Ozzie Sprints remaining

[Sundowner]

Leyland Australia imported approx 620 (I knew exactly once) Sprints into the country in 1975-76. There were also a handful of private imports too.
In more recent years there have been many guestimates about how many remain. I've had some say as few as 80, with one around 200. but just today I was lucky enough to get in touch with Stu, "Straylight" who, over many years has been building a data base of them. I asked him the question of how many left and this was his reply, via facebook....

I can kind of help with the numbers of sprints question. I maintained a database of every sprint I found, on eBay, Car sales, gum tree, historical records and it tops out around 120 from memory. Some statistical maths would suggest there are more out there, maybe as many as 50, but I think any more than 150 total, is wishful.

So, you can see that they are indeed an endangered species down-under and I'm so pleased that I have a good-un. Rust free, straight AND thanks to the huge amount of quality advice from the members of this forum and availability of spares from the UK, it runs quite well too.

Cheers,
Rob

[Galileo]

With less than 300 Sprints on the road (but untold numbers* yet to be found in the mysterious but yet numerous Ebay barns) in the UK that's a pretty good survival percentage you have going there! Seriously though, good to hear that not only do you enjoy your car but that your helping to keep them alive too.

Edit: *415 - howmanyleft.co.uk

[Carledo]

Edit: *415 - howmanyleft.co.uk

Did that number (415) include the 50 odd Sprint autos, which are listed separately Rafe?

Steve

[Galileo]

You're right to suggest it didn't, searched on Triumph Dolomite Sprint only, as I know that the data isn't completely accurate anyway due to name variations but to make my point I though it good enough for government work!

Edit: 34 on SORN, 26 OTR Sprint Auto at the end of last year.

[Carledo]

Numbers are actually growing for Sprint autos!

When I bought mine in 2012 it was a "barn find" and had been off the road since 1995 so was not on "howmany left"

At that time there were only 48 autos on taxed AND sorn, now there are 60! That's a 25% increase in only 5 years!

Steve

[Stevo]

What would be great if we can get a contact network going for Australian sprint owners.. I am having parts woes here for the bigger items due to shipping from the UK - seats, dash etc....

I myself have a shed full of spares I would happily get into the hands of someone who needs it... such as free doors and other larger items.

Send me a PM if you are interested in setting something up.....

I have Stu's list and I am in SA - I would guess it is around 120, some on the list were destined to rot away I am afraid and were not running when he recorded them....

On the road registered could not be many, maybe 30 - 40, I know of about 5 cars in derivable condition in SA, not including mine (which is not derivable as is under resto) ...

[Sundowner]

I have Stu's list and I am in SA - I would guess it is around 120, some on the list were destined to rot away I am afraid and were not running when he recorded them....
On the road registered could not be many, maybe 30 - 40, I know of about 5 cars in derivable condition in SA, not including mine (which is not derivable as is under resto) ...

Stevo,
I live in Moruya, a small, coastal, NSW, town of just 7,000, with only 33,000 in the Eurobodalla shire.
This is the centre of CVMCE, our "generic make" club and in that small population, we're lucky enough to have 3 Sprints. One Mimosa original, a privately imported Russet brown one and my ? green "Daisy".
Cheers,
Rob

[olr159w]

I was trying to start the exact same sort of contact network :

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=33570

Kinda limited response......

cheers