OCF405R History - Mystery

[OCF405R]

Ah yes, but in the 20 year gap from when you waved goodbye to the car, you have no idea if it is even the same shell.

yes but if it fooled an MOT garage more then once .. and a new buyer ... how long will it keep doing that ... 1993 .. 25 years that hole and rivets are getting weak

[NickMorgan]

I think we need to find the car and have a good look at it.
I suppose it could have been re-shelled. If the owner between Graz and me used the original shell for banger racing and then came across another car with a good shell, but poor interior and mechanicals.
Problem is that Graz and I have been messaging and there were so many aspects of the car that we both remembered that I think it is unlikely anyone would have taken all of those parts across from one shell to another. I removed copious extra wiring from under the dash, including a radio booster and parts of a car alarm. I don't think that someone would have moved those from one shell to another. On the other hand, most of this wiring was not connected up (other than the wire that shorted out and started my investigation of the wiring).
And, the car really did seem very solid. I could find no sign of rust in the floor seams, or sills and the rear wheel arches looked like the car had just left the factory. Maybe Graz and the person who re-sprayed the car were wizards with filler!
I hope that Graz will continue his investigation and we find the car somewhere not too far away where I can take another look at it!

[Carledo]

When I was an apprentice back in the early 70s, me and my fitter completely reshelled a 2000E Corsair in 10 working days, using a new Ford painted shell. This was a legit insurance job, the car was only about 9 months old.

The last new Dolomite shell was indeed sold around 2000 and ended up in the hands of Mark Gibson on this forum, whose long and tortuous rebuild using it is now fairly near completion. But in those days, many Sprints were reshelled into lower spec second hand shells. Whether that would have been economically viable on a lower value 1850 is debatable.

But Alun may be correct, in the late 90s, Dolomite panels were still plentiful and cheap cos dealers were pleased to get them off their shelves. I've personally restored several cars in worse nick than OCF appears to have been and in less than the 2 year timeframe available. Nick is quite a canny lad and a long time Triumph man, I doubt he would be fooled by a Q&D cover up job and a coat of shiny stuff.

Steve

[Carledo]

By an odd coincidence, I grew up in Ruislip and worked in both Lex Mead Maidenhead AND Yeading motors (briefly) who were a Renault main dealer at the time. I didn't stop too long cos I was getting anaemic from continuously chopping myself up working on Renaults! I was at Yeading around 76 and at Lex 1980-81.

Steve

[OCF405R]

By an odd coincidence, I grew up in Ruislip and worked in both Lex Mead Maidenhead AND Yeading motors (briefly) who were a Renault main dealer at the time. I didn't stop too long cos I was getting anaemic from continuously chopping myself up working on Renaults! I was at Yeading around 76 and at Lex 1980-81.

Steve

Well I lived just off Kingshill ave Hayes until 1982. Worked for Henlys. BL 1974 .1976. ( was Gregorys Vauxhalls )
/ Contim motors VW 1976. 1980
Simpson coachworks 1980 81.
Chiswick Ford ...1981. Sounds like my CV......

I have a Yeading motors key fob still will send a photo

[OCF405R]

I think we need to find the car and have a good look at it.
I suppose it could have been re-shelled. If the owner between Graz and me used the original shell for banger racing and then came across another car with a good shell, but poor interior and mechanicals.
Problem is that Graz and I have been messaging and there were so many aspects of the car that we both remembered that I think it is unlikely anyone would have taken all of those parts across from one shell to another. I removed copious extra wiring from under the dash, including a radio booster and parts of a car alarm. I don't think that someone would have moved those from one shell to another. On the other hand, most of this wiring was not connected up (other than the wire that shorted out and started my investigation of the wiring).
And, the car really did seem very solid. I could find no sign of rust in the floor seams, or sills and the rear wheel arches looked like the car had just left the factory. Maybe Graz and the person who re-sprayed the car were wizards with filler!
I hope that Graz will continue his investigation and we find the car somewhere not too far away where I can take another look at it!

