Practically Classics Forum

If you do decide to put the exhaust back to standard 1850 spec, it might be worthwhile advertising that Sprint twin tailpipe section as someone may well want it. Last time I saw one was back in the mid 1980s so must be getting pretty rare to find one anywhere now.

I need to have a proper look, but I think there's only 1 silencer on it at the moment, there's a full Sprint system on evilbay at mo I'm keeping an eye on as that shows 2 silencers.

I'll have a play with oil pressure light, if I get some life I'll get a T piece so both work.

Well the frankly useless MW/LW radio is now relegated to the shed, and we now have a decent unit in it so can listen to R2 again!

OS headlight has been sorted too, it now no longer flashes on and off at will, a new connector on the bulb sorted it. Just need to sort a relay out for the halogens now.

Will who? I'd pop a relay on both main and dipped headlamp circuits, especially as these have all six beams up when in the main beam position, so the more you can reduce the amount of current that has to travel via that vulnerable - and difficult to change - stalk the better.
If that radio was a National Panasonic one with a tape slot in it, then it never worked and was thrown in with the bits I let Craig have when he came for the axle, purely as a "hole filler". Steady on there Missus!

It may have been, I never tried the tape as, well they're all buried in the loft, and it would pick the odd MW station up, but could hardly hear anything over the crackling and hissing!

I butchered the fog light kit I had, so thats not much use for the relay now, although the holder may still be some use. TBH it rarely gets used in the dark, so it's not a matter of utmost urgency to get it sorted.

I'm back to work this week, so I may use it for the commute for the first few days just to give it an airing (don't worry it's light when I leave and get home!:D )

It's been pressed into daily duties the last couple of weeks, and I've quite enjoyed it, even if the heater doesn't warm up as quick as the MGs this weather!

Grabbed a few more shots today too

Maybe it's just the light, but the doors look to be a shade or two lighter than the rest of the car.

Ha Ha.... OOhhh! this bring it all back!!

Gaffer at my works, as a ladd, bought one of these [Dolly Sprint] and - being informed I was 'up to speed' with the foibles of BLs best - came onto the shopfloor to ask me about issues with them....

I said it needed vast buckets of Waxoyl, in sills and anywhere else looking at all 'double skinned'!

He told me of his visit to KwikFit - a new venture then - where he was 'guaranteed' a quoted price for the job

He wanted 4x dampers fitted...... they wouldn't come off..... he was given a 'Hire Car', for the duration, and it took 5 days for the depot to replace/refit the dampers.

I tipped him off about 'Damper Issues', getting a firm quote for his 'replacements'....... he still owes me a pint

alfaSleep

Front pair, 0.8 hours in and out, rears 1.4, add an hour if the springs are coming off and being changed over to different bodies. (ICME) There's nothing unconventional or complex in the dampers and springs as long as you have the right spring compressor.
Sills are perfectly conventional - MGB-like - three part structures with outer skin, diaphragm and inner sills that tie into the front footwell closing panels, jacking posts and rear seat pan for stiffness. Pre-March 1976 cars much less rustprone than loads of other stuff of the period, from then to about 1979/80, Russian steel - as used in the Alfasud - was what the Dolomite was made from. Late cars used proper steel again but those '72/'73 cars are often found without welded repairs and as rustfree as Rob's car is, mostly thanks to the then-new body treatment that saw every car caked with epoxy primer and generally very nicely built but like most classics, they do attract their share of urban myths and fairy tales that are based on what someone's mate's cousin's uncle's mistress' gardener's son said that he'd learned from his bank manager's daughter's Lebanese lover.

JPB wrote:I let Craig have when he came for the axle

Your axle has a leaky hub seal on the NS! It's another job on the to do list, along with water pump! Noticed the oil all over the inside of the alloy other day, and on the scratch and sniff test was the unmistakable whiff of gear oil! Sure enough a small drip from base of brake drum. Oh well will have to wait for a few weeks as a bit tied up, but I have made a few changes since the last update!





Swapped the truck wheel for a slightly smaller one from a later model



I tried the MGF alloys I had spare, but didn't like them on, so it'll stay on Sprint alloys.