RE: Triumph Dolomite Sprint: Spotted
Discussion
TooMany2cvs said:
hardworker said:
Nice. It would be great for Britain to have even 1 decent sized car manufacturer (have France, Italy and Germany sold every single last one of their car manufacturers to foreigners?).
Germany - BMW, VW and Daimler are all listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange, with global HQs in Germany. Opel was sold by GM to PSA last year.Italy - Fiat-Chrysler is listed on the NY and Milan stock exchanges, with a global HQ in London.
France - PSA and Renault cars are listed on the Paris stock exchange, with global HQs in Paris. Renault trucks is owned by Volvo group (Volvo cars are Chinese-owned), who are listed on the Stockholm stock exchange.
Anybody, of any nationality, can buy shares in any of them, of course... (And, before you ask - no, you can't buy shares in Tata, because it's not a public listed company - it's almost entirely ultimately owned by the Tata family.)
hardworker said:
We should make a point of buying back JLR (and iconic Rolls Royce) at the first opportunity or revive Rover.
Why? Just so a flag can be stuck on a freshly-polished turd?Why would any British person attack that idea, especially on a British car forum?
There's a difference between foreign people being able to buy shares and completely selling every company to foreigners.
Why do you assume they would be a "turd"? We would put an effort in and come up with something great.
We would make 100% sure to no one with your negative, defeatist attitude would be allowed anywhere near it.
seefarr said:
hardworker said:
Nice. It would be great for Britain to have even 1 decent sized car manufacturer (have France, Italy and Germany sold every single last one of their car manufacturers to foreigners?). We should make a point of buying back JLR (and iconic Rolls Royce) at the first opportunity or revive Rover.
Yeah, damn foreigners. Coming in here and buying our failing automobile companies.How did a lovely car turn into a nationalist rant? Or is that just how Britain works now?
HeMightBeBanned said:
hardworker said:
Nice. It would be great for Britain to have even 1 decent sized car manufacturer (have France, Italy and Germany sold every single last one of their car manufacturers to foreigners?). We should make a point of buying back JLR (and iconic Rolls Royce) at the first opportunity or revive Rover.
Why? So that they can be starved of investment and churn out crap products again?It's not 1972 anymore.
They wouldn't be "crap" (you people cannot stop with your anti British propaganda can you?) We would really put some effort into it and come up with something great.
hardworker said:
I knew there would be someone along to attack the idea of there being even 1 mainstream British car company.
It's called "reality".hardworker said:
There's a difference between foreign people being able to buy shares and completely selling every company to foreigners.
Here's a clue: When was there last a British-owned mainstream volume car manufacturer? What happened to them...?hardworker said:
Why do you assume they would be a "turd"?
Ever heard the phrase that whoever ignores history is doomed to repeat it?hardworker said:
We would put an effort in and come up with something great.
Yeh, that's worked so well before.hardworker said:
We would make 100% sure to no one with your negative, defeatist attitude would be allowed anywhere near it.
Never mind the reality, look at the flag! Huzzah!(BTW - the only one with any kind of national-origin propaganda here seems to be you)
Edited by TooMany2cvs on Monday 8th January 12:42
Of course, they were typical BL crap in reality - think great design, woeful quality and reliability - but compared to the insane cost of fast Escorts like the RS1600, a Dolomite Sprint that's been well put together is a great thing to own. It's an itch to be scratched at some point.
Mimosa yellow was by far the best colour.
Mimosa yellow was by far the best colour.
Lewis Kingston said:
Yes, I was fortunate enough to see Darren's race a few times back in the day. It's still around, I think – just in long-term storage. 700bhp or so made it fairly lively, haha!
This was another modified one that I always lusted after:
My dad ended up buying the powertrain out of it, in the end, as Phil – the owner at the time – was putting a 4.2 AJP into it (!). Unfortunately, despite getting the engine in the bay, the project stalled after that and the lot got broken up and sold on (I think). Would have been devastatingly quick, I think.