Yep I'm a wizz with filler still wating for owner to contact me it is the original car you have as we know be the emails. There are a lot more tell tails that I know about. Dolly

[OCF405R]

By an odd coincidence, I grew up in Ruislip and worked in both Lex Mead Maidenhead AND Yeading motors (briefly) who were a Renault main dealer at the time. I didn't stop too long cos I was getting anaemic from continuously chopping myself up working on Renaults! I was at Yeading around 76 and at Lex 1980-81.

Steve

have the key ring ... thats in better shape then the car ... still have workshop book .. carb balance tools , timing light , rear overdrive seal Sprint badges

[OCF405R]

I think we need to find the car and have a good look at it.
I suppose it could have been re-shelled. If the owner between Graz and me used the original shell for banger racing and then came across another car with a good shell, but poor interior and mechanicals.
Problem is that Graz and I have been messaging and there were so many aspects of the car that we both remembered that I think it is unlikely anyone would have taken all of those parts across from one shell to another. I removed copious extra wiring from under the dash, including a radio booster and parts of a car alarm. I don't think that someone would have moved those from one shell to another. On the other hand, most of this wiring was not connected up (other than the wire that shorted out and started my investigation of the wiring).
And, the car really did seem very solid. I could find no sign of rust in the floor seams, or sills and the rear wheel arches looked like the car had just left the factory. Maybe Graz and the person who re-sprayed the car were wizards with filler!
I hope that Graz will continue his investigation and we find the car somewhere not too far away where I can take another look at it!

Yep I'm a wizz with filler still wating for owner to contact me it is the original car you have as we know be the emails. There are a lot more tell tails that I know about. Dolly

This is the size of rivets used ... still have some in my box ....

[OCF405R]

[/img]

OCF405R The story that took 21 years to make .. NOW 41 years

20 10 1976 keeper a Mrs xxxxxxxx from Ruislip Middx purchased form LEX MEAD Maidenhead Berkshire

Sold January 1980 to Yeading motors Yeading lane Hayes Middx Mrs xxxxxx brought a new Renault and her husband told me she “ hates it can we have our Dolly back ! “ owned for 3 ¼ years ! and i still have the key fob .

I purchased OCF405R on 31/01/1980 and took it home on 20/02/1980 it was in the January sales for the sum of £ 2180 it needed rear shocks , rear tail pipe and an MOT Mileage 28500
I felt proud that I had a Dolomite my dad had the 1500 FWD HLY184K .At that time I was working for a British Leyland garage
Working on this car was easy change all brakes in around ½ hour Oil change service every 6000 miles … it never let me down …Rubber carb mounts are a pain !!


1980 New starter .new rear O/S light car reversed in when parked
1981 had the CB fitted … meet some one and we went travelling in July the car went to PARIS France for around a month continued on to Brussels , Amsterdam , Zandvoort then back to Calais that car was our home for the 10 week trip
1982 fitted SPRINT badges , Northern France , Belgium for 3 weeks new alternator, bumped o/s/f wing by the head light , fuel tank leak ( rusted out . fixed ) o/s rear wheel bearing replaced
1983 Northern France, Belgium 2 weeks , Full exhaust system fitted
1984 Southern France , Var , st Tropez 2 weeks 2000 mile round trip .. new steering rack , car was reversed into slight damage on front o/s nose valance
1985 Tow Bar Fitted to tow a camping unit for tip to Southern France , st Tropez
1986 Southern France , st Tropez , exhaust rear box fell off just out side Paris
1987 New clutch and gearbox at 88000 miles Southern France , st Tropez , Purchased a speed boat 750 kg IT towed well just would not steer !!
1988 New Speedo cable .. broke on way back from southern France ( have to add 900 >1000 miles to mileage ) new exhaust rear box
1989 Southern France , st Tropez
1990 Off road got Range Rover .. sold boat
1991 started to take the car apart check for rust lots !! new steering rack replaced all rubber bushing , trim clips , Full re spray
1992 just used as and when
1993 …. Southern France , st Tropez
1994 … just used as and when 2 cars
1995 Moved from Middlx to Kettering northants Drove up and down M1 every weekend for 6 months
1996 new alternator , steering rack ( second in 3 weeks last one was faulty ) accelerator cable , front shocks .
1997 Sep/Oct , Car failed MOT Needed new Discs at that time Rimmers and others were charging £ 50 each side , needed welding and the paint was covered with lots of bubbles lots of other stuff . even though I did not want to I sold it for £ 125 the person I sold it to was I believe going to use it BANGER racing , this person lived behind me , I saw OCF405R on a car carrier Painted up ready to go to track I never saw this car again IF that car or parts of it were shown to me I would know if it was the true or a CLONE .
. OWNED for just under 18 years miles 128600 + 1000 cable broke = 130000


