The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

First post, so I'll start by saying hello !

I own a 1975 Sprint which used to be my daily runner but go laid up with a clutch problem (hydraulics I'm hoping - but will come back to that another day!)

So it's been standing around for a while - about 17 years - I've decided I need to do something with it. The engine turns over fine but needs some work on the carbs to get the fuel in (spark ok), but again that's for another day.....

.....My initial concern is with the state of the body and where I'm hoping I can get some advice. To get it worthy of a MOT it's going to need sills both sides, possibly inner, box section, outer and also chassis rails both sides. No doubt there will be more.

I've seen the costings for the parts online and I think TDC can supply most if not all the parts but I could do with some idea on the labour charges involved for welding - appreciate no one can give a price, I'm looking for ball park figure - £100s / £1000s! Or would it be considered too far gone etc? I would also be looking for someone perhaps known to the club (I'm not far from Birmingham).

Bottom line is I need to know if I can afford to give it a go or to sell it on - either way I need to get moving on it!

Thanks

Nick

Some pics would be helpful I am sure to look at the extent of the rot. Always assume it's much worse than it looks and will hence cost more to put right. It would be difficult to look at costs as they can vary wildly depending on the person welding. Some will work for tea, others wads of folding. Spending a lot is no guarantee of good workmanship either.

Hi N1ck

I have just booked this guy:

www.mobileweldingservices.org

to do some work on my Sprint project, he comes to you which is great if your car can't be moved easily to a garage. he charges a flat rate of £40 per hour (all in no VAT, no callout), which initailly sounds alot but if you want to move your project on quickly he can do the welding in a day which would take me 4 or 5 weekends.

Typically he quoted me to cut off & replace a chassis leg will take 2 hours so £80, which I think is a bargain.

Nick, you need to speak to Steve Wilkes in Dudley, multiple Sprint owner and fabrication welder by day. There's not a job on a Dolomite body that he'd not be familiar with and he gives good rates.

A good rate is not the whole story, you need a good job done for a good rate. You will be assured of that with Steve. I've PM'd you his number.

Typically he quoted me to cut off & replace a chassis leg will take 2 hours so £80, which I think is a bargain.

It would indeed be a bargain, but to do the job properly you have to drop the rear of the subframe. I doubt he realises this, so you may end up with a bit of a bodge at the front of the chassis leg, the area where the rot initially sets in, for your £80.

xvivalve wrote:

Typically he quoted me to cut off & replace a chassis leg will take 2 hours so £80, which I think is a bargain.

It would indeed be a bargain, but to do the job properly you have to drop the rear of the subframe. I doubt he realises this, so you may end up with a bit of a bodge at the front of the chassis leg, the area where the rot initially sets in, for your £80.

Hi Alun,

Yes I should have said, in my case the shell is bare so he can get straight on with it.

Tony

Thanks - I'll give them a call. Steve is not too far from me by the look of it so might be able to take a look and assess the condition.

I'm certainly looking for a good job - even as a rolling restoration it needs to be done properly. If it's going to be beyond my budget then I will sell the car on to someone who can do it - but after holding it for 17 years I don't really want to give up yet !

Tony,

You will need the subframe to be positionable in order to get the replacement leg in the right place: secured by the front two fixings loosely so it will 'hinge' a little bit. The chassis leg carries a tube through which the rear subframe mount bolt passes; get that in the wrong place and you won't be able to fit your subframe later!

Alun

Will do, thanks for the advice.

Well, after some sleepless nights trying to decide what to do and a lack of support from the rest of the family(!) I'm going to let my Sprint go to someone who can give it a good home No doubt end up on ebay if anyone's interested (don't want to break any rules listing directly on here)

..I would happily take it on, being a pre-76 car, esp.if it was in a rare colour - but sadly Ive just taken on a similar project where the previous owner had it for 19 years - and was so upset he had to let it go - I swear he was wiping away the tears as we left..

..I really do hope you find someone who fancies a nice relaxing(???) summer project, and another early one gets saved..they can't all wait for Mad Mart....



....what colour is anyway?


.....please tell me it's not magenta.....(..."starts to reach for wallet".... )