ebay Sprint

[shaunroche]

Just so you know, I'm bidding on this to completely restore as a standard car...

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... GB&alt=web

Been looking for an early mimosa one for a long time!

[GrahamFountain]

Interesting comment on the chassis number given. I thought the Mimosa ones only went to something less than 2200ish, and the yellow ones later than that were Inca, don't know what chassis number range.

Maybe the seller can't type and meant chassis number less than 250.

Graham

[Edin Dundee]

Pretty sure I've been there, if it's the same place we collected a rotten shell, thought it was a waste of time and money.
In the end the shell has provided an unbelievable amount of spares for 3 dollys! And there's still some bits left.
Can't remember the chaps name, nice bloke, ex club member.
That's if I've got the right place, pretty sure it is.

[shaunroche]

Do you know I was thinking of Athan which is in South Wales so Annan comes as a nice surprise as it's a bit more straight forward to get to should the need arise!

[sprint95m]

Interesting comment on the chassis number given. I thought the Mimosa ones only went to something less than 2200ish, and the yellow ones later than that were Inca, don't know what chassis number range.

Maybe the seller can't type and meant chassis number less than 250.

Graham

Not exactly.
The first 2000 were all Mimosa (as confirmed by official press releases), however Mimosa was also available as a standard colour for three years until the introduction of the
"late" models from 1976.

None of the first 2000 had overdrive although it could have been a dealer option.
Not sure about the radio, that may again have been a dealer option?
The seatbelts are a later type. The dash and tunnel carpet are correct.


Certainly it looks a worthwhile project.



Ian.

[GrahamFountain]

I must admit that's the first I've ever heard that Mimosa was available beyond the first batch, and I though I was quoting Mike Barker viz they were Inca thereafter. Didn't know that none of the first batch were overdriven either. Again, MikeyB's post on spotting an early one certainly implies that only a few of the first 2000 were overdriven, quoting costs as the probable reason for that.

I remember one of the Dutch members telling me the first non-yellow one then (couple three years ago) was in the 2200s and that was magenta. However, I can't find the email thread; must have been deleted. I got the impression there were batches of each colour in 73-4, with no yellow ones till later (and then Inca). Perhaps someone can clarify.

Graham

[shaunroche]

My first Sprint UUW 410M, was registered in August 1973...that was Mimosa with a manual box, non inertia seat belts and non head rest seats... I totally restored that car ground up, put an OD box and head rest seats in it and painted it red......I want to restore an early mimosa one to redress the balance of making a decent early car something it isn't
When I did it in 1989, there were loads of spares about and lots of Sprints so I didn't give it a second thought........I've never forgiven myself!

UUW 410M is still knocking about somewhere though but I can't find where....

[Len Hughes]

My two penny's worth if its any help, apologies in advance if it's not.

The original 20 odd press launch cars that were shipped to Switzerland were all 4 speed non O/D, it's my understanding that the press fleet was replaced with O/D boxed cars in August of that year. Mine is early and 4 speed only but there are early cars with O/D so make of that what you will, it was BL after all.

Mimosa was available on the "phase 1 " cars until late 75 when Inca took over.

Your carpet around the gearlever is correct for an early car.

Early Sprints all had Britax inertia reel with a 5 inch hard plastic piece which you gripped adjacent to the buckle and the central clip was a black block not stalks.

The front overider is from a later car, very early ones had the long rubber insert. There should also be holes in the lower front valance for a bracket to fit between the overider and the chassis leg.

Your thermostat top cover is correct for an early car, take care with the jubilee clip or you will dent the bonnet.

Radio was a dealer fit option I believe, mine does not have one.

Inner headlamps should be 75W, this is marked on the front of the lens.

Wipers should be the Trico speedline wire type as fitted to early Stags.

Vinyl roof should be the seamed type.

Radiator expansion bottle should be metal not plastic.

It's late, I'm old and off to bed with my anorak!

[xvivalve]

Overdrive and sundym glass were factory options from the start, both becoming standard fitment from '75 onwards.

Oddly, only one inner beam was 75W

[Len Hughes]

Hi Alun,

On the Sprint I had new in 73 both inners were 75W, as is VA369 I have today.

Did the brake bits arrive OK, I had an email from a chap with similar MC problems.

