Dolomite resto racer

[hillman]

Hello everybody,
This is my latest project.
The owner of this car bought an ex-racing car last year with the intention of updating it a little and recommisioning it for some trackday use and maybe the odd race maybe.
Anyway after stripping out the eng/box and some of the mechanicals it became apparent that the roll cage was a very old spec with exhaust pipe door bars! and the body would need attention to most of the exterior panels and some of the chassis.
The decision was taken to source a better shell to start with and race prep that instead.

Even though the new shell has previously had some restoration carried out it had been stored for several years in a probably damp shed, so it now needed some more fettling.
The front scuttle panel was shot to pieces, so I had to chop it out and fit a second hand bit saved from a scrap shell. First job was to brace the shell before I cut the scuttle out.

Scuttle coming out, I had to cut the corners off the front wings for access.

Donor panel almost ready to go in.

Fitted in.

More soon, including the cage.

 

[ronan]

You have a heart of oak tackling a body so rotten hillman.

 

[Robotstar5]

I worked with a guy who had a Dolly Sprint in the early 80's, nice car at the time

 

[CompoSimmonite]

My first road car was a 1500 FWD Triumph which has basically the same bodyshell as the Dolomite. At 6-7 years old it was totally rotten and took ages to get repaired. Mainly boot floor and front from windscreen forwards was affected. No pattern parts so it was "arm and leg" main agent items hence taking ages as low income at the time. After a couple of years I found the sills and underside rotten as well so called it a day and broke for spares. Biggest problem, with mine, was no underseal from new - remember when you had to pay extra for dealer to do that !
Other than rot it was a wonderful car and I drooled over the 1850 Dolomite but too new for me to be able to afford therefore the FWD was next best thing.

Paul H

 

[BrokenBiker]

your a braver man than me repairing that, id end up with it all twisted and out of line

 

[hillman]

Thanks chaps, yes there's not much in the way of underseal on this baby.
Front wings reinstated.

Mind that paint, it's wet. . . oh never mind.

Headlight panels replaced too.

We found a new old stock front panel, what's more . . . it fits.

I had to make a little fill-in piece to join it to the top front panel. Looks like it's been trimmed off previously (roughly).

The floor believe it or not isn't in too bad a shape barring a few small areas. Drain hole a bit crusty, time to get fabby again. a cup of tea first I think!

Doesn't need a grommet now.

Don't nod off yet chaps it'll get more interesting, promise.

 

[doubleboost]

Brings back happy memories of
Gerry Marshall drifting a Dolomite through Crainer curves Donnington Park
Good luck with the rebuild

 

[Cobbler]

Gerry Marshall, there's a name from the past. I don't remember him in Dolly's though I recall him in the Vauxhalls, always drove them like a madman.

 

[waldershelf]

My first road car was a 1500 FWD Triumph which has basically the same bodyshell as the Dolomite. At 6-7 years old it was totally rotten and took ages to get repaired. Mainly boot floor and front from windscreen forwards was affected. No pattern parts so it was "arm and leg" main agent items hence taking ages as low income at the time. After a couple of years I found the sills and underside rotten as well so called it a day and broke for spares. Biggest problem, with mine, was no underseal from new - remember when you had to pay extra for dealer to do that !
Other than rot it was a wonderful car and I drooled over the 1850 Dolomite but too new for me to be able to afford therefore the FWD was next best thing.

Paul H

That would be a Toledo, not a high point for the British motor industry. I got rear ended by one of those once, the Toledo was a right off and un-driveable, my Volvo needed a new plastic cover for the rear bumper and I had to push the insurance company to get that, they said it was OK.

 

[66-V8]

I passed me test in a Toledo, back in the days when petrol was only 2 groats a furlong and England was..... well...... more 'English'.

 

[hillman]

Andy Rouse also drove a Sprint early on in his career, a little while before the fire breathing Sierra Cosworths !

