Ownership Verified: My Inca Yellow sports saloon...

[Bretton Woods]

To be honest you only knock 3 secs off the 0-60 time and add another 15mph to the top speed when you get a Sprint.

Maybe I'm being a little bourgeois, but I've rejected cars from a shortlist for being a second slower to 60. 3.0 seconds is an eternity.

 

[JimCorrigan]

Matt, don't be so hard on him. I doubt you can find housing for 850 pounds.

*waits for inevitable repair bills to set in*

 

[captain_70s]

Attempted to get a radio in the thing today. Didn't work, just causes the distinct smell of burning wiring so I've given up...

Maybe I'm being a little bourgeois, but I've rejected cars from a shortlist for being a second slower to 60. 3.0 seconds is an eternity.

I find it's more about power delivery. The Corsa is faster to 60mph than the 1850 but feels far slower, and in the Corsa to overtake you have to drop down from 5th to 3rd, In the Dolly you just plant your foot in 4th and get an instant response, if you wanted to go faster you could drop down to 3rd but that feels a bit cruel when driving a car this old. :lol:

I think I've reached the end of line with Dolomites, I can't picture myself getting a Sprint. If I were to get something with an even bigger engine I'd probably go more upmarket and get a Rover 3500S for the V8 soundtrack.

Thankfully I don't have the funds to run any variant of Rover P6 yet, so that's a long way off!

 

[Bretton Woods]

I find it's more about power delivery. The Corsa is faster to 60mph than the 1850 but feels far slower

That's very true. It's something about the way the car gets you there that's more important to the driving feel.

I wonder what the torque curve looks like for the Dolly. Sounds like it must make a lot of torque from low in the rev range.

 

[Matt2000]

Well, I must start by saying that for ?850 I'd also buy it. From the pictures it looks good, I hope you have many happy hours ragging the shit out of it.

Edit: I watched that video, I want a sprint now.

 

[Heathrow]

Ah Catpain, what have you done now?

Attempted to get a radio in the thing today. Didn't work, just causes the distinct smell of burning wiring so I've given up...

No no, no this is quite normal for a BL vehicle.

I think I've reached the end of line with Dolomites, I can't picture myself getting a Sprint. If I were to get something with an even bigger engine I'd probably go more upmarket and get a Rover 3500S for the V8 soundtrack.

Thankfully I don't have the funds to run any variant of Rover P6 yet, so that's a long way off!

Now that's a much better car and not really a BL car, still Lucas electrics I suppose though. The colour of the car pictured is horrid, a sort of geography teacher's coruroy jacket colour.

 

[nicjasno]

It's harder to spot the rust.

 

[captain_70s]

Well, I must start by saying that for ?850 I'd also buy it. From the pictures it looks good, I hope you have many happy hours ragging the shit out of it.

That's the plan. The quality of the paintwork is hilarious, overspray on the chrome and window seals, chipping through to the primer in plenty of places and a finish that is rought to the touch. At least when I need to do some bodywork I'll know it can't look much worse if I do a rattle can job! :lol:

Ah Catpain, what have you done now?

Great things... Terrible, yes, but great...

Now that's a much better car and not really a BL car, still Lucas electrics I suppose though. The colour of the car pictured is horrid, a sort of geography teacher's corduroy jacket colour.

It's a glorious 70s shade, suitable for a glorious 70s motor.

It's harder to spot the rust.

This guy gets it.

Also:

 

[Bretton Woods]

That's the plan. The quality of the paintwork is hilarious, overspray on the chrome and window seals, chipping through to the primer in plenty of places and a finish that is rought to the touch.

From the factory or slightly bodged repair?

 

[Der Stig]

Quad headlights

More Colonel Mustard, less Green Machine.

Your sadomasochism is admirable.

 

[Spectre]

Hm, so this is the Short Yellow British Bus?

 

[Bretton Woods]

I prefer Colonel Mustard.

 

[JimCorrigan]

I prefer Mean Mr Mustard.

FTFY

 

[captain_70s]

From the factory or slightly bodged repair?

Bodged repairs. Inca fades badly so it's been given several goings over in the past.

Been going through the extensive service history. The car lived in and around London from new until at least 1998, which would explain my whiney gearbox. It's had more owners than I've had hot meals from looking at the pile of receipts for work done, it seems to have changed hand fairly frequently throughout the 1990s but stayed in the same bit of North London for the most part. It has the original service book stamped up to the (2nd from last) 42,000 miles service in 1990 which is impressive given they are at 3000 mile intervals!
I also gathered up the addresses from my paperwork and Street Viewed the places my car used to live/get serviced, quite interesting.

I have the MOTs from present back to 1982 but very few receipts between 1976-1990 and 1998-2012. By 2012 it was in Scotland, seemingly having sat dormant for a while and was sold for ?500 and then changed owners again before it sold to the guy who had it before me in July '13. Recent work includes a brand new stainless steel exhaust system, a Kenlow electric fan and new radiator, electronic ignition and some other miscellaneous stuff.

Interesting, this is my first car that has come with decent history as the 1300's is all lost prior to 2001, as I suspect the original owner died and took the paperwork with him, and the Yaris and Corsa are too new.

Also really need to give it a wash, the yellow hides dirt well but the wheels give it away. Problem is when you leave for work in the dark and arrive home from work in the dark motivation for car cleaning isn't common. :lol:

(Corsa hasn't turned a wheel since I bought the 1850, I haven't even been in it...)

 

[Bretton Woods]

If the 1850 is proving reliable, get rid of the Corsa!

 

[Matt2000]

Damn, with the new parts and service history you might've gone and found a little gem. I was watching an old VHS of a TV programme that was made in 1975, I had to smile when a red Dolomite appeared in the background. Just the rear of the car, the inner rear was blacked out like yours.

 

[Hemihead]

You know, i think next year is a perfect opportunity to take Colonel Mustard around the Ring...

 

[captain_70s]

You know, i think next year is a perfect opportunity to take Colonel Mustard around the Ring...

I'd not be the first...

Still using the Dolomite as my commuting car. Took it for a spin out to Aberdeen on Saturday, 100 miles trip there and back in the pouring rain with no problems. Far too many wet roundabouts in Aberdeen, too much temptation to go sideways, I resisted... Mostly.
Also bombing along the dual carriageway on the return trip and sitting in the right lane overtaking Audis at 80mph was pretty fun too. :lol: From my mental calculations I reckon I'm getting around about 35mpg, same as the 1300, potentially a bit better and I drive it quite a bit harder. Although at 60mph+ the 1850 was always the most fuel efficient car in the range.


Also, cheers to Adunaphel for reminding me:

 

[Matt2000]

overtaking Audis at 80mph was pretty fun too.

Dream speed.

I'm getting around about 35mph

More realistic speed.

Still want one of these now, can imagine it's a lot of fun on dual carriageways along with the twistier stuff.

 

[captain_70s]

500 miles or eerily trouble free motoring behind me. Although I only have a 5000 mile allowance on my insurance. If the car survives until January without any major complaints I might ditch the Corsa and it's infuriating finance payments, only driven it once since I bought the 1850, and that was 'cause the Triumph ran out of road tax. :lol:

A pleasant place to sit, need to sort out a radio though. The temp gauge is also wrong, hence the digital one in front of the right hand side air vent.

Quad lights, so cool! :lol: Dipped beam is utterly pathetic, brights are pretty good though.

Basking in the Autumn sun...