The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

cant help but observe the early cars were nicer, & seem built to a higher standard

benny-zt wrote: also did the very first sprints have a carpet gearleaver gaitor as in the style of the toledo/1300/1500?

Yes they were carpet around the gear lever up to around 75/76 I think, someone may get a lot closer on the actual date.

Steve

early ones are much nicer, I'm thinking of fitting a set I have to my late Sprint, sod originality they look better.

My 74 Sprint has carpet around the gear lever. Also the plastic tray surround thing is missing on mine. Not sure if it's ment to be there or not.

Good answers everyone.

If I may
having rebuilt an early Sprint (a long time ago) I can add the following:
Very early Sprint starters were attached with bolts without a spacer - later used a spacer and studs with nuts.
Early Sprints did not have the extra right angle bracket onto the (front) subframe for the upper wishbone (or indeed the attachment on the frame).
Early sprints used a metal H-piece for connecting the four coolant hoses (located close to distributor).
The handbrake lever assembly changed too, early ones have (a far better) rubber handgrip.
The cloth in the cloth seats also changed (you have to look hard, try black seats).
The early Sprints used a different headlining material to later cars. I am pretty sure this early made was same spec as Triumph 2000 mark 2. (There is always glue stains whatever the age!)

Does anyone have a copy of the last Sprintspares catalogue? It is a good guide to changes and interchangeability. I'll probably have a copy somewhere.
The "Sprint in Print" publication gives the specifications but only mentions changes without giving too much detail.

In magazine articles at the time mention was made of how Sprints had not really altered over the years, so much so that one article had new R reg cars against a year old P reg Sprint in a comparison test!

I don't have an anorak but do have two boilersuits!

[quote="benny-zt"]
carpets became better quality,


carpets quite the reverse IMHO,reset on trip moved on later cars,petrol caps changed,
change in strombergs on early cars to strombergs on slightly less early cars, not quite shaw what but two sets listed ,

Blimey, hope it's a quiet at work next week. It's gonna take a fair while to beat this lot into shape

a few things I forgot there too.

The eraly carpets were definitely better, with the hessian underlay. The moulded rubber ones arent bad though. I think the early door cards had a slightly nicer carpet base too.

The push to reset trip meter is a nicer feature and comes in half way through series 4.

Also tinted glass became standard on 1850's at some stage. I'm not sure if this was with the model rationialisation or earlier. It could even have been when the Sprint came out...

Only my series 1 cars dont have it.

Jonners

carpeted kick panels on early cars, vinyl later

Petrol Pump on OHC cars changes from short arm without a spacer to long arm and spacer. I know my Sprint has a historically innaccurate one but it does work.

The early Dolomites (1850) were not supplied with a spoiler on the front valance.

Regarding the later changes, some of these were as a result of alterations to the legistation for new cars. These changes include having to stamp the VIN on the body, the adoption of the longer (European?) VIN, hazard lights (Dolomites had these already), dual circuit brakes, two mirrors.
Incidentally, cars with single line brakes require a more efficient handbrake (ie a higher reading) to pass the MOT than those made post 1978 with dual circuit brakes!

Early cars definately had better quality carpets in my opinion, being of a much thicker pile so to speak.
Not that the later carpets were bad, they were still way better than many other cars of the period (and beyond).

I to have always prefered the early dials to the later type, much nicer visually in my view.

It is interesting to see all the little detail changes over the years, it would be great if someone could do a book detailing all the changes in the Triumph Small Saloon models over the years like the books I have seen on the Herald/Vitesse etc.

Steve

Tinweevil, it strikes me that you could split things into two sections. With the deletion of the 1500TC and Toledo the Dolomite range was expanded to include the Dolomite 1300, 1500 and 1500HL. Perhaps the sections should be pre-expansion and post-expansion. From the lists in the posts it seems that the biggest changes occurred in 76 when the Dolomite range was expanded.

Regarding fog lights, all cars sold new in the UK from 1980 must have one rear fog light fitted to the offside that operates in conjunction with dipped headlights (not main beam or sidelights). So Alfasuds with their single fog light in the centre of the back panel are unroadworthy! (Front foglights, when fitted, can only be used in conjunction with dipped headlights too.)

I thought it was centre or offside?

My friend's Alfasud failed the MOT for having a centre mounted fog light when it was last on the road (over ten years ago) and he was shown the section in the Testers' manual confirming this to be a correct decision. Mind you, fog light positioning was the least of that car's problems hence it languishing under a pile of rubbish in his garage for so long. Oh and the windscreen is now cracked after a piece of 4x2 wood fell on it.

If a fog light was in the centre where would a tow bar go?