When I first met my wife in the early 1980's my daily was a 1968 Morris Minor two door saloon. My parents had a Triumph 1500 bought from new in 1973 on which I did some maintenance. I called round to see my new girl friend and she was underneath her car a '71 Triumph 1500 changing the rubber doughnuts on the front wheel drive. All I could see of her was a pair of boots and legs clad in a brown nylon trouser suit, her father like mine was an engineer so we had a little in common. Later before we married we acquired my dads 1500 and another 1500 from from a workmate. So at one time we had three 1500's, with all the attendant problems of older cars. They did rust around the headlights, the rear quarters, the sills and the petrol tank. They were a heavily built underpowered car but 'easy' to work on. I remember changing clutches, the previously mentioned rubber doughnuts, an engine, steering rack, a petrol tank and plenty of 'bodywork', hidden with filler and black paint, - it would not pass now unnoticed. They were no worse than a lot of those 60's-70's cars but we eventually moved to Nissan Sunny 1500 estate and a Mazda B1800 pick-up with a homemade flat bed. Thanks for the video and the memories!
Ah, the memories! Triumph wanted the transmission to be as smooth as possible, so they used rubber "doughnut " couplings in the driveshafts and a quill shaft through the clutch. Alas, this had a tendency to snap... I wonder how many mechanics of my age remember changing one? What a lovely car though. What a shame so few are left. These were real cars. People went to work in them, holidayed in them, loved them. I last worked on one decades ago. I still remember the colour; Mallard Green! Have a great new year. Thanks for another great video!
I bought one of these in the 2000s. It was bought for a few hundred pounds & had more than its fair share of filler. It was used mainly in winter to save my MG from the salty roads. My expectations weren't very high, but I was pleasantly surprised how good it was! It was great to drive and always put a smile on my face.
Fascinating as usual, and I learned something from this... that Triumph had a front-wheel drive setup with a longitudinal engine. Never knew that. I have essentially the same engine in my 1978 MG Midget. By the way, Triumph’s partnership with Michelotti was a Very Good Thing. What a nice-looking car, very European in flavor. It’s a shame that MG didn’t receive similar support from BL.
Thanks Steph for doing this car I had one my girlfriend said get rid of my motorbike and get a car or iam off this is what I bought and its my birthday today lam 59 and we have been married for nearly 40 years now
My dad had a car repair business when I was a boy. He had a 1978 Triumph Dolomite 1300 as a customer courtesy car, which I really liked. I was gutted when he sold it before I was old enough to hold a driving licence.
As a 21 year old, I bought an almost new K reg Triumph 1500 in 1973. It was a neat little car but unfortunately ran a main bearing on the motorway at 70 MPH. That put me off the car so it was got rid of. The one in the video is a credit to its owner. Thanks for posting, it brought back memories of my youth.
Brilliant video Steph, brings back many memories!! My uncle ran a pair of the slightly-smaller Toledos in his driving school on the late 70s/early 80s...my first proper driving lesson in 1981 was in JOP246P which was a green two-door! Two of my cousins started driving with variants of these Triumphs...one in a 1500 and another in an 1850 RWD Dolomite. The Dolly in particular felt real quality to drive, redolent of a 70s BMW . I bypassed the smaller ones when I passed my test in 1983.....KOB524E was a 1967 Triumph 2000 manual with a year's MOT and 55,000m from new which cost me a whopping £110!! I'd love to say that I cherished it....but three engines and two gearboxes in six months tell their own tale!
Thanks Steph I really enjoyed that my dad had a 13/60 triumph in white with a red interior it felt very upmarket for the time your 1500 started the change for compact cars to feel like a quality product and made all manufacturers up there game if BL had better managers and a contented workforce we would still be driving successors to these cars today
I only ever travellent in a Dolomite Sprint and was a well impressed teenager back in the day, nice to see that the lower spec cars were good too, definitely a cut above other UK makes.
As always, brilliant, Steph! Well done to Kev for his preservation of this marvelous vehicle, and perseverance in taking the purchase condition to its present state! Anyone who keeps such cars on the road in the modern era is a hero to me!!!! Thank you to both of you!!!
Ooohhh that brown colour, so very 1970s. A friend of mine had a Dolomite in brown. Nice story attached to it. The LHD wiper pattern would probably upset HubNut. 😂
My dads very first new car in 1972, and was also the car I learnt to drive in. It was always a pleasure to drive and be driven in when having family outings, and just to make your review even better - a trip around the area I live in as well. Thanks for another in depth good review, and well done to Kev for keeping it on the road. All the best for 2021.
@@Bates.N1 thanks very much, I have restored several cars over the years, but this has given me the most stress! It's only shear determination why it got finished! It's a lovely old rare car and will appear on films in the future, thanks for your compliment 👍
Thats a cool looking saloon, I like the dash. I remember some of these still going around in the 80's when I was a kid, sure they were called Dolomite. I was young in the 80's but a little car nut, always wanted my Dad to get an Opel Monza, but we had an SD1 Rover 3500SE, which was actually a cooler car looking back now.
Steph, Thank you very much, and Kevin too. I love the Eight Light Dial, that's a great way to compact a dash unit. I always enjoy the beauty that only the British can bring to an interior. I look forward to the first video of 2021. God Bless.
Great video - my Mum had one of these back in the day. Just a little point about how forward looking the car was, there is something reminiscent in the dash of the new Honda "E" of this car, that flat dash across the width of the car and the wood of course.
