Jump to content

Ian's Dolomite Sprint EFI


Recommended Posts

Last May I went and looked at a Sprint (in fact there were several but I was there to look at this one) and agreed to buy it.

Since it was not ready for transportation (blocked in by other cars) and I was in no hurry anyway, a September handover was agreed.....

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_1b08.jpg.02998eb06bf3bc55bb4d0246d21a1d7d.jpg

This it about to leave Stourbridge in the West Midlands at 9am this morning and........

 

 

 

 

 

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_1b07.jpg.12198f5bd57724de1f59996fecf509fe.jpg

here it is some 12 hours later in its new home in Wick in the far north of Scotland.

 

 

The plan is to repair it over the next year or two.

Yes, it is the intention to go EFI. I have a type 9 gearbox too. In fact I have gathered a fair lot of parts over the summer.

(In case anyone is wondering, the wheels are from an MGF and these fill the arches better than Sprint alloys!)

I'll try to work on it one evening per week starting this Friday........

 

 

 

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very good.  I do like a Sprint.  Can't see what year, but the pre-'75 ones usually seem a bit less rotten as the steel was better.......  Mine was a '74 in magenta (the purple pimp mobile according to my mates....) and very much improved by converted from auto to Manual/OD.

You weren't tempted to take the TR7 gearbox approach?

Nice colour - carmine?

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

You weren't tempted to take the TR7 gearbox approach?

No, I was not Nick.

It is very difficult to fit an LT77 gearbox into a Sprint (because of problems getting clearance against the transmission tunnel).

Apparently the end result is no improvement over a Sprint o/d box.

Alun, who I bought this Sprint from, has one such LT77 equipped car.

 

 

I did a T9 conversion to a Dolomite 1850 a few years ago. It is not too bad a job,

you have clutch plate and speedo cable compatibility for starters.

 

 

 

It is V reg, which I think is a 1979 build and is indeed Carmine red.

It will be staying red but may become a different shade.

 

 

 

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Okay, not really started yet but have acquired some stuff.....

5a074e2248dc3_0410thNovember2017.thumb.jpg.90cc9f3eda15dfd74f337a65f8161ec3.jpg

wrapped in polythene is a Ford Capri 2.8 type 9 gearbox. 

The dash is from a '74 Sprint, I intend using this but swapping the speedo and tachometer positions and

swap the small gauges for the early 1850 (2.5 PI) type.

(The cider bottle doesn't belong to me, honest, I found it on the street and took it in to prevent it getting smashed/thrown at a car/etc)

 

 

5a074fc6a8dc0_0510thNovember2017.thumb.jpg.9133495e692fff8c616dd7d181e8f259.jpg

Thanks to the outstanding efforts of TDC member Alun Nicholas (who sold me this car), a multitude of repair panels are available for Dolomites.

This car needs more than a few, including inner sills, outer sills, chassis less, front footwells, back wing lower halves and wheel arches.

The transmission tunnel is GRP and saves a few kg.

The seats in this car were clean, but standing for a decade has left them needing reupholstered, which is not a problem because I am going for a black interior.

To this end I have secondhand back seats and......

 

 

5a0751057f096_0610thNovember2017.thumb.jpg.9a2e3288c1c67057f2c7c48981a2e011.jpg

these lightweight Cobra seats (less than 5kg each apparently).

 

 

 

 

5a07525bcd8b0_0710thNovember2017.thumb.jpg.6ede586e44733573107c8011a9b9bac1.jpg

The interior is a bit of a state really having suffered water ingress due to a failed windscreen seal.

Fortunately (the very hard to find) parcel shelf padded rail is useable. using what is left as templates I'll construct a parcel shelf, I might use 2mm perspex since

I have quite a lot of it lying about (and paint it black).

The passenger's footwell is worse than the driver's, not that it matters, given that I have new floor sections to fit both sides.

 

 

 

5a0753a43fcb9_0810thNovember2017.thumb.jpg.433023f92ac7247b7a48db9a9df3ffc9.jpg

The doors are all useable, that is to say by fitting lower outer skin repair panels. None actually open/close/lock as they should but I should be able to rectify this

with (much) assistance from Plus Gas. The LHF wouldn't open at all, I was thinking that I was going to have to destroy the catch assembly, so acquired a replacement,

but with the lock disconnected and a liberal coating of penetrating oil the door did finally open, albeit from the outside only!

 

 

With the interior removed it will be onto welding.

I'll raise the car up on cut down railway sleepers and do the sill structures first. To check alignment, I will leave the doors on for as long as possible.

 

 

 

 

Ian.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay did have done a bit more.

 

Brake master cylinder.....

I am upgrading to a bigger bore of 22.2mm (7/8"). To this end I have acquired an 80s Saab 900 BMC.

