Looong term 1300.

[DaveyP]

Right,

I thought I would start a thread in this section to start gathering some advice for this project. We've just bought our first house which means I'm skint and spending most of my time doing DIY, but it also means that I've finally got a garage!

I'll post some 'before' pics of my car when it stops raining, but it's pretty much like this:
-1300
-Russet Brown (about four different shades of)
-Beige interior
-55000 miles
-solid shell
-bog standard

As the title suggests, this is not going to happen overnight, but I'm quite excited at the prospect of a project that doesn't start with five months worth of welding. The ultimate goal is to end up with a standardish looking car with a modernish engine. Nothing insane, just something to make it more usable. First thoughts are an MX5 power-plant, a K-series or similar.

I'm new to the Dolomite game, so have about a hundred questions. The first of which are:

-Are all dolomite shells the same, or are there any non exchangeable parts?
-Is there a common 'parts bin' brake upgrade? Would sprint calipers and discs make a big difference, or is there anything better that's easily available? I'd like to retain 13 inch wheels.
-Will tr7 wheels fit? By fit I mean will they bolt on (pcd and centres) I realise they're wider. I'm looking at the steel ones.
Do all sprint axles have LSDs?

Many more questions to follow, but this is a start!
I'm looking forward to this.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Dave

[Toledo Man]

Whatever lump you decide to drop in the first thing you should do is upgrade your brakes. A popular upgrade is the "trackerjack" conversion (named after the forum user who created it) which is a modified upright with VW Golf discs and Ford Sierra calipers. If you're keeping your steel wheels then they'll fit.

[Carledo]

Wow, big list! With regard to engines, this is about the smallest transplant i've seen and I did it!







Its a 2ltr 8v Vauxhall Carlton engine with Omega gearbox and Dolly sprint axle. It gives about 130 bhp in its current trim which is plenty for road work!

MX5 may fit, I know someone who has one in a Vitesse and thats pretty sweet.

The problem with a K series is finding a suitable gearbox (Morgan did but I don't know what it is!)

Dolly shells are all basically the same, there are only detail differences, the only holdout is the Toledo which has all different panelwork aft of the rear window.

There's no really simple brake upgrade as Sprint Discs and calipers are the same as your 1300 ones, however the Sprint has different pads and a much bigger servo (the Sprint rear brakes are much bigger too, actually TOO big!) The TJ conversion is on my shopping list but I don't know how much it costs!

TR7 rims will fit the hubs but I don't know if there are clearance or geometry issues. I've used MGF 15" alloys, pretty successfully as you can see, but they're not everyones taste.

If you don't fancy something as big as a 2ltr the Vauxhall engine also comes in 1300, 1400, 1600 and 1800cc variants which will all fit (with some mods) to the Omega box.

Since you're skint, I'll add this, I did mine all myself and already had the engine but I had the whole project on the road for £600 which includes the £200 I paid for the car!

Hope this helps1

Steve

Ps VERY few Sprints had the very expensive LSD option and they are highly prized and very expensive today!

[Triumph1300]

Just to add to the above, the front brakes are common to all Dolomites, the Sprint has bigger rear brakes, and a limiter valve, I believe that the servo's are slightly different across the range.

EDIT - beaten to it by Steve!

[JPB]

The gearbox that Reliant (can't speak for Morgan) fitted to the K-series in their SSTs with that engine option was a Ford Sierra one. Can't be any more specific as I've never yet encountered a broken one. A brief look at some of the Morris Minors that have been fitted with K-series suggests that they too come with the Ford 'box, logically so if the parts to mate the units were already available from Reliant, over the counter.

[DaveyP]

OK, thanks for the replies.

How does the pm system work? I've tried to get in touch witch trackerjack, but even after I select him as a recipient, when I send the message, I'm told that no recipient has been defined. What am I doing wrong, please?

I thought the 'All sprints have LSDs' advice I'd been given sounded to good to be true. Ah well...

[grifterkid]

Welcome to the forum...! By the sounds of it you've got a really very nice car there, I cannot wait to see some pictures pf it in all its glory...

I'm not really gen'd up on all things modification wise but just from looking on here you will see that just a little bit of inginuity and determination will take you a long old way...!

Add to that the fact that you're on probably one of the most helpful forums on the internet and you're most probabaly on to a winner...

Keep us posted of all developments...

[Jod Clark]

Right,

The ultimate goal is to end up with a standardish looking car with a modernish engine. Nothing insane, just something to make it more usable
Dave

I've often thought that a 1300 Dolly with 1250 Fiesta Zetec power would be a nice conversion, keerping it at around the same capacity but with modern reliability and economy, plus almost straight-swap capability for bigger engines in future.

[topfuel]

err not really jod. as the 1250 motor is the sigma motor you will have to get a bellhousing to fit a type9 box. and all the sumps are wrong. so you have to get a sump to work. if you go zetec route then you can use 1.8/2.0litre motor. use the 1.8 escort sump(fits a treat between subframe) use a 1.8 zetec flywheel modded to take a pinto clutch. type9 or mt75 box(this box is a lot bigger). if you get pre 95 ecu you can wire this up with about 5-6wires. all this will give you between 115bhp and 136bhp. if you use std ford parts.. if you do some head work with uprated cams sort a good ecu and runn webers you could be looking at 170bhpish.. pm me if you have questions....

terry

[DaveyP]

Right,

nearly six months later and I've got a house which is coming on in leaps and bounds and a dolly that's still as standard as the day it left the factory!

I've got the trackerjack bits and a load of polly bushes in the garage. About to order some more parts and hopefully make a start.

About the axle: I want to lengthen the final drive. I've spotted some sprint axles on e-bay, but they've all been miles away and nobody is willing to post one to me. I also fancy the anti roll bar.

Does the bar just bolt on, could I bolt one to my own axle? That would leave me with the diff to swap later.

OR.. do any of you have a good sprint axle you're willing to part with and package for posting at a reasonable price?

Looking forward to making a start on this after Christmas. (hopefully this one!)

Cheers
Dave

[Dolly-Nut]

Any Dolly rear roll bar should fit straight on, the holes should already be there in the trailing arms.

[DaveyP]

So I just bolt it in. Solid, like?

[Carledo]

So I just bolt it in. Solid, like?

JUS LIKE THAT!
Thank you very much!

Steve

[soe8m]

I suggest you take a look under your car so you know how it looks like. Spend some time investigating how a dolomite is build, open the bonnet and boot for example. buy a workshop manual and a partsbook and all your question you can find yourself the answer.

Jeroen

[Jon Tilson]

On the diff front a Sprint axle is 3.45:1 which is pretty high for a cooking 1300. It may or may not work with the prop shaft you have. The sprint proip is different and has a sliding joint in the center. Your prop slides at the front, so depending on the nose length of the axle you may not find it works with your prop shaft. Also a Sprint axle has a lot bigger rear brakes that are designed to go with a load sensing valve which yours wont have.

You best bet is to go for a 3.89 or 3.63 diff from a 1500TC or dolomite.

After Christmas, I may have just the thing for you...a 3.89 diff in a 1300 dolly axle...

Jonners