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30-odd years off road - Triumph Toledo, now in its new home


CotswoldsDave

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Had a quick pitstop at the old house today and snagged a few more photos, only 1 side though as I can't get around the other side so FK what that's like. Anyway, not quite as horrid as I was expecting, plenty of surface rust but, like good quality toilet paper, my finger didn't go through. On the plus side, the headlining looked nice and clean.

 

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Absolutely^^

 

It'll be mostly basic recommissioning. Chuck a battery on and see what works and what doesn't.

 

Fuel pump may be a bit tired, the diaphragm may have perished after all this time. Carbs will need a clean out. Drain oil and coolant. Brakes, new hoses, possibly cylinders and brake fluid, the pads and drums may clean up with a bit of grit paper. Tank will need removing and cleaning out. Clean up of the 'lecky connections and earths would be helpful. 

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+1 Mally

 

Ask yourself some questions before you spend any money

Will you have the time to drive it , store it inside to stop it rotting away and where will you drive it to.

 

Most classics get driven to car shows or classic car meets for other owners to look at, usually in a field.

 

If you've never shown any interest in it in the 25 years it's been in the garage it's unlikely you'll be using it much.

 

My advice would be put it on Ebay or on here and spend the money on something you do like with a permanent reminder your dad's car paid for it

 

Sentimentality can get expensive

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If you've never shown any interest in it in the 25 years it's been in the garage it's unlikely you'll be using it much.

 

 

 

Be fair. It was his father's car, who was alive until quite recently. It wasn't CotswoldDave's project until right about now.

 

Certainly true that recommissioning a classic can get very expensive, but frankly, emotion is the ONLY sensible reason for restoring a car. If you ever think you'll get your money back down the line, then that's a dangerous game. If you have a personal link to the car, then I'd say it's a great reason to go ahead with a restoration.

 

As mentioned, there may well be a great support group within Triumph circles as let's face it, small Triumphs (bar Dolly Sprint) have never been particularly popular or desirable, so no-one has ever really been willing to spend loads on them. Means a lot of folk tackle work themselves, and help each other to do it. I suspect you could achieve a lot if your only expenses were cups of tea and bacon sarnies (though naturally, some bits of car are going to be needed at some point).

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Bearing in mind that Dolomite sills tend to rot from the inside out I'd be concerned that bit of surface rust could turn into a weldathon. On the flipside all panels can be bought brand new from the club, also MOT exempt innit. As long as you can get it driving, steering and stopping you could at least blat around in it for a bit and decide if you want to keep it.

 

I guess the main question is do you want a classic car? If you do you should restore your father's old Toledo. If not then it could well become a wallet draining annoyance.

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Am in negotiations to pop up to Cov to give it a proper good looking at for Dave and maybe have a little fettle of the oily bits.

 

The main concerns are will the engine turn over and why the heck is the transmission tunnel off, could be clutch, could be slave or master cylinder, could be all of 'em.

 

I think Dave seems quite keen to get her up and running.

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Can I just take a moment to publicly acknowledge the many helpful messages that I've had from PurpleBargeKen. What a top bloke, he really loves old Triumphs! I also appreciate the many comments left on this thread. The old Toledo may yet see the road again, we'll know in a couple of weeks if it's a viable project or a rusty heap of death. Fingers crossed.

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It doesn’t look overly bad tbh on the top, screen surrounds etc look ok. It’s the crispy underside I’d be taking a very long hard look at. There’s every chance it’s just surface rust, peeling old underseal and crud but make sure it is structurally good first! If it’s got serious structural issues then it’s going to be much more involved.

 

I second what people posted above.

I know it’s just an old car but that connection you’ve got to it is absolutely priceless imho, just remember that when/if you come to choosing your next steps...

If you go for it, then bear in mind what the car means to you once it starts costing money and it often looks bloody awful before it looks better!

If you choose to get rid of it, there’s nothing wrong with that but it likely means once it’s gone it’s gone and you’ll lose your dad’s car. Also, would whatever you spend the money from it on mean as much to you? Probably not?

 

Classic cars are done for the love and nothing else. I nearly lost my Capri doing its restoration recently, I grossly underestimated the job and made a few bad decisions that cost me a lot of money. Honestly, I was on the cusp of having to get rid of the poor old thing at one bit. I didn’t want to but you have to be sensible sometimes, but doing that would have been a devastating blow to me as I’ve had it so long and I love it to bits!

That’s how you need to be about cars like this if your going to do it I think. Be sensible and don’t rush into things but if you don’t love the car and classics aren’t your cup of tea then it’s not a good idea!

Forgive me if I’m teaching granny to suck eggs, but if you’ve never had cars like this before I’d highly recommend trying one first. They are nothing like cars from the last 20 odd years and they aren’t the same to live with either! They need looking after more and the way they can drive is quite different from modern stuff too, but it’s worth bearing in mind as I’d hate to see you spend lots of time and money doing this only to get it on the road afterwards and hate it! I’m sure you won’t of course but...