This looks exactly the same as the original Sprint one, except that the brake unions are fitted in the other side, which

is good news as this makes them more accessible and further good news is that the Sprint's reservoir fits. However, if

I can find one I am tempted to use a Saab reservoir because this has an outlet for clutch hydraulics.

 

The change of BMC is necessary because I am going to use Ford Sierra front calipers as part of a conversion to vented brakes.

Discs are VW Golf GTi mark one 239mm diameter.

 

 

 

Ian.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is the Ford Sierra front caliper a single piston sliding caliper? The larger diameter M Cyl will send a larger volume of fluid at a lower pressure to the calipers. The larger volume may not be needed and the reduced pressure may not be desireable.. Do your calculations. I always liked the Dolomite but unfortunately not sold here. We got the Marina instead

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes thanks, that is a good point, one I am aware of.

I'll try and explain why the change of BMC is desirable......

 

The Ford calipers are indeed single piston sliding,

there are three piston sizes across the range, 48, 54 and 60mm diameter.

The ones I am using are for a Sierra so are 54mm.

 

Dolomites have drum brakes on the back. Sprints have much bigger shoes and wheel cylinder bore size than the others.

Later Dolomites and Sprints with dual circuits have a softer pedal (more travel).

 

On Dolomites with single line brakes the Sierra calipers are fine but those with dual circuit brakes have noticeably more brake pedal travel

and (with its bigger wheel cylinders) this is more pronounced on dual circuit Sprints.

Changing to a 22.2mm bore BMC gives "normal" travel or pedal feel, i.e. like standard single line brakes.

 

Also, by way of a reference point, Ford Sierras had 22mm bore BMCs for the disc/drum models.

 

 

thanks,

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a long time GT6 owner I had excessive pedal travel from caliper piston push back due to worn hub bearing runout and spindle flex which was  pushing the caliper pistons back into the calip[ers not allowing the pads to sit close to the roters. Just something to check. Rear brake wheel cylinders need a little residual pressure to kreep the piston out but not dragging . About 5 to 10 psi . Disc/drum systems have it in the master cylimder outlet or a pressure valve. Wilwood has inline valves in varing pressures.Just a couple of things that have helped me improve pedal travel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Most of the car's interior has ben removed in preparation for welding.

 

 

Usually the outer sill skins are sufficient for completing repairs after the inner sill soffitt and diaphragm have been sorted 

but the nearside of this car is  more challenging.....

5a2ee668f4009_018Dec17.thumb.jpg.b85ab808df970f551a6ccca651df2f07.jpg

5a2ee69952313_019Dec17.thumb.jpg.ef2d49e99ceac787bf97a558fb6128e1.jpg5a2ee6c53d9cd_020Dec17.thumb.jpg.73d3624654e85b61ab485c1422b70036.jpg

The tread plate of the sill is holed at all three posts and heavily corroded underneath in parts elsewhere.

To replace this I have bought a full sill (which cost £175).

 

It'll be the New year before I can really get on with the welding because I am working every day until then.

Ideally I would like to have the welding done by May so I can get on with painting in the summer. We'll see :biggrin:.

 

 

 

 

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hmmm, one step forward and two steps back?

 

Haven't really done anything since my last post some two months ago which is more than a little frustrating.
By this stage I was intending (hoping) to have one side done.
I didn't get any time off work over Christmas or New Year, so no progress was made on the car.


My problem presently is that I dare not risk spending too long in the cold...
just after New Year I got very cold and haven't recovered fully since. 

What happened is a bit of a long story so please bear with me.
I am a key holder for the business where I work part time, one full timer has keys but no other staff do.
Alas I cannot switch my phone off because I am the contact for the security alarm.
Anyhow I was phoned by a part timer at 1:30am one Sunday morning to ask if I could lock up because the full timer (whose name is Martin)
had yet again forgotten his keys. The alternative was for him to wait an hour for Martin to walk home and back with the keys.
So I went along (which is about 5 minutes walk) expecting to be there a couple of minutes at most but somehow Martin managed to
completely lock the key pad preventing the alarm from being set. Eventually we managed to unlock it and get locked up but
by this time I was frozen to the bone so to speak and have struggled since.

 

This week I have done a little to the car and tidied up the work space a bit.
The little I have done is more bad news....the front wings and front panel don't look too bad but
have rotted from the inside, especially the lower valance and nearside wing, therefore,  I have decided to replace the lot 
with GRP panels from the TDC.

 

Fingers crossed I'll start to make some inroads soon.

 

Ian.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Over a month since I last posted here.....

I have made some slow progress on the Sprint's structural repairs, the nearside sill rebuild is getting there,
the middle diaphragm and lower section have been done. It is pretty hard going being quite tedious, all the
cutting, making sections and welding. 
If I was having to do a lot of this work I would invest in a plasma cutter and make one of they cradles for rotating the body shell!5abe86a9e4311_021nearsidesillMarch2018.thumb.jpg.2e86e581ea29823d4ed1602ec5509bf8.jpg5abe86ce588e6_022NearsidesillMarch2018.thumb.jpg.b3e8a4345e1162575cdc8a4b88c40621.jpg

The pattern full sill I acquired is not a bad fit but having said that it still needs some work to fit,
the gap between the door's lower edge is a bit big but I will be able to address that when I repair the door itself,
said door edge needs to be about 4mm lower than it is. The leading edge of the front door catches on the sill step as the door
is opened,  therefore a little alteration to the sill is necessary, which of course is no real hardship.

(The jack is from a Renault 19. At the risk of sounding sarcastic, it is the best part of the Renault.
It is really useful for raising cars to permit trolley jack access. It is much easier to use than the one triumph supplied.
I made an adapter onto which I have attached a block of wood, making it more versatile.)

 

 

5abe890576671_020Headertank.thumb.jpg.b4b712695c686e129a3cf652e5cbfdfe.jpg
Away from the sill repairs I have looking at other things including making a bracket to support a proper header tank.
The standard Dolomite "expansion tank" is at best a rubbish design, so I am employing one from a Volvo 850 mounted
onto the nearside strut turret, this being as high a position the engine bay permits.
This tank incorporates a low level warning sensor which I will wire to a warning light.
8mm mild steel round bar was used for the bracket.

 

The offside engine mount is badly needing replacement. Unfortunately new ones are no longer made and
the pattern replacements apparently don't last any time at all.
Therefore I have been thinking of making one or using an alternative.
A Mazda MX5 mount looked viable but, having bought one and examined it, I am unconvinced it is man enough
to do the job, given that it is considerably smaller than the Sprint one, although it could work on the nearside?
(I have just realised photos would help explain this.....)
Once I have finished the nearside sill I will turn the car around and then support the engine whilst the offside mount is replaced.
I can then use the mount to act as a guide for a support bracket that I will use for fabricating a new mount.

 

 

thanks,

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Wow, two years and one day since I last posted an update!

Well I still have the Sprint but for a variety of reasons progress slowed and then stopped altogether.
However late last year, for the first time in my life, I got a Monday to Friday job which has given me some time
and as of last week said employment has been furloughed, so now I do have time.

Some progress has been made but now I find myself waiting for deliveries, which is rather frustrating because much of
this stuff I can buy locally, except the lockdown has closed they businesses.

 

One of the things I have been working on is the front parcel shelf.
These are not one of the best features of a Dolomite which means the extremely rare well preserved ones sell for very high prices.
Given their general unavailability I though I should make my own......

IMG_8794.thumb.JPG.29a1031e9ad2ebc93de82040d437098e.JPG

I salvaged one part only, the steel framing bar. On to it I am going to attach padding,
said padding being the insulation used on copper water pipes. The padding, as you can see has been sliced longways into halves
since the semi-circular profile is sufficient.
Black vinyl will then be glued around the lagging. (I am waiting on contact adhesive.)

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1422.thumb.JPG.1003d75ffb551b2649bdc480e78eefa2.JPG

For the shelf I am using polypropylene Correx board.
This is lighter than the original millboard(?) used by Triumph and furthermore is waterproof!
In due coarse I will paint it black and fit a rubber channel over the exposed edges.

 

 

With the lockdown restrictions in place, I am going to have to remove the engine singlehandedly,
which I suspect will be a bit of a challenge within the confines of a garage.
I am working on readying the car (and garage) for that.

 

 

 

More will follow, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Thanks,
Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

IMG_3884.thumb.JPG.969eedc7b49b6fed46fe1f7c2feddc68.JPG

Made some progress today, removed the engine.
Detaching the exhaust front pipe is probably the worst job there is on a Sprint because of the awkward access
to the manifold bolts. It was a bit of a scutter but I managed to manoeuvre the engine out singlehandedly with,
as can be seen, said front pipe still attached.
The offside engine mount design is a bit of a joke and on this one the rubber had detached completely.
I do have a couple of secondhand ones but I am going to investigate making an alternative design.
The nearside is quite conventional and I think a Jaguar XJ6 mount is a suitable option here.

Next up is removal of the front subframe, the one bolt I tried is well and truly stuck (in the ferrule below the chassis leg I suspect),  
but cutting the bolts is no big deal since I will be fitting new ones anyway.

 

 

 

 

IMG_5538.thumb.JPG.2a8ccdeb87d54d69a5bb33a3208bcd39.JPG

Have had a go at tidying up the woodwork and considering how very poor it was, am happy enough with the result.
Sprints had two versions of instrument panel (early with a rocker switch and late with a pull switch for the hazard warning lights)
but I have done my own lightly customised version using an early panel as the basis. 
My choice is colour is much darker than the usual and I have gone for plain black bezels (a la very early Dolomite 1850).
Said bezels were removed for painting and I cleaned the instrument glass (perspex) and am really pleased with the result.
The small gauges are actually very early Dolomite 1850 or 2.5PI (early mark 2), the warning light cluster is early Sprint and
the big gauges are late Sprint with them swapped over so the tachometer is on the left.
I have added illuminated switches for back and front fog lights and a brake failure warning light.
(As my car is 1979 it requires a brake failure warning but, whilst it has a PDWA it seems to be lacking a warning light?)

The late dash panel (sitting in front) had a seat belt warning light (on the left) and a heated back window switch.
I am not bothering with the former and relocating the latter to go where the choke cable control previously was.

 

 

 

Tomorrow looks like being chassis leg replacement.......or a start on it at any rate.

 

 

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
17 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

Indeed, wrestling a Sprint lump out single-handed is a bit of a mission.  Did it once, didn't enjoy it!

Can you use the early Dolly tacho and speedo as well or do you prefer those?

Given that the feed to the positive side of the coil was through it, I don't think an early Dolomite tachometer will work with an Omex ECU.

Sprints have 140mph speedometers whereas other models were 120mph. (A 2.5PI speedo is also 140mph, but I don't have one of those, though.)
The gearing is higher on a Sprint than other Dolomites but lower than a 2.5PI,
 but I think variations were accommodated by changing the speedo cable drive in the gearbox?
So I am thinking the thing to do is try the speedo to see how accurate or otherwise it is.
 

Further to my previous observation about the lack of a brake failure warning light,
well known Dolomite owner Richard Old has informed me that there was not one fitted, instead it shared the handbrake on warning light.

 

 

Ian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Sprint95m said:

Given that the feed to the positive side of the coil was through it, I don't think an early Dolomite tachometer will work with an Omex ECU.

Sprints have 140mph speedometers whereas other models were 120mph. (A 2.5PI speedo is also 140mph, but I don't have one of those, though.)
The gearing is higher on a Sprint than other Dolomites but lower than a 2.5PI,
 but I think variations were accommodated by changing the speedo cable drive in the gearbox?
So I am thinking the thing to do is try the speedo to see how accurate or otherwise it is.
 

Further to my previous observation about the lack of a brake failure warning light,
well known Dolomite owner Richard Old has informed me that there was not one fitted, instead it shared the handbrake on warning light.

 

 

Ian.

Actually, the early RVI style tacho is more likely to work. If you just run the coil pack supply wire through it, it’ll work as before. When I did my PI, I simply used the original coil feed wire to power the coil pack and it worked with no changes.

In contrast the RVC type can be a bit fussy and don’t always work from a clean 12v square wave.

I thought the Sprint gearing is the same as PI - bar wheel size. Both have 3.45 final drive.

I may have a PI speedo kicking around, pretty sure I had an extra.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Sprint95m said:

Given that the feed to the positive side of the coil was through it, I don't think an early Dolomite tachometer will work with an Omex ECU.

Sprints have 140mph speedometers whereas other models were 120mph. (A 2.5PI speedo is also 140mph, but I don't have one of those, though.)
The gearing is higher on a Sprint than other Dolomites but lower than a 2.5PI,
 but I think variations were accommodated by changing the speedo cable drive in the gearbox?
So I am thinking the thing to do is try the speedo to see how accurate or otherwise it is.
 

Further to my previous observation about the lack of a brake failure warning light,
well known Dolomite owner Richard Old has informed me that there was not one fitted, instead it shared the handbrake on warning light.

 

 

Ian.

Ian, I run a T9 box in my spitfire. Initially with a 3.63 diff. Using the spitfire speedo it was accurate to within 1% according to satnag, at 110mph. So damn accurate. 

I assume Ford used the same speedo "gearing" and I know they rely on changing the plastic pinion. You just need to find which one has the same gearing as your car (again, tyre size and diff taken together. I think there is a 3.54, pretty close to a sprint axle. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Actually, the early RVI style tacho is more likely to work. If you just run the coil pack supply wire through it, it’ll work as before. When I did my PI, I simply used the original coil feed wire to power the coil pack and it worked with no changes.

In contrast the RVC type can be a bit fussy and don’t always work from a clean 12v square wave.

I thought the Sprint gearing is the same as PI - bar wheel size. Both have 3.45 final drive.

I may have a PI speedo kicking around, pretty sure I had an extra.

And regarding rev counters. I have had 4 different ecus in spitfires (old Dunnel ignition only, megajolt, dunnel modern and clever ECU, and now an ME221) all have worked the late type rev counter, something that has surprised me, I was expecting trouble!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...