I might just keep this thread as a "one stop thread" for all my wibblepoo! I managed to buy a new toy yesterday!
The story goes back a few weeks when a lady was asking what her Dolomite was worth on a Facebook group, having wanting one for years i decided to message her for a chat, It turns out that it was her father in laws car from new who stopped driving due to Parkinson's disease and passed away leaving the car to his grand daughter, fast forwards a few years and the car is still sitting around unused with the DIL gone traveling the world and this poor Dolly still in her mums garage in the way and she was moving.
So yesterday i went down to Saf Essex and took a look at it.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
This was the view on arrival at her house, It's a very rare 1500 SE which was basically the run out model with some fancy bits fitted for it's day and black paintwork, it's only done 59000 miles and although rather matt and scabby it seems very complete.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The wing has a nasty dent too where the old boy caught a post in this later years. Anyway after a test drive where it drove very nicely a deal was made and i took the old girl home, to much upset to the family who had known the car since new.
After filling up with petrol i decided to take the cross country route home instead of the A12 as the cars not been used in years (It was moted) and only done 1500 since 2006 that i know off, things started fine even giving me chance for more photos.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
Sadly after this things started to go down hill, as i drove into Maldon there was a metal to metal sound from the front brakes which got worse until i lost my brakes completely! In a panic i managed to park it into a farmer's field...
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
Bum hats.
There was blue smoke coming from the nearside brake which i thought was going to catch on fire and the expansion bottle was also bubbling over! There was even bearing grease running out of the wheel!.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
In the end (after a few phone calls) i managed to talk my dad into collecting me with his van and his 5ft tow pole to drag me back to his which was *great fun.
Anyways the cars now at his, next weekend when i have more time I'll get the wheel off and find out what's happened to it, probably a sized caliper and the pads broke up, worried about the head gasket too but I'm told these are easy to fix although this is all new to me as I've never worked on one before. Here's some more photos for now.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The damaged front wing.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
It needs a lower half respray at some point as it's very scabby although it's still solid.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The paintwork needs some serious mop action!.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The boot area is still like new.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The service sticker says it's due it's service at 26000 miles in 1984.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
This is the best part of the car, the interior is like new still and being the SE model it's very posh!.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
It still even has all it's original dealer keyrings and number plates. One of the keys is for the Unipart alarm under the bonnet with turns on and off via a key hole in the wing.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE Advert 1979
The story goes back a few weeks when a lady was asking what her Dolomite was worth on a Facebook group, having wanting one for years i decided to message her for a chat, It turns out that it was her father in laws car from new who stopped driving due to Parkinson's disease and passed away leaving the car to his grand daughter, fast forwards a few years and the car is still sitting around unused with the DIL gone traveling the world and this poor Dolly still in her mums garage in the way and she was moving.
So yesterday i went down to Saf Essex and took a look at it.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
This was the view on arrival at her house, It's a very rare 1500 SE which was basically the run out model with some fancy bits fitted for it's day and black paintwork, it's only done 59000 miles and although rather matt and scabby it seems very complete.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The wing has a nasty dent too where the old boy caught a post in this later years. Anyway after a test drive where it drove very nicely a deal was made and i took the old girl home, to much upset to the family who had known the car since new.
After filling up with petrol i decided to take the cross country route home instead of the A12 as the cars not been used in years (It was moted) and only done 1500 since 2006 that i know off, things started fine even giving me chance for more photos.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
Sadly after this things started to go down hill, as i drove into Maldon there was a metal to metal sound from the front brakes which got worse until i lost my brakes completely! In a panic i managed to park it into a farmer's field...
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
Bum hats.
There was blue smoke coming from the nearside brake which i thought was going to catch on fire and the expansion bottle was also bubbling over! There was even bearing grease running out of the wheel!.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
In the end (after a few phone calls) i managed to talk my dad into collecting me with his van and his 5ft tow pole to drag me back to his which was *great fun.
Anyways the cars now at his, next weekend when i have more time I'll get the wheel off and find out what's happened to it, probably a sized caliper and the pads broke up, worried about the head gasket too but I'm told these are easy to fix although this is all new to me as I've never worked on one before. Here's some more photos for now.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The damaged front wing.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
It needs a lower half respray at some point as it's very scabby although it's still solid.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The paintwork needs some serious mop action!.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The boot area is still like new.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
The service sticker says it's due it's service at 26000 miles in 1984.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
This is the best part of the car, the interior is like new still and being the SE model it's very posh!.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
It still even has all it's original dealer keyrings and number plates. One of the keys is for the Unipart alarm under the bonnet with turns on and off via a key hole in the wing.
My 1979 Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE
Triumph Dolomite 1500 SE Advert 1979