The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The changeover occurred at some point in 1978. My Dolly 1300 had single line brakes . XJX definitely predates my Dolly 1300.

Definitely late 78 or even early 79. My Sprint Auto VA 26140DLA was registered 26th August 1978 (EGP 247T) and that's a single circuit car, at least till I get into the brakes! If anyone has a newer one still on single, we might be able to get a more definitive answer.

Steve

Mine my sprint "S Plate" date of reg. June 1978 - VA25284 single line.

Cross referencing these artical submitted by Geoff
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29700&hilit=dates

makes my date of manufacture approx. in the middle of 1977.
Paul

VA26576 originally single line but a PO converted it to tandem!

Flyfisherman wrote:Mine my sprint "S Plate" date of reg. June 1978 - VA25284 single line.

Cross referencing these artical submitted by Geoff
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29700&hilit=dates

makes my date of manufacture approx. in the middle of 1977.
Paul

Your car does seem like a late registration Paul, whereas mine and Howards seem to have been about normal delay. Yours is only registered 2 months before mine, yet the 856 car difference in comm numbers is more like 9 months production!

From the data in Geoffs post, would anyone like to take a bet that the change to Tandem brakes occurred with the introduction of the series IV cars VA 30000> which would have been roughly September 78?

Steve

Don't go by the registration date as it's equally possible the car could have been registered the same week it was built or sat around in a compound unregistered for months. The only way to know for sure would be to purchase a Heritage Certificate from BMH who take the data from the original factory build records for your car.

My Sprint was registered in Edinburgh on 19th January 1979 yet the Heritage Certificate revealed it actually left the factory 5 months earlier on 21st July 1978! I've often wondered if the Winter of Discontent was to blame..

Howard81 wrote:Don't go by the registration date as it's equally possible the car could have been registered the same week it was built or sat around in a compound unregistered for months. The only way to know for sure would be to purchase a Heritage Certificate from BMH who take the data from the original factory build records for your car.

My Sprint was registered in Edinburgh on 19th January 1979 yet the Heritage Certificate revealed it actually left the factory 5 months earlier on 21st July 1978! I've often wondered if the Winter of Discontent was to blame..

I didn't know you had a heritage certificate for your car Howard and you hadn't mentioned date of dispatch or reg details in your first post.

I have been doing some fiddling with the data in the post by geoff and this gives me the following approximate build dates (please note I have averaged the annual production figures into 12 equal monthly figures and then reduced that to 4 equal weekly figures. So its only a best guess!)

This gives Pauls car VA 25284 a build date in the 2nd week of October 1977
My Sprint auto VA 26140 a build date in the 4th week of February 1978
And Howards car VA 26576 a build date in the 3rd week of June 1978

Note that the build date on your car Howard is almost a month before date of dispatch, this is not inconsistent with known policy, Rob Marshall and I have twin two door Toledos, his is older than mine by 60 odd cars yet HIS DoD is a week and a half LATER than mine! So even DoD is not an accurate guide to build date (which even most heritage certificates will not state)

But I think we've taken Marts thread far enough off topic and should take this up elsewhere if we want to continue!

Steve

Outstanding work Mart, coming along very nicely indeed!!!

Kind Regards

Russell.

A bit more progress this weekend. All four doors have been mostly rebuilt. The 'D' pillar plastics have been glued on (thanks to Tony Burd for those). Heater matrix, alternator & fuse box have been fitted. I had to put on a new connector for the alternator and sort out some dodgy wiring. Engine stabiliser bar fitted.

Going back to the brakes, according to my post-76 parts catalogue the Sprint had tandem brakes from VA26900.

Toledo Man wrote:Going back to the brakes, according to my post-76 parts catalogue the Sprint had tandem brakes from VA26900.

From Geoffs thread, the last series 3 car produced was VA 26896 which was immediately followed by the first series 4 car VA 30001, hence VA 26900 never existed! Which means I was correct in my supposition that Tandem brakes came with the series 4 update, my best guess is that this happened sometime in September 78.

Steve

Dash and steering column installed. This is a 'before' shot of the steering wheel...



Dash in pretty good nick...



Fitted the M/C and bracket and the clutch reservoir...

I don't know why Mart, but your pics have stopped coming up on my computer.

Steve

...and mine.

Yea, I'm not sure what's going on. The pic in my sig seems to be working but not the others.