Sprint VA9166DL is reborn (Aussie)

[Sprinting]

Well after looking at it on the way in and out of the garage the reno begins. Had the engine running for quite awhile now and it sounds good but need the common things like oil, filter, plugs, leads etc the carbs are shot but I have a fantastic second set I brought in a job lot to go on.

The roof has a bit of surface rust under what is left of the vynal roof which when I got into it revealed a few little holes that straingly turned into bigger holes when you prod them with a screwdriver to find some good steel.

Cooling system flushed of what I can think of some 20 years of Perth water, the amount of crap that came out was sickening but new water and run up and she is all clean.
Heater tap is stuffed so the whole thing will have to come out and be freed up and cleaned.

Had to pull the clock out as it was playing up and draining the battery as it did not work and as I had another one from the job lot I gave it a go and guess what it works!!!! That must be some first for dolly clocks.

Other than that still cant decide on which colour to paint was thinking Vermillion as I havnt seen one out here that colour, as the car is black now the wife had a great idea to keep it black and paint the roof silver not sure how that will look but at least she is into the sprint......till she figures out how much it will all cost!!!!

[straylight]

a working clock ?

good to hear Paul and good luck with the resto. Take lots of pics.

stu

[Nick C]

Good to hear

I was over in Perth a couple of weeks ago, saw a couple of Dollys being shown off in Guildford, along with a nice selection of other Triumphs

[SPRINTPARTS]

As a matter of interest do you know when this car was imported into Australia? All the Leyland Australia imported cars (620) were brought in between July 1975 and June 1976, (in Mimosa). Earliest body number is >VA15000 and last < VA20400.

Regards

Mark

[Sprinting]

No idea when it landed here I wonder if there is anyway to trace it this end?? Ive got the wifes old man on the case in the UK to find the cars original rego and details like that but is running into a few walls. One of the guys over here think as its a early car that it might have come over for BL Australia to evaluate but how to find evidence of this I have no idea.

Ive got the dash out now and it all green behind so pretty sure the code is correct. Also the car is exempt from a complience plate so it must have it our shores sometime before all the BL Aussie ones landed or before they started issuing private import plates.

[Sprinting]

Well got into it a little today got all the vynal roof off pretty sure the last time the paint was seen was at the factory. Of course when you get into it a little you start to find holes.....only 2 and should not be too hard to fix then get ready for some paint so I can get the old girl registered. Other than that had a better look at the car today as I work nights it is hard to get any decent time on the car, found that the speedo went to 280 which I think is a bit unrealistic and looks nothing like the other 2 I have in stock.


I can only wish she will go that high!!!!!!!


Hole at the front

Hole at the back

Those water fights with the kids really cut into time with the dolly!!!!

[TahitiSPRINT]

Hi, judging by the pictures of the roof, I'm pretty sure your Sprint used to be Emerald Green (code 65).

In this link you'll find some pictures.

It's a rare colour and classy too, only available in 1974 and 1975.

Good luck with the resto!


Cheers,

[Sprinting]

Thanks for that now it makes the colour choice that much harder, I was all set to change it to vermillion but if it is a rarer colour then it might have to go green again. Any idea how many sprints were that colour??

[Toledo Man]

What's that plate on your Nissan? Are you a West Ham fan by any chance?

[Sprinting]

Yes mate a small reminder for me for all those weekends screaming from the Bobby Moore stand from when I lived in the UK. I have just ordered a smaller front plate so I can move them over to the Dolly when she becomes registered as there is a Millwall fan down the road who gives the wife evil looks everytime he sees the car.

[straylight]

nice pic of the water fight paul

welding up the roof will need the headlining removed

Not that it is a hard job, just time consuming and easy to damage the lining.

have a good look around the 3 vents at the tail end of the roof and the join between the C pillars and the roof. The other bad spot I found was the A pillar where it joins the main body.

Good progress so far, well done.

stu

[Sprinting]

Come up with a better solution now she is going I be taken apart and then taken to the soda boasters had quote today for $1500 then I can work my metal magic. I've taken a leaf out of sprint parts book and she is off to tafe to be sprayed if I can get it all done in time and back to me for June I can spend the winter putting her back together. And while she is away recon all the other bits.

[Sprinting]

Well not much been happening out here as we are deciding to move house or stay put so the only thing that has happened as I have removed the badges. No photos required for that activity.

But I have been busy on the computer, I have found out the original reg from the UK it is GVW 156N according to the DVLA on there simple search it has a date of liability of the 1/1/1989 not too sure what that means but against the export box it is marked N which is strange as it now lives in Australia. It is also listed as black so it must have been painted over there and then made the trip.

Anybody out there know anything about my car while it was in the UK????

[Toledo Man]

According to the plate it started life in Essex/Chelmsford. The last two letters of the registration tells you where the car was registered. Can you local rego office help? Maybe you could get in touch with the DVLA. (I doubt you'd be able to request the registered keeper history by sending them £5 and a completed V888) The only other alternative would be to get a Heritage certificate which would give you the build records for your car when it rolled off the production line in Canley.

[Howard81]

Maybe you could get in touch with the DVLA. (I doubt you'd be able to request the registered keeper history by sending them £5 and a completed V888)

A V888 will basically give you the complete DVLA history printout. However, your car is no longer UK registered which might confuse them Worth a shot though, as you can prove the car is what it is by the VIN..

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItO ... G_10016794

Great project btw