The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Original topic name I know. Basically I joined the forum, because I am interested in getting a dolomite and thought it would be a good idea to talk to some experts. I have fancied getting a classic British car for whiled, and I spotted a green 1500HL in York, and just liked the look of it (sadly the poor thing was in quite a bad way). I could pretend that I had pratical reason for wanting the car, but it is definitely heart over head.

Still I think it would be a good idea to get a bit of practical advice before doing anything else. I don't need the car as a daily driver, I have a diesel Xantia for that (20 years old, so it is getting near classic status itself). My budget is £1000, and increasing with every month I save. My mechanical skills are Ok, I practice the noble art of bangernomics, so can replace cambelts, brake pads etc. Plus the odd more complex job, like replacing a suspension bearing. Body work, my skills are limited to a pop rivet gun and a tub of filler. So rust is a worry.

I am in Leeds, and most cars seem to be for sale down South.

So basically what sort of budget is realistic to get an overdrive model, without too much rot? How easy are parts to get? How easy are dolomites to work on? What about the driving experience, I never driven a rear wheel drive car. Running costs, the club scene, any info would be very gratefully recieved.

Thanks in advance.

It is possible to get a tidy car with overdrive for around a 1000 but you would have to be quite lucky...and its lilely to be a 1500.

Normally a good 1850 with o-d is worth 1500 quid. For that it should have a nice set of panels, no serious rot and a long MoT.
You can browse several other threads where the rot spots are discussed in detail, but you want to look at the front panel and wings above the headlights,
A post corners at the screen base but on the door side, cills obvioulsy, rear wheel arches, boot floor and chassis rails where the sub frame mounts, bulkhead to inner wing joints and front floor pans. You also want a dry set of carpets...screen seals are pretty leak prone and good quality screen seals are hard to come by.

Good luck with the search. there are still some good cars to be had out there...

Jonners

Jon Tilson wrote:It is possible to get a tidy car with overdrive for around a 1000 but you would have to be quite lucky...and its lilely to be a 1500.

Normally a good 1850 with o-d is worth 1500 quid. For that it should have a nice set of panels, no serious rot and a long MoT.
You can browse several other threads where the rot spots are discussed in detail, but you want to look at the front panel and wings above the headlights,
A post corners at the screen base but on the door side, cills obvioulsy, rear wheel arches, boot floor and chassis rails where the sub frame mounts, bulkhead to inner wing joints and front floor pans. You also want a dry set of carpets...screen seals are pretty leak prone and good quality screen seals are hard to come by.

Good luck with the search. there are still some good cars to be had out there...

Jonners

Thanks for the reply. A thousand is what I currently have saved, but I am willing to wait till my budget is bigger to get a better car. Mechanicals I can do, I know I can fix those sort of problems without going bankrupt. Body work issues are beyond my skill set, so I think it would be sensible to spend more to avoid those sort of issues.

At the moment there seems to be a lot of automatics for sale, but I would prefer a manual.

As for engine size, my dad owned cars in the 70's (a marina and a chevette) and said that the 1300 would be too underpowered. As for as I understand it, the 1500 is a less advanced engine than the 1850? Is there any real economy advantage from the smaller engine, or would it be better to look for one with the larger unit?

Welcome to the forum. You've come to the right place.

Don't rule out the autos. The 1850 is the best of the autos. You should be able to get a solid car needing some work within your budget. Keep your eye out and buy the best that you can afford. I'm not too far away from you so I can offer some help. Classic car insurance is cheap (cheaper still if you join the Club) and if you do your own repairs you'll save on garage labour. Electronic ignition is well worth considering (if the car you buy doesn't already have it).

Toledo Man wrote:Welcome to the forum. You've come to the right place.

Don't rule out the autos. The 1850 is the best of the autos. You should be able to get a solid car needing some work within your budget. Keep your eye out and buy the best that you can afford. I'm not too far away from you so I can offer some help. Classic car insurance is cheap (cheaper still if you join the Club) and if you do your own repairs you'll save on garage labour. Electronic ignition is well worth considering (if the car you buy doesn't already have it).

Thanks for the reply. As for an auto, I think a 70's auto would be too slow and thirsty. Besides mauals are more fun, and I definitely want to buy the car for fun. I would agree about buying the best car you can afford, I suspect that trying to do up a bad one is a false economy.

As for garage labour, I never use them unless I really have to. My current everyday car is a 20 year old Xantia, and it does need a bit of TLC now and again. Which generally means trips to the scrap yard for parts, days trying to not round that b****dy rusty nut that refuses to move, generally when it is either freezing or raining. Wondering why I do all this, and then finding it oddly statisfying when I fix the damn thing.