Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

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GrahamFountain
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Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#1 Post by GrahamFountain »

I'm trying to sort out a replacement front panel badge for my (July build) '73 Mimosa yellow and black Sprint. And so far, I've got two slightly different ones. One is the same as that currently on the car, and has the number 627254 on the back. The second is labelled J FRAY LTD BHAM 88627252. The first of these has the letters of the word TRIUMPH slightly raised - by less than a millimetre I'd say -, the letters are clearly pale gold, and the edges of the casting that show when in place are slightly rounded, especially at the corners. With the second, the letters are not raised, and appear to be silver, and the edges of the casting are more sharply defined. Their pins are on the same spacing, but the ones on the second badge look slightly longer, and perhaps v. slightly thicker.

What's currently on the car may not be significant, because it's at least been re-sprayed and had later front seats fitted, etc. I think that it's possible that a later car supplied some bits, especially interior. However, Mike Baker did have a quick squint around and underneath and said it's still on a '73 body shell, originally in Mimosa – so a Sprint one –, with the original wheels, roll bar, bumpers, and rear seat, etc. Though the vinyl roof's not an early one.

The thing is that Rimmers list 627254 as for the Sprint and 1850 to 76, but MikeyB's post on the early Sprints at viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21814 shows what appears to be a badge with the letters flush and silver, like the one marked 88627252.

So which badge is right for one of the first batch Sprints?
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#2 Post by Toledo Man »

This is the correct early Sprint nose badge.
Image

The later ones had TRIUMPH in black letters on a silver background and were fitted to the entire Dolomite range.
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#3 Post by xvivalve »

I think Graham is telling us he has two slightly different versions of that badge Dave, and one of them is an exceptionally rare early original with slight relief to the letters similar to the early rear badges. I have seen very few cars wearing such a badge, including fairly early original/unrestored versions which have the flat version.
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#4 Post by Toledo Man »

You learn something new every day...
Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Railway, 1 Birstall Lane, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1JJ

2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - a project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint), NYE 751L (1972 Dolomite 1850 auto) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#5 Post by GrahamFountain »

Ah, I didn't make it clear. It's the one on the upper front panel that reads TRIUMPH I mean, not the Sprint (or 135) nose badge.
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#6 Post by Toledo Man »

The 135 nose badge is a different story...
Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Railway, 1 Birstall Lane, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1JJ

2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - a project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint), NYE 751L (1972 Dolomite 1850 auto) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#7 Post by GrahamFountain »

Toledo Man wrote:The 135 nose badge is a different story...
Although, it might be interesting to know how many of the first batch of Mimosa and black cars had them fitted on the line and then removed before sale?

But it is nearly as related to this as them lintels between the lally columns on the second floor, unless you want 'em rabbetting.

Graham.
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#8 Post by GrahamFountain »

Here's a photo of the two badges I have. The one on the right is 627254, as listed by Rimmers for the pre '76 cars, and the one on the left is 88627252, which looks to me like the one in MikeyBs post (but not as nice condition).

Image
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).
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Len Hughes
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#9 Post by Len Hughes »

My early Sprint VA369 has the slightly raised front panel badge but the letters do not have a gold tint they are silver.

Len
1973 Mimosa Sprint
1973 Magenta TR6
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#10 Post by GrahamFountain »

Len Hughes wrote:My early Sprint VA369 has the slightly raised front panel badge but the letters do not have a gold tint they are silver.
Well the one that's on the car isn't gold either. It's somthing of the antithesis of Mrs Olthwaite's black pudding - even the black bits are white; well, silver.

But, if the letters are slightly raised, it sounds like it's 627254 then.

Graham.
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).
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Well.......

#11 Post by sprint95m »

I have both types, having removed them from 2000s in the past.
However the original on my 1972 Dolomite is smooth.





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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#12 Post by xvivalve »

In all cases, those badges with relief lettering pre date smooth versions. The latest survivor was the model script badge on the RH boot lip; the 'early' Sprint badge with italicised script never had a smooth supersession until the later non italic version replaced it.

The exception being I've never seen the D pillar badges with raised letters, always smooth...
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#13 Post by GrahamFountain »

xvivalve wrote:In all cases, those badges with relief lettering pre date smooth versions.
So these two are basically different versions of the same part number, despite the different numbering on the back?

And the raised letter one is probably right for the earlier, Mimosa and black, Sprints?

Any idea of the change over date?

BTW, anybody got a picture of a Rimmers stick-on one, 627254P?

Graham
The 16v Slant 4 engine is more fun than the 3.5 V8, because you mostly drive it on the upslope of the torque curve.

Factory 1977 TR7 Sprint FHC VVC 697S (Now all of, but still needs putting together)
B&Y 73 Dolomite Sprint UVB 274M (kids!)
1970 Maroon 13/60 Herald Convertable (wife's fun car).
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#14 Post by xvivalve »

Basically the flat badges were easier and cheaper to produce, so superseded the embossed versions. I don't believe there was a specific change over date for any but the boot lip badge depicting the model, which occurred at the '76 changes. The other badges were generic, used on various models, and so the stock of earlier embossed versions will have therefore been expended earlier.
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Re: Early Sprint - which front panel badge?

#15 Post by matt of the vivas »

My 1972 has a raised badge. I have a few, some of them have a gold tinge to them - i think its caused by excessive polishing, staining the badge.
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