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Aug 17, 2016 17:27:06 GMT
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It is nice, just for clarification, it's not a Dolomite Sprint, (you won't find one on your budget that isn't a total heap of junk), it's a Dolomite 1500 which has been upgraded with the 2 litre engine to make it similar to the Sprint. I'm glad you like it, you can thank carledo if you go in this direction. I think there's a lot more potential than you'd have with a Volvo 340. You won't have to 'pimp' it because everywhere you go people will stare and want to ask you about your car. Dolomite Sprint specs when new in 1973:- 127 bhp 0-60 8.4 secs Top speed 119 mph So they will easily keep up with modern traffic & there are modern family saloons for sale now which won't match the Sprint for acceleration or top end. It can be further tuned. Rust can be an issue but as long as you stay on top of things there's plenty that can be done to keep corrosion in check. This is a Sprint doing what they did best:-
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Last Edit: Aug 17, 2016 17:49:46 GMT by MkX
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richr
Part of things
Posts: 119
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Aug 17, 2016 18:26:33 GMT
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You are restricted with your budget
So I would plump for a dolly or maybe an early Datsun/Nissan with RWD
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,256
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Aug 17, 2016 20:48:24 GMT
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It is nice, just for clarification, it's not a Dolomite Sprint, (you won't find one on your budget that isn't a total heap of junk), it's a Dolomite 1500 which has been upgraded with the 2 litre engine to make it similar to the Sprint. I'm glad you like it, you can thank carledo if you go in this direction. I think there's a lot more potential than you'd have with a Volvo 340. You won't have to 'pimp' it because everywhere you go people will stare and want to ask you about your car. Dolomite Sprint specs when new in 1973:- 127 bhp 0-60 8.4 secs Top speed 119 mph So they will easily keep up with modern traffic & there are modern family saloons for sale now which won't match the Sprint for acceleration or top end. It can be further tuned. Rust can be an issue but as long as you stay on top of things there's plenty that can be done to keep corrosion in check. This is a Sprint doing what they did best:- Without being funny, have you driven a Sprint? I have driven a couple and owned one, and while they will keep up in modern traffic they will not outdrag a family saloon these days unless it is a small petrol engine povo spec 2.0 Mondeo or something like that, and even then it would struggle. If I am honest, my 306 GTI-6 and 106 GTi demolished my Sprint from a performance perspective. People act like they are hot hatch slayers when IME they are far from it, unless you consider a 106 Quiksilver to be a hot hatch. Sure they can move along, but you really have to wring their neck, as hoopsontoast will recall. That said, I do miss mine a little .
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Aug 17, 2016 20:57:47 GMT
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Without being funny, have you driven a Sprint? I have driven a couple and owned one, and while they will keep up in modern traffic they will not outdrag a family saloon these days unless it is a small petrol engine povo spec 2.0 Mondeo or something like that, and even then it would struggle. If I am honest, my 306 GTI-6 and 106 GTi demolished my Sprint from a performance perspective. People act like they are hot hatch slayers when IME they are far from it, unless you consider a 106 Quiksilver to be a hot hatch. Sure they can move along, but you really have to wring their neck, as hoopsontoast will recall. That said, I do miss mine a little . He's looking at Volvo 340's so he's not expecting a Bugatti Veyron.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,256
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Aug 17, 2016 21:19:13 GMT
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True but saying something is quite quick, and when reality it is not much quicker than modern stuff is hardly giving the right response. Maybe I was told the same thing before I got into it. Maybe I built up my expectations too much when I first got into one, and no, I hadn't been in a Veyron before .
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adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,939
Club RR Member Number: 58
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Aug 17, 2016 21:21:59 GMT
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E30's may be a bit pricey these days but E34's are still cheap as chips and theres an engine range to suit all/most insurance requirements OK a fair bit heavier than a Volvo 340 but still fun enough to drive And they look good (biased of course)
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Aug 17, 2016 21:23:36 GMT
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VW Beetle? Classic RWD daily, great fun to drive.
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Aug 17, 2016 21:25:57 GMT
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True but saying something is quite quick, and when reality it is not much quicker than modern stuff is hardly giving the right response. Maybe I was told the same thing before I got into it. Maybe I built up my expectations too much when I first got into one, and no, I hadn't been in a Veyron before . Er ... am I being a bit thick here, I've put the original performance figures up, I'm sure he's bright enough to decide whether these meet his expectation. It was a nippy & chuckable car in it's day & I would stick by my comments that it's still no slouch. The modern cars I've alluded to that couldn't match it for performance are obviously at the budget end of the spectrum, Duh!
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Aug 17, 2016 21:28:55 GMT
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Aug 17, 2016 22:10:17 GMT
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I sold a 2 door Toledo last year with a really solid shell and a new door and rear valance to correct damaged panels. It was complete but not running. the price for all this? £350! And I have just bought a very tidy ziebarted rolling shell of an 1850 Dolly for a couple of hundred quid. Good ones are out there! Besides the Dolomite range of engines which will bolt into any model, there are known and accepted examples with Vauxhall 8v and Redtop conversions, Nissan S13 Turbo conversions, several MX5 conversions including a supercharged one, a handful with Rover V8s in various levels of tune, Ken woods' car shown above has a Rover KV6, another famous one has a cossie turbo lump. So there is plenty of choice! But then, I too am a bit biased, some blatant self whoring! This car has a 2.0 litre 8v Carlton engine pushing out around 135bhp. but since it only weighs 760kg (without me in it!) its fairly quick!
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Last Edit: Aug 17, 2016 22:24:17 GMT by carledo
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Aug 17, 2016 22:47:04 GMT
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Looks awesome, I much prefer the 2 door version. Fond memories of driving up to North Wales in one of those for a family holiday.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,256
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Aug 17, 2016 23:54:32 GMT
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True but saying something is quite quick, and when reality it is not much quicker than modern stuff is hardly giving the right response. Maybe I was told the same thing before I got into it. Maybe I built up my expectations too much when I first got into one, and no, I hadn't been in a Veyron before . Er ... am I being a bit thick here, I've put the original performance figures up, I'm sure he's bright enough to decide whether these meet his expectation. It was a nippy & chuckable car in it's day & I would stick by my comments that it's still no slouch. The modern cars I've alluded to that couldn't match it for performance are obviously at the budget end of the spectrum, Duh! You and I both know there is more to performance between a torqueless wanderer and something that will pull from the off. It's one reason why many felt the 944S was "slow" with its 190BHP power figure, even compared to runabouts of the day. As for the "modern cars" there is plenty which will slay a Sprint for the same budget (Volvo T5, BMW E34 and IMO even an MX-5). You were saying? They were a quick car in the day yes and certainly have more charm and fun factor about them, but IMO they are outclassed by alot of cars these days for £2k. I'll agree to disagree . Anyway, time for pics:
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I think whatever I say you're obviously going to persist in intentionally misinterpreting my original post solely, apparently, to engineer an utterly pointless argument. Probably best to drop it here before pictures of Vic Reeves appear.
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Aug 18, 2016 20:12:04 GMT
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You don't need a T5 or a big Beamer to slay a stock Sprint, My 95 Cavalier 2.0 16v AUTO will leave a Sprint, not for dead, but it will leave one, at least until a corner appears! But whilst I love my Cav which I have had over 10 years now, it has been a loyal and faithful friend, quick, comfortable, reliable, cheap to maintain, surprisingly economical and one of the best towing cars i've ever had (and I've had Volvo 240s) But it will be sold as soon as my 2.2 Omega powered Sprint Auto is finished, for at least 2 reasons, 1) the Sprint has character the Cav will never possess and 2) The Sprint will have ME in its DNA, built not bought!
I don't think it's particularly fair to compare a 70s car to a late 80s/90s car on performance alone anyway, so many improvements in tech took place in that decade or so, that it's like shooting fish down a well. But in any case, outright modern power is cheap to buy, but ludicrously expensive to insure if you are young like the OP, which is why he is looking at alternatives like the Dolly and Volvo 340. So the performance argument is largely irrelevant - as MkX pointed out!
Steve
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,256
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Aug 18, 2016 22:55:00 GMT
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That's a fair shout. I was merely referring to keeping up with modern traffic comment, that's all, simply another opinion of what it is ; at work (and my previous place) anything older than 5 years old is considered "old", but to us car folk that's a different kettle of fish . Insurance is such a wierd one however. My sister has been driving for a month and is 23. Somehow she is paying £820 FC on a Mondeo 1.8! OK, it has done 320k and is worth about 10p and not the biggest thrill, but I was expecting the price to be far far higher; a Mini One is more to insure as was the MX-5 (she's not been driving long enough to be considered for a classic policy and she doesn't have a second car, something many classic policies stipulate as a mandatory requirement ), which I was going to hand down if I hadn't sold it. The one thing I'll say is try insurance on anything and everything ; you might be surprised.