Parents had larger 2500 auto back in 70s, dash looked similar to that one, fantastic tow car, people who bought it wanted it as a tow car as well for their caravan.
Very enjoyable review and good on you for sticking up for BL, it's too easy to just dismiss all their output as terrible. This looked a super car other than that gearbox perhaps, and well done to Kev for saving this rare example.
Great vid and memories. My first car as an 18 year old student was a 1971 Triumph 1500 bought in 1978. It was a great car and your comments about the heater are so right. On the coldest day the heat was pumping out before I got to the end of our road. Another thing that was amazing were the headlights when all four were on driving down an country lane at night. To this day I don’t think I have come across better and my current car has bi Xenon lights.
Thank you for a fantastic review. My first car was a Triumph 1500 FWD in white with black interior. It was a good car for the time but you did need to spend most weekends under the bonnet to keep it running sweetly. The gear stick shouldn't be that floppy, looks like the plastic bushes in the linkage need replacing (common problem as I remember).
I used to have one of these in the late '70's. It was a 1972 in Damson Red. It was a well put together little car but the gearbox left a lot to be desired. When I bought it synchro on 2nd was on its way out, but you could live with it. The linkages eventually let go inside the gearbox, so out came the engine and gearbox. A fairly simple repair so back in it went and I used it for a while longer. I decided to bite the bullet and get a reconditioned gearbox so out came the engine and box again. The recon box jumped out of 4th so out came the engine and box again and the gearbox was swapped for another one. Back in went the engine and box (I was getting good at it by this time) and everything was okay. The front wheel drive was brilliant in the snow and went everywhere where others got stuck. I worked in Scotland during the winter of 1978 and that heater certainly came in useful!
Great review, Steph! Back in the early 70's my dad had the predecessor, the Triumph 1300 (in wedgewood blue) Many happy memories of family trips out in that car. All the best for 2021.
I had one of these from new and it was very impressive, people liked to hear the doors close and what a wonderful noise that was. The rust was a problem and this is the only car which dealers refused to accept as part exchange.
My dad had one of these in the early seventies secondhand, saffron with a black vinyl roof, we went from several Minor Travellers via a Mini briefly and a Renault 1300 to it. What a revelation it was on our family trips to the west country by comparison. Quiet, very comfortable, it could easily maintain 60-70 mph, and a big tank so no worries about having to stop for fuel en route. I remember the gearbox being difficult but I don't think the steering (on ZXs) was heavy. It did have poor quality paintwork and the bearings went at just over 50,000, but we really liked it overall.
My Dad had a 1975 1500TC, rear wheel drive in Delft blue and had previously owned a 1967 1300 front wheel drive in Valencia blue. These cars were a cut above the norm of their day and were beautifully built. Unusually the front wheel drive ones had the engine inline, with separate oils in engine, gearbox and differential. You could change the clutch without even removing the gearbox!
Thanks Steph and Kev for showing us this interesting car. Good looks, dignified interior with the benifits of FWD. One of the best BL vehicles of the 1970s?
Being a Triumph fanatic, it was great to see this video of one of the rarities of the Triumph stables. As usual, you have hit the nail on the head with regard to the difference between Triumph and a number of the other BL marques. Triumph were aimed at those who wanted quality but not opulence, so their niche was below Jaguar, but above Austin / Morris, with the big saloons aimed at Rover's target market. In the case of the 1300 /1500 / Toledo / Dolomite, they were aimed more as an alternative to the Riley / Wolseley ADO16 offerings and as a more practical and upmarket alternative to the Austin / Morris version of same. Triumph was also at the likes of Le Mans and Monte Carlo, so there was a sense of buying into that heritage and owning something that had been tested and developed on the track. When I was looking for a classic, I went to several car shows and sat in many cars. I wanted to be able to share my passion with my wife and two teenage daughters, so all had to fit in whatever it was. I settled on a Triumph Stag as the one I would hunt for, but after 6 months, I still had not found one suitable (they are not as thick on the ground in New Zealand as in the UK). I saw a late model 2500 'S' come up on Trade Me (our equivalent of eBay) and thought I would have a look and see what they were like as I had not driven one of them. As soon as I sat in the (very comfy) driver's seat, saw the layout of the gauges and felt how everything was right where I could easily access it, I was intrigued - how had this car never caught my eye before? It actually looks a lot like a Stag from the front and those rear buttresses (especially with the 'S' having black vinyl on them) and stance when viewed from the rear-end....the car is gorgeous! I drove it and while it wasn't running well at all, I was impressed with the way it sat on the road and - as you said - how quiet and refined it was inside the car on the open road. For a small 6-cylinder (when compared to the offerings from Ford (a 4.1 litre straight 6) or Holden (3.3 litre straight 6) in this part of the world), the Triumph seems - on paper - to come up a bit short. Not so. Because of its gearing, the little 2500 fair flies when you hit the gas hard, yet still only pulls 2250rpm at 100km/h (62mph) in overdrive. Economy is better than the Aussie tanks too, with the Triumph regularly exceeding 30mpg around town and 34 on a trip loaded up with family and luggage. After I got the car running right, I took a 100 mile trip to see my mother in a remote little town that is accessed by a lot of winding, narrow and hilly road that is not always in good repair (and neither are you warned by signage before finding out just how bad it is either). The Triumph (I call her Tracey) fair howled with ecstasy when I started using the upper rev range and her suspension responded to the challenge, giving me some of the most enjoyable miles I have ever driven in my life....as well as a huge grin from ear to ear. However, take the foot out of the floorboards and go back to cruising and she is just happy to cruise along at the speed limit as docile as docile can be. AND she still returned 32mpg for the trip! I did eventually buy my Stag, but I have done three times as many miles in Tracey simply because it is just such an all-round excellent car to use. It's my daily driver, does the school run, the weekly shop, acts as a taxi taking my kids places and we go out on picnics or for drives in the country around home in it. No matter what mood I am in, 30 minutes in Tracey and I am more calm, relaxed and a much happier person. Steph - if you reckon the 1500 was great, I encourage you to drive a late model (1974-77) Triumph 2500 'S' with a manual / overdrive gearbox and compare it to your experience in the 1500. I do not believe you would be disappointed. Oh - and the 'S' has power steering too!
A cracking little car and very well equipped for its day. Reversing lights, electric screenwash (with column stalk control!) , boot light, cigarette lighter, inertia reel seatbelts, reclining seats and an adjustable steering wheel were far from standard in 1970. The rotating light switch on the steering column was similar to the Hillman Avenger's - upmarket Triumphs had a "parking light" setting (offside lights only).
Great car, a friend of mine used to have one. I did a fair of work on it. They have the worlds easiest clutch to chance, can do the job in less than half hour. Parts are a nightmare to get hold of on the 1500 FWD, but I'd still have one, and regret not buying my friends one off him when he sold it 👍
My dad had a Dolly 1850 in the 70's, which although being RWD, was pretty much the same body-shell as the FWD 1500. His steering wheel had a thicker rim, which I'm sure helped! Awesome seats, and I think the only thong I didn't like about it was trying to get the gear-lever out of 4th! I loved the shape of them though, and always wondered why they never made an estate model! Anyway, lovely video Steph, and great to see you beautiful, happy smile! All the best for 2021! :-)
Steph, I've had 2 of these cars (GGN 573J & CDB 324L) . The 1500 is the first Triumph car to use the 1500 engine. They changed the stroke but kept the same bore to increase the capacity. This is where the Dolomite came from as it used the same bodyshell. Is Kevin a member of the Triumph Dolomite Club? It would've saved him a lot of grief sourcing parts. I'm the West Yorkshire area organizer and there were regular monthly meetings until the restrictions kicked in. I know a couple in Pudsey (Roger & Kath) who own an immaculate 1500TC in a fetching shade of Sapphire blue (the same as GGN). They also have a Mk3 Capri which was featured in my "Bradford Classic 2019" video. If you're interested in reviewing it let me know and I'll ask them on your behalf.
Hi mate, I'm in the club and they helped me out with parts, also "TJ Fitchit" are superb let me know when the meeting is back on I'm West Yorkshire and would like to go 👍👍👍
A very enjoyable video. My friend inherited one of these back in the late 1990s from his great uncle who had passed away. It had been off the road for a while and he's had it sitting in a garage since, awaiting restoration. I was always struck by how much wood there is inside and how big and comfy the seats look. Seeing a review of a road worthy one and getting an idea of what his could be like is brilliant and it's encouraging to know that there is a good enthusiast network out there. Kev has done a great job here. Thanks for all the great reviews this year and hope you're enjoying the festivities
Steph....when new, the 1967 Triumph 1300 and the subsequent versions were praised for the first use of “ergonomics” which was an unknown word to most back then. Somebody had at last thought about the siting of controls, dials, warning lights and the relationship between the seat, pedals, steering wheel and gear change. It has elements of Alfa Romeo in that it was designed to be enjoyed and was thought to be.very sporting. I’m glad you liked it...more deserved to be saved but the bodywork was of an age when build quality was not great. Well done again! Richard😃😃😃
Great review Steph, what a cute little car, and the owner is such a nice guy, it’s great to see enthusiastic owners keeping these timeless classics on the road! x.
My first car! 1973 model in french blue purchased in 1981. Loved the sophistication over my mates escorts, but the steering was very heavy and the gearbox a nightmare. Getting into first took a lot of practice but otherwise i loved that car and have very fond memories
Bought one of these brand new after selling my Austin Healey Sprigit, a necessary sale since my wife was expecting our son at the time and all I can say is that the 1500 was a real beauty. Kept it for about 3 years and yes , rust was a problem and also the CV units needed replacing after 30,000 miles. Thanks for reviving old memories Steph.
Another great video Steph! A self confessed caraholic myself, I have two Triumphs closely related to this one: a 1974 Dolomite with 1850 engine, and a 1978 Dolomite Sprint. Fantastic cars... It’s wonderful to see youngsters enjoying these cars too: my eldest daughter (17) is like minded and helps me with my own restoration efforts. Keep up the good work!
I learnt to drive in one of these in1979. It was ideal with good visibility, good in thick snow as most of my lessons showed me. I went on to a Triumph Spitfire which was more fun.
If memory serves, the original Triumph 1300 FWD won Car magazine's Car of the Year award around 1966 or 67. In looks and appointments this car certainly reminds me of my own much liked Triumph 2500TC. I believe that BMW actually own the Triumph name - it would be good to see the marque revived; after all I have owned two (2500TC and a Vitesse convertible) and my grandfather had a Gloria from new. Thanks for the video, Stef. May 2021 be a very good year for you.
