Crap Cars of the 70's

[littlebro 234]

What was wrong with the Dolomite, my Dad and ex mother in law both had one, nice walnut dashboard, what more could you want.

Hi Firbeck,

I did not say the Dolomite was a poor car; it was, in my opinion, the 1850 engine that let it down.

We had two 1850 Dolomites in the 70’s, for us they were great cars.

My experience is not just as a user, I worked at a Triumph dealer.

Until the mid 60’s most engines were cast iron blocks & heads. In the mid 60’s most manufacturers started developing lighter engines using aluminium. The Dolomite 1850 had a cast iron block and an aluminium head; (1300 & 1500 Toledo/Dolomites were cast iron heads). The engines were fine until overheated for any reason and/or the special antifreeze/coolant was not used. Head gasket technology did not keep up with the pace of development. The head bolts/studs were rather a unique configuration and some were inclined at a different angle. The studs often corroded into the head and even with the special tools could not be removed. The heads usually had to be sacrificed and replaced.

I agree the build quality and trim levels on the Triumphs were very good. It is just the 1850 engine which was not a ‘triumph’ so to speak.

I much preferred the 6 cylinder engine in the Vitesse & 2000.

Oop’s, sorry for getting too tekky.

[Ashley 288]

am I right in thinking the old skoda estelles etc had the opposite, alloy block and iron head? the one I had leaked water into the bores resulting in locked up engine, every morning I'd whip plugs out and turn it over till "dry" put them back in fire it up and away it went! eventually I put another engine in, which has to be the easiest engine swop ever?

[Limey 242]

Then there was always the "Dolly Sprint"!

[littlebro 234]

Yes Ashley,

The Skoda had an aluminium block with cast iron 'wet' liners and a cast iron cylinder head.

[Limey 242]

The advantage of alloy heads is often discussed on the MG boards - they are available for B-series engines (X-flow too, if you wish). Apart from the weight, which is always a concern, they are probably less effective from a power point of view as aluminium conducts too much heat away from the combustion chamber. Modern engines that are better designed to use the properties of aluminium probably are not affected.

Also apologies for getting techy!

[rob237 89]

...My experience is not just as a user, I worked at a Triumph dealer.

Bought one of the first - if not the very first - Triumph Toledo's in Nottingham. Certainly collected it on 'release' morning, from the main dealer. Broke down twice on it's maiden drive back down to Oadby, where we then lived.

Just the precursor to a catalogue of future problems, primarily relating to the suspension.

Got rid after less than 3 months...clear winner of my 'worst car I've ever owned' contest.

Cheers

Robt P.

[littlebro 234]

Bought one of the first - if not the very first - Triumph Toledo's in Nottingham. Cheers

Robt P.

I would never buy a 'first' car of a new model, the makers use you as a test driver.

Seriously though, is it no wonder that British Leyland went pop?

[rob237 89]

Yes indeed...expensive clanger!

Never made the same mistake again.

Thereafter, switched to a number of new 'tried and tested' Renault 12's, from AC Williams of Grantham.

Superb motor, for its time...

Cheers

Robt P.

[Fynger 841]

Ashley...I triked one of the rear engine Skodas....I agree the engine was so easy to change..even easier with no boot around it....i can post some pics if anyone is interested....

[littlebro 234]

Ashley...I triked one of the rear engine Skodas....I agree the engine was so easy to change..even easier with no boot around it....i can post some pics if anyone is interested....

Yes please Kev,

[Ashley 288]

I think I've posted this before, but re the rear engined skoda, the back panel c/w with all lights etc unbolted, then you put a milk crate under the engine, undid 4 bolts on cross members, undid bell housing bolts, removed throttle clutch cables etc released wiring, hoses and exhaust, then pushed car away leaving engine on the crate (as opposed to in the crate) only joking despite engine problem (bought with thus from scrapyard) as a to b transport did well, sailed through 2 mot's, one straight from the yard

[firbeck 859]

Eeh, memories going here, my dads car must have been a Toledo, which I seem to remember was more or less the same body shell as a Dolomite with a 1300 engine, I never was much of a car enthusiast. He used to work as a compositor for Hill and Tyler printers in Basford and their reps had Toledos, which were renewed every year. The director of the company, who shall remain nameless, spent most of his time either p#ssed or gambling at the Victoria Club, he did however have a heart of gold and thought highly of my father. When our old family Austin A-40, 825COP, was on it's last legs, my old man thought he could do a deal with his boss over one of the retired company Toledos, ie dock something out of his wages every week. He fortunately went to see him in his office when he was slaughtered, the result, the keys were thrown to him from his desk with the words, 'You're a good worker here, probably the best, take the car, it's yours, I don't want anything for it, just don't tell anyone'.

