Sprint Production Information

[xvivalve]

I've just typed this in an e-mail to Robin, so thought I'd preserve the information here for everyone else too. (Originally published in Classic & Sportscar January 1990 after having been collated by Anders Clausager at BMIHT)

June 1973: VA1DL. Alloy wheels, vinyl roof, chin spoiler standard but overdrive and tinted glass optional extras
Autumn 1973: Automatic transmission (marked with an ‘A’ suffix to the chassis number, a few had ‘BW’ instead of ‘A') and laminated ‘screen became optional extras. Automatic engine numbers suffixed 'HEA’ instead of ‘HE' Only 1 634 Automatic Sprints made.
May 1975: VA10745DL final car of ‘Series 1’ Chassis number jumps to VA15001DLO with overdrive and tinted glass standard. Door moulding with rubber insert introduced, gearlever coin tray and driver’s door mirror. Front headrests optional extra.
March 1976: VA18278DLO final car of ‘Series 2’ Chassis number jumps to VA20001DLO front seat headrests, radio and laminated glass ’screen now standard. Limited Slip Differential (marked with an ’S’ suffix to the chassis number) now offered as an option following successes in Touring Car Championship.
1978: Triplex 10-20 ‘screen becomes standard fitment following sponsorship
September 1978: VA26896DLO final car of ‘Series 3’ Chassis number jumps to VA30001DLO
August 1979: VA31188DLO final var with chassis number, changing to harmonised VIN code with all Dolomite models sharing consecutive numbering commencing 100001. Prefix to numbers identifying the model with Sprint having TWTLD5AT for manual cars and TWTLD3AT for automatics. VIN now stamped in boot gutter as well as on plate in engine bay.
1980: Twin rear fog lamps fitted as standard
August 1980: Production ceases, last Dolomite produced being Sprint TWTLD5AT113504

Left hand drive cars had chassis suffix of LDL instead of DL. Only 5 226 Sprints were exported, none after 1978 and not all were LHD (Australia & NZ receiving some 600+ RHD cars)

Body numbers generally unrecorded, but shared consecutively with all models throughout production.

Sprints made:

1973: 5 446
1974: 4 232
1975: 3 589
1976: 4 035
1977: 2 554
1978: 1 352
1979: 1 240
1980: 493
TOTAL: 22 941

[askop01]

Mine is VA31177DLO and was manufactured in August 1979.

[xvivalve]

Mine is VA31177DLO and was manufactured in August 1979.

Well that accords with the information above. I used to own VA31188DLO, KDU***V, the last of the VA series, now owned by Ian in Northern Scotland

[tangocharlie1]

Just to add an interesting date i found in the archive which may help when trying to pin down a more accurate date when trim changes happened. VA15001 (The first of the series 2 cars) has a build date of 8th April 1975 - and was a Piemento car with engine no. VA10701HE - I have long suspected that it was DOA 842P which was used in a publicity poster at the time but i have been unable to confirm it.

[Carledo]

This info needs preserving as a sticky on here, several times i've had to scour the archive for it!

Steve