The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Had a couple of hours free this morning to weld the floor in


Then paint to protect. Probably could do with another coat but that took quite a while to dry even with the fan heater on it.


I started by welding the end nearest the front as this metal was nice and thick still to take welds. The back bit nearest the centre was heavily pitted. However dialing back the welder and doing an overlap weld seemed to do the trick. Even though it was dialed back, I got penetration along it. Did require a few holes blown through where it had pitted, needing to have them filled up with welds.

Not ideal a patch went in as the floor panel could do with changing out longer term. However this is more than good enough short to medium term. To be honest, most people would be happy as this as a permanent fix but I'm just picky.

Still uncertainty in the house move, so I'm kinda idling along a bit until we know more. At an awkward point now though as to continue, I need to commit taking more stuff out. However there is the real chance I'll suddenly get the nod to move and I'll need to put it back together really quickly! Also the more bits pulled off, the more likely I'll loose/misplace those bits.

Why is it always around the same time every month, once a month I get to work on this?

I set about stripping the interior some more.

This is how it started off in the morning.


First step was removing the steering column. This was relatively tricky free. Three bolts holding onto the bulkhead and a pinch bolt to undo the steering column from the rack intermediate shaft. I just know that pinch bolt is going to be a fight to get back in. Access really isn't that great on this.

Anyway it came off


Next up was the heater unit. 3 bolts and one screw headed bolt to remove inside


Then disconnect the pipes on the bulkhead. These were incredibly hard to get off and I had to cut one off. They're down here


One pipe was covered in insulation tape. Looks like its worn through and to be honest probably should have been replaced. The hoses were all very hard and I think due for a replacement. Will need to find the pipe size so I can refresh them. Don't want to play any risky games with these cooling system, as notorious as they can be!


Heater box came away easy enough after that.


And I left it to drain.


The foam on the control flap is falling off and perished as they do. Either I'll remove it and/or replace it.



Now the bulkhead area is empty, I can have a good look behind


For that, I'll now move over to the medium of video as it's much easier than pictures for this. Also a good experiment and practice for me, as I quite fancy documenting these posts as video instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afPeE_NqKFk

Managed to get enough enthusiasm tonight to get a bit more done. Prime job was removing the brake pedal. To do this, the wiper motor had to come out as there is a bracing bar that goes across. The bar is spot welded to the wiper motor plate and the other end is held behind the wiper spindle.

You can just about see the bar here. Bit of a crap design - almost feels modern car thinking where it probably was done like that to make it easier to make in the factory.


However the spindle needs to come off. Naturally the nut was completely seized on. I really need to get a nut splitter, but without one I hacked away at the soft metal of the nut with chisel.


After a disconcerting about of movement on the windscreen with each blow against the chisel back, I split the nut. I really hope that these nuts are still available to buy!


With that off, the motor and plate came out easy enough.



Next was the pedal. Straight forward with four bolts to remove.


Behind wasn't as bad as I feared. This feels like a strengthener plate is behind this.


Cleaned it all up with the wire wheel again and splattered Krust all over the area.




Then tomorrow I'll probably coat it with a layer of paint. Longer term I think this will need cutting out and redoing. It's pitted but still feels reasonably solid when hit with a blunt screwdriver and a mallet against the back. However there are one or two pitted holes that now go through after the wire wheel was run across it. I'm hoping it will be easier to repair this area properly with fresh metal once the windscreen is out.

Next job will be to weld the inside area. Just checked my welding gas levels and the pressure gauge is just reading off minimum. I don't think BOC or my local supplier are open until the New Year. Great.

Will have to tack it in for now and then try getting as much done as possible. Also ordered some Bilt Hammer S-50 Cavity Wax to fill and protect this area once done.

Looking really good SiC. Some great pictures too - how do you post these? I use Photobucket, but you only get the small pictures included. Both yours and James' resto sections are blessed with great quality photography.

I see you are in Bristol too - my father in law Richard Old (Richard the Old one) is also Bristol based if you ever need anything. There is quite an active Triumph group there too if you ever fancy a pint and a catch-up with likeminded individuals.

Keep up the good work - that's dedication working on Christmas Day!
MC

Matt Cotton wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:32 pm Looking really good SiC. Some great pictures too - how do you post these? I use Photobucket, but you only get the small pictures included. Both yours and James' resto sections are blessed with great quality photography.

I see you are in Bristol too - my father in law Richard Old (Richard the Old one) is also Bristol based if you ever need anything. There is quite an active Triumph group there too if you ever fancy a pint and a catch-up with likeminded individuals.

Keep up the good work - that's dedication working on Christmas Day!
MC

Thanks. Haha yes I forgot the day after was Christmas Day, so I didn't actually get any work done on it. I post on several forums and use my mobile, so I use the Tapatalk app to upload the images straight from my phone. Then copy/paste the image links between forums and alter the content to suit.

