Two years ago I was bitten by the Sprint bug when I installed a Sprint engine in a restored 1981 TR7 convertible. I always regretted selling that car, and felt I made a huge mistake as it was being driven off my block. But I never had full confidence in the engine.
In a few days, tha very same car will be driven back on my block -- yes I have just bought back my old car, first time I have ever bought the same car twice.
It's the TR7 Sprint on the world-wide TR7-TR8 club website, a silver 1981 car.
Only now it is going in for a massive upgrade. I am going to yank out the evil Rimmers Bros. rebuilt engine and put in my spare Sprint engine that I built last winter.
It's bored .40 over, has new Hepolite pistons, it's ported and polished, balanced and blueprinted and is the best engine I could make using as many new parts as I could find.
Now I can say my toybox is really full. I have to be the only man on this side of the planet with A TR7 Sprint and a Dolomite Sprint.
Life is good.
Richard Truett
A new and different Sprint for my collection
... Still Sprintless.
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USASPRINTMAN
, if poss'-
canuck
TR7 sprint
Richard, I live on the westcoast of Canada and have a 1977 LHD sprint in our Triumph car club here we have a member with a TR7 spider who was looking at a rimmer bros sprint motor are there problems.
There is a motor and head on ebay US for sale does not look to good but asking $1275 and $875 out of Virgina.
Denis
There is a motor and head on ebay US for sale does not look to good but asking $1275 and $875 out of Virgina.
Denis
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USASPRINTMAN
Denis:
I have read in various places that Rimmer rebuilds are iffy and spotty in quality. They have a huge selection of parts, and maybe they should stick selling them instead of offering rebuilds.
I bought a Sprint engine on eBay 2 years ago from a British pilot who bought a fully reconditioned Rimmers engine. I don't know how he used the motor, but he said it had next to no miles on it before some thugs with baseball bats destroyed his TR7.
Because Rimmers use the crappy aftermarket bearings instead of Vandervells, I had problems with rods making strange noises. I had problems with the timing chain. The valves were out of adjustment. The engine was a mess, in short.
Better to collect the parts from club members and build your own Sprint engine up from a TR7 block, as I did. It took awhile to find a new and proper set of NOS factory pistons, and they were expensive, but I built the best engine possible these days using original factory parts.
Always use Vandervell bearings. Don't put anything else in there.
Richard Truett
I have read in various places that Rimmer rebuilds are iffy and spotty in quality. They have a huge selection of parts, and maybe they should stick selling them instead of offering rebuilds.
I bought a Sprint engine on eBay 2 years ago from a British pilot who bought a fully reconditioned Rimmers engine. I don't know how he used the motor, but he said it had next to no miles on it before some thugs with baseball bats destroyed his TR7.
Because Rimmers use the crappy aftermarket bearings instead of Vandervells, I had problems with rods making strange noises. I had problems with the timing chain. The valves were out of adjustment. The engine was a mess, in short.
Better to collect the parts from club members and build your own Sprint engine up from a TR7 block, as I did. It took awhile to find a new and proper set of NOS factory pistons, and they were expensive, but I built the best engine possible these days using original factory parts.
Always use Vandervell bearings. Don't put anything else in there.
Richard Truett
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canuck
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Dollyboy
I bought some bits from a guy i won on ebay a while back, he knows someone who had a rimmers engine (dont remember what engine or what car) which was also riddled with problems.
its bizarre to think that a company who specialise in triumphs could make such a rough job of such an important part of a vehicle, but I guess with so many stories of similar experiences you would have to question it.
in rimmers defence, in my experience, rimmers have gone out of their way to put problems right (although my experiences with them have generally been buying parts and finding they dont fit correctly etc), and while probably one of the biggest, they are not the only supplier of parts and engine rebuilds etc out there. unfortunately you overseas guys are more limited in terms of options i guess...
its bizarre to think that a company who specialise in triumphs could make such a rough job of such an important part of a vehicle, but I guess with so many stories of similar experiences you would have to question it.
in rimmers defence, in my experience, rimmers have gone out of their way to put problems right (although my experiences with them have generally been buying parts and finding they dont fit correctly etc), and while probably one of the biggest, they are not the only supplier of parts and engine rebuilds etc out there. unfortunately you overseas guys are more limited in terms of options i guess...
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koksyhove
Yep, I second that. Bought a new "dolomite seatbelt" which was merely a seatbelt that fits about 100 different cars and was nothing like the dolomite seatbelt- didnt even have the wiring for the fasten belts light.Dollyboy wrote:Ialthough my experiences with them have generally been buying parts and finding they dont fit correctly etc
Also bought a brand new reproduction front Sprint spoiler made from fibreglass. I don't know what spoiler they moulded it off, but the shape was completely wrong and would never have fitted in a million years. What were the original spoilers made from?
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Yellow Banana
- TDC Member
- Posts: 470
- Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:40 pm
- Location: Plymouth,Devon
Rimmers rebuilds
With the problems I've had with rebuilt Rimmers Sprint engines in the past I should be one of the first to criticise them but, have you paused to think that it isn't them who rebuild engines but some sub-contractor nearby? That said, then Rimmers should really be looking to improve the quality of the rebuild either by more stringent standards or introducing random checks of rebuilds or switching to another builder - but that would probably up the rebuild costs if you're looking to get a more reliable build quality. As the old saying goes - yer get wot yer pays for!
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northlincsguy
have you seen the guy in Lincoln selling on eBay brand new 1850 blocks for £25, almost tempted to get one just to pop in the back of the garage but when would you need a 1850 block (you watch me put a hole in this replacement engine I'm fitting this week), plus do agree with about rimmers but will also say they are not the cheapest but to pop in and ask for a left hand screw thread grommet and 99% of the time its in stock, just keep scouring eBay and pick up original items, got the under dash crash pad for a dolly the other month for about a fiver to replace mine with a small tear brand new in stanpart packing, guy had spelt dolomite wrong LOL
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canuck
Alun, thanks for the offer, I will hold off fo now as there is a sprint in Ontario and the fellow there has many parts including a lot of body parts. He was a member quite awhile ago but car has been under restoration for many years and now stalled due to health.
Saw the car 6 yrs ago may plan on visiting in spring to buy car and parts if price is right.
I also should be in the UK again next year, see family and possible take in a car event. Went to Monterrey Historics plus Pebble Beach Concours.
Safe sking
Denis
Saw the car 6 yrs ago may plan on visiting in spring to buy car and parts if price is right.
I also should be in the UK again next year, see family and possible take in a car event. Went to Monterrey Historics plus Pebble Beach Concours.
Safe sking
Denis