1975 Triumph Dolomite Sprint

[anonymous-user]

Nope, the Excel is a much better car than the Eclat (although the Eclat is maybe more funky), and is one of the most robust and reliable cars that Lotus have ever made.

[0a]

That looks really clean - it's good to see an example of a car that was relativity plentiful in the day that you just don't see now.

[Mr10secs]

Goodwood FOS

[johnxjsc1985]

Mr10secs said:

Goodwood FOS

thats just great.

[anonymous-user]

Phabby!

[onomatopoeia]

Excellent choice of vehicle, I've always liked the Michelotti (spelling?) designed Triumphs and hankered after a Sprint after I graduated (but bought an Imp instead).

In that colour should should paint "British Telecom" down the side in blue, obviously

[anonymous-user]

The advantage of the colour scheme is that I can say to the AA man "look out for the one the same colours as your van".

[T66ORA]

Always loved Dolly Sprints, tried to buy one back in 1980,Inca Yellow black vinyl roof R-plate 76, but had a big problem with the group 7 insurance, being a 19 yr old.

Bought this instead a (ins grp 5) 2500S,Man o/d fitted a Sprint front spoiler, rear head rests, SAH cylinder head, TR6 cam, re-jetted the HS6s, went nearly as well as a Sprint, probably dishing out a similar power output.

Coincidently swapped it for a Lancia 2000 HPE

[anonymous-user]

That is a bit yummy!

[johnxjsc1985]

Breadvan72 said:

That is a bit yummy!

Yes but he swapped it for aLancia FFS we should ban him for life

[e21Mark]

I bought an 1850 for £40 back in 1990 and planned to rip the engine out for my TR7. It was just too nice though and I ran it as my daily for the next 6 months, then sold it for £300. The cabin was comfy and a genuinely nice place to be. I bought a 1502 BMW after that though and have been a BMW fanboi ever since.

Great thread.

[anonymous-user]

HPE= mucho lovely.

People speak highly of Dolomite 1850s - apparently quickish but less prone to explodeyness than Sprints.

There is a lovely BMW 1602 for sale at about 7K at present. Someone buy it!

[carinaman]

I've driven a HPE. It drove better than the Triumphs I've driven that were admittedly a bit long in the teeth when they were made and curling at the edges by the time they got to me.

[anonymous-user]

HPEs were a generation ahead of the Triumphs, with discs all round, five speed boxes even on base models, peppy twin cams and so on.

[e21Mark]

I had a 1982 HPE, although probably a less desirable model being a 1600 auto. It looked gorgeous in black though and the exhaust note had a great rasp from the exhaust. Sadly a failed clutch spelt the end for it.

[silentbrown]

Overdrive on just 3rd/4th, I'm guessing?

The Mk1 2000 I raced had overdrive on 2/3/4, and (I think) an uprated pump, which totally transformed the rather lazy action of the standard unit. Pretty sure it was these folk who fettled that. http://www.overdrive-repairs.co.uk/

[anonymous-user]

Laycock de Normanville overdrive on third and fourth, operated by thumbing a switch on the gear knob. The one on my old Vitesse never worked properly, but the one on the Dolly is fine.

[Mr10secs]

silentbrown said:

Overdrive on just 3rd/4th, I'm guessing?

The Mk1 2000 I raced had overdrive on 2/3/4, and (I think) an uprated pump, which totally transformed the rather lazy action of the standard unit. Pretty sure it was these folk who fettled that. http://www.overdrive-repairs.co.uk/

You can wire em for OD in 2nd by using another solenoid either reverse or the 3/4 solenoid, theres a bolt above 2nd gear selector rod, take it out and put the solenoid in and wire it up and hey presto 2nd 3rd and 4th OD almost 90 in 2nd from memory and light the tyres going into 3rd as you switch it off between changes.

[T66ORA]

johnxjsc1985 said:

Yes but he swapped it for aLancia FFS we should ban him for life

Went to look at Green Monte Carlo at a sports specialist, which I wanted, but ultimately couldn`t afford, the HPE was sat next to it,1977 Silver,the figures stacked up so I bought it,loved it for a few months then had to stow it at my girlfriends place because of some Argy bargy.When I got back from the Falklands the Lancia had rotten quite badly. Only had it for 18months,
So went out and treated myself to this, lose mates in a war,and you realise you only live once.

[johnxjsc1985]

T66ORA said:

Went to look at Green Monte Carlo at a sports specialist, which I wanted, but ultimately couldn`t afford, the HPE was sat next to it,1977 Silver,the figures stacked up so I bought it,loved it for a few months then had to stow it at my girlfriends place because of some Argy bargy.When I got back from the Falklands the Lancia had rotten quite badly. Only had it for 18months,
So went out and treated myself to this, lose mates in a war,and you realise you only live once.

Lancia's are a bit like Alpha's which I have done ,you have to own one in your lifetime.