The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

You'll be aware that over the last few months I've been bothering the heck out of the members of this forum, asking advice while trying to get my SPRINT up to a standard where I can have complete peace of mind while making a 1,600kms trip into deep, darkest, central Victoria at Easter.
Thanks to all that good advice and some great work by a laterally thinking mate who handled the mechanical jobs that I wasn't able to handle (he owns a hoist, which is obviously better than my jack and ramps) the car is now at a point where it drives, steers and stops fantastically well. I took it for a final shake down cruise yesterday and it performed faultlessly and is now an absolute pleasure to drive.
Some of the work that's been done over the last few months has been a replacement of a steering rack, timing chain tensioner, steering column bushes, ball joints, brake pads, all fluids & filters, temp and fuel sender units and starter motor. Some other smaller jobs, such as electrical shorts, bad earths and low voltage to gauges, loose headlamps, inoperative radio, badly bolted down distributor, loose upper rear locating arm and a few others I've probably forgotten. If some cam cover gaskets arrive today, I'll attend to the leaking spark plug tubes and that will finish all the tasks.
I spent most of last weekend detailing it, so it'll look the goods when parked next to our hosts MGB, Mk1 Spitfire and Series1 Landy.
So, to all you folk who helped me make this great little car into an absolutely brilliant little car, a great big "THANK YOU", your advice has been very much appreciated.
All the best, and although its still several days away, I hope you have a safe and happy Easter break.
Cheers,
Rob


PS; Hopefully, you wont be hearing as much from me in the future, but I'll be lurking.
R

Nice one Rob Good luck with the trip(s). You can post up your your travel pics too , we dont mind

Tony

That's what the Club and this forum is about. Glad you got it all sorted. Maybe you should've started a thread in the "resto" section documenting your progress and sharing it with us.

Let us know how you get on with your road trip. Daily use for at least a week is the best way of giving your Sprint a good shakedown.

Second that sentiment about the travel pics, as a Dolomite travelling through 1,600km of central Victoria State, Australia is just a little more on the awesome side over a trip to Leamington Spa Sainsbury's supermarket*.

*No offence to Dolomite owning residents of Leamington Spa, I'm sure it's a lovely place but please do note that if you do not currently posses a Sainsbury's in the town my statement does not constitute an offer by J Sainsbury's Group plc to build one.

We'll be leaving in about an hours time.
The first part of the (1600k) trip requires driving North up the coast for about 30 mins, then West up and over the Clyde Mountain (800m altitude), part of the Great Dividing Range. After that its mostly undulating hills and plains on the concrete, 4 lane, 110kph max, Hume highway for the rest of the trip.
I'll definitely be taking photos and if any of them are half decent, I'll post them here for sure.
I hope you all enjoy the Easter break.
Cheers,
Rob

Well, our holiday didn't go as planned....
We set off on Good Friday and despite the 3 or 4 months of preparation, throwing bucket-loads of money at it and taking it on several shake down runs, the SPRINT only got 20 kms into our trip before it began protesting about proceeding. The bearing in the fan hub decided it desperately needed to seize up, so before it did, I limped it back home and changed the car for our Ford Focus TDCI.
It checked out A-OK when we replaced the timing chain tensioner recently.
But car troubles faded into oblivion when, on the same day and 450 kms into the journey, I received notice that my Mum had passed away. This then, cut our 8 day holiday down to just 3 while I attended to the burial.
So, I'm sorry, but I don't have any pics of the SPRINT on the trip.........BUT there is a "next time" in the planning stages already. and I'm (almost) certain that our SPRINT will go the distance then.
Cheers,
Rob

Hi Rob so sorry to hear of your Mum. Im sure we can wait for the car stuff, its only nuts and bolts

Tony

I can only echo Tony's sentiments. There is always the next time.

Indeed... but here's to next time!

Thanks for the kind words Gents.....AND......there will most definitely be a "next time". Its already in the planning.
Cheers,
Rob