The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Did the Police forces ever use Dolomite Sprints in full Police trim, i.e including the stripes down the side, lights etc?

I can only recall seeing unmarked Sprint Police cars, I suppose many forces favoured either the Rover 3500 P6 or Triumph's 2.5 Pi during the early to mid 1970s.

Steve

There was an interview with a retired policeman in Triumph World (some years ago?) who drove a Sprint. I will see if I can find said article and post info tomorrow.

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1850




Lots of Sprints

Sussex based Howard Bowles had 'LCD 63P' a pimento red unmarked sprint. somes years back he said it was going to fully restored. I last saw it a few years back on a low loader. I assume it was going to his workshop. I think its a car that he would never part with, as I seem to recall him saying his old man was an ex-policeman who used to drive a unmarked sprint. so theres some history with it. Would be nice to see it back on the scene.

Neil

used them....
but I think a few were put off after one spun out and killed an officer. There was lots of correspondance in Autocar at the time about fiddling with tyre pressures...the offending car had them set around 30 and spun on a wet road IIRC

The 2.5PI was tha fuzz barge of choice at the time...as was the 3500S P6 despite the weak gearboxes.

Then they were all replaced by Volvo 240's in hampshire, which were quite easy to outrun.

Jonners

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Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

Does anyone know if the Police still used the 1850 Dolly after the Sprint came out in June '73?

Steve

and it is a pimento red Sprint LCD63P. The article is from April/May 1995.
(As already mentioned by Blacksprint) at that time this car was owned by Howard Bowles and, although it was roadworthy being his wife's everyday car, he intended to carry out a full restoration.

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A mate of mine ex Nottinghamshire plod says they had sprint squad cars. He reckons they were the first and possibly the only force to have them. The black and white pics posted above are simillar to one's he's shown me, from a police memories website.
Andy.

It does make you wonder why more Police forces around the country didn't elect to use the Sprint?

Especially with them having four doors and terrific acceleration, particuarly in their day.

I remember some forces even used GT6 Police cars!

Steve

The nottingham constabulary used dolomite sprints and 2000s.... There's BL promotion material showing them.... take a look at:

http://www.nottscops.co.uk update: site is now down. Copied images from my blog:

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Tjakko Kleinhuis

1973 sapphire sprint
1976 honeysuckle RHD sprint (for sale!)
1973 pimento (now BRG) 1850

Imagine being chased by one of these in their hey day, time to panic.

Steve

Having missed out on something similar stored in a Rugby back street lock up some ten years back, I now own the bodyshell and ID of a former Police Sprint...none of the ad ons came with it I'm afraid and its quite inoccuous.

The one in Rugby is still there as far as I know...the owner asked me to make an offer which obviously wasn't enough, the old boy who owned it was getting on a bit and I had to negotiate through his son...bit of an arse.

The Nottingham Constabulary used them... they used to have a website with nice piccies (see my earlier post) but they took it down because I think the Chief didn't like some personal comments on the discussion forum...
Anyway, I still have some nice photo's:

BL publicity shot


A "sprint" between a sprint and a sprinter


...this is what a police dolly sprint looks like after a bus hits it...

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Tjakko Kleinhuis

1973 sapphire sprint
1976 honeysuckle RHD sprint (for sale!)
1973 pimento (now BRG) 1850

My money would be on the man to beat the car as the latter appears to have no driver?

Do any Police Sprints (marked or unmarked) still exist...?!

It'd be great if so...!!!