16 replies to this topic

[James_1]

It's been over two years since I said goodbye to MLM 317V, my beloved russet brown 1850HL and I've been regretting it ever since so when I got a bursary from uni earlier this year the hunt began, and this is what I've come up with...

1977 1850HL automatic with 43 000 miles on the clock which I don't think is bad going.



The body is really straight with only four things needing attention, a dent in the front wing next to the headlights, a similar dent in the boot lid where the 1850HL badge goes, some signs of a repair on the driver’s side rear door and some spidering in the paint all over the car which I am happy to leave as is. I can't find any rust.

The car has lived on the Isle of Man all it's life which probably helped it's condition as they warmer winters and don't grit the roads. The seller ferried her over and I picked her up from Preston yesterday after getting the coach up from London and drove back to London for the night before making it back to Sussex this morning. The only faults I came across driving back was an indicator stalk that is loose and falls out sometimes and a fault with the no charge light.

I'm not sure what is causing the no charge problem, the light started flickering when I put the side lights on and came on full with full beams although the voltage didn't fall below 13.4 votls (checked with a multi meter). The fan belt was very slack so I sorted that but still the problem remained. It gets dimmer at idle but the belt isn't slipping. Does anyone have any ideas?


The idiot standing next to it is me and it's my gran in the car - she didn't want to get out while it was being photographed because it was too cold, bless her!

Tomorrow I'm going to give her a really good clean and a tune up before going back to uni. I'll get her through her first MOT in the summer when my exams are over and sort out all the DVLA registration documents then too. I just hope I'm going to be able to get insured in the summer, my old one cost £350 with me as a named driver but I suspect those days may well be over...

James

[Scallywag630]

Looks good....I used to sell them new!! Try checking the engine earthing.

[James_1]

Ah that's a good idea, the starter doesn't always catch, it doesn't feel like there is always enough current, so that would make sense if the two were linked...

[Shifty]

I have a soft spot for Dolomites, they are the only Triumph I'd consider owning!! Many many many years ago my uncle had a driving school and he used Dolomites. He used to let me and my cousin drive them around, happy days!!

[mk3 Cooper S]

Is you name Earl ?

[Bungle]

do you own a time machine, you look like you have just stepped out of the 70's

nice car

[MR J]

Nice Dolly, I had a 1500HL Dolomite but sold it to buy MR J, I blew the 1500 lump up and replaced all the mechanical components for Dolomite Sprint items from a scrap Sprint. I sold it to a friend who promised me he was going to restore it (it was really solid and didn't need a lot of work) but after stripping it completely he ran out of interest and got rid of it. He did offer me first refusal but I had nowhere to store it and regret it to this day.

Anyhow.. Nice Car, have fun!!

[charie t]

I have a soft spot for Dolomites, they are the only Triumph I'd consider owning!! Many many many years ago my uncle had a driving school and he used Dolomites. He used to let me and my cousin drive them around, happy days!!

When you were little? oh wait...........
Nice car james, although whats the manx style plate about?

[Robbie]

I have a soft spot for Dolomites, they are the only Triumph I'd consider owning!! Many many many years ago my uncle had a driving school and he used Dolomites. He used to let me and my cousin drive them around, happy days!!

When you were little? oh wait...........
Nice car james, although whats the manx style plate about?

The car has lived on the Isle of Man all it's life which probably helped it's condition as they warmer winters and don't grit the roads. The seller ferried her over and I picked her up from Preston yesterday after getting the coach up from London and drove back to London for the night before making it back to Sussex this morning.

[charie t]

stuff thats there that needed pointing out

ohhhh, i struggle reading long text cheers robbie

Edited by charie t, 05 March 2012 - 12:43 AM.

[RossKnight]

subscribing

would love a dolomite as a daily, and use the mini just for shows...

[James_1]

Continued from here by popular demand!



Yesterday I got a full days worth of work done on my new Dolomite before having to head back to uni.