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Be fair. It was his father's car, who was alive until quite recently. It wasn't CotswoldDave's project until right about now.

I'm just trying to be realistic, I know there won't be many left on the road but before he spends serious money on it he has to be sure it's not just nostalgia rather than a genuine interest in using the car.

As Dan says he might hate it, I know a guy that's just bought a mk1 Cortina with a lotus engine in it , he loves looking at it but his wife hates it and wont get in it, he told me today he took it to a show at the weekend and didn't really enjoy the drive there much

 

The offer of a look over from purplebargeKen will be worth its weight in gold

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....lets face it lads; even a triumph Toledo needing a proper full prep n respray, isn't going to return all that outlay in 'resale value' - that's run in to 2 grand or more...

...it well need 'some welding', all brake lines (hard), all brake hoses, cylinders, discs some engine, carb work, fuel hoses, possibly a rad, waterpump a new tank n pump, tyres, possibly wheel bearings, a starter, alternator and all the other consumables... there could be electrical woes n if Cotswoldsdave can do this himself, its paying for an auto electrician etc...

 

...it depends on cotswoldsdave whether or not he wants to embark on the possibly long journey to revive it; it might suck up all his spare 'leisure time' for the next 12 to 18 months possibly more..; reduced the time spent with family and friends, not to mention all the funds the revival of the old man's triumph would suck up... I spose it depends on your situation.

 

...no shame weighing all this up, n concluding its not a good fit; someone else might take it on; pass it onto an enthusiast for a reasonable sum; use the coin for a family holiday- a weekend or maybe two weeks; your old man had a few good trips in the Toledo n im sure he'd be smiling up in there to see you make some memories on a holiday paid for by his forgotten old triumph; ....

 

....ask whoever takes it on to bring you n a few of your family out for a spin when its done ; again it'd a day to remember/in memory of your old man....

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I kept my granddad's car for more than 25 years after he died, safely tucked away in my grandmothers garage. An E10 Datsun which was a minter when stored up, it lasted amazingly well in storage. He gave it to me in the early 90s - when he was too old to drive, and I was too young. I thought about using it as my first car, but my dad decided it was too good for me to crash, and generously bought me a very rusty Metro which I didn't put a scratch on.

 

After a few aborted attempts to recommission the Datsun in my 20s I was faced with an ultimatum to get it back on the road or get rid, as my aunt had decided to demolish my grandmother's garage. So a few years ago I recommissioned it, used it a bit, and felt really guilty every time it got rained on. To make matters worse, old seals etc meant that every time it rained water got inside and the carpets ended up getting soaked. It wasn't going to get any better as I used it.

 

I sprayed waxoyl everywhere, I dried out the carpets and put it back into storage, but as it wasn't at my house I no longer used it at all. It felt more like a liability than anything, so I sold it a couple of years after recommissioning, with a lapsed MOT.

 

Honestly the whole experience was more pain than anything. With hindsight I should have either sold it when he died, or taxed it and used it as soon as I turned 17. He wouldn't have minded if I'd stacked it or just ran it into the ground.

 

After all those years the weight of emotional baggage was just too huge, I'd become responsible for the car and had an emotional connection to it that was all out of proportion with the reality - a pile of old metal.

 

I'm glad to be shot of it now, but I still worry about it, wherever it is. And feel guilty.

 

IMO, avoid emotional attachment to stuff. Use it or get rid. It's just "shit".

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^^^ THIS in spades.

 

ToMM© was bought for washers, is worth washers, I love it..

 

Drive it every day, it is collecting carpark door nicks like a magnet, looking 'patinad' these days..

 

Will sell on someday = may be cherished/scened/ovalled& cubed.

 

..... It's just 'shit' ......

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Mum died in 1993, she has a 1990 Mk4 Escort, 1.1 Bonus edition, read 'basic'. She loved it though. It went to a nephew for some reason which hacked me off and it lasted about 2 years before disappearing into the ether. 

 

I roughly worked it out at around £900 here or there for 99% of the usual bits that will be required after a long lay up, including rad, battery, boot lid not essential to get it going but part of the needed stuff), tyres and so on. That doesn't include things like a clutch but does include the cylinders. The biggie willl be the transmission and engine, both are unknown quantities. However, you can get a decent 1300 engine for about 150 quid. Values for a running and tidy 2 door Toledo anything from about £1500 to £2000, for a minty mint Tolly maybe double that. Project cars can start from a few hundred. 

 

It is all speculation until we have a good old rummage around which should be happening soon. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

A good going over of this Toledo will be happening tomorrow.

 

Tools, fluids, jack, axle stands and battery amongst other bits and bobs all packed into the Rover in readiness for a 7am or so departure from Stabland. ETA at Coventry should occur at 09.30hrs or so.

 

There might be a couple of valeting products also packed. Just in case. You never know.

 

Wish us luck.

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