b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Nov 29, 2015 19:08:53 GMT
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This is my recently purchased Dolomite Sprint. I've been a member for a while on here (and attended the last 2 Retro Rides Gatherings) but have never had anything retro-enough to warrant getting properly involved, I intend to change this! I have been wanted something properly retro for a while now but have always been a put off by lack of reliability and my very average skills with the oily bits. However as my 2 car fwiends have now both got Mk1 Golf GTi's they are restoring ready for next year I felt I needed to up my car game. So after 5 years of owning my MX5, including 2 2500+ mile pan-European roadtrips, I decided to sell up and move on. This is how it looked went it was sold: I'd learnt alot on this car and carried out most of the mechanical work myself (or with mates) including installing and tuning a Megasquirt ECU, and although not alot would be transferable to something old it had given me enough confidence that I could maintain something to a reasonable standard by myself! I am however dreading the potential unreliability of 70's British motoring, as the MX5 was absolutely faultless all the time I had it. So onto the Dolomite. She's a '74 in Sapphire Blue that I understand to be a fairly rare colour. Was completely restored 5 years ago and has been looked after fairly well since, although does need some TLC to the bodywork in places. Interior is pretty immaculate, and goes really well. I was a bit worried about the 150 mile trip back from Wolverhampton where I bought it from, but after getting used to 70's brakes and wind noise I was pleasantly surprised at how well it drove. So here it was as I bought it a couple of months ago:
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Last Edit: Apr 26, 2017 18:50:10 GMT by b3nson
'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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knoxy
Part of things
Posts: 11
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Nov 29, 2015 19:14:36 GMT
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Very, very nice..
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fer4l
Posted a lot
Testing
Posts: 1,497
Club RR Member Number: 73
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Nov 29, 2015 19:20:16 GMT
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There's something uber special about a nice Dolly Sprint, and that's a very very nice Dolly Sprint! Yum yum yum Cheers Matt
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wodge
Part of things
Posts: 455
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Nov 29, 2015 19:21:25 GMT
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Nice! Very similar to my toledo and you're right wind noise aside they are surprisingly capable at long journeys. I've done several 200 mile round trips in mine (two in terrible weather) without issue and 30 mpg!
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Nov 29, 2015 19:26:09 GMT
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A big selling point for me was it wasn't entirely standard, which means I could customise it without feeling bad about ruining a completely original (and fairly rare) car. These modifications were Luminition electronic ignition, Spax adjustable shocks, Polybushed front subframe and stainless steel custom exhaust. Also the carb mounts had been replaced with alloy mounts and the radiator as been re-cored and thickened. All of these I was already budgeting for so was a right result! So onto plans for the future. I have a long list of bits to do to bring it back up to a standard I'm happy with. Main area is the bodywork as the 2 rear arches are starting to rust and blister, and the same with the front panel over the headlamps. I intend on repairing these with the help of a mate once he's finished doing his Golf. We're going to move it to his workshop in January and sort out all the metal, then will have to find someone to paint it after. In the meantime I'm amassing a few parts to replace to ensure reliability and iron out a few little niggles, this include new Goodridge braided hoses, a centre prop carrier and speedo cable. So far I've fitted my Alpine headunit in the glovebox and wired it up to some old looking pod speakers on the front parcel shelf (no music at all was killing me, but I didn't want to cut up the doorcards or dashboard to fit anything, or fit an obviously modern headunit in an old interior) I've also replaced the LHF opening quarter window as the seal was completely shot, have the RHF to replace at a later date too. Picked up these Compomotive wheels to fit as well, came off of a TR7 rally car and currently have 2 gravel tyres fitted! Unfortunately nobody noticed that 1 of the 4, although of a similar style, is actually slightly different. I'm assuming it must have been made in a different era as I believe they all genuine and all the same width, spec etc. Let's see who can spot the difference! Also if anyone has a Compomotive CX1361 for sale in 95.25PCD I'd be very interested. They won't stay white, will probably be either black, bronze or grey by the time they go on the car. So that's it for now, and probably won't be alot more updates until January when hopefully I'll be posting photos of rust, then bare metal, then lovely new paint.
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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Nov 29, 2015 19:28:38 GMT
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Top one in the photo has fewer spokes Nice Sprint *n
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Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Nov 29, 2015 19:31:49 GMT
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Winner! I honestly would have never noticed had my mate, who picked them up for me, not checked them over. I'm 100% sure they would have gone on the car and I would be none the wiser, but now it's going to really annoy me knowing they don't match.
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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GT4ME
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,729
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Nov 29, 2015 19:35:37 GMT
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Good looking car.
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fer4l
Posted a lot
Testing
Posts: 1,497
Club RR Member Number: 73
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Nov 29, 2015 20:29:33 GMT
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Winner! I honestly would have never noticed had my mate, who picked them up for me, not checked them over. I'm 100% sure they would have gone on the car and I would be none the wiser, but now it's going to really annoy me knowing they don't match. Naah, it's stuff like that that makes things unique - like a brown dog with a black ear!
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,893
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Nov 29, 2015 20:36:44 GMT
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Always had a big soft spot for these - I had an inca yellow one years ago before I converted to the opel darkside
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Nov 29, 2015 21:07:53 GMT
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guessed top too as it doesn't have the measurements engraved on the lip, car looks wicked too
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Only dogs go for new cars, real cars have rust!
Ford capri laser 1.6 -http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/181032/1986-ford-capri-laser-updates
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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fer4l
Posted a lot
Testing
Posts: 1,497
Club RR Member Number: 73
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Pocket billiards anyone?!
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Think this was restored by a fella on the dolomite forum . If it is the one there is probably a write up on there. Mark
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14 Audi A3 Sportback - Easy driver 05 Audi TT MK1 3.2 DSG - Damn quick 73 Triumph 2000 - Needs work 03 Range Rover 4.4 V8 petrol. Had to get it out of my system.
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Think this was restored by a fella on the dolomite forum . If it is the one there is probably a write up on there. Mark You're dead right there. That was part of the reason I bought it, it was restored 5 years ago, so even by British Leyland standards can't have been too rusty yet!
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,194
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Dec 10, 2015 20:59:39 GMT
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Dec 10, 2015 21:16:29 GMT
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I had a 1300 Dolly in my youth, which I dechromed and lowered several inches. I also grafted a pair of Chevette rear lights onto it, as without the rear bumper the original light units stuck out too far for my liking.I really enjoyed my time with it, and only sold it to buy a Spitfire, which turned out to be one of the worst cars I've owned !
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eternaloptimist
Posted a lot
Too many projects, not enough time or space...
Posts: 2,578
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Dec 11, 2015 15:58:15 GMT
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I think there's a pair of alloys on the for sale bit of this forum that might help you out. Looks like you might end up with five matching alloys. I would put a link up but I'm rubbish when on an iPad.
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XC70, VW split screen crew cab, Standard Ten
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Dec 11, 2015 18:50:18 GMT
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Think I've spotted those already, need to check the PCD on them though, thanks for the heads up!
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
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Dec 11, 2015 18:55:51 GMT
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Thanks for the photos guys. I think I've still got some tuning to be done on the carbs as there's a hesitation around 2000 revs. Also thinking of removing the rear bumper, I can't help but feel it makes the rear end much more tidy.
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'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo '08 Panda 100HP
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