Lovely old Triumph 1500, I never knew they were front wheel drive. After watching your channel, I decided to treat myself to a 1977 MG Midget 1500. If you fancy reviewing it, you would be very welcome.
Great car and I enjoyed your video. I like the way you explain the features and technicalities. I am a big fan of BL in spite of all the negativity you hear about their cars. The 1500 is a smart little car. Continue with your nice features on Classics. Cheers TC
Oh that is very nice. 70s Triumphs are awesome. The Dolomite Sprint is a favouite of mine but the FWD and lower spec cars are also awesome too. Lovely review Steph :D
A most enjoyable video - thank you. I've owned a few of these shaped cars...all with different engine sizes, names, numbers of carbs and oscillating between front and rear wheel drive! Such a confusing range that even I forget which is which, but all were very pleasant to drive.
Great vid as usual Steph,my dad bought one new in 1971 (JWT 835J) in Damson Red they were a luxury car at the time,he later moved onto Dolomites and they are better still see if you can get a drive of a Sprint they are brilliant.
Lovely car and great video Steph! been nearly a year since you've had the Marina doesn't time fly. I love the simplicity of older cars too new ones are OTT that 8 eight light dial control is incredible!!!!!
Lovely cars. I had an older 1300, single carb, reg no uta 688j, so one of the very last made , and I had to remember to check to top up the stromberg cd150 carb damper... Very strong cars, but their archilles heel was the doughnut transmission joints...
Wow, A handbrake warning light on an early 70's car absolute luxury. Just wondering at Kev's piece to camera, door didn't look like it had a safety strap, fatal for the door when caught in a high wind.
@@pcno2832 Hardly; the Audi of the time was a rebadged NSU, and very down-market compared to the Triumph. As for the BMW as a competitor, maybe an engineer might have favoured the German, but for showroom appeal the BMW was far inferior.
I had a Triumph 1300. My wife was German and we took for a holiday it to Bavaria my Mother in law wanted to buy sheepskin seat covers. the only ones that fit were for a Mercedes 250 Bit slow but absolute comfort.
I now understand why there are so few 60s/70s Buick's on the road in the UK, My 2010 Honda Accord may be even be too wide. But the country side is beautiful! :-) I would love to go for a test drive, the car is very nice! Thanks for the video!
Steph, you keep taking me right back. In early 70s my Dad ran Arrow style Hillman Minxes which were reliable and comfortable. A Renault 16 which was amazingly fast and cosseting. However, a brief period with a 1973 Triumph 2000 raised the bar to a new level. Leather touch and smell, wood dash and door caps, carpet, full wheel covers, fat G800S tyres and so smooth and well made. After that Triumph, the only British purchases that he made was a 1977 and a 1981 Ford Fiesta for Mum. He went from Triumph to Peugeot 504, Opel Rekord, 1978 VW Devon, Peugeot 205, 2x Renault 21s, 2 Toyota Camrys, to 2 Suzuki Grand Vitaras. The only British mark that he has respect for is the original Land Rover Defender. He has been running Japanese now for over 20 years. Was Triumph the last really great BL car?
When I first met my wife in the early 1980's my daily was a 1968 Morris Minor two door saloon. My parents had a Triumph 1500 bought from new in 1973 on which I did some maintenance. I called round to see my new girl friend and she was underneath her car a '71 Triumph 1500 changing the rubber doughnuts on the front wheel drive. All I could see of her was a pair of boots and legs clad in a brown nylon trouser suit, her father like mine was an engineer so we had a little in common. Later before we married we acquired my dads 1500 and another 1500 from from a workmate. So at one time we had three 1500's, with all the attendant problems of older cars. They did rust around the headlights, the rear quarters, the sills and the petrol tank. They were a heavily built underpowered car but 'easy' to work on. I remember changing clutches, the previously mentioned rubber doughnuts, an engine, steering rack, a petrol tank and plenty of 'bodywork', hidden with filler and black paint, - it would not pass now unnoticed. They were no worse than a lot of those 60's-70's cars but we eventually moved to Nissan Sunny 1500 estate and a Mazda B1800 pick-up with a homemade flat bed. Thanks for the video and the memories!
That's such a handsome little car. Can't beat a straight forward design and I confess, I was stunned by how quiet it was too! Thanks Steph!
Ah, the memories! Triumph wanted the transmission to be as smooth as possible, so they used rubber "doughnut " couplings in the driveshafts and a quill shaft through the clutch. Alas, this had a tendency to snap... I wonder how many mechanics of my age remember changing one? What a lovely car though. What a shame so few are left. These were real cars. People went to work in them, holidayed in them, loved them. I last worked on one decades ago. I still remember the colour; Mallard Green! Have a great new year. Thanks for another great video!
I love BL Cars but the Triumphs were a cut above the rest of the BL range.
Nice one Steph thank you(:
I bought one of these in the 2000s. It was bought for a few hundred pounds & had more than its fair share of filler. It was used mainly in winter to save my MG from the salty roads. My expectations weren't very high, but I was pleasantly surprised how good it was! It was great to drive and always put a smile on my face.
I had three Triumphs in my youth. A 1300 Toledo, a 1500 & 1850 Dolomite with overdrive. They were well built and solid cars, I loved them.
Had a soft spot for these, right back to the 1300, they seemed so refined compared to the small/budget offerings from the main players.
Fascinating as usual, and I learned something from this... that Triumph had a front-wheel drive setup with a longitudinal engine. Never knew that. I have essentially the same engine in my 1978 MG Midget. By the way, Triumph’s partnership with Michelotti was a Very Good Thing. What a nice-looking car, very European in flavor. It’s a shame that MG didn’t receive similar support from BL.
Always liked Triumphs, a very good looking car.
Liked the Dolomite and Toledo,were always a cut above the riff-raff!
Thanks Steph for doing this car I had one my girlfriend said get rid of my motorbike and get a car or iam off this is what I bought and its my birthday today lam 59 and we have been married for nearly 40 years now
I've just bought this lovely character filled little car, my first ever classic car and its totally different from anything else I've ever driven!
Hi Colin thanks once again I love it
My dad had a car repair business when I was a boy. He had a 1978 Triumph Dolomite 1300 as a customer courtesy car, which I really liked. I was gutted when he sold it before I was old enough to hold a driving licence.
Well done for keeping these great old cars alive , in spite of the difficulties , still cheaper than fixing a modern though .
As a 21 year old, I bought an almost new K reg Triumph 1500 in 1973. It was a neat little car but unfortunately ran a main bearing on the motorway at 70 MPH. That put me off the car so it was got rid of. The one in the video is a credit to its owner. Thanks for posting, it brought back memories of my youth.
I too had one when I was 21. Bought an L reg in 1976, white with a black interior. I loved that car. Didn’t give me any trouble at all.
A beautiful car and I just love that cluster of dashboard lights
Brilliant video Steph, brings back many memories!! My uncle ran a pair of the slightly-smaller Toledos in his driving school on the late 70s/early 80s...my first proper driving lesson in 1981 was in JOP246P which was a green two-door! Two of my cousins started driving with variants of these Triumphs...one in a 1500 and another in an 1850 RWD Dolomite. The Dolly in particular felt real quality to drive, redolent of a 70s BMW . I bypassed the smaller ones when I passed my test in 1983.....KOB524E was a 1967 Triumph 2000 manual with a year's MOT and 55,000m from new which cost me a whopping £110!! I'd love to say that I cherished it....but three engines and two gearboxes in six months tell their own tale!
Thanks Steph I really enjoyed that my dad had a 13/60 triumph in white with a red interior it felt very upmarket for the time your 1500 started the change for compact cars to feel like a quality product and made all manufacturers up there game if BL had better managers and a contented workforce we would still be driving successors to these cars today
Nice little car. And of course they carried that design on to the dolomite series....
I only ever travellent in a Dolomite Sprint and was a well impressed teenager back in the day, nice to see that the lower spec cars were good too, definitely a cut above other UK makes.
As always, brilliant, Steph! Well done to Kev for his preservation of this marvelous vehicle, and perseverance in taking the purchase condition to its present state! Anyone who keeps such cars on the road in the modern era is a hero to me!!!! Thank you to both of you!!!
Ooohhh that brown colour, so very 1970s. A friend of mine had a Dolomite in brown. Nice story attached to it. The LHD wiper pattern would probably upset HubNut. 😂
Indeed, you are right about the colour, my father had a brown Triumph Stag in the 1970s.
My dads very first new car in 1972, and was also the car I learnt to drive in. It was always a pleasure to drive and be driven in when having family outings, and just to make your review even better - a trip around the area I live in as well. Thanks for another in depth good review, and well done to Kev for keeping it on the road. All the best for 2021.
God bless Kev!! Good on him for keeping these cars on the road and yourself for showing us. Happy New year when it arrives!
Early happy new year x
Thanks I nearly scrapped it, the shells are very valuable to Triumph men, for rebuilding Sprints as the early shells and better built
@@kevinhirst4108You should be really proud of this, Its a lovely car and great work looks fantastic
@@Bates.N1 thanks very much, I have restored several cars over the years, but this has given me the most stress! It's only shear determination why it got finished! It's a lovely old rare car and will appear on films in the future, thanks for your compliment 👍
Love how you go around the cars and show every detail then of course the special treat of seeing your reflection on windows and shiny paint. 🥰
Our first car as a married couple was a Toledo. Loved that car!
Thats a cool looking saloon, I like the dash. I remember some of these still going around in the 80's when I was a kid, sure they were called Dolomite. I was young in the 80's but a little car nut, always wanted my Dad to get an Opel Monza, but we had an SD1 Rover 3500SE, which was actually a cooler car looking back now.
Steph, that was a superb video and lovely scenery. Also nice to see a BL car in superb condition. Happy new Year and look forward to your next video.
Looking at the engine so simple to work on not like modern car engines of today .
Great restoration job . Always regarded as an older persons car back in the day but I always liked it
So did I, unfortunately I'm now an older person now! Lol 😂😂😂
I own this car now it's still a brilliant little car
Steph, Thank you very much, and Kevin too. I love the Eight Light Dial, that's a great way to compact a dash unit. I always enjoy the beauty that only the British can bring to an interior. I look forward to the first video of 2021. God Bless.
Great video - my Mum had one of these back in the day. Just a little point about how forward looking the car was, there is something reminiscent in the dash of the new Honda "E" of this car, that flat dash across the width of the car and the wood of course.
Nice example of this classic car. It must have been windy when this was filmed I noticed the flex on the open bonnet.
Parents had larger 2500 auto back in 70s, dash looked similar to that one, fantastic tow car, people who bought it wanted it as a tow car as well for their caravan.
My dad had a dolomite sprint... lovely car. 😊
Can't wait to watch the video. This time of year feels so strange - thanks for keeping us entertained. 🤗
My pleasure! X
You must have a technique for getting the owners to talk about their cars - it always comes across really well!
Your enthusiasm for BL cars is so refreshing! Keep it up Steph 👌👍
Very enjoyable review and good on you for sticking up for BL, it's too easy to just dismiss all their output as terrible. This looked a super car other than that gearbox perhaps, and well done to Kev for saving this rare example.
My first car - brilliant
Great vid and memories. My first car as an 18 year old student was a 1971 Triumph 1500 bought in 1978. It was a great car and your comments about the heater are so right. On the coldest day the heat was pumping out before I got to the end of our road. Another thing that was amazing were the headlights when all four were on driving down an country lane at night. To this day I don’t think I have come across better and my current car has bi Xenon lights.
Thank you for a fantastic review. My first car was a Triumph 1500 FWD in white with black interior. It was a good car for the time but you did need to spend most weekends under the bonnet to keep it running sweetly. The gear stick shouldn't be that floppy, looks like the plastic bushes in the linkage need replacing (common problem as I remember).
I used to have one of these in the late '70's. It was a 1972 in Damson Red. It was a well put together little car but the gearbox left a lot to be desired. When I bought it synchro on 2nd was on its way out, but you could live with it. The linkages eventually let go inside the gearbox, so out came the engine and gearbox. A fairly simple repair so back in it went and I used it for a while longer. I decided to bite the bullet and get a reconditioned gearbox so out came the engine and box again. The recon box jumped out of 4th so out came the engine and box again and the gearbox was swapped for another one. Back in went the engine and box (I was getting good at it by this time) and everything was okay. The front wheel drive was brilliant in the snow and went everywhere where others got stuck. I worked in Scotland during the winter of 1978 and that heater certainly came in useful!
What a great video. Your enthusiasm really shines through.
Great review, Steph! Back in the early 70's my dad had the predecessor, the Triumph 1300 (in wedgewood blue) Many happy memories of family trips out in that car. All the best for 2021.
I had one of these from new and it was very impressive, people liked to hear the doors close and what a wonderful noise that was. The rust was a problem and this is the only car which dealers refused to accept as part exchange.
My dad had one of these in the early seventies secondhand, saffron with a black vinyl roof, we went from several Minor Travellers via a Mini briefly and a Renault 1300 to it. What a revelation it was on our family trips to the west country by comparison. Quiet, very comfortable, it could easily maintain 60-70 mph, and a big tank so no worries about having to stop for fuel en route. I remember the gearbox being difficult but I don't think the steering (on ZXs) was heavy. It did have poor quality paintwork and the bearings went at just over 50,000, but we really liked it overall.
My Dad had a 1975 1500TC, rear wheel drive in Delft blue and had previously owned a 1967 1300 front wheel drive in Valencia blue. These cars were a cut above the norm of their day and were beautifully built. Unusually the front wheel drive ones had the engine inline, with separate oils in engine, gearbox and differential. You could change the clutch without even removing the gearbox!
Enjoyed this! What an ordeal it was for the owner. Great result though.
I’d be throwing in the towel if I’m honest. He’s so good at cracking on
Thanks Steph and Kev for showing us this interesting car. Good looks, dignified interior with the benifits of FWD. One of the best BL vehicles of the 1970s?
Nice video, and what a determined owner. Fair play, a nice job done there
Being a Triumph fanatic, it was great to see this video of one of the rarities of the Triumph stables. As usual, you have hit the nail on the head with regard to the difference between Triumph and a number of the other BL marques. Triumph were aimed at those who wanted quality but not opulence, so their niche was below Jaguar, but above Austin / Morris, with the big saloons aimed at Rover's target market. In the case of the 1300 /1500 / Toledo / Dolomite, they were aimed more as an alternative to the Riley / Wolseley ADO16 offerings and as a more practical and upmarket alternative to the Austin / Morris version of same. Triumph was also at the likes of Le Mans and Monte Carlo, so there was a sense of buying into that heritage and owning something that had been tested and developed on the track.
When I was looking for a classic, I went to several car shows and sat in many cars. I wanted to be able to share my passion with my wife and two teenage daughters, so all had to fit in whatever it was. I settled on a Triumph Stag as the one I would hunt for, but after 6 months, I still had not found one suitable (they are not as thick on the ground in New Zealand as in the UK).
I saw a late model 2500 'S' come up on Trade Me (our equivalent of eBay) and thought I would have a look and see what they were like as I had not driven one of them. As soon as I sat in the (very comfy) driver's seat, saw the layout of the gauges and felt how everything was right where I could easily access it, I was intrigued - how had this car never caught my eye before?
It actually looks a lot like a Stag from the front and those rear buttresses (especially with the 'S' having black vinyl on them) and stance when viewed from the rear-end....the car is gorgeous! I drove it and while it wasn't running well at all, I was impressed with the way it sat on the road and - as you said - how quiet and refined it was inside the car on the open road.
For a small 6-cylinder (when compared to the offerings from Ford (a 4.1 litre straight 6) or Holden (3.3 litre straight 6) in this part of the world), the Triumph seems - on paper - to come up a bit short. Not so. Because of its gearing, the little 2500 fair flies when you hit the gas hard, yet still only pulls 2250rpm at 100km/h (62mph) in overdrive.
Economy is better than the Aussie tanks too, with the Triumph regularly exceeding 30mpg around town and 34 on a trip loaded up with family and luggage. After I got the car running right, I took a 100 mile trip to see my mother in a remote little town that is accessed by a lot of winding, narrow and hilly road that is not always in good repair (and neither are you warned by signage before finding out just how bad it is either). The Triumph (I call her Tracey) fair howled with ecstasy when I started using the upper rev range and her suspension responded to the challenge, giving me some of the most enjoyable miles I have ever driven in my life....as well as a huge grin from ear to ear. However, take the foot out of the floorboards and go back to cruising and she is just happy to cruise along at the speed limit as docile as docile can be. AND she still returned 32mpg for the trip!
I did eventually buy my Stag, but I have done three times as many miles in Tracey simply because it is just such an all-round excellent car to use. It's my daily driver, does the school run, the weekly shop, acts as a taxi taking my kids places and we go out on picnics or for drives in the country around home in it. No matter what mood I am in, 30 minutes in Tracey and I am more calm, relaxed and a much happier person.
Steph - if you reckon the 1500 was great, I encourage you to drive a late model (1974-77) Triumph 2500 'S' with a manual / overdrive gearbox and compare it to your experience in the 1500. I do not believe you would be disappointed. Oh - and the 'S' has power steering too!
A cracking little car and very well equipped for its day. Reversing lights, electric screenwash (with column stalk control!) , boot light, cigarette lighter, inertia reel seatbelts, reclining seats and an adjustable steering wheel were far from standard in 1970. The rotating light switch on the steering column was similar to the Hillman Avenger's - upmarket Triumphs had a "parking light" setting (offside lights only).
Great car, a friend of mine used to have one. I did a fair of work on it. They have the worlds easiest clutch to chance, can do the job in less than half hour. Parts are a nightmare to get hold of on the 1500 FWD, but I'd still have one, and regret not buying my friends one off him when he sold it 👍
As long as the input shaft comes out!! Otherwise a bloody nightmare! As you say very easy if all goes well ☺️☺️☺️
My dad had a Dolly 1850 in the 70's, which although being RWD, was pretty much the same body-shell as the FWD 1500. His steering wheel had a thicker rim, which I'm sure helped! Awesome seats, and I think the only thong I didn't like about it was trying to get the gear-lever out of 4th!
I loved the shape of them though, and always wondered why they never made an estate model!
Anyway, lovely video Steph, and great to see you beautiful, happy smile! All the best for 2021! :-)
So knowledgeable, Steph! Love your channel!
Steph, I've had 2 of these cars (GGN 573J & CDB 324L) . The 1500 is the first Triumph car to use the 1500 engine. They changed the stroke but kept the same bore to increase the capacity. This is where the Dolomite came from as it used the same bodyshell. Is Kevin a member of the Triumph Dolomite Club? It would've saved him a lot of grief sourcing parts. I'm the West Yorkshire area organizer and there were regular monthly meetings until the restrictions kicked in. I know a couple in Pudsey (Roger & Kath) who own an immaculate 1500TC in a fetching shade of Sapphire blue (the same as GGN). They also have a Mk3 Capri which was featured in my "Bradford Classic 2019" video. If you're interested in reviewing it let me know and I'll ask them on your behalf.
I’m not sure! It might be worth getting in touch with him
Hi mate, I'm in the club and they helped me out with parts, also "TJ Fitchit" are superb let me know when the meeting is back on I'm West Yorkshire and would like to go 👍👍👍
A very enjoyable video. My friend inherited one of these back in the late 1990s from his great uncle who had passed away. It had been off the road for a while and he's had it sitting in a garage since, awaiting restoration. I was always struck by how much wood there is inside and how big and comfy the seats look. Seeing a review of a road worthy one and getting an idea of what his could be like is brilliant and it's encouraging to know that there is a good enthusiast network out there. Kev has done a great job here.
Thanks for all the great reviews this year and hope you're enjoying the festivities
Steph....when new, the 1967 Triumph 1300 and the subsequent versions were praised for the first use of “ergonomics” which was an unknown word to most back then. Somebody had at last thought about the siting of controls, dials, warning lights and the relationship between the seat, pedals, steering wheel and gear change. It has elements of Alfa Romeo in that it was designed to be enjoyed and was thought to be.very sporting. I’m glad you liked it...more deserved to be saved but the bodywork was of an age when build quality was not great. Well done again! Richard😃😃😃
Great review Steph, what a cute little car, and the owner is such a nice guy, it’s great to see enthusiastic owners keeping these timeless classics on the road! x.
My first car! 1973 model in french blue purchased in 1981. Loved the sophistication over my mates escorts, but the steering was very heavy and the gearbox a nightmare. Getting into first took a lot of practice but otherwise i loved that car and have very fond memories
Bought one of these brand new after selling my Austin Healey Sprigit, a necessary sale since my wife was expecting our son at the time and all I can say is that the 1500 was a real beauty. Kept it for about 3 years and yes , rust was a problem and also the CV units needed replacing after 30,000 miles. Thanks for reviving old memories Steph.
