Rolling Restoration

[stevephotoman125]

Well I finally persuaded my wife that we needed a classic car to tow her classic caravan, so I am now the happy owner of a low mileage 1980 Dolomite 1500HL Auto. It really only needs silly little bits doing, door cappings, the correct shape battery and bodywork chips touching in. As it is used daily I'm doing jobs as and when I can, the previous owner who only had it for a short while fitted some second hand rear coilovers that are actually 1inch lowered ones so the back end is down. I'm fitting heavy duty rear springs, adjustable shocks and a oil cooler ready for towing. Towing will only be for shows so it shouldn't put to much strain on the car.
It came with fitted with an unleaded head, stainless exhaust, and I'm back enjoying driving again. A couple of photos, I will take some better ones at the weekend at Newarke

[DoloWIGHTY2]

Looks a nice clean, bright car. I see the vinyl covers are missing off the D posts so has it been resprayed?

Just a little tip, when you refurb those door caps please be careful as to not sand through the veneer as it so easy to do, seen it a few times on here recently and it doesn't look that nice.

But, welcome, great to see another owner signing up .

[stevephotoman125]

No the paints original, the last owner took the vinyl covers off to replace them and never got round to it. I'm lucky I have a friend that restores furniture thats doing the cappings

[Toledo Man]

Welcome to the forum.

The battery is the same as the Mini (015/038) It'll probably cost you upwards of £40. If you can get a plastic tray for the battery. One of an Acclaim is perfect because they use the same battery. I used the one from my spares Acclaim for Brown. If you're towing you should fit a transmission fluid cooler to your autobox. I know you won't be doing much towing but you'll need the cooler when you do.

Edit: I've just noticed as well after reading John's post below!

[JPB]

Welcome. What a stunning car you have there! Those wheels were only fitted (seemingly at random) to some late cars but I love them, they make the car stand out almost as much as the Vermilion paint does, IMHO.

Autos are great aren't they. I've only driven one 1500 auto - though I've owned two Dolomite autos - but the BW65 with that all-iron, OHV engine seemed a really pleasant combination.

As Toledo Man said, fit a transmission cooler if you want to tow with the car, they're easy to fit, connect their hoses to the side of the gearbox where at the moment there'll be a short steel bridging pipe.

edited: Oops! Just noticed that you've already declared your intention to fit a cooler, I must concentrate more when reading posts.

[stevephotoman125]

Thanks everyone, I'm very happy with the car, checked back on a few mot's and a couple of them it had only done about 150 miles between mots. To be honest I think I struck lucky with the car, there was no mention of the stainless exhaust, the unleaded head( receipts found) and the owner couldn't confirm the mileage as genuine, although since then I have checked with past owners and it is right

[sprint95m]

Welcome to the forum.

If I may be so bold, in my opinion I think your car looks better without the vinyl C post coverings especially
since it has such smart wheels !

[JPB]

Welcome to the forum.

If I may be so bold, in my opinion I think your car looks better without the vinyl C post coverings especially
since it has such smart wheels !

The man makes a good point. It does look pretty darned fine as is.

[Lord Tolly]

Looks a smashing car
are those centre caps the same as spitfire one's???

I have the same style wheels on my tolly and could do with some as mine are missing

[stevephotoman125]

Not sure if the centres are the same as spits. I must admit I prefer it without the viynl, but the guy has made a right mess of the other side so I may have to have the post that side resprayed

[Howard81]

The wheel centres are the same as Spitfire 1500

[stevephotoman125]

Welcome to the forum.

If I may be so bold, in my opinion I think your car looks better without the vinyl C post coverings especially
since it has such smart wheels !

The man makes a good point. It does look pretty darned fine as is.

Thats it then decision made, the vinyl stays off. I'm going to find somebody local that can respray the other c post as the last owner made a right mess of taking the vinyl off

[JPB]

You're easily convinced! Hmm...

I have a cheque for £13,718,094.52 made out to me that came from a friend in Nigeria. I wonder, could you pay it into your bank and send me £10,000 in cash please? You'd get it back as soon as the cheque clears and you may keep any interest that is accrued in the mean time.

Seriously though; don't just take our word for the aesthetic superiority of painted rear pillars on a bright orange Dolomite, think very carefully about this and maybe wait for a few more opinions before committing to the maximum orangeness program.

[stevephotoman125]

To be honest I love it without the vinyl, just needed somebody else to agree with me

[JPB]

Can't say fairer than that.