Early Sprint Chassis Plate?

[GrahamFountain]

Is this the right one for the 1973 cars?





Graham

[GrahamFountain]

Or, given that the change from BLMC to BL wasn't till mid 1975 under the National Enterprise Board's reconstruction plan, is it this one:



Is anybody able to see which, if either, are used on other Dolomites of 1973?

Graham

[GrahamFountain]

I've searched the web for images using all the variations of dolomite sprint engine bay I can think of.

So far, I have found pictures of one 1973 car showing the BL plate and one 1974 car showing the BLMC plate. However, I know the 73 car is a full resto, and the plate is clearly a replacement. Whereas, I think the pictures of the 74 car are period from when it was new.

But it would be nice if anyone can give any confirmation either way.

Graham

[Carledo]

Alun Nicholas is your man for complete info on chassis plates.

But I believe the early Sprint plate also carries the legend "Triumph Dolomite Sprint" in paint relief, just below the Paint/trim code boxes.

I have a late series 1 car handyish (VA102xxDLA) which I believe is still wearing it's original plate, i'll take a pic when i'm near it next (probably Monday)

Steve

[GrahamFountain]

I have a late series 1 car handyish (VA102xxDLA) which I believe is still wearing it's original plate
Steve

I take it you have the build date? Mind you even if I check when the change from BLMC to BL UK was, how long would it take to filter down to the chassis plates?

Graham

[xvivalve]

No, not me, I just had some late ones in Kgs printed. Mike Barker is your man...

[GrahamFountain]

Mike's car is the 73 one with the shiney new plate that says BL UK not BLMC - albeit with weight in LBS not KGS.

I admit it's not an area I know much about, but I can't see how they could have said "British Leyland UK" before 1975 when the company name was changed to that from "British Leyland Motor Corporation" by Sir Don Ryder and the NEB.

Hopefully, there's someone out there with an early car, still with it's original plate, that can resolve this.

Graham

[Carledo]

I have a late series 1 car handyish (VA102xxDLA) which I believe is still wearing it's original plate
Steve

I take it you have the build date? Mind you even if I check when the change from BLMC to BL UK was, how long would it take to filter down to the chassis plates?

Graham

I don't have an exact build date for 102xx, it's registered on a P plate (August 1st 75 - 31st July 76) but being auto, probably a fair gap twixt build and sale. It's well within the last 1000 series 1 cars made, my best guess is jan-march 75.

Steve

[GrahamFountain]

Then it should be from before the name change would have got to chassis plates. But perhaps only probably.

Graham

[gmsclassics]

I have the plate VA512*DL, a very late 73 car and that is on the earlier of the two chassis plates you have in this post. 99% sure it is the original.

Hope this helps.

Geoff

[GrahamFountain]

I have the plate VA512*DL, a very late 73 car and that is on the earlier of the two chassis plates you have in this post. 99% sure it is the original.

Hope this helps.

Geoff

The earlier posted one with the later name, i.e. "British Leyland UK LTD", or the one with the earlier company name i.e. "British Leyland Motor Corporation"?

Graham

[GrahamFountain]

Don't know if this adds to the issue, but this pic is from thread https://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/vie ... hp?t=32414.



So is it right that's an early 1973 1850?

If so, why would that say "British Leyland Motor Corporation" and the Sprint ones from later in 73 say "British Leyland UK LTD"?

Graham

[GrahamFountain]

Here's another 1850, this one from 72 and claimed to be unrestored (but rusty), showing a plate with BLMC not BL UK LTD:



Does no one have a pic of an original 73 Sprint chassis plate?

Graham

[Carledo]

Not been down to 102xx yet, but last night came across a chassis plate in my files from a late-ish MkIII GT6 KE 23xxx O. AFAIK GT6 production ended in late 73 yet this car also bore a BLUK marked plate. No idea if it was original plate but looked pukka and comensurately used.

Steve

[GrahamFountain]

I haven't found any contemporary use of British Leyland UK LTD from before 1975 that has a primary source, but there's a number of secondary sources for its use. So that don't prove it wasn't in use in 73.

But I'm just thinking if the UK spec. 1850s of the day had the Triumph Motor Co Ltd... BLMC marked plate, and it looks like they did; why would the Sprints, made on the same line (I assume), at the same time, have one that was almost exactly the same except for saying Triumph Motors, BL UK LTD. I realize it doesn't have to make sense to me to be true. I just don't like it when that happens.

I'm just a bit surprised its this hard to find pictures of an unrestored 73-74 Sprint engine bay with the plate visible. Even the people at the Film and Picture Archives of the BMI can't seem to help with that, and I thought their set of pictures of the first Sprints would be extensive. The set of the TR7 Sprint Homologation of 1 Nov. 1977 show a chassis plate (which is on the door in Speke TR7s).

I've since found the reg for the 74 Sprint with the BLMC chassis plate, and it is a restored one - of some quality - THJ 27N: the Magenta coloured one on the front of Dolly Mixture no.137. So that picture, on it's own, may not be any help either.

Graham