of cars to individual purchasers through the normal commercial channels of the manufacturer" in a 12 month period to gain approval. This requirement is from the FIA's 1971 Appendix J to the International Sporting Code: Classification definition and specifications of cars, Articles 251 & 252. That it was met is shown in the FIA Form of Recognition No. 5542, approved 1 Jan 1974; however, the date on which the production reached 5000 is blank.

I know that in 1978, an article in Autosport said that Group 4 approvals could be given before the full production of 400 cars were built, and that looks to have happened with the TR8, with about 150 ACT cars built before the 1 April 1978 approval date and about 250 TCT cars built after. But as the 1973 production of Dolomite Sprints was above 5000, it looks like approval was granted on those - not just the Mimosa cars (though I think there were actually 2100, possibly 2200, or so of those, despite what the PR dept wrote).

However, the timing can also be interpreted as showing it was specifically built for that when the BSCC went Group 1 and Ford/Cosworth wouldn't/couldn't build the 5000 BDA engined RS1600s needed to compete in it.

I also know that BL never said anything about its role in the homologation of the Group 1 race car. However, they never admitted the FHC TR8 was one, though they built only enough for its homologation, i.e. 400 (or so) and then quietly sold them off, without ever mentioning its role. So, I think BL policy was, as Dashiell Hammett put it, "Don't never tell nobody nothing".

Graham


Top
   
 Post subject: Aye...
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:22 am 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:22 pm
Posts: 6475
Location: Caithness, Scotland
Quote:
Ar risk of becoming boring, my W reg 1500HL was registered on 1/8/80. When should I be thinking about VED exemption?
Alan
It is worth looking into this Alan,
because your car almost certainly was built in 1979, therefore it is likely to qualify for free VED from April 2020.
(If your car had been registered on or before 7/1/1980 it would automatically qualify from April 2020).




Ian.

_________________
TDC Forum moderator
PLEASE help us to maintain a friendly forum,
either PM or use Report Post if you see anything you are unhappy with. Thanks.


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Build dates
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:03 am 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7014
Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Cheers all, I've done the Web search prior to ordering a full heritage certificate. It looks like from April 2019 I can gain historic vehicle status and exception from MOT & Tax. luckily I've got the sprint engine and drive train, not overly modified.
I had funny feeling BL liked to keep cars sat around etc
According to Rafe's numbers, the last Sprint built in 78 was VA30289, confirmation of this is available elsewhere on this forum.

Which would give your car (VA31111) a build date in Jan/Feb 1979 (not 78 as Rafe put)

Which in turn gives you VED exemption on 1/4/2020 and MOT exemption 24 days later on 25/4/2020

It still means your car hung around in a dealer showroom (or the factory carpark) for over a year before it was sold! But this was often the case with late built Dolomites, they were trying to get rid of the last of a pretty obsolete and dated model (hence the limited edition 1500SE) sales were slow and far between towards the end.

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.


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Aye...
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:08 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:39 pm
Posts: 241
Quote:
Quote:
Ar risk of becoming boring, my W reg 1500HL was registered on 1/8/80. When should I be thinking about VED exemption?
Alan
It is worth looking into this Alan,
because your car almost certainly was built in 1979, therefore it is likely to qualify for free VED from April 2020.
(If your car had been registered on or before 7/1/1980 it would automatically qualify from April 2020).

Ian.
The British Motor Museum at Gaydon have confirmed the date of manufacture of my 1500 as Friday 25th April 1980, by fluke coincidence the same date as the original poster's Sprint was registered (previous page).
I paid the £6 on-line last night and received the email response at 10.37am this morning; how's that for speed?
So, by my reckoning I could be motoring VED tax free from July 2020 (is that right?) as my annual road tax always expires at the end of June each year.
Incidentally the car is the "railway Dolomite" which is pictured on the inside front cover of the current dolly mixture magazine.
Alan


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Aye...
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:51 pm 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7014
Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Ar risk of becoming boring, my W reg 1500HL was registered on 1/8/80. When should I be thinking about VED exemption?
Alan
It is worth looking into this Alan,
because your car almost certainly was built in 1979, therefore it is likely to qualify for free VED from April 2020.
(If your car had been registered on or before 7/1/1980 it would automatically qualify from April 2020).

Ian.
The British Motor Museum at Gaydon have confirmed the date of manufacture of my 1500 as Friday 25th April 1980, by fluke coincidence the same date as the original poster's Sprint was registered (previous page).
I paid the £6 on-line last night and received the email response at 10.37am this morning; how's that for speed?
So, by my reckoning I could be motoring VED tax free from July 2020 (is that right?) as my annual road tax always expires at the end of June each year.
Incidentally the car is the "railway Dolomite" which is pictured on the inside front cover of the current dolly mixture magazine.
Alan
Sorry mate, but 1980 build date and 1/8/80 DOFR gives you MOT exemption on 1/8/2020 and VED exemption as of 1/4/2021

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.


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Build dates
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:24 pm 
Offline
TDC West Mids Area Organiser
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:13 pm
Posts: 13317
Location: Over here...can't you see me?
Quote:
According to Rafe's numbers, the last Sprint built in 78 was VA30289, confirmation of this is available elsewhere on this forum.

Which would give your car (VA31111) a build date in Jan/Feb 1979
You have your extrapolation wrong there Mate. The last VA (31188) was built on 31 August 1979, so as I posted earlier, 31111, only 77 cars earlier, is likely to be July/August '79. They didn't build 800+ Sprints in Jan/Feb '79


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: Build dates
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:45 am 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7014
Location: Highley, Shropshire
Quote:
Quote:
According to Rafe's numbers, the last Sprint built in 78 was VA30289, confirmation of this is available elsewhere on this forum.

Which would give your car (VA31111) a build date in Jan/Feb 1979
You have your extrapolation wrong there Mate. The last VA (31188) was built on 31 August 1979, so as I posted earlier, 31111, only 77 cars earlier, is likely to be July/August '79. They didn't build 800+ Sprints in Jan/Feb '79
Guilty as charged! I somehow decided that 30289 and 31111 were only 22 cars apart rather than the 722 which is correct! Must be getting old! In my defence, I had just got back from RBRR when I wrote that! The gist is good though, no way is 31111 a 78 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.


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page Previous 1 2

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: AhrefsBot [Bot], Amazon [Bot], Majestic-12 [Bot] and 33 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited