1975 Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Discussion
Breadvan72 said:
Tried that (the oil pressure gauge in my XJS often needs a flick of a fingernail to wake it up, so I'm used to whacking dials), but the tacho does seem to be a goner. It's getting a feed, but the clock itself has stopped.
Never had a lot of luck with mine, but happy to see if I have a spare in the garage if you want to try it. A cautionary tale about using an old (in this case 40 year old) car as an actual car rather than as a weekend toy, and also about failing to anticipate a hazard and driving within the limit but still too fast for the circumstances. Scenario: dark night, wet road, 40 mph extended village, no street lights. Dark grey car parked in roadway, mud covering rear lights and reflectors. Me, in Dolomite Sprint, driving at just under 40 mph, terrible OE dipped beams, lamps probably a bit covered by road clag, screen a bit smeary. I see the parked car late, and a white van is approaching on the other side of the road. I brake hard. Too hard. Cadence braking technique forgotten, brakes lock, car enters skid to right, skid training kicks in - declutch and steer into skid. Car stops short of parked car but with nose well across centre line. White van man is awake, stops, winds down window, is gracious about my apology. On I go.
Note to self: revise cadence braking, consider lighting upgrade, and don't be a lazy git about washing front of car if used in winter.
Note to self: revise cadence braking, consider lighting upgrade, and don't be a lazy git about washing front of car if used in winter.
Not much, relay, as it was one of those slo-mo moments that you get sometimes when something untoward happens, and having over braked and locked the wheels I actually had time to think about and execute the skid drill, although I assume that must have been a very rapid and almost subliminal thought.
Breadvan72 said:
terrible OE dipped beams
Would that be the old 5" Lucas sealed beam units? In that case "terrible" is accurate. Get a set of halogen conversion units!I was using a pair of Cibie Biodes to replace the 7" combined dip/main sealed beam on the Imp. Then I found out how much the Mk1 Escort enthusiasts had driven the price up with demand for their replica rally cars, so took them off in case I broke them.
onomatopoeia said:
Breadvan72 said:
terrible OE dipped beams
Would that be the old 5" Lucas sealed beam units? In that case "terrible" is accurate. Get a set of halogen conversion units!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370474346157
Just a pair of bog-standard 55w H4s bulbs, and they really are VERY good indeed.
I find that the lights on my Series 3 Landy are not bad. Not sure if OE or upgraded. The Dolly ones really are pantz. About as bad as a Lancia Beta's dipped beams. ie: bad. My SD1 and my Jaaaaaag have ace lights, although the full beams on the Jag are playing up. The Lotus lights are middling on dip. The full beams are not very good, and I can even forget and leave them on and not get flashed by cars coming the other way. 1989 BMW headlights mucho POWAH.
Breadvan72 said:
I find that the lights on my Series 3 Landy are not bad. Not sure if OE or upgraded. The Dolly ones really are pantz.
So long as they're the same size, sealed beam is sealed beam. Those are halogen sealed beam replacements....and, thinking about it, they're 7", and the Dolly'll be 5"... So ignore me.
Breadvan72 said:
I find that the lights on my Series 3 Landy are not bad.
Adequate to performance shirley? i.e. bloody awful, the lamps on my defender are pants and restrict nocturnal meandering to below 40 em pee aich. I may have to inspect to see if the reflectors are dying as I wish to avoid hitting something.Breadvan72 said:
My Landy has an overdrive and does 60 mph if I want it to, although I probably wouldn't want it to at night.
Mine doesn't have OD (although there are a set of Ashbrook high ratio transfer gears on the wish list), but will easily "cruise" at 60mph or even a bit more. Loudly, thirstily - but easily.Bullet dodging update: Last month the nut that secures the alternator pulley and indeed the whole darned shebang to the shaft on which the pulley turns fell off. Yikes! Much rattling, but nothing else fell off, so I got away with that one. I might take this opportunity to stick on an upgraded alternator anyway, as the existing one is operated by two very tiny and now very old hamsters, both of whom have quite nasty coughs.
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