Dolomite 1300 1977

[DHK Dolomite]

Hello everyone. i am new here due to just purchasing myself a cracking little 1300 Dolomite.
Some of you may be familiar with this car as the guy i bought it off posted on here quite a bit. He called the car Napolean Dolomite i think.
You guys where all kind enough to offer him help and advice on various issues i believe.
This is my first Dolomite, i am traditionally a Mini man, so i may need a little help as my knowledge is a little limited.
My last restoration was a 84 roundnose Mini which i re built with the grinder and the Mig as you do with Mini's. So i fancied a change this time. I have always had a soft spot for anything 70's BL ( I know, i know, i am of sane mind, i promise)
I have always loved the Dolomite Sprint its a fantastic looking car and is so British looking, however my funds wouldnt stretch to one at the moment so i set about scouring the Bay looking for a 1300, 1500 or even a rough 1850 HL with the idea of creating a Sprint look a like. However when i clasped eyes on my new little 1300, it had so much original charm and charisma i immediately changed my mind and decided to restore it as Triumph intended.
I only collected her yesterday but first impressions are good i think it will only need a light restoration, she seems very solid overall apart from a bit of bog here and there.
Jimmy, a really nice guy by the way took it off the road in 2012 so she hasnt been laid up to long.
So today has been spent clearing the garage and giving DHG 647 S a quick once over to get an idea of whats required for MOT as i intend to restore slowly as i use her.
First glance tells me the following problems need attention
Exhaust needs replacing
Sill needs welding or replacing not sure till i get through the bog
Seat belts dont lock for some reason?
Breaks feel hard (Possibly servo issues )
and O/S indicator doesnt flash
I will post a couple of pics
One thing that does scare me compared with my Mini adventures are price and availabilty of parts, i think i was spoiled a little with the mini as it was so easy to source new and used bits. So if anyone could point me in the direction of spares at affordable prices it would be greatly appreciated, i.e an exhaust first off.
Well thats all for now, thanks for reading

[Edin Dundee]

Welcome and thanks for looking after the Dolly.
Sill - from the club.
Exhaust - if you need a full system and intend keeping the car, go stainless - again through the club.
Hopefully others can help with the other parts.

[DHK Dolomite]

Welcome and thanks for looking after the Dolly.
Sill - from the club.
Exhaust - if you need a full system and intend keeping the car, go stainless - again through the club.
Hopefully others can help with the other parts.

Hi Bill, thanks for the advice. I do intend keeping her but after purchase costs S/S exhaust might be out of range at the moment.
I will be paying membership in the next few days so i will get a sill through the club.
Need to get it up on the ramp this week and have a proper nosey underneath. Although from what i see from lying in the road in a puddle she seems pretty solid

[Toledo Man]

Welcome to the forum. The photos you've attached are a bit small. I suggest that you use a hosting site such as Photobucket or Flickr and then you can post your links. There's a guide elsewhere on this forum. I've got the parts catalogue and workshop manual in PDF format to cover the Dolly 1300. There's a section in the Dolly Wiki HERE which covers the indicators. I'd like to fit a stainless steel exhaust but I've got a rotten subframe mount to deal with first.

[DHK Dolomite]

Welcome to the forum. The photos you've attached are a bit small. I suggest that you use a hosting site such as Photobucket or Flickr and then you can post your links. There's a guide elsewhere on this forum. I've got the parts catalogue and workshop manual in PDF format to cover the Dolly 1300. There's a section in the Dolly Wiki HERE which covers the indicators. I'd like to fit a stainless steel exhaust but I've got a rotten subframe mount to deal with first.

Hi Toledo Man
Thanks for link and the advice. You will know this car well, Jimmy from Bradford who i bought her from sent me a link to his threads on here from around 2011 and after reading through them, i see you had quite a bit of involvement helping him with various issues.
As i say i am a virgin Dolomite owner so may be coming for a bit of help myself if thats ok?
I have taken some more pictures this morning and put them on Flickr so i will upload next. Hopefully they will be bigger.
I am at work at the moment but being as its Christmas the day job is on hold while i fuss round the Dolly, i have given her a bath and the more i look around her the more i feel i have the makings of a great little classic which wont require hours and hours of grinding and welding.
I am hoping to get the MOT issues addressed over the holidays, money permitting and get her road legal then over the coming months slowly tackle the cosmetic items.
There does appear to be a fair bit of bog been applied over time and the paint work is beyond T. Cut so i plan to get that sorted and hopefully re sprayed.
I will keep everyone up dated with regular updates and photos, as i really enjoy reading other members projects and its great to be keeping another classic car on the road and away from thiose pesky Banger boys and hill climbers

[Toledo Man]

I do indeed know the car (I never twigged!). Glad to know it is in good hands. I gave Jimmy a Haynes manual and an indicator/sidelight lens. He recommended a Triumph-friendly MoT tester when I put my 1850 back on the road in 2011 after it spent 2 years in the garage when the previous MoT expired in 2009. Jimmy's thread is HERE which I hope will be of help.

