The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I knew somebody had done it, but couldn't remember who.

Does anyone have details or photos of the Latham design seats that were fitted to some of these cars.

I believe that they were sold as just a fibreglass shell that you had to get trimmed yourself.
I also have a vague memory of somebody telling me theirs had started to crack where the back meets the base. I could be mistaken on that, though.

Here's a pic of a Latham in Ireland which I believe may have the original items, after trimming.

The seats weren't available whrn I got my kit, I originally used some Cobra seats supplied by Europa Spares. Those fitted well, but the leather split on the base.
So subsequently replaced by narrower ones from Midland Wheel Services.

I'm working on another swap to MX5 ones eventually, though.

That is interesting to see the car without the windscreen attached.

Having driven the car a few times now I have started a poject plan.

It needs a good service so I have bought all the fluids and spark plugs.
I have bought a spare set of keys.
Some of the suspension bushes could do with replacing.
All the rubber fuel lines will be placed. This includes the the large bore pipe from the filler cap to tank inlet pipe.
The wheels will be refurbished over winter.
I have a new set of tires to put on.
The hood has a tear in it and will not close, so I need a new one - wonder if a pattern exists or will I need get a specialist to replicate the existing one only slightly bigger to it actually shut. Think the old one has shrunk.
The seating needs to be lower. Will start by trying to mount the existing seats direct to the floor rather on rails. If that's not enough will buy some Cobra seats that would definitely be lower and have shoulder holes for the 4 point belts.
The Webers needs tuning. Will arrange a trip to the mainland for a rolling road session.

I wonder if anybody knows the details of the bushes fitted to the front upper arm. I think the top piece is a modified Dolomite wishbone. Are the lower arms also Dolomite?

When I bought the car the hood was closed. To drive it home I had to drop the hood. Now I can not close it again. Also the hood is tearing away from the front header rail.

Thinking that the vinyl may have shrunk with age my thoughts turned to possibly having to get a replacement.

I have read on the Latham F2 website that it was proposed a pattern be made for replacements.

Is the hood and or its frame derived from the MGB spec?

What are the options now?

Shall I get a bespoke replacement made? If I go down this track I wonder if I could get a pattern made at the same time.

Any recommendations for supplier of bespoke hoods.

Yes, the front rocker arms are original Dolomite items, modified to turn them into rocking arms. The bushes will be Dolomite ones. The lower drag links and bushes are also standard Dolomite.

It's probably better to switch to Superflex bushes if you are going to change them.
With those in place, you probably won't ever need to change them again.
The old bushes can be a pig to get out!

If you're taking the drag links off, have a good look at the welding around the chassis plate where the drag link passes through at the front. On mine, one of the weld seams on the outer edge was starting to separate. Easily checked and fixed with the trailing arm removed, but something to keep an eye on.


The hoods were made in Milton Keynes by an elderly upholsterer called Ray Shouler.
He would only make for customer orders, having been owed a lot of money by Latham Sportscars when they went under. He had kept the templates in lieu of payment.
But that was nearly 30 years ago, I doubt he has any interest in making more hoods now!
I can probably find a phone number for him, but I very much doubt that it will still be active.

I got around the problem by making a targa top instead.
One of these years I'll get round to modifying the windows and doors to fit it properly.

Oh, yeah, the hood frame is a standard MG-B item, with a couple of inches taken off the cross rails.

There are quite a few variants of MG B hood frame, some need assembling with sticks, the best ones are from the later cars which just hinge up.

Latham F2 (1991) by Steve Glover, on Flickr

I have seen photos of your car on Flickr. I have started a Flickr group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/latham_f2/

I like this design I wonder if I could do something similar with a roll hoop in it.

Since that pic was taken, I've raised the windscreen by about 2 inches, the hard top doesn't look anywhere near as ungainly now. Or act as a huge airbrake.

That job ballooned into a scuttle revamp, rewire, new dashboard etc.

The biggest problem with a roll hoop is finding anything strong enough to anchor it to.
You could use the bolts through the rear bulkhead, maybe?
But there isn't much else to use.

That looks like a lot of work. I was talking to somebody today at a show who suggested extending the A posts and getting a custom windscreen made.

Did you consider that rather than lifting the whole windscreen frame up? I wonder how difficult and or expensive a custom screen glass would be.

I'm having a bespoke hood made for my Spitfire by Cliff the trimmer (Car SOS?) in the next couple of weeks or so. If it's made to the same standard as every other piece of work he's done, it will be perfect if not better.

The A posts are part of the windscreen frame, big lumps of cast aluminium.
It was a lot easier to extend the legs where they bolt to the scuttle, and then fill in the gap underneath.

Plus, a good chance to try my aluminium welding kit out.

I think a custom screen, as a one-off and incorporating the necessary safety features, would be a very expensive option. Especially if laminated since this would require 2 bucks to be made. I'm not sure that toughened glass would take the bending required by the MG frame.

This way solves other problems too - the cavity inside the new section is perfect for carrying hot air from the heater (which will be going under the bonnet) so no heater pipework required inside the car for either demisting or heating, and the matrix will be more readily accessible under the bonnet.

And it allows the windscreen wipers to arc properly, no more wiping the screen frame!

But yes, it's a lot of work which is why it's taken so long.

I hadn't factored in the screen surround being alley. I have never welded aluminium. The chap I was talking to was a Triumph man. The TR cars have steel not alloy windscreen frames.