Triumph 1500 - value range?

[Alanovich]

Hi folks, new member here and very pleased to be so. I have fond memories of my Dad's Triumph 2000 (PKX 788M) which we owned in the early 80s, but I have another motive for signing up and joining the forum!

I have an elderly neighbour who has in his posession a K-reg dark blue Triumph 1500 saloon, which he hasn't used since 2006. It has been stored in a garage since then, but has not moved since the last use date. I think it's a one owner from new car, but I've only just found out he has it and he's now been moved off to an old folks' home so can't shoot the breeze with him easily about it at the moment, which is a shame because I've seen the car and it really is a lovely old thing! It's a bit dusty, but on the surface looks in really good nick, the light blue leather (or would it be it fake leather/vinyl? don't know) interior looks mint. Paintwork probably faded and needs mopping, but I can't see any surface rust. No idea what it's like underneath though.

Anyway, as you will all be very aware, this is a rare car now, but not a particularly loved model outside fan circles I'd imagine, and there aren't any similar examples up for sale which I could compare it to - which brings me to the point. My neighbour is selling the house and clearing out, and he would like to move the car on. Of course, he doesn't have a clue what it's worth, and I was wondering what the range of values for these cars would be in today's market? Of course, a precise value for this particular couldn't be ascertained without inspection. Obviously it isn't show condition, but neither do I think it's a basket case - it's probably a good base for a light restoration to bring it to a good useable standard.

Would anyone be kind enough to give me some idea of what he might want to ask for it?

[matt of the vivas]

Where is the car? Someone local might be able to look and advise.
To give you a rough idea, I bought a J reg 1500 in similar condition, needing light bodywork but not rotten last year for £1800. It was in good enough mechanical condition to drive 200 miles home with no issues.

[Alanovich]

Hi there, many thanks for the reply. The car is in Reading.

[matt of the vivas]

Think that's James Shepard's manor... He would know more than anyone how rusty or not it is.

[shyboy]

TSSC (wash my mouth out) value serviceable at 2000 pounds. Mine cost 3000 from a dealer.

[Alanovich]

Hi shyboy, thanks for the answer, that's interesting.

I doubt the car is useable as it stands, so £2k a bit of a stretch I expect.

What does TSSC stand for please?

[Graham04]

There is a 1500HL delivery mileage only, on the Car and Classic auction, at £12000 and not met its reserve. Not a lot of help in valuing a used car , still an interesting figure.

[Carledo]

As a K reg this will most likely be a FWD model and as such, rare as hens teeth. Last time I looked there were only 7 left roadworthy in the UK. Unfortunately this rarity doesn't translate to enormous value and the 1500FWD is not particularly coveted. It also has some hard-to-find unique model parts (mechanically) that can make it problematic to restore. I haven't seen a really mint one offered lately but I was able to buy one last year, running and driving but not MOT worthy by a good few hours of welding (I know it's MOT exempt but as far as i'm concerned, if it wouldn't pass, I won't drive it!) In rare Slate grey with blue cloth trim in good order, I paid £675 last August. It needs 2 new front wings, inner and outer front panels a few other small bits and a coat of paint.

Impossible to value one sight unseen, but if it looks reasonably tidy and complete, i'd suggest, as a non running garage find in need of at least a full recommissioning, an absolute max of £1k with a sensible range around £5-700.

Not mine this one, but the same model in the same colour!




Steve

[marshman]

There are over 70 good quality pictures of the car on the advert, interior, exterior, engine bay and underneath. It is an excellent reference for those to want to know what the car looked like and how and where bits were mounted at the factory. You can also see what bits underneath were just painted in red primer !! I have downloaded all the pictures for possible future reference.

Roger

[Bumpa]

What does TSSC stand for please?

TSSC is the Triumph Sports Six Club, probably the largest Triumph club. Originally formed to support the small chassis cars such as the Herald, Vitesse, Spitfire and GT6, they now cover all models, but they take almost no notice of Dolomites, or at least that's my impression. I took my Dolomite to the Silverstone Classic and booked myself onto the TSSC display area. The folk there really couldn't have cared less.

[tamtrucks]

thats there loss our dolly range is undervalued,understated.....but they are good daily motors

[cleverusername]

A good place to check is the completed sale prices for similar cars on ebay. It shows what people actually were willing to pay for a car, rather than what sellers think their car is worth. Often you will get quite detailed listings, with plenty of photos and condition information. So it is a handy way to gauge the market.

Using this method, I have generally found that there is a gap between what people pay and the guide valuation you see online and in classic car mags. Basically I don't think a lot of classics are worth what owners and experts think they are worth. It is only worth what buyers are willing to pay.

[Carledo]

What does TSSC stand for please?

TSSC is the Triumph Sports Six Club, probably the largest Triumph club. Originally formed to support the small chassis cars such as the Herald, Vitesse, Spitfire and GT6, they now cover all models, but they take almost no notice of Dolomites, or at least that's my impression. I took my Dolomite to the Silverstone Classic and booked myself onto the TSSC display area. The folk there really couldn't have cared less.

I've been a TSSC member, on and off, since about 1982, it is, in general a very good club and offers a range of services (and carries a lot of clout) as befits possibly the largest one make Triumph club in the world. They were more than helpful when they enabled me to get the Carledo correctly registered with all it's mods when I had no provenance on the engine i'd fitted. But Bumpa is correct, they aren't much interested in the Dolomite range, possibly because the Dolomite/Toledo register secretary is not very good at his job! I quit again last year as there had been only 1 monthly contribution by this indidual to the mag in the last 3 years. It was that or take the job myself, which I wasn't prepared to do at the time (or in fact now) I'm also a TDC member and Club Triumph member (mainly for he RBRR etc) I couldn't justify the 3rd (and by far most expensive) lot of subs for so little return.

Steve

[TrustNo1]

It will be front wheel drive which as already said are rare but rare doesn't mean sought after or valuable.
the last few 1500fWD's I've had i have struggled to sell, about 2 years ago i sold a usable, solid underside but tatty on top that didn't need any mechanical work for less than a grand, it as recently been advertised for about £1500 but i believe it didn't sell.
If the engine is seized and needsreplacing you will be very lucky to find a replacement.
If there is a gearbox fault (unlikely) they are rebuildable quite easily but replacement boxes are even rarer than the engines.

[FarleyFlavors]

A nice looking low-mileage 1500FWD just popped up on eBay with a six grand asking price.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-Triumph-1 ... 4540393304