project 1974 Dolomite Sprint

[SiC]

Second car collection this month. This one is really rather different to the Laguna. 

Clues:

• Pre 80s
• Something I've been wanting for a while

Keep quiet if you found out what it is when at FoTU !

Collection happening this evening - time depending on when I get out of a meeting at work, cycle home and go back out again. Hopefully a boring one in that we drive down to the sellers house, pay, paperwork and then drive back. Event free hopefully!

[BL Bloke]

I'm intrigued, what could it be?

[AdeMk1]

Chodspeed Sir!

[danthecapriman]

Good luck!

 

My guess is... a Dolomite!

[SiC]

Paid and paper work. On way home now!

 

 

[BorniteIdentity]

Holy shit that looks fitter than a butcher’s woofer. 

Hope to see it soon! 

[cort16]

My limited zoom in powers on my phone makes me think is a sprint?

if so who did you bribe to find a working sprint for 3 grand??

[busmansholiday]

Nice, Aldi have some cheap gaffa tape for that sun roof.

[LightBulbFun]

34 minutes ago, SiC said:

Paid and paper work. On way home now!

 

 

Ohh very nice!  

as someone who quite likes the Triumph dolomite shape I approve!

[eddyramrod]

2 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Good luck!

 

My guess is... a Dolomite!

Did you know something we didn't?

[wuvvum]

What a stunner!

Years ago I owned a yellow 1850 which had had a Sprint engine fitted.  That's probably the closest I'm ever likely to get...

[eddyramrod]

If that's French Blue, which it does look like, then it's a good match for HBG 938N, the 1850 I had 30 years ago.....

[BL Bloke]

That looks very nice indeed. I've always liked the look of the Dolomite. 

My bit of Dolomite trivia, I passed my test in a vermillion Dolomite 1300 in 1980 as BSM had them on the fleet back in the day.

[bunglebus]

My mum had a 1500HL for years. Very solid, lovely interior and an arse to work on. Thanks BL.

[SiC]

Sooo what does £2700 buy you nowadays? Turns out you can get an MOT'd 1974 Dolomite Sprint that need some attention.

Body wise she's in pretty good nick really (for the money). Some the drivers floor and boot floor will need welding. Bubbling of the arches and door bottoms too. But they aren't as crunchy as they look. I'll get a video walk around at some point soon as it's easier to show.

Interior is grubby but all there. Brinylon seats are thin and the drivers seat is torn on the front vinyl. Drivers seat needs padding sorting. All complete though. Has a Webasto!

Mechanically she needs attention.
- Brakes stop the car but don't do it straight. I think it's a seized pot in the caliper. £90 for a pair of refurbished calipers from the Dolly club.
- Accelerator is very stiff. Probably just old cable and/or pedal bushing needs cleaning out.
- Clutch pedal is a bit binary. Last owner bled it recently and apparently that helped. I reckon either master or slave seals knackered. Or both.
- Diff whines. It's been doing it before the owner has owned it. I've got a replacement (unknown) diff and gearbox to collect from the seller which were part of the deal.
- When you let off the power it goes all a bit squirrelly. Worse at speed. Probably/hopefully just bushings that are knackered. Or if the diff, then the replacement diff hopefully will help fix.
- Drivers side tyre is labeled "Remoulded Tyre - Made in Great Britain". Yeah it probably needs sorting. When the last owner stuck some new Kuhmo tyres on it a year or so ago, it was found that the drivers side had a weird insert on one of the holes. So instead of running on three bolts, he stuck the spare on. Replacement Sprint alloys are cheap though and tyres are like 50quid fitted.

Now for the big one. When I went out with the guy and before I bought it, it was running ok. A bit missfirey but the dizzy cap is old. Very slight grumble, but thought it was the diff. Well on the drive back, the grumble has got more severe. When I got back, I could feel thump, thump, thumping through the floor. No worry (oil) gauge so don't know what pressure it's reading. Oil light hasn't flickered. However I'm a bit concerned it might be bottom end...