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Last Edit: Aug 18, 2016 22:55:58 GMT by ChasR
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Aug 19, 2016 13:57:01 GMT
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how about a TR7?
Surprisingly modern to drive and easy to repair / modify, the 5 speeds are even pretty reliable, just make sure it is not too rusty, 2 grand will get you an Ok one.
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Aug 19, 2016 17:32:13 GMT
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It is nice, just for clarification, it's not a Dolomite Sprint, (you won't find one on your budget that isn't a total heap of junk), it's a Dolomite 1500 which has been upgraded with the 2 litre engine to make it similar to the Sprint. I'm glad you like it, you can thank carledo if you go in this direction. I think there's a lot more potential than you'd have with a Volvo 340. You won't have to 'pimp' it because everywhere you go people will stare and want to ask you about your car. Dolomite Sprint specs when new in 1973:- 127 bhp 0-60 8.4 secs Top speed 119 mph So they will easily keep up with modern traffic & there are modern family saloons for sale now which won't match the Sprint for acceleration or top end. It can be further tuned. Rust can be an issue but as long as you stay on top of things there's plenty that can be done to keep corrosion in check. This is a Sprint doing what they did best:- Without being funny, have you driven a Sprint? I have driven a couple and owned one, and while they will keep up in modern traffic they will not outdrag a family saloon these days unless it is a small petrol engine povo spec 2.0 Mondeo or something like that, and even then it would struggle. If I am honest, my 306 GTI-6 and 106 GTi demolished my Sprint from a performance perspective. People act like they are hot hatch slayers when IME they are far from it, unless you consider a 106 Quiksilver to be a hot hatch. Sure they can move along, but you really have to wring their neck, as hoopsontoast will recall. That said, I do miss mine a little . Just to add to ChasR, having had a Dolomite Sprint, 1850 and TR7 as dailys, the Sprint is lest usable as a 'Daily'. Having been in Chas's 306 GTi-6 and 106 GTi, as any more modern hatch, the performance is a lot more accesible. The Sprint is simply not designed to potter about, in the real world driving, I found the 1850 AND TR7 much nicer to drive. They have a better torque/power curve where its available lower down, despite the difference in max power figures. The Sprint, you really have to ring its neck to get everywhere. I never enjoyed the Sprint on the motorway, althought that may be down to the janspeed exhaust it had.... The TR7 (when it was not overheating) was much better. The 5-speed on the TR7 was much better than the 4-speed/overdrive on the Dolomites IMO. The 1850 and TR7 were OK in the wet, the TR7 much better especially but the Sprint was silly, the available power with lack of real traction/weight at the rear made every trip very entertaining, not always in a good way! Also, a decent Sprint or TR7 is going to be well over £2k, you may find an 1850HL for that but it will need a lot of work. And to add, I found an electronic dizzy (123dizzy) was a very worthwhile upgrade on the 1850, much better reliablity. FWIW, the best real retro 'daily' I've had was the Triumph Acclaim, give it some decent sized tyres and its perfectly good for most normal driving, and being Honda based, it actually worked. The Metro after was makeshift but my current Celica ST182 is by far the best car I have owned, all the revvy nature of the Sprint (despite not being actually 'that' fast) with the comfort and space to boot. And some pics of the cars mentioned: Triumph TR7 1980 by Robert Seymour, on Flickr Dolomite Sprint at Kenilworth Castle by Robert Seymour, on Flickr 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1850HL by Robert Seymour, on Flickr 1983 Triumph Acclaim by Robert Seymour, on Flickr Toyota Celica GT by Robert Seymour, on Flickr
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Aug 20, 2016 19:39:08 GMT
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Cheers, I'm waiting on pictures for a volvo about an hour away from me but he's taking the curse word lol he said he'd send them asap on wednesday he added me on facebook etc but still nothing lol. He said the only bit of damage on it was on the drivers side where the previous owner apparently hit it off the garage he said it's been stored at his unit and he doesn't get a lot of time atm but I'll wait and see aha.
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