The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

They have a whole batch of upside down ones; are they still not telling the customer that at point of sale so you can make an informed decision whether to purchase or not? The issue was first spotted several years ago!

To get it right you'll have to find NOS or good second hand, or if you can transfer the end piece from old one to the new...

I got it from eBay, I do get the impression that the seller is aware of the issue and chancing his luck, but to be fair on the seller he is refunding me in full plus return postage.

Looks like Chris Witor has some so I'm going to wait for the refund to come through and order one from him.

Lol I only just saw what you meant...

I would keep the new one. Change the ends over by clicking out the horn push. Its a doddle....

If it switches the wrong way just change the leads over in the plug to match your old one.

Jonners

Jon Tilson wrote: I would keep the new one. Change the ends over by clicking out the horn push. Its a doddle....

If it switches the wrong way just change the leads over in the plug to match your old one.

Yea that's what I'd do (assuming it's the same style end internally). Luckily I managed to bodge my original back to life after the magic smoke incident.

Steve

The indicator stalk looks like it is for an LHD car. That would explain the "upside down" positioning.

The indicator stalk looks like it is for an LHD car. That would explain the "upside down" positioning.

That's what I thought but they are simply moved to the other side, (Morgans use the same indicator stalk!)

Nope.... LHD dolomites have the stalks reversed, indicators/horn left, wipers on the right. The bend goes the other way, and, the way these are mounted around the steering column also means they cannot be swapped to be used "upside down" on a RHD car.

Thanks Tjakko, I stand corrected!

On the rhd Morgans you have to bend them out a bit more because they hit the dash, that's what they did in the factory amazingly!!

The bend wasn't the opposite way so I just thing that there's a whole batch of incorrectly manufactured ones lurking around, I wasn't happy with taking it apart and messing with it so I have just ordered the correct one.

Alun, I'm going to give the spares line a call and order all the panels I need today, hope you're not busy! Oh and I owe you an apology, I called you Julian in an earlier post, I'm getting you and tinweevil mixed up!

I'll start with a big thanks to Alun and Nigel for the parts I ordered!

The new indicator stalk arrived so I wanted to make a start on reassembling the steering column. I have a universal knuckle (the bit that attaches to the actual rack) but as I'm going original I wanted to use the original style cast unit with washers. I ordered a replacement a while ago and to be honest I'm not happy with the quality at all, to be honest it looks like a dogs dinner, for a start most of the rubbers have been deformed and a couple of the screw heads look like someone's used a flat blade screwdriver to tighten them up.



This won't do at all so I decided to take the old one apart to see if I could refurbish it.



I know I can clean this up and have it re-plated and it'll look a darn sight better than the new one I have. That's going straight back! The old rubbers were perished as was to be expected but with a little internet searching I managed to find some good quality proper (not just tap washers!!) replacements for only £1 plus postage, bargain! So As soon as the garage is back up and running I'll blast them and put them in to the plating pile.

As there wasn't much more I could do on the steering column I turned my attention to reassembling the carburettors.

As usual I have done a dry assembly, well I say dry, I did lube the dashpot pistons!



Everything looks like it has gone back together really well. There are some bolt heads to polish up and some bits and pieces to replace and clean more thoroughly but they look good. The photos don't do them justice I'm afraid the light in my workshop is rather dull.



But......

The only thing I'm not happy with are the choke linkages.





I think they need to be passivated to match the, I think it's called the fast idle cam. I think the linkage is quite clever in it's operation so this way when you look at them you will be able to see how they work a bit clearer. Well that's my idea anyway!



The aftermarket mounting rubbers need the studs cutting down and need some tidying up but by the time I'm finished with them they'll look stock so I'm ok with them for the time being.

The coupling for the steering joint can be rebushed with Super Flex bushes. I don't have much faith in modern rubber (even though I got 6 years out of my upper wishbone bushes).
Are you going to get the solid carb mounts from the club? You should be able to get them anodised for that original look.

This is a top quality rebuild.

Thanks, it's not become an obsession!!

I had a look at the Super Flex bushes and they look conical whereas the ones that came out of the joint look like a standard rubber washer.

I am going to get some club carb mounts but whilst I am showing the car I want to keep it looking absolutely stock on the outside. I had another look at the replacement mounts that I have and I'm not 100% happy with them. The ones that came off of the car are in really good condition with no cracks so I think I'll have a look at refurbishing and refitting them.

Interesting what you say about the locking wire, I was planning to use some Loctite 638 on them.

Hmmmm, Mr Tilson, what's your view on the situation?

I think I would use the super flex bushes and recon your old joint.
Some come peened over and some use locking wire...

Its your call...

I am always impressed by how clever the SU throttle/choke fast idle cam setup is.

Cracking work as always.


Jonners

I have no major updates yet I'm afraid. I have been busy re-roofing my garage and doing some other bits on the house that really needed to be done.

The only thing I have done is to clean some of the internal cylinder head parts and start another box of bits to be plated, which of course need to be media blasted first!! If the weather is good enough on Sunday I'll try to do that and get them off to the platers next week.

I have a bit news re the cylinder read though, it's a recon unit from Rimmers back in 1998 and it looks like it has had some work done on it as well, the ports have all been smoothed out and it looks like someone has chemical metalled in one of the valve guides. So until we can get that out and everything cleaned up and pressure tested I cant see if the head is toast or not.

I'll try and nip in this afternoon and get a photo of it.