Funnily enough I think I know where your father-in-law lives as we happened to be looking at houses around there a while back. Admittedly its not hard to miss a house with 3 Dolomites outside! I'm currently in Downend, so not terribly far away still either.

Right now, I'm very much looking forward to getting this work done and getting the car back on the road again! Apart from the drive back on the motorway, I've yet to actually properly drive a Dolomite.

Nearly half a year since updates!

So what's happened since then? Not a lot really on the Dolomite just yet, but a bunch of intervening stuff that affected the timeline to sorting it. In mid February it got transported to storage in preparation for us moving house.



Early March we finally moved house - 5 attempted house sales, 3 attempted purchases and 1.5 years later. Not something we will be doing again for a while. Then the next couple of weeks were spent doing the usual DIY as you move in. Of course as we all know, lockdown happened. This meant my garage, which I'd separately packed away into a storage unit was not realistically retrievable for a couple of months. So in that time I took advantage of an empty garage to paint it.


The garage is a double, so should be plenty of room to work on this. This is good as it's turned out to be much more of a project than I originally intended! Also should be big enough, because I've filled it up a fair bit already with my stuff...

Since then I've got my stuff back, then worked down the priority queue of automotive repairs. Firstly the radiators, coolant pump and expansion tank had to be fixed on this...


That was a fun job I am glad to not be doing again in a rush.

So after moving house, naturally the next good* idea I had was to buy yet another car! Bought completely sight unseen off eBay and delivered to me.




Naturally it needed a bit more work than originally intended. Thankfully mostly mechanical and rarely for an ADO16, virtually no bodywork! However currently that is blocking up the garage workspace.

While chatting to Ceri of Walsgraves Transport, who transported the 1100 (a top guy who is reliable and fairly priced - based in Coventry), he mentioned that he'll give a buzz when passing next and move the Dolomite for me. I'm very thankful for him doing this as my wife was not keen at all being a tow driver in the front pull car while I sat in the Dolomite. Especially as the storage to my new house is only a short distance but single track lanes with no real passing areas.

So yesterday this turned back up.


I really need to hurry up on the 1100 and get this back in the garage. At least the warm and dry weather we are having at the moment shouldn't affect it too much though.

In the daylight with room to walk around, it's shown up the bits that need tending to on the body. Let's have a brief tour...

Front wing needs finishing. I've got the repair panel for this.


Doors needs attention. This is the worst.


Wheel arch needs some work.


Not sure I want to know what's going on here just yet!


Boot lid has a very crusty spot.


Eyebrows need some attention too. These do pass the poke test thankfully though.



Then there is the bits that you can't see at the moment. Inner wheel arch on both sides with one currently what looks like a lump of fibreglass in.

Finally the bulkhead area. This will be the bit I'll focus on first. Basically needs a new section welding in on the inside and possibly some in the bonnet area on the outside. Now I have undercover working area, my intention is to remove the windscreen from the car. This should allow me to do this area properly.

However I do need to check if I can get a replacement seal. The one on there is cracked up already and in definite need of replacement. But it will likely need cutting out, so I need to make sure I can get a replacement before this is done.

So plenty to do and not quite ready to start. At least with it on the drive it reminds me everytime I go out that I need to hurry up and get on with it. Given I'm quite slow at working, it's likely it will become a late summer and through winter 2020 project.

After the bodywork there is the mechanicals that need attention. Carb rebuild as a minimum, diff/transmission whine looking at, rusty shocks replacement and suspension desqueaking. Finally the front seats are torn up on the front vinyl + foam disintegrating, so they'll need some repair work too.

Just a bit to do then! Next update hopefully won't be more than another month or two. Famous last words...

Congrats on the new house and a lovely big garage to work in!

Re the windscreen rubber - I got mine from Winn’s- the screen fitter commented on the quality of it being decent, unlike some he’s come across.

Happy spannering

On screen rubbers, there's actually only one company making them ATM and that's Baines. Wherever you choose to buy one from, (and most of the usual suspects sell them) you will get a Baines seal! I believe it's even possible to deal with Baines direct and cut out the middle man!

A few people on here have had quality issues with them cracking and leaking after short use, others have been fine. IMO it was either a bad batch or, more likely, a storage issue, if it's on a shelf in sunlight for a year or two, it won't last long when put in your car!

There was a lot of debate on here a few years back and questions about screen thickness (between toughened and laminated) raised as toughened screens seemed to accept the Baines seal better. But it's all poppycock, there's only one part number for all Dolomite derivative screen seals and a toughened screen is actually marginally THINNER than a laminated one. So there was no basis for the toughened one being more correct, coincidence and/or an insufficently large statistical sample are my theories!

Steve

Excellent info thanks both!

I guess this one will be suitable?
https://coh-baines.co.uk/product/triump ... pe-hd7434/

Says for the Toledo and 1300/1500 - are the parts all the same?

