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Dolomite SE all finished... For now!


trigger

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I've been a bit rubbish updating this thread, as posted on the New24 previously though I've now fully rebuilt all the brakes with new cylinders, shoes stripped and rebuilt the break master cylinder and servo, changed all the flexi hoses and then bleed the brakes about 100 times and now I have a non dropping brake pedal and they feel a lot more responsive.

 

Yesterday me and dad made a start on changing the head gasket as it was leaking oil then running somehow on to the clutch making it judder.

 

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Give the car it's due nothing was particularly hard to remove.

 

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With the head off (which took some prising apart!) you could see the old gasket was very worn.

 

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I have to say the smell of old burnt oil is lovely, just like coffee! The head is in good condition and just needed a clean.

 

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So after a good clean of the block were again it was in really good condition with no wear I was ready to refit the new Payen head gasket.

 

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With the head toqured back on we readjusted the rockers and got the cover back on and that's about as far as I am so far so I ran out of time

 

Just need to refit all the carbs and fill with water and I can road test it!

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You have made this into a thing of great loveliness.  

 

Trouble is, I'm now sitting here thinking about what a good idea it would be to change some head gaskets even if they haven't blown.  You make readjusting the rockers sound effortless but I fear if I tried it then a three day nightmare would be the result, involving a lap full of small oily springs, some Olympic class swearing and then a trip on a beavertail.  (Memo to self: don't start with the V12.)

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Trig, has your Dolly got the rubber bits on the top of each wing where the bonnet sits. They are secured into the wing with a screw.

 

I don't think so?.

 

Just been through the thread again,, impressive momentum and a great result. The paint especially looks stunning. Are the original bits of paint holding up over time?

 

Thank you! Yes, mostly! The bottom of the arch nearest the sill on both sides is starting to blister slightly but the rest still looks very nice!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sadly as my nice camera is currently broke I've got some god awful shite phone as a loner from Carphone whorehouse temporarily which gives a worse photo quality than a potato which means no photos of the job but yesterday Dad came over and we managed to get the head gasket finished on the dolomite, other than a couple of awkward to get to exhaust manifold bolt sit all went to plan and seems to run very nicely now.

 

Today i took it on a 30 mile road test with the wife and daughter to feed the ducks at Needham market, it's driving bloody lovely now, I'm still seriously considering selling the Cortina because i prefer much driving the Dolly and the Cortina is just sitting there unused, I'll see how i feel in a few weeks time. Anyway here's a couple of photos i took whilst out.

 

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Great photos there Trig, and such a cool looking car.

 

Don't you fancy using this as your retro commute this spring / summer?

 

I know of so-called Triumph fans who dont even like these cars yet they pump £10k into a stag, cos stag. These Dolly's are far better IMHO.

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I agree, I don't rate the Stag at all, these are much more fun and user friendly. My original plan was to use this for work over the summer but now I've got it all nice i don't want to get it damaged plus we have seagulls the size of Pterodactyl at work which leave the car park looking like the aftermath of a over subscribed bakaki party. It's not nice.

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  • 6 months later...

I've been rubbish at keeping this thread updated! I've spent the summer taking this to a few shows and generally just enjoying it. It spent a while at a local mechanics having a new clutch fitted and rear wheel bearings done, i wasn't overly happy with how long it took or the fact that it had to go back again to be sorted again as it vibrated but not to worry, it seemed much better.

 

That was until i noticed that it was running in 3 cylinders, now i suspect it had been like this for a long while but i hasn't noticed as it was only noticable when revved as it spluttered slightly, anyway me and dad removed the head again for a closer inspection to find that one of the valves was a bit of a mess.

 

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Bum... During the week the head went off to a specialist to see if it can be repaired, turns out that it's probably crack and has been letting in water causing the corrosion and isn't really repairable, so if any shitters on here have a spare 1500 head for sale in good condition then please let me know! If not I've found a Triumph breakers in Bungay who want £100 for a good used head from a scrapper or £295 for a unleaded converted head.

 

In other news whilst it's been in the garage i've made a start at sorting the faded paintwork again, I'm fed up with it looking like a chalk board and what with spending the money on the head i want to enjoy the car again. I've been flatting it with 1500 wet and dry then 2000 & 2500 before mopping with G3 combound paste and some G10 polish, the results are quite remarkable.

 

Sadly my phone photos don't do it justice. I'd just done the boot and rear quarter here.

 

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I still have the front wing and bonnet to do and it needs a good hand polish with some Poorboys Black hole and a wax.

 

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Hopefully it won't fade off again!

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1850 DOLLY CYLINDER HEAD 1850 Dolly Cylinder head £20 ONO. Distributor £10 ONO. Head Spring Compressor £15 ONO. Tony Bailey (North London) Click to contact the Club

 

Don't know if this would be any good for you.

It's on the TSSC site. I'm not a member so can't find out any more.

 

http://www.tssc.org.uk/tssc/classifieds.asp

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In the pic of the damage is that a couple of cracks visible just inside? Might just be casting marks though.

 

We spotted those cracks when we removed it and had our suspicions, the engineering company who's currently got it also thinks that;s the problem but wants £90 just to check it but it's not worth it if i can get a replacement for head £100.

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