Regards

Len

[xvivalve]

Hi Len,

Maybe they realised 2 x 75W was bad for the switch later on? Presumably though, your switch has survived without fault? It was a former dealer employee who PDi'd cars who told me this because he recalled it initially confused him...?

The brake parts did arrive safely thank you, by coincidence Paul Wilbraham called me to report similar problems with his MC between us speaking and your cylinder arriving; I told him you had experienced similar. The problem has quickly been diagnosed under pressure test as faulty seals between the reservoir and the cylinder, not as Paul had wrongly assumed the machining of the bore which is apparently necessary due to the hardness of the 316 stainless compared to the soft alloy of the original bore.

Alun

[GrahamFountain]

I don't remember ever saying that mimosa ended at 2000, definitely continued until 1975.

I just must have misunderstood that part of the converstaion about UVB 274M and the early sprints, when you dropped off the seats that time. That, or I didn't hear the "after 75" or the "was available till 76" part of Mimosa being replaced by Inca. Sorry.

Actually, that clears up loads of stuff that just didn't make any sense till now. Though I would still like to browse through the build records at Gaydon.

Graham

[shaunroche]

What's all this about Alun?

.....similar problems with his MC between us speaking and your cylinder......The problem has quickly been diagnosed under pressure test as faulty seals between the reservoir and the cylinder....Alun

Is this anything to do with the Club supplied recon mastercylinder like the one I bought about 12 months ago perchance?

[GrahamFountain]

Did you get your rear end damage done & car re painted in the end?

Er, well, actually, no. I've been struggling with more fundamental mechanical issues, like trying to solve the bit o' pull to the right. Thought for a while it was the RH front spring being shorter than the left, but couldn't get a replacement set that matched the back ones and didn't want to replace all 4 cos I'm happy with that aspect. So I swapped them over. Still pulls a bit to the right and still seems to be 5 - 10 mm longer in the wheelbase on the left.

Don't think its a good idea to paint the shell and then pull it, but I couldn't find someone to pull the body square, and then the servo diaphragm split on me.

As to the pull to the right, I'm beginning to consider investing in a good strong chain and finding a nice big lamp post. Brum, brum, yank.

But, more seriously, I might see about elongating the rear axle mounting holes and welding washers over to move the left 2.5 - 5 mm frwd, and the right ones 2.5 - 5 mm back. If it's only 2.5 mm each side, I can't see that making a big difference. 5 mm per side, may be more of a problem. 'Spose I could do half on the body and half on the axle ends, but I think I'd rather leave the axle standard. Any suggestions?

On the issue of Mimosa and the later early cars (if that makes sense), did I fully get the wrong end of the stick about there being a period when Mimosa was unavailable after the first 2000 cars?

The data you sent me in October 2013 had the first known yellow car after 2100 at nearly 4400 (still M reg), and no cars known of any colour but yellow below 2200. I admit I'd misunderstood and thought the car near 4400 was Inca not a Mimosa, but it's still quite a big jump. Now this one maybe reduces it to around 3250, it's not so much.

But I still wonder about the answer to the question, if you've promised to deliver (the letter is from marketing, not production) 2000 cars from a production line known to have a failure rate, how many do you set out to build? The other is, what do you do if there's a few left over? I remember seeing the failure rate figures for the 800s when we owned Rover, and while I don't remember the number well enough to give, I remember I thought it was shocking at the time.

Then again, what's a promise from a 1970's BL Marketing Division executive worth? That and £2.49 will certainly get you a Happy Meal.

[gmsclassics]

I have VA 178**DLO that is mimosa and judging by the plate this was as supplied originally. But this is a '76 car supplied new in Australia and we know ALL cars destined for that market were painted mimosa. Even then there are known exceptions that were probably special orders. It may not be common knowledge but cars supplied in the Australian market had an additional plate attached that states "this car was manufactured by Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd and complies with .....(various local standards are listed)". It also gives the date of manufacture as 6/1976. Whether that is the true date of manufacture, or arrival in Australia I have no idea. There were modification to the fuel supply system on these cars and again, I have no idea whether this was fitted in the factory prior to export or a local modification added later.

When exactly was mimosa theoretically dropped? If it were '75, yet the mimosa paint was still being used on cars destined for Australian, perhaps there were customer special orders that were being supplied in the UK?

Does anyone have details of chassis numbers that had left the production line at the start / end of each year. I would be fascinated to know.

Geoff