And now Its back on the road with 41000 miles in 20 years !!! ummmm

1997 > 1998 resprayed made to look nice and sold to a TD member NO welding work was done at this time Nice car ..
1999 > 2001/2 still in the hands of a TDC club member Passed every MOT New Gearbox , Manifold had bolts replaced ( come away ever 6 weeks or so ), Clutch master cylinder ...I used to refit rubbers every year or so on this ..and the rubber pipe used to weep

2002 > 2004 ???

2004 > 2015 some where in a Barn near Edinburgh

2015 to DATE near Edinburgh and still close to its old owner and TDC member

2017 car owner found thanks to DVLA 14 11 17. STILL NO welding on car asked to buy car back to make sure it was dealt with as I know where the rust was a figure of £ 3000 was asked ??? No I did not buy it

STILL gets an MOT every year MY work must be good . ... TOLD owner about RUST ... and to visit this site ... WHAT would you do did offer £500 to him so I could scrap it .properly this time and or £ **** just for the REG No


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UPDATE 05/11/17 WE think the answer is ....
we have some info that the person that paid me and took it away for scrap . .. was into banger racing in a big way as told in story ... had found a week or so later another red one .. ( lots around in 1997 ) took the parts of to race that one and used them on OCF 405 R must have been the best of the 2 this could be why the front bumper was changed ( damaged in 1997 hit when parked ) , front badge , rear C post covers were extra parts in the car , front discs

That must have been the one that was on the transporter that night still could be wrong noway to make this 100 % true ...
. Just tring to keep the Roads safe .... MY advise UNLESS it been fixed DONT drive it it just not the chassis

It needed over £ 1000 of work doing for me to keep it .to make it 100 % road safe . car was not worth that at that time and still needs a lot of work now ... Head needs reseating for unleaded fuel , lots of holes need welding , fuel tank .............

Could this be the end of the story ...... .......

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you could visit MOT HISTORY .GOV .UK and find out when a Vehicle had an Mot Pass/ Fail and where any vehicle Was MOTed .. but for some reason the Address of the garage has now been removed
.................................................................................
Date tested

21 November 2017
PASS
Mileage
41,332 miles ........................ about 24 miles a year !!! sould read 142332 +/-
MOT test number
4858 7948 0410
Test location unavailable until further notice ..... Elphinstone Rd, Tranent EH33 2HR
Expiry date
20 November 2018

DVSA where notified about vehicle .. 1 day after MOT

26/042018 DVSA new rules for MOT as from MAY 2018 this car OCF 405 R will never need to have another MOT .. don't make sense
any vehicle 40 + years old need not have MOT .

I am just Trying to save a Life .... it could be any one ... Just repair the car PLEASE




JUST MAKES MY CRY .... AFTER THE YEARS I OWNED OCF 405 R .....just thinking about how its not being driven

yes 750 KG speed boat ... rear exhaust box would drag along road with 4 of us in car !!!





showing dents in body work


showing plates in legs


rivets and filler around wheel arch

USA number plate Montana "1976 "


just resprayed around 1992/3 looked nice


1983 bear













1987 750 kg boat towed around 1000 miles


on way home from sothern France 1987



Wales