1850HL Vs Sprint

[Hoops]

Let me first say i am 4th year design student, currently driving a 1l Citroen AX but since a wee lad wanted a sprint. Have been looking recently and i can now afford insurance on a Sprint, but can not go up to £3-4k for a decent one. So have been looking at the 1850HL's, how do they compare?

Obviously the sprint is a lot faster, although in the real world, are the differences noticeable?

Thanks

Hoops

[DavePoth]

In the real world, yes the difference is noticeable. The Sprint breathes better due to the bigger carbs and 16v head, and feels a lot faster than the 1850 IMO. The 1850 is still a good car, and goes well (plenty of fun on roundabouts) and is probably a much better bet if you are a bit tight for cash, as condition 1 1850s are still less than half the price of a top sprint. I have both (although the sprint is in about 500 bits and the 1850 has a terminal gearbox leak) and would recommend either.

As is always the way with these things, buy the best one you can, as a "rolling restoration" is just another phrase for "money pit" unless you know how to weld.

[Hoops]

Thanks, always wanted a sprint, but i really wont be able to afford over £2k or so, and dont really have the experience to do a restoration, but can do hands on stuff.

[DavePoth]

An 1850 is probably a better bet then, you'll be able to find a really really nice one for £1500 or so if you shop around.

[Garfin]

Have a look in the 'Cars For Sale' section and the post '1850HL with overdrive 46,000 miles'. Lovely car and may still be for sale.

[triple tango]

really good 1850's can be had for well under £1000 & are a really nice, reasonably quick car. I think they are especially nice with an auto box.

Sprints are a totally different beast, a lot quicker & much different in feel to drive. The same £1000 will get a Sprint needing work.

[David6214]

Thanks, always wanted a sprint, but i really wont be able to afford over £2k or so, and dont really have the experience to do a restoration, but can do hands on stuff.

I have 1850s sprints and well most of them really.....All have their merits

Mind you with 2k, you could get a tidy sprint, several of us have done so....they are around. If you seriously want a sprint don't get an 1850 or you willjust end up selling it to get a sprint

[Sprintinbits]

Yep, I agree wholeheartedly with David.
If you have your heart set on a Sprint then hold out for one.
Don't dive in and buy the first one that comes along ( )
Oh and have a drive or passenger in a couple first if possible.
If you are willing to get stuck in with a few odd jobs, 2K will get you a nice car needing only minimal work from what I've seen.

My green one in the avatar came from a club member for a very good price but it's not without its faults. All quite simple to fix bit by bit. This thread will give you a good idea of my car.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5040&start=1&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Now is a good time of year to get the reddies out. Make sure you have under cover storage (garage/car port etc.) or at the very least a driveway and a decent cover.

Having said all that, there looks to be a nice 1850 on ebay, for sale in Melton Mowbray which is probably not too far for you to travel. I drove 250 miles to collect mine! Others have driven the length of the country for the right car.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triumph-Dolomite- ... 286.c0.m14
It's not mine and I know nothing of it but it looks like a good 'un from the pics. No overdrive but is that an issue?

There are loads of club members in and around Coventry who are often very helpful.
Good luck and welcome.

[Jon Tilson]

My 2 cents...

If you wnat to spend 2k only then that should get you as good an 1850 as its possible to get. Trouble is at this time of year
cras like that aren't often for sale. Its Chritsmas coming, clocks are changing and unless desperate an owner of a good 1850 should hold on til the spring.

But you can get a decent sprint for 2k as well...In fact Ive got one that I would let out for less tnan that cos its russet and not top drawer. Its mechanically very decent though and I use it every day. I did tentativley put it on sale but havent got decent pictures of it yet...then my mate said he wanted it and hasnt completed yet...so as he is now off to India I'm going to put it on again...

PM me and I'll send you pics if interested...

Jonners

[Hoops]

Thanks for the advice chaps, will probably wait until after Xmas then, probably have a little more £££ then anyway, and i will keep an eye out on ebay etc to see whats about.

Not sure if having overdrive would be an issue, never driven a car with it.

I think i will probably save up for a sprint anyway, if i could find one in brooklands that would be

Ta

[DavePoth]

Thanks for the advice chaps, will probably wait until after Xmas then, probably have a little more £££ then anyway, and i will keep an eye out on ebay etc to see whats about.

Not sure if having overdrive would be an issue, never driven a car with it.

I think i will probably save up for a sprint anyway, if i could find one in brooklands that would be

Ta

If you want to drive on the motorway regularly, it's pretty much a necessity. It's (very)essentially an extra gear added to the end of a 4 speed gearbox (it also works in 3rd, giving a total of 6 ratios) so without it, it's similar to doing all your motorway driving in 4th rather than 5th in a modern car.

[Hoops]

Ah ok, well my AX has only 4 gears, so used to that

[zombeh]

Overdrive is quite simply the greatest thing ever.

Unfortunately the gears fitted to the 1850 mean that o/d 3rd is the same as direct 4th, so you only get a 5 (or 6 if you modify it to work in 2nd) speed box.

[Mad Mart]

There's not much difference between 3rd O/D & 4th on the Sprint either. You certainly wouldn't come out of 3rd O/D to go into 4th. It does have a slight advantage on the track though.

[hutch76]

I always felt, that the power difference you feel going from a 1500 to an 1850, is the same again going from an 1850 to a Sprint.

Overdrive a definate must for regular motorway driving btw.