Unless there was more than 1 1980 Red Sprint with a Stag engine in it, that was my dads old car. I just about remember when it was a 4cyl and the conversion with the stag engine and brakes being done. Probably 1985ish.This was another modified one that I always lusted after:
My dad ended up buying the powertrain out of it, in the end, as Phil – the owner at the time – was putting a 4.2 AJP into it (!). Unfortunately, despite getting the engine in the bay, the project stalled after that and the lot got broken up and sold on (I think). Would have been devastatingly quick, I think.
Edited by Lewis Kingston on Monday 8th January 08:26
s m said:
Lewis Kingston said:
gweaver said:
This thread and this video from Pembrey are not helping!
Okay, so it's got a KV6 in it - but this never fails to raise a smile.This is the modded one I remember - was very quick - well known on retro rides forum
S.H.A.D.O. said:
Yes it does, I borrowed a mates spare P5B motor whilst my Sprint engine was having a monthly rebuild, this was in the early eighties, BUT there was no room for a radiator without some surgery, I even considered a remote water pump to give more room but there wasn't much choice back then especially for hot water so I abandoned the idea.
I think I still have the shortened P5 water pump that I gutted and welded the nose up.
One way of doing it is notching the rocker cover on the driver's side, so you can push the engine even further back.I think I still have the shortened P5 water pump that I gutted and welded the nose up.
Like so!
ivantate said:
Unless there was more than 1 1980 Red Sprint with a Stag engine in it, that was my dads old car. I just about remember when it was a 4cyl and the conversion with the stag engine and brakes being done. Probably 1985ish.
I'm not sure; I'm pretty sure the owner did a lot of work to this one to convert it – including lengthening the front wings by an inch and bit each side (to create room for the cooling pack), fitting Stag hubs for the Stag wheels, etc. Surprising, nonetheless! Quite a few with RV8s in 'em, so there may well be a few drifting around in Stag V8s in them. Do you know what happened to the car?
Big fan of the Dolly!
A friend at school had one (far too many years ago) and while it was only the 1300, it was fun to drive. But, we were then introduced to the Sprint. Oh man! Some light modifications and that thing was a real flier (for the day). 130BHP when healthy and RWD? What is there not to love? This was the late 80's and early 90's when 90BHP and FWD was good, so these things were great. Old man styling and certainly didnt look great compared to the XR2's that were popular (or at least the 1.3 CVH engined look-a-likes).
And then people turned them into club racers. Watching these things go sideways around various circuits was great. No lamented as a low point in BL's history, which is a shame.
A friend at school had one (far too many years ago) and while it was only the 1300, it was fun to drive. But, we were then introduced to the Sprint. Oh man! Some light modifications and that thing was a real flier (for the day). 130BHP when healthy and RWD? What is there not to love? This was the late 80's and early 90's when 90BHP and FWD was good, so these things were great. Old man styling and certainly didnt look great compared to the XR2's that were popular (or at least the 1.3 CVH engined look-a-likes).
And then people turned them into club racers. Watching these things go sideways around various circuits was great. No lamented as a low point in BL's history, which is a shame.
Lewis Kingston said:
Yes, I was fortunate enough to see Darren's race a few times back in the day. It's still around, I think – just in long-term storage. 700bhp or so made it fairly lively, haha!
This was another modified one that I always lusted after:
My dad ended up buying the powertrain out of it, in the end, as Phil – the owner at the time – was putting a 4.2 AJP into it (!). Unfortunately, despite getting the engine in the bay, the project stalled after that and the lot got broken up and sold on (I think). Would have been devastatingly quick, I think.
Always loved that one, looks amazing on Stag wheels. This was another modified one that I always lusted after:
My dad ended up buying the powertrain out of it, in the end, as Phil – the owner at the time – was putting a 4.2 AJP into it (!). Unfortunately, despite getting the engine in the bay, the project stalled after that and the lot got broken up and sold on (I think). Would have been devastatingly quick, I think.