SiC wrote: ↑Thu Jun 11, 2020 9:15 am Excellent info thanks both!

I guess this one will be suitable?
https://coh-baines.co.uk/product/triump ... pe-hd7434/

Says for the Toledo and 1300/1500 - are the parts all the same?

Yep same seal for ALL Dolomite/Toledo derivative cars, the Triumph part number is 904111.

I have some usable used wiper wheelbox nuts if you can't find any. Try an old school Lucas dealer if you can find one! The nuts are pretty much standard on all Lucas equipped cars. (So millions over the 60s and 70s)

Steve

I feel really guilty about this car. It's been sat outside for a winter and a good part of the summer since buying it. Life, house moving, work and other cars have taken priority over this. Not helped by adding to the fleet by buying a Austin 1100 over lockdown. But finally it now is it's time for going into the garage. I imagine this project is now going to make most of this winter.


First off I gave it a good wash. Amazing how much dirt came off it from sitting a year outside and then later in storage (old chicken shed). Being up close reminds me how much work is needed and the rust bubbling through the paint. I was hoping to avoid a full respray, but I'm being to think it may be necessary.


Even the boot badge is corroding FFS. Oh and I shouldn't have poked the bubble on the boot either!


In the boot was mouldy and minging. Ended up washing this out.


Then finally the push into the garage. A massive improvement over my old workspace but still going to be tight working! Especially once I start stripping bits off.

My hope at some point this door will be replaced with a roller door. Ideally before I get this car done!


Then closing the door and reclaiming the drive with the moderns.


So this is going to be a lot of work. First steps now will be to do a stock take on the car and build a list of jobs that need doing. Primarily it's going to be bodywork but there is a few mechanical bits that need attention. Mainly carb rebuild, cooling system attention and suspension refresh.

One of the first things I need to do is removing the windshield and rear glass. I know the front windscreen seals are available, but are the rear? Both are heavily perished and fit for the bin.

Yes, both screen rubbers are readily available - I got mine at Rimmer's and apparently still made by the same company who made them back in the day.

Went surveying with the screwdriver last night to figure out the extent of what needs to be done. Rusty picture heavy warning!

Starting from the front.

Bulkhead/windscreen area I know about. Not too terrible.



Wheel arch corners need finishing off



Made a small hole by the front at the battery area


Drivers side headlight mounting has gone at the back. Passenger side looks fine though but need to clean back the dirt to check.


Drivers side lower wing needs finishing off. I have a panel for this. Made a hole in a rust bubble on the bottom of the door. Straight through so will be a bit of a job.


Rear driver's door isn't as bad. Will be interesting to see how thin this is.


Rear wheel arch ...



Unfortunately it looks like someone has welded a repair panel over the top of the body. Dirt has sprayed up in the arch and has got between the two.

I'm going to run over the top of the area and take the paint off. Hopefully I can cut the repair panel and fix it up as I know they're hard to get hold off. I suspect this one may not be salvageable.

Boot floor isn't terrible.



Boot lid is crusty but not holed. Hopefully clean up and fresh paint will be all that is needed.


Rear arch on passenger side is not too bad. You can tell the same problem where it's welded on top. Not decided what to do with this yet. Probably should cut it out and reweld it in properly. I'll figure it out once I've been through everything else.


Bottom of the arch is bad too.


Door jams have had a bodge repair previously.


Found fibreglass and lumps of filler. More cleaning up needed.


Front isn't as bad but still needs cleaning up and new pieces welded in.


Finally the bubbles along the front eyebrows aren't that bad. Only one hole poked through.


Then the bonnet catch needs a quick few welds to reattach the mount.


At least the roof opens fine though!


So all in the bodywork is not as bad as I feared! A lot of work but it's not insurmountable. Rough list:
- Windscreen/bulkhead area. No real pics in this post as dash is in but there's pics earlier in this thread.
- Offside Wheel arch corner
- Front light surround
- Lower Drivers side wing
- Both offside door bottoms
- Rear offside wing
- Boot floor
- Nearside wing
- Nearside door jams/posts
- Nearside wheel arch corners
- General small patches and cleanup

Main parts I need to find now is the rear wheel arch panels. Hoping the rest will be possible to fabricate up. Interior will need plenty of bits, but I'll come to that after the bodywork is done.

If anyone sees any for sale, please let me know!

RSi wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:28 am Yes, both screen rubbers are readily available - I got mine at Rimmer's and apparently still made by the same company who made them back in the day.

I completely forgot to buy one from Rimmers when they had their 12.5% discount day last week.

Fair bit of work but all "doable". I would have a good look at the front and back edges of your " at least it opens" sunroof. I recently recovered/rebuild mine and the front and back plates were pretty badly rusted:














Ended up remaking the metalwork as well as recovering it.

Roger