Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

Hi all,

Does anyone here have memories of the (1970's era) Dolomites, and the similar 1300cc-up models that were around at the same time?

Nearest I've come to any Dolly was a) a great uncle owning an 1850HL in the early 1980s, and b) a nearby uncle shoe-horning a Sprint engine into his Saab 99.

Seeing this article about the rare SE model got me thinking about them:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/uks-rarest-cars-1978-triumph-dolomite-1500-se-one-handful-left/.

RJ
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[mikeC]

Ah yes, I've had several: Toledo, 1500, 1850 and Sprint, and loved them all. My first was probably my favourite, and only sold because I changed jobs and got a company car:



It was a very early car, from memory it was registered in late 1971 (commission number was WF34DL). It had been the Kennings' demonstrator and so impressed my father that he went out and bought one too! Although only about six months separated them they were as different as chalk to cheese. My car was much higher geared with a quicker steering rack and, I suspect, a blue-printed engine; one one occasion I got stopped by the police for doing 112mph, and managed to wriggle out of that one by suggesting that their speedo needed recalibrating as a Dolomite couldn't do that speed!

I have fond memories of all of them, although the Sprint was the least favourite - I felt it really had too much power for the chassis, although on reflection the body may not have been in very good shape, so I ought really to try another one ...
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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[emmerson]

My daughter's father-in-law bought a new SE in 1979, his first ever new car. I must admit that it was rather nice, but it failed it's second MOT on serious rust, struggled through the next one, and was dead before it's third MOT. It lay in the corner of the farmyard until his retirement sale ten years later, when it was sold off with a pile of farm scrap!

[ukdave2002]

Yep; I passed my driving test in a 1979 Minolta yellow 1300 Triumph Dolomite

Dave

[alanb]

My father had a T reg Dolomite 1500 HL auto and my brother had a m reg 1850 HL manual with overdrive, I thought they both performed well, even my fathers 1500 auto, the roadholding and performance was on par with my 1300 mk2 escort .
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[Ray White]

I remember a close colleague having a Sprint. It was quick. It was also always having to undergo expensive repairs. Having been a passenger for many miles but never having driven one all I can say is that the ride was more entertaining than comfortable. I always preferred the Triumph 2000/2.5pi despite the way they would lean into corners.

[Penman]

Hi

[Ellis]

Triumph Dolomites? I've owned three of them, a 1850HL and two Sprints.

The first Sprint was an ex British Leyland 1975 example in Mimosa Yellow which I have a photo of but cannot for the life of me find it. It also featured my then girlfriend posing by it's side, skin tight jeans, knee length boots, low cut top, long blond hair cascading down.................a touch of wistfulness there.
When I find it I'll guarantee you won't be looking at the Sprint...............

My second Dolomite was a pro tem 1850HL in beige.

My third and last was a 1977 Sprint which I bought in April 1985 as a convalescence present for myself following illness :



It was a bought from it's one lady owner at 40k miles, full Triumph history and every receipt from new. It had a different character to the first Sprint with vicious low end power. The first "came alive" at 3000rpm + but the blue one had neck snapping acceleration from low in the rev range but I didn't explore it's upper end power that much but it would catapult itself to 90 mph whereas I regularly saw 120mph on the speedo of the 1975 car but it's acceleleration was not as good lower down the rev range.

It was one car I truly regret selling but was persuaded to (at a profit) to sell it to my neighbour who wanted as an eighteenth birthday present for his son.

He sold it on without offering it back to me a few months later to someone who ploughed it straight into the back of a delivery van - a write off - not long afterwards.

There was the option of automatic transmission on the later Sprints but I just did not see the point.

Do you?

One last point, there was only one tyre that suited the Sprint - Dunlop Sp Sports, the ones with the agua jets with which they were fitted from new.
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[lowdrag]

I had a Toledo as a company car and it wouldn't go faster than 35 mph. The dealer told me that "the engine needs running in" but I insisted they took the car in and sorted it. Turned out to be a duff carb. Anyway, they lent me a Dolly Sprint for a few days, and I enjoyed it so much that I kept avoiding their calls for a day or two to return the Sprint and pick the Toledo up. It was a lovely car, and that little overdrive switch just demanded to be played with.

[MikeEdwards]

I remember being given a lift by a stranger in a something like that - I recall the warning lamps in the circular arrangement. My Firenza had a problem on a pub car park (steering flexible joint broke) and this kind chap gave me and my mate a lift home, which was very kind of him. I can't say if it was a Dolomite, Toledo or maybe a 2000/2500 if they had the same light arrangement.

More recently, a mate had two Sprints languishing in his yard, getting closer to disintegration every day. He eventually sold them to someone who is restoring one and has broken the other for parts. That same mate now has one in for some engine work.

More recently again, another mate via a Vauxhall club has a fascination for Dolomites, and owns (or owned, I've lost track) SOE8M, one of the works rally cars, which he takes to various events like Goodwood and Race Retro.

[badhuis]

Never got to own one, but I saw a 1850 HL languishing in the backyard of an old BL dealer. Early nineties I think. I persuaded my brother to buy it. He welded a new sill to it and ran if for a year or two. A good little car but I like the bigger saloon better.
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[Rootes75]

The old chap who owns the village garage has a Sprint, nice condition too. Up untill a couple of months back he had 2 or 3 donar cars out back but now they sold their rear yard and had 15 houses built on it!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[MikeEdwards]

[ukdave2002]

[Phil - Nottingham]

In the mid 70's I was required to drive a team of colleagues to various exotic locations off-season in England but as we were all lowly paid clerks not many of us had cars never mind could afford them. My then classic 1960 DKW 1000 was deemed too old so hire cars from the local Kennings opposite the office was regularly used by all. These were 4 door saloons usually base models eg Marina's or Allegros (it was a large BLMC dealer group) unless they were out on hire. One time I had a brand new P reg Toledo 1300 which was quieter nice but slow. It never did idle smoothly and often petered out inconveniently. Once it did it whilst I was crossing the dual A1 at Colsterworth - it was just straight across then and you waited in the middle narrow central reservation till it was clear at the other side. It stalled halfway across as heavy trucks approached fast and I just managed to start it and reach safety in the middle. Most of the cars hired then were of mediocre reliability irrespective of the trim level even though they were either brand new or a few months old. The survivors of that period must be the true exception and its hardly surprising BL steadily lost its market share for ever. Even SD1 Rovers build quality was abysmal.
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