The main focus being trying to sort out the issue with the no charge/ignition light which started on the way back from Preston on Friday when I put on the headlights. When I first started driving the car there were no problems and the light went out as it should when the engine was running. However, when the sidelights were turned on it started to flash on and off and was on all the time with the full beam. At idle speed the light went out.

The voltage gauge didn't drop below 13.5 so I carried on to a friends house in Oxford and found the fan belt was very slack so we tightened it up. Sadly this didn't solve the problem. A check with a pocket multimeter on the battery indicated that things were working fine so I carried on to London that night and then drove down to Sussex in the morning without any issues.

Yesterday, safely back in the garage I started doing a proper diagnosis.

Normal battery voltage (everything off): 12.69v
Idle voltage: 14.13v
Idle with headlights and heated screen: 12.83v
Blipped throttle voltage: 14.28v
Blipped throttle with headlights and screen: 13.94v

I gave all the contacts a good clean but couldn't remove the alternator to inspect it further because I didn't want to remove the rad. Does it need a new alternator or a new battery? I've read very contrasting opinions on the subject!

Another niggle I came across was a very irritating high pitched buzzing/ringing coming from the electronic ignition modal that has been fitted. It seems to work fine and has the nice feature of a switch that bypasses the electronic part and allows the car to run unaided, as well as an off function which works as an immobilizer. If the buzzing is normal then I'm happy to keep it but if it's a sign of something about to go horribly wrong then I feel that it may be time to replace it with a hall effect sensor in the dizzy. The unit is a Sparkrite SX1500, apparently a classic in its own right now?!

That was all I had time for really other than giving the battery retaining plate a clean and paint. I was further amazed by the condition of the shell, there wasn't even the first signs of rot under the battery or anywhere in the engine bay. All of the bumper mounts have been painted with grease too so they are rot free. I think it goes to prove that buying unseen isn't always a recipe for disaster!


Under the battery...

Next to do when I get home after exams in a just over a month will be to give her a full service, fluids change and a really good clean and then her first ever MOT...

James

[James_1]

Please ignore the link at the top, I'm keeping a journal on the dolly forum too and just copied it but don't seem to be able to edit on here???

[James_1]

I've finally got a few days off to work on the car and to hopefully get an MOT on it.


Out in the sunlight again at last!

I tried to drive it out of the garage this morning but the starter just clicked. This seemed strange because the battery has been on trickle charge since I put it away a few weeks ago so I took the plugs out but that didn't help so I put a spare battery on charge and took of the starter which I stripped down, cleaned, greased and painted. I half refitted it but lost the light so I'll tighten it up in the morning. I suspect that it is the battery at fault which could also explain the problem with the charge light I've been having.


Starter ready to refit

While waiting for the starter paint to dry to took the front wheels off and gave everything a clean up and check over. The N/S bottom ball joint gaiter is shredded so I think that'll have to be replaced rather than just having a new rubber, although at £60 a side I would be interested in looking for alternatives! The O/S front wheel bearing has some play too so I'll definitively replace that as it's a more student friendly £10!

Otherwise the front arches are in really good shape. The top joints are good and the track rods are new. The bushes are also all serviceable. Best of all there is no rot at all!


N/S wheel arch

I then tried out something I'd read about on a few forums and have been itching to try out...









Before on the left and after on the right. The picture doesn't do it justice. I boiled each part in the lemon squash concentrate for about ten minutes and then rinsed and dried. All the grime and muck came off in the squash which was still pretty clean so I'll use it again tomorrow on the carb bodies. Much cheaper, a lot easier and I dare say more effective than scrubbing with carb cleaner and little wire brushes!

The cam cover also got a squirt of black Hammerite smooth. I may redo it in body colour though...



Finally I took drained and removed the rad and flushed it through. I'll give it a clean and paint tomorrow. Unfortunately it isn't in amazing condition but I'm hoping that it'll be okay for this year. Does anyone have any hints for making old hoses look a bit better?



More to come tomorrow!

James

[oli8925]

Do you live in Sussex or go to Uni in Sussex? I was at Sussex Uni a few years ago with my classic slice of the 70's. Love the brown!