The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hello good people.

I sold VYK my russet Sprint a couple of years back. I had put a lot of work into making the car the best driving car that I could but when I got as far as I thought I could go with it I soon got bored and sold it on.



viewtopic.php?t=33898

I soon realised that was a mistake!

I had replaced VYK with a MGB GT because I had always liked the look of them. I soon realised that it wasn’t for me. Yes, they do look good but they don’t drive very well at all. I did enjoy making a few mods to it in a bid to increase performance, on a budget I might add so no supercharger unfortunately, but it was still laboured to drive, plus I just couldn’t get comfortable in it.



So I sold it on and put that money into a Z4 Coupe. It’s ridiculous that the same money that buys a BGT will buy something that performs like the Z4 3.0 si does - 0-60 in 5 seconds and 265bhp, all mod cons included; air con, heated leather, xenon headlights, Bluetooth, etc etc - plus I think they do look epic!?





Yes, it is a lovely car to look at and to drive, but you just can’t use that performance on the road to be honest. Plus, apart from a few sensors giving up the ghost, it was a bit boring in that I had no tinkering to do! Maintenance involved plugging it into a laptop which just felt far too modern for me. Importantly, and rather obviously, it isn’t a proper classic. So, that got sold on recently.

I had been thinking about the Sprint that I had let go and came to the conclusion that it is the ideal classic for me. It ticks all of the boxes when it comes to what I really want from a classic car. So with a limited budget I set out to find a project. I thought that finding one would be difficult being that I wanted a running driving car that I can improve on, and enjoy driving at the same time, for the same money that I got from the sale of the Z4.

I was preparing for a long winded search but within a couple of weeks I found LLU, a 1975 Mimosa Sprint with a Webasto roof! I’m chuffed to bits. The car is tatty, but solid in all the right places. There’s a few previous repairs to bodywork to sort out, it needs a full paint job, and that roof has obviously seen better days - and I’m sure will be a challenging fix! But mechanically the car is pretty good and had completed the RBRR in 2023 so is at a good starting point for me.

It’s had 4 previous owners and 63000 miles which looks to be genuine by the history. Main thing is that it drives really well as it is, and I can tinker with it to get it up to scratch mechanically, before I take the roof and paint on at a later date.

This won’t be a concourse resto. I will aim to make LLU a nice driver, just like VYK was, and enjoy the journey whilst documenting it here - if only for my own record.









I think the Ziebart treatment has saved LLU just as it had saved VYK. There’s the usual plugs where the cills have been injected but LLU has also been sprayed through the engine bay which is a bit messy! It will clean up nicely with a bit of meths and elbow grease though.





I’ve already renewed my TDC membership. So then I could start the tinkering by buying and fitting club spark plug tubes, plus I’ve given LLU a decent service. Club carb mounts are now on order. I also got rid of the K&Ns and fitted the proper air box.



Some nice history came with the car. Loads of receipts etc right back to the bill of sale.



There will be more tinkering to come. I’m sure there will be some challenges along the way. But like I say I’m looking forward to getting stuck in. Just dont let me sell this one please ….

Looks like a nice solid car, a good buy!

Good to see you back on the forum! And a lovely looking Sprint too! A great find!

Thank you both!

Glad to see you’re both still active on the forum too.

I’ve started the spannering by getting the car as high in the air as I can and having a good look at the task at hand.

I obviously found that there’s lots to do! But, the car is amazingly solid underneath. I can’t find any previous weld repairs. LLU still has original cills, jacking points, and un patched chassis legs etc. Nice…..

Mechanically the car is pretty tired, but not unloved I’d say. LLU will need every bush replacing, new brakes, new suspension, etc as I go along - but that’s the enjoyable stuff for me!

I did a few basics when I bought the car - flushed the fuel tank, Gates barricade fuel lines front to back, diff pinion seal, fresh brake fluid, remounted the exhaust, flushed the oil and coolant - so that I could keep driving up until a winter layoff and a deeper bit of tinkering.

The car is back in the garage now and the plan is to get the mechanical side of things in the best state I can before next summer. I’m currently swapping the timing chain and tensioner out.





And de sludging the engine…







Whilst I’m in the engine bay I have some super flex engine mounts, and super pro steering rack mounts to fit. I’ll take a look at the steering universals whilst I’m there also.





I have a pair of club supplied solid carb mounts to go on once I’ve refreshed the carbs. Hopefully I’ll get the engine running well and then do the suspension bushes before the summer driving season comes around

I always find myself asking the same question.

Could I get a better Sprint. Better door gaps as they used to drive me crazy. Better glass, etc.

Then I think it’s a solid 8/10 and I don’t want a concours car or a trailer queen that gets jacked up and mirrors put under it, like the Ford guys do at shows.

So after a few years I have concluded once you think you have got your car to a level where you are bored, it’s not actually the case. It means there’s less to do and more to enjoy !

Tango ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Hello Richard.

Tango is a lovely car and I’m glad to hear you’re keeping it! I think that you’ve hit the sweet spot - a proper tidy car but not something that you are afraid to put some miles on.