 

[CompoSimmonite]

That would be a Toledo, not a high point for the British motor industry. I got rear ended by one of those once, the Toledo was a right off and un-driveable, my Volvo needed a new plastic cover for the rear bumper and I had to push the insurance company to get that, they said it was OK.

The Toledo was a slightly smaller vehicle (shorter boot).
Triumph first made the 1300 FWD and then the 1500 FWD. The 1500 FWD shell was the same as the later 1500 RWD which evolved into the Dolomite range.

1300 FWD -

1500 FWD -

1500 RWD -

Toledo -

Look at the hubcaps to spot a FWD 1500 - they are more bulbous to cover the offset of the wheels.

Paul H

 

[VeryFEDUP]

I love the old Dolomites. My parents' old 1500 HL was our first car. Still one of the most comfortable cars I have had. All the warning lights formed sort of wedges (like on Trivial Pursuit) of a big round dial.

We called it The Wheel of Misfortune.

 

[norlander]

Gerry Marshall-Mr opposite lock (or something like that my brother called him) not into cars but I was at the track helping my brother and his team out- some 8 hour race or something with a team of cars- can't recall- anyway he was there but not racing -think he might have been setting his car up after the race had finished or something- anyway he was drifting round the bend just before the pits.
Think there is a Dolomite in these pics??
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=g...Ab98YDYAg&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=885

 

[octo0072000]

Gerry Marshall-Mr opposite lock (or something like that my brother called him) not into cars but I was at the track helping my brother and his team out- some 8 hour race or something with a team of cars- can't recall- anyway he was there but not racing -think he might have been setting his car up after the race had finished or something- anyway he was drifting round the bend just before the pits.
Think there is a Dolomite in these pics??
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gerry marshall&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ov03U4iXD_Py7Ab98YDYAg&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=885

iv'e got his Gerry Marshalls autobiography

and only here for the beer book both a very good read

you could do the clutch on the 1300FWD from inside the car without getting wet on a rainy day

 

[nickk]

didn't those FWD cars have incredible steering lock?

 

[hillman]

As this car is going to be a race car we didn't need the well in the boot floor where the std fuel tank fits.
So out it came!

I drilled some holes at the corners with a 3/4" hole saw then cut between them with the air saw.
Instead of just fitting a flat panel or putting some 1/4" beads in it, I came up with the idea of replicating the factory swages. I practiced on some scrap
first to see if it was possible using the step rollers on my bead roller. A 20mm radius seemed to be the tightest possible, which was perfect for the job.

Panel cut slightly oversize and then swaged with my little beader using the step rollers. It buckled a bit once it had been swaged, so I had to shrink the edges
at the ends of the swages to loose the excess material where the swages pulled the material together. Clamped in place ready for welding in position.

Ground down and zinc primed. Pity most of it will be covered with the alloy fuel tank. Hey ho.

 

[XMWelder]

Nice work - love the boot floor repair panel. Looks 'factory'.

 

[hillman]

Here we go with an update on this motor for you.
The chassis rails either side of the gearbox tunnel were a bit tired, note how few spot welds are actually holding them on!
View attachment 43189

They had to go, drivers side first. I welded the overlapping seam inside the rail too.
View attachment 43190

I had to make most of the new rail as I couldn't get hold of a new one.
View attachment 43191 View attachment 43192
Plug welded on and then seam welded along the edges too, (as it's a competition car).
View attachment 43193

New front section fabbed.

 

[doubleboost]

Here we go with an update on this motor for you.
The chassis rails either side of the gearbox tunnel were a bit tired, note how few spot welds are actually holding them on!
View attachment 43189

They had to go, drivers side first. I welded the overlapping seam inside the rail too.
View attachment 43190

I had to make most of the new rail as I couldn't get hold of a new one.
View attachment 43191 View attachment 43192
Plug welded on and then seam welded along the edges too, (as it's a competition car).
View attachment 43193

New front section fabbed.
View attachment 43194

You should get a medal for taking it on