'77 Dolly 1300

[captain_70s]

Here she is, my Dolly, bought and collected today.





A few dings and dent here and there, a bit of rust on the rear arches and wing tips but overall a solid little car. Brooklands Green with a brown vinyl interior, has a radio but it's a modern one.
Was one owner from new and lived in Coventry until the early 2000s when the car was SORN'd for a year and then sold on. It's had a few owners since then and made it's way up here from Hartlepool with the last one.

I've been bombing around in it this afternoon, it's happiest at 50-55mph, any faster than that it the noise levels get irritating. Steering is good, plenty of feel and hardly any dead space, clutch seems good, handbrake isn't up to much on steep slopes, no unpleasant noises from the suspension, gearbox is good.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with it. Going to be a bit of a light rolling-resto, don't want to over-do it as it is perfectly usable in it's current state.

Current "to do" list in no particular order:

Refurb the carb and do a basic service.
Replace the radio with something more period.
Replace the door mirror and radio aerial with better units.
Sort out the wipers so they park lower.
Re-aim the windscreen washers.
Sort out rusty rear wheel arches.
Sort out rusty wing tips.
Buy furry dice.
See if I can restore the paint to a certain degree.

[grifterkid]

That looks really very nice indeed... Simplicity is the key with these old brutes so your approach seems perfect Do keep us posted on any developments...!

[sprint95m]

Well done for buying Waddy's car.
I think you have made a good purchase.






Ian.

[Toledo Man]

I wondered who bought it.

Welcome to Dolomite ownership. Keep us posted on your progress and please donm't hesitate to ask any questions you may have.

[lazeruspete]

where were the pics taken? looks cornwall-esque

[PeteH]

Lovely clean example, drove one of these 20 years ago, as an everyday car for nearly 4 years, my present classic is the exact same but it is original and unrestored with genuine low mileage. Both cars the same as yours, same year (1977), Brooklands Green with light brown vinyl interior. I do remember one difference though, the Dolly 1300 I had 20 yrs ago had the 3 spoke steering wheel with the 'Dolomite' boss, and a rectangular number plate lamp, whereas my present Dolly has the thin-rim steering wheel with the BL logo and two separate globe shaped number plate lamps. Would be interested to know your engine/chassis numbers for comparison. On a work PC so have no pics handy to post! Best of luck with it, it is a nice comfortable drive, but as you say, 50 - 55 mph is enough, bot for noise and the fact that it is not fair to the little 1300 motor to thrash it at high revs!

[WaddyinMoray]

Glad that you got home with Her okay. The pics look really good and good luck with the "resto". I'll maybe see her at the shows next year when I've jumped ship to the "Rootes" stable, Mark.

[TahitiSPRINT]

Nice car! Did you know your registration number is interesting as some of the development TR7 Sprints and TR7V8 coupes are in the same series? The ones I know of:

WAC 253S TR7 Sprint
WAC 271S TR7 Sprint
WAC 272S TR7V8 coupe
WAC 273S TR7 Sprint
WAC 274S TR7 Sprint
WAC 275S TR7V8 coupe




So your Dolly could very well have been an ex-BL staff car or something like that


Good luck with your car!

[captain_70s]

Thanks everyone.

where were the pics taken? looks cornwall-esque

At a local beach here on the North East coast between Banff and Fraserburgh.

So your Dolly could very well have been an ex-BL staff car or something like that

Well, it was 1st registered to the BL Drivetrain Division and then immediately onto the first owner who lived in Coventry, so being a staff car would make sense.

I've used the Triumph a fair old bit the last two days. Was following a new BMW through slushy hail today and he unsersteered into the harbour barriers at the end of my street. Obviously the Dolly had no such problem.


One thing I have noticed is it seems to blow soot out of the exhaust if revved up a bit, might be running too rich?

[Dolly-Nut]

Either rich or cold. They do this when cold with the choke out usually, but only a bit.
Dollys are great in the snow/ice! Probably better than rain tbh...

[Jon Tilson]

Sorry but dolomites are not good on snow....
You have a slightly nose heavy but rwd car....so the least pwerful 1300 is probably the best in the range on snow...

Winter tyres will make a big difference but you need to be careful in hilly areas. Engine braking at the rear wheels is to be avoided at all costs or you will swap ends...so down hill its top or neutral and cadence braking....on off on off in quick succession...off when you feel the wheels loosing grip. Dont steer under braking either. Brakes off and steer with rotating wheels and that may get you round that obstacle when you cant stop in time.
Fwd cars have a huge advantage in snow.....

Fun in a snowy car park though....

[Aar0sc]

Excellent, rather proud of you Ant, you've finally manned up and bitten the bullet! Will stop all the Toyota taunting now

Hope it pans out well for you, if you're anything like me you'll end up taking the Triumph for everything!

And find an empty car park (gravel'll be fine) and spend ten minutes acting like a tosser and sliding. Practise catching it, and how it reacts on a low traction surface at low speed. If you loose the back end at high speed you'll be much better prepared to catch it again!

Good Luck! Aa

[lazeruspete]

where were the pics taken? looks cornwall-esque

At a local beach here on the North East coast between Banff and Fraserburgh.

nowhere near cornwall then!

[MIG Wielder]

Well, it was 1st registered to the BL Drivetrain Division and then immediately onto the first owner who lived in Coventry, so being a staff car would make sense.

Now that is very interesting as I have SWK a Dolomite 1850 which was the original B.L. CVT test-bed car ! I suspect this was also the BL drive-train division.
It has a lot of history that came with it including photos and reprints of the original B.L. technical spec;
It has since been converted back to a 4-speed overdrive box but all the original add-on parts are still there like the extra starter solenoid and the relay bases in the boot for the control electronics.
Do you have a similar history file with the car ?
Do you have signs of extra add-on bits down by the exhaust manifold or right at the back of the boot ?
I did hear that there was a possible 2nd CVT test-bed car . I wonder if this is yours ?
For instance SWK has a lot of early features on it ( bumpers, trim ) but wasn't road registered until 1977 having spent 2 years running round Gaydon and MIRA.
I used to have a contact at one of the London Universities who was very much involved with the CVT developments, is it O.K. if I ask him about your car as well ?
Cheers for now,
Tony.

[2F45T4U]

Looks good in brooklands and the rim embelishers suit it.

I'll be pulling a Radiomobile LW MW radio out of my Dolly soon if you want it?