I’ve had a few classic cars and vans over the years and have come to the conclusion that the Sprint is the perfect classic for me. Trouble is I had sold VYK before I realised it!

It is what it is though and I’m now on a new journey with LLU, so all is well. I’ve just got a lot of work to do to get LLU into the same condition that I’d got VYK into. I’ll enjoy every minute of getting there though. Well, its guaranteed that there will be some agro along the way but you know what I mean…

The plan over this winter is to get LLU running and driving well via a bit of tinkering, and some new bits and pieces. I’ll fit a set of Gaz adjustable shocks, fully polybush the suspension, do trackerjack brakes, and rust treat / wax oil underneath. Then I can enjoy some driving this summer whilst I assess the bodywork and roof and how to go about it.

Sounds like the perfect plan Bish.

On my list this year is change my seats for some I got on FB which are in fantastic original condition.

Lower door skins on front and rear drivers side.

Then re-jet the Webers and get them set up to suit the Sprint. Always running to rich. A member on the forum has very kindly helped me out with a spec to suit the Sprint engine.

Not huge jobs but a bit each year keeps the car running and looking good.

Looking forward to seeing your progress in the Spring and the Summer months. Sounds like you have a plan.

Ooh nice work on the seats. I’m not on Facebook, but think that I should be if I’m going to find any decent parts these days!? If you hear of any really nice black carpet please give me a shout.

Also, do you have a reliable paint shop that you use in the Kent area? Im in no rush but will be looking to get some prices next summer / autumn. Final finish are a decent paint shop that’s quite local to me. They are pretty good at what they do and don’t charge stupid money, but it would be nice to maybe get some other opinions / quotes.

Cheers, Bish.

So, the Wimmerman chain turned up this week.

I made up a hybrid tensioner with parts from the both that I have, using the Renold body and slipper pad, and Rolon ratchet and spring. I like the fact that the Renold body and slipper has an oilway. The slipper is ever so slightly grooved from its time on VYK but I’m sure it will be just fine. To be honest there looks to be nothing wrong with the Rolon tensioner that was fitted. I think it pre dated the manufacturing issues, having been bought and fitted in 2003. It doesn’t have the oilway though so I thought I’d go with the Renold which does.





I have to say that I found the pre stretched chain is tighter to fit than the Rolon. That may just be in my head because I haven’t fitted loads of chains, but it’s a snug fit that’s for sure! The tensioner has barely popped up but I’m sure all is well. There’s no slack anywhere. Time will tell whether this will cure the noise that I could hear.

Bish

I use a couple of paint shops local to me. Depending on the job just depends who I take it too. The Sprint normally goes to a guy in Hougham which is just outside Dover. Completely old school guy that can have anything in from an E type to some mad one of custom.

My RS goes to another guy solely because he has done several RS2000s in the past so knows the panels and what to look for.

In terms of carpets for the Sprint I put in new carpets and sound proofing last year. I used Coverdale. Superb quality and really great customer service.

https://www.carcarpets.co.uk/?gad_sourc ... gJl_fD_BwE

Cheers.

Richard.

Thanks Richard. Food for thought.

Hello Dave.

I guess I could have drilled a hole but being a Rolon made one I just thought I’d change it. Like I say it’s probably overkill and there’s nothing wrong with the Rolon tensioner, but it had got in my head!

Thanks for the offer of the carpet. More food for thought.

Tinkering update; I’ve finished the timing chain, so fresh coolant and Valvoline VR1went in when everything was put back to make LLU oil and water tight.

Fitted a club supplied starter motor because the old one had an intermittent fault.



I have rebuilt the carbs, well, I say rebuilt but the spindles are good so it was a case of a check over, clean up, and new gaskets etc, before fitting them to a pair of the club solid mounts.



A session with the timing light and a decent tune up and LLU is running beautifully! The engine rattle has gone so must have been the slack chain!?

When checking over the brakes it was evident that the rear drums were soaked in oil because the inner axle seals were leaking.Actually the one i have a photo of wasn’t as bad as the other. Anyway, I changed them out today using the gearbox seal 141756, which according to the forum, does a better job of keeping the oil where it should be.







I’ve had LLU back on the road today for a short thrash / shakedown. The car runs really well - I’ve definitely fallen for it! There’s enough power to have fun, and it’s quick enough for me - for now anyway! The exhaust sounds particularly lovely. It’s a different one to what was fitted to VYK. I must admit, I feared the worst when I saw the Rimmers sticker on it, but it’s a nice burble and not boomy, or brash, in any way.



I had a great time driving in the sun today, but it’s clear that the brakes are crap - maybe not helped by oily shoes! - and also every suspension bush is shot. It feels like the back axle is floating and may be left behind at anytime!

So LLU is back in the garage for the next stage; Polybushes throughout, new brakes throughout - with a trackerjack conversion on the front - and Gaz adjustable shocks. Hoping then to get a decent summers driving in…

Then I guess I’ll start fretting about the roof, and paint!? Maybe I’ll just fix the roof so that I can have some open top motoring, and leave the paint as it is for a while. I like the patina that it has. Most of the paint is original. And it would be a shame to lose that originality?