Soldato
- Joined
- 2 Mar 2004
- Posts
- 11,919
- Location
- SE England
I've almagamated this with the 'head gasket repair' thread as the project continuing in there didn't make much sense - so page two is the place to head for updates! 
Well, this is rather fun. No long journey, no road trip, just a short ten minute drive after a last minute bid sees this sitting on 'the lot':
It's a 1974 Triumph Dolomite Sprint - a real early one, non overdrive 4 speed, with a full-length Webasto sunroof.
Reputedly it was being prepared for rallycar useage - It already has K&N filters, Facet fuel pump, twin front calipers, lowered and uprated suspension, plus I suspect it's got an LSD and quickrack - so by all rights and means it's a pretty well sorted car and also benifits from a nearly-new MOT and long tax.
Webarseto!
So - what have I learnt about it. Well, I took it for a quick spin today.........and it's hillarious!
The steering's hard, the ride's hard but it's very comfortable, the clutch bites like a trooper (I don't think it's standard, clamps up so hard), the accelerator's hard (although that's easily fixed), the gearshift is stiff, requiring deliberate action to smoothly engage gears - and it pulls like a train
You put your foot down in 2nd from idle and there's a gentle pause as the HS6s draw deeply through those wide K&Ns, hoovering up the underside of the bonnet and suddenly it starts to gain pace. As it climbs over 1500RPM the rears break away and it just starts to rev, rev and rev. Ease off, get the power down and it scoots along gathering speed at a fair whack! Lights up the tires with ease too which is great fun.
Interestingly are the brakes. This has the twin caliper 'upgrade' to the front struts. The pedal is very soft and heavily assisted for a Sprint, with the first few inches of travel having a very gentle effect. As you hit the remaining travel, however, it suddenly bites and the damn thing stands on it's nose. So it brakes hard, too. The handbrake works brilliantly too......Grab it, locks the rears, twirl the wheel and suddenly you're in an episode of 'The Professionals'.
It'll be interesting to take it for a 'proper' drive and see what they're like on the road. I'm only running it up and down the drive at the moment, as I'm not insured on it - just keeping it warm and running it through.
Also a bonus - it looks like it should leak like a siv but even in all the downpour we've been having for the last week, there's only a slight drip from the corners of the windscreen inside. Result!
I need to ascertain whether it does actually have an LSD or not - at the moment, it's certainly acting like one but I need a bit of clean tarmac, as all ours is dusty. It seems to launch on both tires though, instead of one.....but I can't say for sure. I'll have to jack it up and spin the wheels.
Had a good poke around underneath and only found one very small hole in the underside of one sill, the rest is extremely solid and just needs a good brushing over with some new underseal It has a newish MOT and lots of tax so it's no real urgent issue but I'd prefer it to be sorted rather than not.
I just want it loud, noisy, brash, full of gauges and switches but most importantly - fun. It's a real driver's machine and incredibly involving. Rev it up to 2500, bang the clutch out, rears light up, floor it and away. Makes a real good noise.
I'm not sure what to do with it at the moment, really. I kinda like the way it looks at the moment because I don't know, seems to be a bit of it's character in it's visual defects. Does need to be a bit lower though methinks and a little cleaner. Maybe a matt or satin colour would suit it...
Well, this is rather fun. No long journey, no road trip, just a short ten minute drive after a last minute bid sees this sitting on 'the lot':
It's a 1974 Triumph Dolomite Sprint - a real early one, non overdrive 4 speed, with a full-length Webasto sunroof.
Reputedly it was being prepared for rallycar useage - It already has K&N filters, Facet fuel pump, twin front calipers, lowered and uprated suspension, plus I suspect it's got an LSD and quickrack - so by all rights and means it's a pretty well sorted car and also benifits from a nearly-new MOT and long tax.
Webarseto!
So - what have I learnt about it. Well, I took it for a quick spin today.........and it's hillarious!
The steering's hard, the ride's hard but it's very comfortable, the clutch bites like a trooper (I don't think it's standard, clamps up so hard), the accelerator's hard (although that's easily fixed), the gearshift is stiff, requiring deliberate action to smoothly engage gears - and it pulls like a train
You put your foot down in 2nd from idle and there's a gentle pause as the HS6s draw deeply through those wide K&Ns, hoovering up the underside of the bonnet and suddenly it starts to gain pace. As it climbs over 1500RPM the rears break away and it just starts to rev, rev and rev. Ease off, get the power down and it scoots along gathering speed at a fair whack! Lights up the tires with ease too which is great fun.
Interestingly are the brakes. This has the twin caliper 'upgrade' to the front struts. The pedal is very soft and heavily assisted for a Sprint, with the first few inches of travel having a very gentle effect. As you hit the remaining travel, however, it suddenly bites and the damn thing stands on it's nose. So it brakes hard, too. The handbrake works brilliantly too......Grab it, locks the rears, twirl the wheel and suddenly you're in an episode of 'The Professionals'.
It'll be interesting to take it for a 'proper' drive and see what they're like on the road. I'm only running it up and down the drive at the moment, as I'm not insured on it - just keeping it warm and running it through.
Also a bonus - it looks like it should leak like a siv but even in all the downpour we've been having for the last week, there's only a slight drip from the corners of the windscreen inside. Result!
I need to ascertain whether it does actually have an LSD or not - at the moment, it's certainly acting like one but I need a bit of clean tarmac, as all ours is dusty. It seems to launch on both tires though, instead of one.....but I can't say for sure. I'll have to jack it up and spin the wheels.
Had a good poke around underneath and only found one very small hole in the underside of one sill, the rest is extremely solid and just needs a good brushing over with some new underseal
It has a newish MOT and lots of tax so it's no real urgent issue but I'd prefer it to be sorted rather than not.I just want it loud, noisy, brash, full of gauges and switches but most importantly - fun. It's a real driver's machine and incredibly involving. Rev it up to 2500, bang the clutch out, rears light up, floor it and away. Makes a real good noise.
I'm not sure what to do with it at the moment, really. I kinda like the way it looks at the moment because I don't know, seems to be a bit of it's character in it's visual defects. Does need to be a bit lower though methinks and a little cleaner. Maybe a matt or satin colour would suit it...
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