[DHK Dolomite]

I do indeed know the car (I never twigged!). Glad to know it is in good hands. I gave Jimmy a Haynes manual and an indicator/sidelight lens. He recommended a Triumph-friendly MoT tester when I put my 1850 back on the road in 2011 after it spent 2 years in the garage when the previous MoT expired in 2009. Jimmy's thread is HERE which I hope will be of help.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99381604@ ... 9870484551
Yes Jimmy passed on the manual with the car, I think i have uploaded a link with a few pictures on taken this morning.
I'm no Bill Gates so if people can actually view them i will be well impressed

[Toledo Man]

Here we go:

[Carledo]

With regard to your seatbelt problem, a considerable number of these cars were fitted with Kangol "reflex" seatbelts which do not lock when tugged if the car is stationary but DO work when the car is in motion - this is a true "inertia reel" belt. They can be identified by a label on the reel housing.

Steve

[DHK Dolomite]

First off, Steve, thanks for the info regarding the seat belts i will check that out and hopefuly that will be the reason, i did think it was strange that both seat belts failed to lock.
Secondly, Toledo Man, i am not worthy to be in your presence, thankyou for uploading the pics for me.
How the hell did you do that but thanks again.
Well today should be a game changer one way or the other. I am planning to get her up on the ramp at work just to have a proper look underneath and see what how much mig wire, gas and steel plate i will need to order.
I will update later with a few more pictures if i can.

Chris

[oily66]

I remember seeing this around my home town sometime ago.
Good to see it going to a good home.

[NickMorgan]

Well today should be a game changer one way or the other. I am planning to get her up on the ramp at work just to have a proper look underneath and see what how much mig wire, gas and steel plate i will need to order.
I will update later with a few more pictures if i can.

Chris

Good luck. I hope it is good news.

[DHK Dolomite]

I remember seeing this around my home town sometime ago.
Good to see it going to a good home.

Thanks Trevor, great to know you recognise my Dolly!

[DHK Dolomite]

Well today should be a game changer one way or the other. I am planning to get her up on the ramp at work just to have a proper look underneath and see what how much mig wire, gas and steel plate i will need to order.
I will update later with a few more pictures if i can.

Chris

Good luck. I hope it is good news.

Thanks for the encouragement Nick. Ok so today has gone pretty well overall I have had DHG 647 S up on the ramp, well when i say up i mean half up, she is to long to fit on the ramp we have at work by about 6 inch which is a real shame. So with front axle on and strapped tight i lifted her up as high as i could ( she looked a bit like an action shot of the General Lee from the opening credits from Dukes Of Hazzard )
On a brighter note she is pretty solid
The floor pans are good inner sills are ok they have been plated before at the ends and that area is rotten again.
but salvagebale. the sub frame seems good and mounting points seem ok. It desperateljy needs Shultz or waxoyl though
Both outer sills are shot and the exhaust but i already new that to be honest. the bottoms of both front wings are rotten too which is a real pitty as the rest of the wings are really good. So the plan for the holidays, while everyone else is wearing paper hats and pulling crackers i intend to grind out the worst of the rot from the wings and cut out the outer sills. I am hoping i can repair the wings as they seem quite expensive to replace but time will tell.
Thanks to all for the warm welcome i have recieved here. Pics to follow and another update post grinding session
Chris

[DHK Dolomite]

Well today should be a game changer one way or the other. I am planning to get her up on the ramp at work just to have a proper look underneath and see what how much mig wire, gas and steel plate i will need to order.
I will update later with a few more pictures if i can.

Chris

Good luck. I hope it is good news.

Thanks for the encouragement Nick. Ok so today has gone pretty well overall I have had DHG 647 S up on the ramp, well when i say up i mean half up, she is to long to fit on the ramp we have at work by about 6 inch which is a real shame. So with front axle on and strapped tight i lifted her up as high as i could ( she looked a bit like an action shot of the General Lee from the opening credits from Dukes Of Hazzard )
On a brighter note she is pretty solid
The floor pans are good inner sills are ok they have been plated before at the ends and that area is rotten again.
but salvagebale. the sub frame seems good and mounting points seem ok. It desperateljy needs Shultz or waxoyl though
Both outer sills are shot and the exhaust but i already new that to be honest. the bottoms of both front wings are rotten too which is a real pitty as the rest of the wings are really good. So the plan for the holidays, while everyone else is wearing paper hats and pulling crackers i intend to grind out the worst of the rot from the wings and cut out the outer sills. I am hoping i can repair the wings as they seem quite expensive to replace but time will tell.
Thanks to all for the warm welcome i have recieved here. Pics to follow and another update post grinding session
Chris