DECISIONS,DECISIONS

[stokieat75]

I have viewed a 1500hl earlier this week that is for sale, it is a 1980 example and has done 40000 miles, it is in Paegent Blue with a Beige interior which is in very good condition. The body condition is very good, all the usual Dolomite rot spots are ok, the inner front panel and eyebrow is very solid as well, the wings and front panel too the only bad bit I have seen is there is 2 holes the size of a 2 pound coin in each rear inner arch towards the bottom of it which is an easy repair. I would have taken pictures on my phone but the battery was too run down.

There is surface rust on the floor pan which is the blue body colour no signs of any underseal/wax but a wire brush and treatment would sort that out and the door bottoms good, the rear arches are quite good, the offside having slight corrosion but otherwise good. So what is my hesitation you may ask? well it was last on the road in 1993 according to the tax on the screen, so has stood for 20 years, it wont run although that is to be expected, a new battery is needed, the hydraulics are shot on both clutch and brakes and the tyres are perished, so it needs a fair bit of work as in a thorough going over front to back, plus I think why was it taken off the road and could there be something wrong with the car mechanically, also I need to get it transported 60 miles to home and then pay for a council lock up to keep it in, the seller wants 1200 for it and is not a Dolomite fan so just wants it sold, he had to buy it off the original owners as it was included in a job lot as it were.

So it may cost me getting on for £2000 by the time I have finished getting it roadworthy and mot'd so is a 1500hl going to be worth spending that sum of money on? although the body says it may very well be worth it, I don't know for sure.

[SprintMWU773V]

Ian

I think you'd also be advised to budget for an engine rebuild on a car that's stood for so long. Miles might be low but chances are condensation will have crept into the bores. Hydraulics are easy to sort and minor bodywork is not too expensive or difficult to do.

With so little known about the car I wouldn't give more than a grand for it personally. That'll pay for your transport home and a few weeks of garage rental.

[maximus]

You can get them for that with tax and mot

[maximus]

How about one of these ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/triumph-1500- ... 58a16a5a4a
Or a bid on this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 5141496856
Or buy this outright http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C385633
Or even repatriate this one http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C386921
Would be a lovely trip back home with your new car

[Jon Tilson]

If the bloke wants 12 large for a heap thats been stood since 93 that doesnt run and has shot hydraulics and brakes i'd like some of what he is smoking.

I only want a grand for a 1300 with HL interior and a years ticket and 5 months tax.

Walk away...a very long way away.

Offer him 200 quid tops.

Jonners

[stokieat75]

So it seems the opinion is it is not worth buying even thought it has a very good body I know that there are values to go by and each car is looked at on its own merit so I suppose that it is a bit top heavy at £1200 for a non runner so I will have to speak the seller and see if we can come to an arrangement over it, it does seem a shame to pass up a car with such a good shell however if its going to be too expensive then I will let it go. I will say I have seen 1500 dollys advertised for anything between £2-3000 and they are in v good condition I wonder if they sell for what they are advertised.

[SprintMWU773V]

The value in this car is the body but the relative cost of recommissioning cannot be ignored. I think very good 1500's ar easily worth decent money but colour, mechanical and body condition are key not to mention the all important od gearbox.

[Carledo]

Jonners is a great guy with a wealth of knowledge but I wouldn't trust him TOO much on prices, he bought his last one 20 years ago!
A Sprint in that state might be worth a punt at 8-900 but a 1500? Unless its exceptional I would say 550 tops.
There have been a couple of VERY tidy, provenanced, low mileage cars offered for sale recently for significantly higher than normal prices, as you say, 2-3k, whether they sold for that we can only guess, its like selling the best house in the street, nobody wants to go that high!
There's a tidy-ish Pageant one going in the cars for sale section which will probably need much less re-commissioning than that one, and only 500 or 550 which seems about right to me.

Steve

[TrustNo1]

You could buy a working 1500 with MOT and valid Tax disc in the screen for similar money.

Although it has been stood since 1993 doesn't mean it will need an engine rebuilt but you will likely need new bushes all round, ball joint, CV and steering joint boots, brakes, fuel lines, tyres, coolant hoses as well as good service, oh and an MOT and taxing so a few hundred is around the right price imo.

[stokieat75]

I realise it will cost a bit have worked it out roughly tonight as it would be between 3-400 pounds to get the work done so yes it would be better to buy a car that was already roadworthy for 1600 and i daresay reasonable condition too. The 1500 i looked at did not have overdrive either so that counts against it too. So the sellet wants too much probably worth half what he paid as he did not know any better. However the old lady he got it off who was the original owner wanted £3000! and not surprisingly did not sell it and this guy bought it 6 months later earlier this year

[TrustNo1]

Without seeing a recent MOT fail ticket you would be taking a very big risk.

[Jon Tilson]

Yes Carledo is right I havent actually bought a dolomite for ages.

The last half dozen I was given for free....all now back on the road and with new owners on here in all but 1 case. PLL owner never did join us....

So I really dont see why anyone would pay stupid money for a car that doesnt run.

Jonners

[SandglowISnice!]

... I can vouch for the 1500HL that Chris Festus has which I went to see yesterday morn
- nearly bought myself if I did'nt already have one very expensive wallet-sapping project already...!

It has a near perfect shell, one tiny spot of welding needed, but the needs serious attention - easy engine swap to Sprint ( which I was thinking of) or another cheap/running 1500 lump - very easy resto, and you would have a fantastic shell/show car basis..? - oh did I forget to mention it's around £475...?
...rescue it now before the dreaded he-who-shall-not-be-named buys it and cuts it up for the wings...!

[Jon Tilson]

I thought Chris had pulled it off sale now according to his f-b postings, or is that a different one?

Jonners