The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I'm in the market for something on French plates and preferably LHD. This caught my eye but I was wondering if anyone else had any suggestions.

It would be for occasional use and probably laid up for 3 or 4 months at a time.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

get a 2cv instead, they hold their value are dead easy to fix, you will look no more stupid than you do in a renault, you will have some street cred (not sure why) they handle off road as well as they do on road, the parts are cheap, you can pick up spares cars for peanuts, you will probably get one with a sunroof - full length - for no more than a normal car - there is an established club and they have a funky gearstick and handbrake combo!!

_________________
Previous owner of 42 Dolomite shaped vehicles, 14 Sprints, 12 1850s, 8 1500s, 3 V8s, 3 Toledos and 2 SEs

A friend of my mother used to leave hers unlocked in the street. And rumour has it they will run on potato wine.

David said of a 2CV: I think 'they handle as badly on road as they do off road' might be a better way of putting it?

Leaving it for months at a time you are doing the right thing going for an old car. Modern shite and detritus (computer management etc) will flatten a good battery in about two months. Nor do compters like being disconnected. Seals, injectors, sensors all die from lack of use too.

The French are basically racist about their cars (not as bad as it used to be). Getting anything French looked after is easy, anything else a lot lot harder. I think you are spot on looking at Renault. I mean, who wants a shitroen? Interesting tho it looks the alpine might be a bit specialist to get maintained. Considered a 5? Don't entertain the idea of a Gordini or other hot one tho, it'd get nicked before the engine was cold.

In your position my option list would come down to an early 5 for the reasons above or a beetle because I've never been anywhere in the world and not seen 'em in use. Easily the most globally fixable motor. Yep, those would be the most sensible choices IMHO. But because I'd look forward to driving both these as much as I look forward to my own funeral I'd search for a 1500HL. Your budgets seem to be a bit bigger than mine so why not a sprint? Something you can really look forward to driving. Find an original swiss (or belgian?) and it'll have RHP in the middle of the axle.

I drove an LHD here for years and found it no hinderance at all. French roads are a lot emptier than ours (outside the cities) so it is easier still to drive a foreign there. I'd probably get an English one and sort it out here. I'd register it over there so that it doesn't have to come home for MOT & tax.

Tinweevil

_________________
1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.

Well, there was this.

http://cgi.ebay.fr/Exceptionnelle-Trium ... dZViewItem

A bit over my budget though I think.

I've had a R5 GT Turbo before and it was a massive money pit. Don't think I would go there again even with a base model. Citroen 2cv's are too ugly. R4's are ugly but in a nice way. I think I'll do a bit of random trawling and see what turns up. No immediate rush.

Its interesting to see the French hold onto there Pugs, Renaults and Citroens. They are obviously a nightmare for their own automotive industry.

Thanks for the suggestions. I only want a lhd as you don't get stared at as much. In a rhd on french plates, they still stare at you. Very disconcerting!

2cv is a hateful car; you need to be as skinny as a rake have a silly beard ant not wash to even look half acceptable in one.

Wot you want my son is one of these...

http://cgi.ebay.fr/Sublime-Citroen-SM-M ... dZViewItem

...only bigger!

Those (when they are real ones ) are beautiful cars. Definitely one for the imaginery garage.

Random fact - The engine was later redesigned as a V6 with 6 valves per cylinder - Only weighing 140kg!

They already were a v6!

Track at the rear substantially less than the front...bizarre. Superb. Drove one once, but not in 'anger', the owner wouldn't let me!

What Goes Wrong?
The Citroen SM is one complex car. There is simply no getting away from this fact. Buy a cheap car and you will spend a fortune fixing things.

Here follows a list of the common faults and what they cost to rectify at today’s prices.

