Thining of buying a dolomite that hasn't been run for 25 yrs!!!!!!!

[Jamesrashid]

Hi, I am thinking of buying a friends Dolomite!

It's not been used for 25 years, it's an 1850 with a sprint engine. It last needed a clutch slave cylinder and an exhaust. It will obviously need some other stuff to get it sorted.

Anyone got any idea on what this would be worth to buy? As a guide. It's been garaged on axle stands ever since. I haven't checked it out so can't comment on rust. He's going to clear some space for us to look at it.

I need to know an idea of what it's worth and so that if it's clean or rust free! Then I can look to make an offer.

Thanks
James

[triumphdolomiteuk]

Difficult one. Any car which has been laid up for that long is going to need a lot of work doing to recommission it; fuel hoses, coolant hoses, seals - clutch, brakes, the list could be quite long! Now we move on to why the car was taken off the road in the first place and what work would need doing to resolve those issues. Has it got wheels? It'll need new tyres. Then there is the dreaded R word - how much corrosion is there? What is the paintwork like? Chrome any good? Interior? Finally, how well has the car been converted to Sprint spec? Gearbox and rear axle must be changed too. So the value....very hard to say without knowing the answers to these questions. You would need to factor in the cost of the work needed to get it back on the road before making an offer. Why not post some pictures on here so we can get a bit more idea of what the condition is?

[2door-toledo]

You should also find out whether the engine turns over or if it's seized. As above says it's pretty much impossible to say what it's worth based on the available information. Could be a few hundred quid upwards.

[Jamesrashid]

Sorry not been on for a while so not checked in. I haven't been able to see the car yet as its buried in his garage. He's planning on clearing stuff out so we can get to it and have a look. I will try and get photos and see what the condition is like.

Hopefully get this done in next few weeks. I don't think the gearbox or axle has been changed but I will double check this. If these haven't been changed is it worth bothering with? May have to look at how much those parts are?

Thanks for the replies so far.

James

[sprint95m]

If it has both a Sprint gearbox and back axle this increases viability.
An 1850 with Sprint running gear will invariably be worth less than a Sprint in the same bodywork condition.



Ian.

[cleverusername]

If it has both a Sprint gearbox and back axle this increases viability.
An 1850 with Sprint running gear will invariably be worth less than a Sprint in the same bodywork condition.



Ian.

To be honest I think that an 1850 gearbox/axle would have a short life with a Sprint engine. They are pretty marginal with a TR7 lump, from the experience of other members.

My advice to the OP is to be very careful. If it is a project fair enough, that is to be encourage. My car is more about me fiddling with it, I will never make money from it.

However if you are looking for a bargain, I would save more and go for a better condition car that is running. The golden rule of classics, in the long run it is cheaper to get the best you can afford.

At least check the engine turns over, and get the thing out of the garage, to check the body properly. If you see any rot, walk away. They might sound harsh, but you will be far better off spending more on a car with a sound body.

As for values, look at what similar cars have sold for on ebay, you can search for completed listings. It should give you some idea.