Good news is that for £2700 this is a very cheap Sprint. How cheap is that? Well £2k-3k usually buys a Sprint something rotten. Or a decent 1300 and a shabby 1850. E.g.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1133377703447227?view=permalink&id=2254751811309805&refid=18&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_activity&__tn__=%2As%2As-R

This Sprint went for £3.9k, has rot around the window (probably elsewhere too) and no MOT.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F123747958167

This mint Sprint was on for £8k and was seen as a bargain by many. It must have been because it sold in a matter of days.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-DOLOMITE-SPRINT-Stunning-in-Green-manual-overdrive-drives-superb-/233290594993

So I'm happy with the price of mine. Really rather worried about the grumbling though. Yes it can be rebuilt but house move is back on, so I don't have the time nor funds to do something like that just yet. I was hoping to enjoy it over the remaining summer. We will have to see.

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, eddyramrod said:

Did you know something we didn't?

Nope, I’m just that fucking good!

 

2 hours ago, SiC said:

Paid and paper work. On way home now!

 

 

That sir is gorgeous. Well bought!

[SiC]

Some more pictures before I loose all sunlight.





Boot full of spares and bits + pieces too!

[Skizzer]

Oh very, very nice, well done sir.

Early for a Sprint, too, on an M.

These are a right hoot to drive once they’re running on song.

(Edited to add an extra very after seeing the rest of the pics.)

[schonker]

Well bought that man!When I went to the last ACA auction there was one with very rough paint that went for a lot more than what you paid for yours.Your wife must be a legend, how many cars have you got now?Is it three or four!

[25v6turbo]

Very nice,French blue and I think I,am right in saying its a Swindon reg as my 2000 is MR aswell.

I wonder if the thumping is a prop issue?

Great buy and I hope none of the issues are serious,there are plenty of owners out there and helpful info to be read.

[SiC]

And this is reason why I bought it

[MorrisItalSLX]

That looks the dog’s bollocks, congratulations!

Let’s see if the old mantra “hole in the roof, holes in the floor” applies here (or hopefully not see).

And do I smell dealer plates?

[SiC]

Oh very, very nice, well done sir.
Early for a Sprint, too, on an M.
These are a right hoot to drive once they’re running on song.
(Edited to add an extra very after seeing the rest of the pics.)

I always regret not being in a position to have bought Breadvans.

Well bought that man!When I went to the last ACA auction there was one with very rough paint that went for a lot more than what you paid for yours.Your wife must be a legend, how many cars have you got now?Is it three or four!

Errr yes she's very forgiving! Current have 2010 A4 (wife's car to be fair...), 2000 Boxster, 2002 Laguna II, 1974 MGB and now this 1974 Sprint. So five cars. Crazy thing is that I cycle into work! I'm not sure how I got away with this one really.

Literally no more cars now though! Not least that I'm at the limit of what I can realistically own and sensibly afford to keep maintained + on the road without leading to some being neglected. Ish ... my current credit card bill is scaring me this month and still some of them are demanding my attention.

Very nice,French blue and I think I,am right in saying its a Swindon reg as my 2000 is MR aswell.
I wonder if the thumping is a prop issue?
Great buy and I hope none of the issues are serious,there are plenty of owners out there and helpful info to be read.

Thumping is now when the car is stationary and idling. Varies with revs too.

[J-T]

I very nearly bought an orange sprint as my first car. Me and my dad drove all the way from St.Helens to Kent to get it after a lot of correspondence with the seller, got there and it was a shed. You couldn’t sit two people in it as the suspension bottomed out. I don’t think I’ve ever been as gutted about not buying a car! I still hanker after one now.

Watching with interest!!

 

 

[purplebargeken]

That is quite tidy bodily. Looks lovely in French Blue. Cable and pivots might need lubing, my Toledo throttle is heavier than a 1300 one. Check the dashpots too. Poly bushes are good, steering rack ones from Chris Witor are about 13 quid. Thinking about it, I wonder if you might need new engine mounts and gearbox mount re: grumbly noise. If it is the bottom end I would be having a stern convo with the PO in all honesty. 

[purplebargeken]

J-T, I know of a Toledo with a 2.0 TR7 engine in it. Very solid car

[purplebargeken]

Oil and filter change with some of that STP oil treatment I mentioned previously might help for a while.

Ebay: 332859562812

[brownnova]

Awesome purchase!! Well done sir!!! 

Very envious! 

[Tamworthbay]

Dolomite you say? Sprint you say? Colour me fucking well impressed. What a car!

[purplebargeken]

A proper Triumph workshop manual is hugely helpful and a trillion times betterer than a Haynes Boof of Lies.