Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

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marshman
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Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:00 pm

Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#1 Post by marshman »

Hi All,

Just bought a Sprint. Been a "dream car" for many years but never came across the right one in the right place at the right time. Have a few old cars - mainly 1950's Standard 8's and 10's but also have a Stag (bought about 10 years ago 'cos it was cheap and I couldn't find a Sprint) so I think I know my way around Standard Triumph cars - my opinion only feel free to differ :)

Car was on eBay and I got it for what I thought was an OK price. Shell seems pretty solid but it has ad a horrible "quick and shiney" respray with a couple of nasty looking rust bubbles. Not sure of it's history but it was off the road for a long time, so no MoT history - first MoT jan this year when it was changed to Historic Tax. Its a 1975 car in Honeysuckle, manual with OD from new. Also has Britax Weathershield sunroof fitted, this has been vandalised and needs recovering - most urgent job especially with the rain we have at the moment.

Have given it a bit of a service as it wouldn't start easily from cold and the idle was rough. Had some recent recon carbs from Robsport with the jet heights all over the place. Have learnt about the stupid rubber carb mounts leaking air in mucking up the mixture! It now starts and runs quite sweet - its a bit rattly on the top end so need to check out the valve clearances. Apart from that it goes, steers and stops quite nicely. The gearbox and overdrive seem very quiet and sweet with a nice smooth change. So touch wood mechanically seems OK at the moment. I intend to do a minimal amount to the car, just want to drive it, its a bit more practical then the Stag.

The insurance was a nice surprise as well, £60 fully comp with agreed value through Adrian Flux, I do have a few policies through them but this was the cheapest yet.

I am sure I will be asking questions about how some bits should be on the car as I would like it to be correct - have a bit of an OCD about originality on my own cars but love seeing the mods others have done to theirs.

Roger
1975 Sprint Man O/D in Honeysuckle Yellow
1971 Stag Auto White

Too many cars, too little time!
new to this
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Location: Harrow Middlesex

Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#2 Post by new to this »

Roger

Welcome and enjoy your new car

Dave
marshman
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Posts: 303
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:00 pm

Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#3 Post by marshman »

Cheers Dave,

I guess you also have a Dolomite as well as a Stag for your sins :D

Driving them both they really are like chalk and cheese, The Stag is so much more relaxed and refined, but they both have a massive "grin" factor.

Roger
1975 Sprint Man O/D in Honeysuckle Yellow
1971 Stag Auto White

Too many cars, too little time!
Matt Cotton
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Posts: 494
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Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#4 Post by Matt Cotton »

Welcome to Dolomite ownership Roger!

Good luck with your car and enjoy the tinkering that lies ahead. I did see the car on e-bay and it certainly looked very presentable and a nice basis for future improvement.
Keep us posted on your progress.

Best wishes

Matt
Matt Cotton

TDC Oxfordshire Area Organiser.
TDC/TSSC group meeting - 3rd Tuesday of the month


1980 1500HL - OPD
1976 Sprint - SWU
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RSi
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Location: Isle of Lewis (Outer Hebrides)

Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#5 Post by RSi »

Welcome Roger, it was a car on my shopping list for 40 years but finally got one 2 years ago - in fact 2 years last Saturday.
Triumph Dolomite Sprint (RNK 957W)

Automatic, porcelain white - 52,820, genuine mileage (warranted).

Built 26/6/1980, 3 previous owners (2 within the same family).

Supplied by Lavender Hill Garage Ltd, Enfield, London, by garage owner Jimmy Metcalfe on 30th September 1980 to Geoffrey Robinson, Enfield, London.

Club Membership No: 2017092
new to this
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Posts: 1793
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:53 pm
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Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#6 Post by new to this »

RSi wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:55 pm Welcome Roger, it was a car on my shopping list for 40 years but finally got one 2 years ago - in fact 2 years last Saturday.
Funny enough at the weekend i just missed out on a RS2000

Dave
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RSi
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Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#7 Post by RSi »

new to this wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:19 pm
RSi wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:55 pm Welcome Roger, it was a car on my shopping list for 40 years but finally got one 2 years ago - in fact 2 years last Saturday.
Funny enough at the weekend i just missed out on a RS2000

Dave
I had quite a few of those back in the day Dave, MK2 not MK1, MK3 also, sold the last MK3 16i in 2010
Triumph Dolomite Sprint (RNK 957W)

Automatic, porcelain white - 52,820, genuine mileage (warranted).

Built 26/6/1980, 3 previous owners (2 within the same family).

Supplied by Lavender Hill Garage Ltd, Enfield, London, by garage owner Jimmy Metcalfe on 30th September 1980 to Geoffrey Robinson, Enfield, London.

Club Membership No: 2017092
new to this
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Posts: 1793
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:53 pm
Location: Harrow Middlesex

Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#8 Post by new to this »

RSi wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:59 pm
new to this wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:19 pm
RSi wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:55 pm Welcome Roger, it was a car on my shopping list for 40 years but finally got one 2 years ago - in fact 2 years last Saturday.
Funny enough at the weekend i just missed out on a RS2000

Dave
I had quite a few of those back in the day Dave, MK2 not MK1, MK3 also, sold the last MK3 16i in 2010
Mk1 and Mk2 are mad money,this one was a mk6

Dave
marshman
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Posts: 303
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:00 pm

Re: Newbie - just bought a Sprint.

#9 Post by marshman »

Cheers Guys, thanks for the welcome.

Doing some more digging mine is an early series 2 car. Quite a few early car bits such as the grab handles, front indicator/side lights and rear bumper/number plate light. Like to keep things pretty much standard as it left the factory which makes a "crossover" car a bit of a pain.

A lot of Fords from the 70's and 80's seem to me to be going for silly money, but I agree the earlier "sporting" ones are mad money - as are a lot of the parts for them.

Got the carbs off at the moment waiting for new carb mounts as the old ones were shot letting in air all over the place, took me a while to figure out why I couldn't get the mixture right.

Roger
1975 Sprint Man O/D in Honeysuckle Yellow
1971 Stag Auto White

Too many cars, too little time!
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