So the old man drove home in a free year old Toledo, registration number MRC600E, I reckon he could have got some money from a Merc owner for the reg as well!!

That car lasted him 6 years, the only problem with it that I recall was a leaky petrol tank, we went over to Journeys End at Borrowash and took one out of a crashed write off for 5 shillings and fitted it ourselves the same afternoon.

Ex mother in law had a yellow 1850 Dolomite, they ran a pub in Yorkshire and she used it once a week to go to the cash and carry in Batley.

One year, it ended up down here, I think she didn't feel well and my ex ran her home. I recall driving it back alone from Bishops Stortford to Huddersfield in about 2 hours, it went like greased lightning, I'm sure it was desperate for a good clear out and it did it a lot of good, don't recall any problems with it, it was sold off when she retired from driving, no other reason.

[littlebro 234]

Hi Firbeck, this one?

[firbeck 859]

Amazing, trouble is is wasn't blue, it was grey, I remember the car the petrol tank came out of was blue.

Any results for 825 COP, that was white with a black roof.

[Fynger 841]

For those interested ive put pics of two of the trikes ( including the Skoda ) in my Blog.

[littlebro 234]

Amazing, trouble is is wasn't blue, it was grey, I remember the car the petrol tank came out of was blue.

Any results for 825 COP, that was white with a black roof.

A favourite colour for the 1300 was "Gunmetal" which was a grey but probably was recorded as blue as the nearest option to the then County Councils. The 1300 was an excellent car, first popular car with adjustable steering wheel, really high spec. The gearbox was its weakest link; it had an in-line engine with FWD.

Nothing showing for 825COP, probably was scrapped before the DVLA took over registrations in 1974. It was 1st issued by Birmingham in December 1960. I recall the A40 had a clockwork indicator switch in the upper/middle dash that switched off after a period of time.

[bamber 128]

Didn't Nottingham Plods have a small fleet of Dolomite Sprints during the 70s?

[mick2me 3,033]

Traffic Had Dolomite vehicles.

I saw one come up Derby Road from the city at such a speed it took off for a short distance at the Top of Canning Circus.

See the Nottscops site which member Bob runs or ran until recently

Nottscops Having Mishaps

[susyshoes 69]

my mum had an Austin A35 in pale blue in 1959. Reg YRR 398. that had an indicator switch in the middle of the dash and i think the 'winkers' as she called them used to pop out the side of the car just above the window. she had that car from new and finally part exchanged it for a brand new Ford Escort PNN 63M in 1974 having clocked up only 35000 miles in 25 years. when she finally sold the escort in, (i think) 1994 that had done about 24000 miles and was not in the best of health because it only drove about a mile a day!!!

[dgbrit 258]

Auto Union or DKW had a 3 cyl two stroke 998cc 1 pint motor oil to 5 gals

They are now audi my dad had one

[steve.ng4 0]

Heres one. Do you now what it is?

Heres the clues?

993 cc 3 cylinder 2-stroke engine,

Manually adjustable radiator louvers,

free-wheel device

Do you kow any other Crap (or good) Cars of the Era?

That looks like a Wartberg, am I right Mick?

[mick2me 3,033]

Bleddy Hell! 2006!

I cant remember what I had for breakfast!

Wartburg Knight rigs a bell?

[Ashley 288]

Early Saab? think later models had a V4 Ford engine

[mick2me 3,033]

Didnt the Saab 96 have an overun device that disigaged drive to save petrol?

The Saab 99 and 96 do not belong in this thread.

[Ashley 288]

"The Saab 99 and 96 do not belong in this thread." You mean because the engine change from 2 stroke was in 1967?

must confess know little of them, but can remember them, and the engine changeover, think maybe Horace Rogers sold such? (just read up on them and found the dates out)