Sodium filled valve tips rust and break with DIRE consequences IF the car has not been driven in last six months. New stainless steel parts = £300 +VAT, labour between £1,000 and £1,500 +VAT.
Timing chain problem cured with Renolds version with proper tensioners. New parts = £300 +VAT, labour between £900 and £1,200 +VAT. (Retensioning still needed every 6,000 miles; 3,000 miles if driven hard.)
Oil pump quill shaft often breaks – too thin! Thicker, deeper version now available. New parts = £45 +VAT, labour between £1,000 and £1,500 +VAT. Much cheaper if engine being stripped down.
Fuel pipes get brittle with age and neglect. Also injectors suffer. Kit of pipes and improved Bosch 043 type injectors = £100 +VAT per injector x6 = £600, labour between £200 and £300.
Main oil cooler pipes (which run right to back of oil pump). New parts = £110 +VAT x2 = £220, labour between £70 and £100 +VAT. LEAVE THIS JOB AND A £7,000 NEW ENGINE BILL RESULTS!
Clutch; (should last 40 – 60,000 miles). Total for job between £600 +VAT and £900 +VAT.
Rusting windscreen surround (screen glued in). New screen = £200 +VAT, sorting rust between £800 and £1,200 +VAT.

_________________
2009 Mini Clubman Cooper S Daily Driver.
1980 Dolomite Sprint with a touch of BLTS
Balanced Lightened and Tweaked 13B Rotary and SuperCharged.
Back in my possession 22 September 2019.
Rebuilding the Sprint time taken so far, 111Hrs@15/12/2020
212Hrs @31/12/2021
352 @ 28/11/2022
455Hrs @ 20/10/2023
480Hrs @ 14/03/2024
This is time taken at the Sprint not necessary time worked.

Working on a ratio of just 7Hrs a day not including driving to the Sprint.
That equals to 68 days that doesn’t include weekends.
Member TDC no 0471

Project 13B Sprint now back on.

The R4 is a safe bet, less likely to end up dead in one than in a 2cv as well which is always a bonus!

you could always go mental and get one of these!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Renault-Alpine-A3 ... dZViewItem

its no safe bet but the fun of driving an alpine...i think you should go for it ----but then I kinda like driving 2cvs so what do I know.

_________________
Previous owner of 42 Dolomite shaped vehicles, 14 Sprints, 12 1850s, 8 1500s, 3 V8s, 3 Toledos and 2 SEs

They're great, Dad's been looking at buying one of those, but more interested in the turbo versions, or some of the 610s.

Problem is you do actually have to buy TWO, one to drive, the other for spares....not such a great thing







Schwing!

What do you mean 'go mental'? I thought you knew me better than that!

I think you might have tapped into a long lost memory I had of driving my MGBGT South along the A1 near Grantham, this was in 1994. I came off the roundabout and saw an A310 in front of me so I floored all 1800cc's, the Alpine did the same and it resembled a bullet out of a gun. I was gobsmacked. I hadn't seen anything that quick before!

I'll have to look into these now. Besides, it looks like they provide something for the Ladies just to the left of the passenger seat.



Citroen SM's remind me a bit of a backwards shopping troley, I'm sure the Maserati variant is gorgeous to drive.

Any thoughts on A310 repair bills Phil?

ahh the old 310 made windows out of perspex for one for a friend of mine years ago glued them in a bit of a job to get them to curve round but was ok when it was done (unavailable over here at the time) basta** vandals very nice interior but to get bits back then was nigh imposible did lots of engine and suspension work (bushes etc) good little thing to drive virtually unseen on the roads around here

You need your bumps felt if you go for one of these. Yeah they go fast but not nearly as fast as your wallet. Who here is better qualified than Phil on that? Not I fir sure. Isn't it a more recent incarnation of the boat anchor V6 as in the thing with no paint? At least that has cool.

FFS if you really want to blow what it'll take to live with one of these bung the money my way instead. I'll keep half, use the other half to buy you that french sprint and in two years time when you sell it you'll get back twice the cash you'd have got from the Renaff. Everyones a winner.

Just my humble of course.
Tinweevil

_________________
1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.