1974 Dolomite Sprint

Talk about your cars etc here. Keep it sort of sensible and on topic please.
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Hooli
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by Hooli »

*eyes ban hammer*
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by The Reverend Bluejeans »

Junkman wrote: Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:57 am
The Reverend Bluejeans wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:43 pm To anyone who fiddles with old German stuff, the BL way of design and build is a cross between archaic and comedy.
Anyone who fiddles with old German stuff will realise that British engineering was the root of every fucking thing.
The main difference between the Germans and the English, which are the fucking same people no matter how you look at it, is that the Germans moved on and the British didn't. Island syndrome. Also see 'Hooli'.
Brits were great at designing stuff. The Germans could never design an XJ6 or a Stag. An R107 350SL is of course a much better car, but do you want one?
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by AutoshiteBoy »

Passion versus pragmatism ?
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by AutoshiteBoy »

Make do versus mathematics ?
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by Hooli »

Flair verses dull
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by SiC »

Initial and rough todo list in an approximant priority order
 
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by SiC »

Busy evening yesterday. Removed the transmission tunnel cover so I can get access to this clutch slave and rattling heatshields.

However before then I got distracted by trying to open the roof and give some more natural working light. Unfortunately it got jammed trying to open it slightly and thus committed me to sorting it. After plentiful use of GT85, I got it opened and closed reasonably smoothly. Going to need to grease the runners with some lithium grease or similar so it stays nice and smooth.
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Next up was removing the parcel shelf. Wasn't too difficult, even if this one is pretty damaged and battered.
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Removing the radio was the hardest bit. Not helped by this mess of spade connectors behind the dash. Many of the wires hadn't been crimped properly and were falling out. I've disconnected and taped up the power lines for now and I'll come back another time to clean and redo this lot up.
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Then I made the mistake of looking up at the dash area for rust.

First off is this little hole which goes into the drivers wheel arch. Doesn't look too difficult to repair this one.
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Looking up I noticed this suspicious looking mess covered up with black goo (Tigerseal by the looks of it).
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I made the mistake of giving it a poke with my finger and was rewarded with a shower of rusty metal in my face!
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Thankfully the metal behind looks in good condition and a simple area to work on - apart from the "joy" of welding upside down. However it looks like it'll be a dash out job to repair this. Right now I'm thankful of having that rather rusty Austin 1100 I welded up - otherwise I'd be freaking out right about now! This area will have to wait until I've moved house though. If that all goes ahead, I can strip the car out while it's undercover and not worry about rain getting in between working on the car. Also hopefully that'll all be done and dusted before the end of the year. That way I can get it sorted over the winter period.

Passenger side isn't much better. I resisted the urge from poking this took hard just yet.
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I wouldn't be surprised if there are many a Dolly with rust hidden away in these sort of areas. Not something you find unless you start pulling bits off and go poking.

Finished off getting the transmission tunnel out.
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Ended up being a bit of a fight with this heatshield from earlier not wanting to release itself. Looking at the backing insulating material it was sat on, it looks almost certainly to be asbestos. I'll remove it and probably put some exhaust wrap or similar over this area.
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Clutch slave
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Pulling back the rubber boot revealed a fluid like substance behind it. I think this is brake fluid or water. If brake fluid then it's been leaking, if water then it'll rust out the bore and leak either way!
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Given the ease and cost of buying a replacement clutch slave, I think I'll just replace rather than rebuild.

This project seems to be finding me more jobs to do all the time!! (Don't they all...)
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by Junkman »

The Reverend Bluejeans wrote: Sun Jul 28, 2019 4:07 pm
Junkman wrote: Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:57 am
The Reverend Bluejeans wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:43 pm To anyone who fiddles with old German stuff, the BL way of design and build is a cross between archaic and comedy.
Anyone who fiddles with old German stuff will realise that British engineering was the root of every fucking thing.
The main difference between the Germans and the English, which are the fucking same people no matter how you look at it, is that the Germans moved on and the British didn't. Island syndrome. Also see 'Hooli'.
Brits were great at designing stuff. The Germans could never design an XJ6 or a Stag. An R107 350SL is of course a much better car, but do you want one?
Of course not. Neither do I want an XJ6 or a Stag, though, although, as you say, they are great designs.
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by mercrocker »

It is nice to see updates like this once the initial purchase euphoria/despair cycle has begun to be overcome....

Interesting, the German/British thing - these were perceived as 02 BMW competitors back in the day which drew some scoffing among those who saw them as Triumph 1300 derivatives. A little bit of familiarity breeding contempt, maybe. Dynamics aside, I don't think many NeuKlasse BMs necessarily fared better in equivalent old age.
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Re: 1974 Dolomite Sprint

Post by LynehamHerc »

They did pretty well in the BTCC with Andy Rouse, Roger Bell et al

Roger Bell being the editor of Motor got them shedloads of publicity.
I think they were run by Broadspeed who then went on to do the XJ-C racers, fantastic looking cars.
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