Cheeky request - thinking of bidding on a Sprint at auction but can't view the car in person

[Carledo]

Nowhere near Kings Lynn myself so can't help there, but it looks pretty tidy though with one or 2 very small niggles from the pics. I'd say it's slightly low on the estimate if anything, but obviously there's no substitute for seeing it in the tin. Not quite a sister car, but definitely a first cousin to my own Sprint (VA 26140DLA) only 75 cars later. Since mine was built in May 78 and registered 1/8/78, this will be a 78 built car too. Looks like Delft Blue too, a relatively rare and nice colour.

Good luck with your search, Steve

[xvivalve]

‘Matt of the vivas’ is probably one of the closest and well qualified to comment. Try sending him a PM...

[matt of the vivas]

Happy to go and look but i cant do Friday, working... i can however be there at 10am Saturday morning and take pictures etc, the bidding does not start till 12 and it goes on till at least 5 so that ought to be enough time.

[tangocharlie1]

Tahiti blue my favourite Sprint colour although missing it's side stripes that should be silver, has it had a recent respray ?

[SprintV8]

Overspray over top turrets.
Blue haze across bottom boot floor.

What year did they go tandem master cylinder ?.

[TrustNo1]

. Looks like Delft Blue too, a relatively rare and nice colour.

Delft on a 78?

[TrustNo1]

Overspray over top turrets.
Blue haze across bottom boot floor.

What year did they go tandem master cylinder ?.

Tandoms came in about 1979 I believe
Isn't the VIN tag also upside down?

I'd say this does need someone who knows these cars very well to give it a proper look over as there are several areas where rust can hide, Matt will know where to look.

[Carledo]

. Looks like Delft Blue too, a relatively rare and nice colour.

Delft on a 78?

Your right, brain fade, I meant Tahiti!

Tandem brakes came in with the "series 4" cars, VA 30000> at the very end of 78. My own Sprint, only 75 cars older, was a single circuit car when I bought it.

The Vin tag is not only upside down, it's in the wrong place too, should be forward of the body tag, the holes are clearly visible. Doesn't mean much though, the tag looks ancient, it was probably removed for paintwork and refitted incorrectly, it's only 2 pop rivets after all!

Vinyl roof is incorrect too, should be seamed on a 78 car. Car has the early Yellow badges (not an uncommon retrofit) sills are body colour, should probably be black and the sill moulding has been deleted (mine had these when I got it)

But the ad SAYS it's been off the road a while and had a full rebuild with photos to prove it. If it wasn't done by a Dolomite expert, you have to grant it a few inconsistencies and personal taste choices by the owner.

My car (apart from the non standard running gear) will have no side rubbing strips, sill mouldings or under riders, it will have early yellow badges, late tandem brakes, bright headlamp bezels, non standard automatic badge and a host of other non original details. I'm not really doing it to annoy the purists, I'm just building the car I want!

Steve

[soe8m]

I don't want to be a party pooper but the car screams out filler/recent respray/quick sale.

The interiour isn't that decent and the exhaust and inner mudshield at the front in body colour weren't factory options eather. Not talk about the brush painted wheels.

Someone with a Dolomite heart would not have blue shock nuts in the engine bay.

It can be a solid shell but I would have a very carefull look at this one.

Jeroen

[Carledo]

I don't want to be a party pooper but the car screams out filler/recent respray/quick sale.

The interiour isn't that decent and the exhaust and inner mudshield at the front in body colour weren't factory options eather. Not talk about the brush painted wheels.

Someone with a Dolomite heart would not have blue shock nuts in the engine bay.

It can be a solid shell but I would have a very carefull look at this one.

Jeroen

You may be right Jeroen, but if there are pictures of the rebuild...........

It looks more to me like a bodyshop job, rather than a purist's, do it yourself, 20 year, painstaking restoration. Done to a decent standard, but down to a price, hence the bits of overspray here and there. A rivet counter would not permit such "atrocities", but even one of the better commercial operations, with one eye on the clock, surely wouldn't be so picky.

But enough speculation, let's see what Matt says about it!

Steve

[matt of the vivas]

Not recieved anything Adam, its been a week, im assuming you have gone off the idea? If so ill scrub it off my calender. Matt.

[triumphdolomiteuk]

There may be a number of reasons why Adam hasn't been back to this forum after posting his appeal for help - maybe has has been hit by a bus, his dog may have eaten his smartphone, his neighbor's pet slug may have been taken ill, who knows? The point is that it is only polite when someone offers you help by freely giving their time, to either decline the offer or accept it. When potential new owners sign up for this forum, we try to help them by freely imparting our knowledge. However, next time someone asks for a volunteer to go and view a car for them, members may now think twice about offering.

[TrustNo1]

There may be a number of reasons why Adam hasn't been back to this forum after posting his appeal for help - maybe has has been hit by a bus, his dog may have eaten his smartphone, .

Maybe his dog was driving the bus and hit his smartphone?

[GTS290N]

There may be a number of reasons why Adam hasn't been back to this forum after posting his appeal for help - maybe has has been hit by a bus, his dog may have eaten his smartphone, .

Maybe his dog was driving the bus and hit his smartphone?

Don't be so bloody stupid - dogs can't drive.

The smartphone was driving the bus, which then hit the dog.

[TrustNo1]

There may be a number of reasons why Adam hasn't been back to this forum after posting his appeal for help - maybe has has been hit by a bus, his dog may have eaten his smartphone, .

Maybe his dog was driving the bus and hit his smartphone?

Don't be so bloody stupid - dogs can't drive.

The smartphone was driving the bus, which then hit the dog.