Edited by Lewis Kingston on Monday 8th January 08:26
miniman said:
Lewis Kingston said:
Yes, I was fortunate enough to see Darren's race a few times back in the day. It's still around, I think – just in long-term storage. 700bhp or so made it fairly lively, haha!
This was another modified one that I always lusted after:
My dad ended up buying the powertrain out of it, in the end, as Phil – the owner at the time – was putting a 4.2 AJP into it (!). Unfortunately, despite getting the engine in the bay, the project stalled after that and the lot got broken up and sold on (I think). Would have been devastatingly quick, I think.
Always loved that one, looks amazing on Stag wheels. This was another modified one that I always lusted after:
My dad ended up buying the powertrain out of it, in the end, as Phil – the owner at the time – was putting a 4.2 AJP into it (!). Unfortunately, despite getting the engine in the bay, the project stalled after that and the lot got broken up and sold on (I think). Would have been devastatingly quick, I think.
Edited by Lewis Kingston on Monday 8th January 08:26
A car this size is just perfect for me - take 4 plus luggage and don't take up much roadspace
nigelpugh7 said:
Please tell me that’s your car!
It was my old car back in the day! If it is I’ve got lots of stories for you!
Haha! No, not mine. It's my best friend's car, I took the picture though ( plus a few others we've got around somewhere )It was my old car back in the day! If it is I’ve got lots of stories for you!
I guess you owned it prior to the mid 80s and live near Shropshire/West Midlands. He could probably trade you a fair few stories on it too I guess.
Certainly seemed a very healthy motor ( the engines did seem to vary in potency by quite a margin ) as Mikael Sundstrom in his 205 Gti could have attested to on the 1986 Audi Sport rally and I can confirm it was benchmarked against various Escorts on many occasions over Welsh roads. The overdrive was a source of wonder, even the slightly newer 323i only had a 4-speed.
I'll see if I can hunt out the other pics I've got
s m said:
Haha! No, not mine. It's my best friend's car, I took the picture though ( plus a few others we've got around somewhere )
I guess you owned it prior to the mid 80s and live near Shropshire/West Midlands. He could probably trade you a fair few stories on it too I guess.
Certainly seemed a very healthy motor ( the engines did seem to vary in potency by quite a margin ) as Mikael Sundstrom in his 205 Gti could have attested to on the 1986 Audi Sport rally and I can confirm it was benchmarked against various Escorts on many occasions over Welsh roads. The overdrive was a source of wonder, even the slightly newer 323i only had a 4-speed.
I'll see if I can hunt out the other pics I've got
That’s great, yes that was the era, and I still live in the same area, Solihull West Midlands.I guess you owned it prior to the mid 80s and live near Shropshire/West Midlands. He could probably trade you a fair few stories on it too I guess.
Certainly seemed a very healthy motor ( the engines did seem to vary in potency by quite a margin ) as Mikael Sundstrom in his 205 Gti could have attested to on the 1986 Audi Sport rally and I can confirm it was benchmarked against various Escorts on many occasions over Welsh roads. The overdrive was a source of wonder, even the slightly newer 323i only had a 4-speed.
I'll see if I can hunt out the other pics I've got
Would,love to see some more photos of the car and hear about it’s adventures, we certainly shared many together.
As regards to the engine, I spent a lot of time working on it to get the best level of tune out of it.
I spent ages working on the pallet shims to get the tapper clearance correct, and fitted a new Piper fast road cam too.
We also spent a lot of time tuning the SU carbs, and needed up with a totally different set if needles and jets, which made the car run leaner, but also rev more.
On the handling front, I fitted Koni track shock absorbers, and a stainless steel Rimmer large bore exhaust system.
It was a pretty well sorted car, the only reason I sold it was it needed the body work sorting, when I sold it I had not long fitted new sills which I brazed on but never painted.
It should still have had the digital computer for Mpg and range fitted to it too.
Let me see if I can find the pictures of our trips to the Lombard RAC rally in wales.
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