It took me and a mate two full days to remove a 1300 dashboard and replace it with an 1850 HL dashboard. There must be 60 screws. so well built
That is a handsome car. Nice style and straight forward design. Thank Ken and Thanks to you for the ride along. Have a Happy New Year!
Another great video Steph! A self confessed caraholic myself, I have two Triumphs closely related to this one: a 1974 Dolomite with 1850 engine, and a 1978
Dolomite Sprint. Fantastic cars... It’s wonderful to see youngsters enjoying these cars too: my eldest daughter (17) is like minded and helps me with my own restoration efforts. Keep up the good work!
I learnt to drive in one of these in1979. It was ideal with good visibility, good in thick snow as most of my lessons showed me. I went on to a Triumph Spitfire which was more fun.
If memory serves, the original Triumph 1300 FWD won Car magazine's Car of the Year award around 1966 or 67. In looks and appointments this car certainly reminds me of my own much liked Triumph 2500TC. I believe that BMW actually own the Triumph name - it would be good to see the marque revived; after all I have owned two (2500TC and a Vitesse convertible) and my grandfather had a Gloria from new. Thanks for the video, Stef. May 2021 be a very good year for you.
Lovely old Triumph 1500, I never knew they were front wheel drive.
After watching your channel, I decided to treat myself to a 1977 MG Midget 1500. If you fancy reviewing it, you would be very welcome.
Another cracking review to end the year Steph, that drivers seat just seems to wrap round you.
All the best for 2021.
Brought back some memories, my dad had one. It was always his favourite car.
This car sounds like every car my family in Spain ever owned! Great memories through your video 😊
OMG I saw a T reg Triumph in Shepherd's Bush only the other day! A brown/orange coloured one.
great video as always
Great car and I enjoyed your video. I like the way you explain the features and technicalities. I am a big fan of BL in spite of all the negativity you hear about their cars. The 1500 is a smart little car. Continue with your nice features on Classics. Cheers TC
Oh that is very nice. 70s Triumphs are awesome. The Dolomite Sprint is a favouite of mine but the FWD and lower spec cars are also awesome too. Lovely review Steph :D
A most enjoyable video - thank you. I've owned a few of these shaped cars...all with different engine sizes, names, numbers of carbs and oscillating between front and rear wheel drive! Such a confusing range that even I forget which is which, but all were very pleasant to drive.
Another good drive in another car I have never seen or experienced. Thank you! 😊✨👍
Just love old cars they have all got character and charm as ever great video
Steph, your welcome to review my classic. Triumph Vitesse mk2 convertible.
Great vid as usual Steph,my dad bought one new in 1971 (JWT 835J) in Damson Red they were a luxury car at the time,he later moved onto Dolomites and they are better still see if you can get a drive of a Sprint they are brilliant.
Lovely car and great video Steph! been nearly a year since you've had the Marina doesn't time fly. I love the simplicity of older cars too new ones are OTT that 8 eight light dial control is incredible!!!!!
This is brilliant, thank you so much for producing this video.
Lovely cars. I had an older 1300, single carb, reg no uta 688j, so one of the very last made , and I had to remember to check to top up the stromberg cd150 carb damper... Very strong cars, but their archilles heel was the doughnut transmission joints...
Great video Steph. Loved it. Pete 🇬🇧
Woahhhh, the wind blowing that bonnet!!! Another great video Steph 👍
Thos was my second car..200 quids worth of luxury compared tothe Escort estate it replaced 😍
What a legend the owner of this Triumph 😁
Another Winner 🏆 Steph !
Love ❤ what you do
2021 will be OK 👌 you know x
Love the videos! Love the content!! 🙂
Aw thanks xxx
I bought one of the last of these new in 1973 the same colour.
Wow, A handbrake warning light on an early 70's car absolute luxury. Just wondering at Kev's piece to camera, door didn't look like it had a safety strap, fatal for the door when caught in a high wind.
Classy little car,bmw competitor in its day.
Better than imo x
@@pcno2832 Hardly; the Audi of the time was a rebadged NSU, and very down-market compared to the Triumph. As for the BMW as a competitor, maybe an engineer might have favoured the German, but for showroom appeal the BMW was far inferior.
I had a Triumph 1300. My wife was German and we took for a holiday it to Bavaria my Mother in law wanted to buy sheepskin seat covers. the only ones that fit were for a Mercedes 250 Bit slow but absolute comfort.
Nice looking car in the day.loved the dolomite sprint ..
I now understand why there are so few 60s/70s Buick's on the road in the UK, My 2010 Honda Accord may be even be too wide. But the country side is beautiful! :-) I would love to go for a test drive, the car is very nice! Thanks for the video!
Steph, you keep taking me right back. In early 70s my Dad ran Arrow style Hillman Minxes which were reliable and comfortable. A Renault 16 which was amazingly fast and cosseting. However, a brief period with a 1973 Triumph 2000 raised the bar to a new level. Leather touch and smell, wood dash and door caps, carpet, full wheel covers, fat G800S tyres and so smooth and well made. After that Triumph, the only British purchases that he made was a 1977 and a 1981 Ford Fiesta for Mum. He went from Triumph to Peugeot 504, Opel Rekord, 1978 VW Devon, Peugeot 205, 2x Renault 21s, 2 Toyota Camrys, to 2 Suzuki Grand Vitaras. The only British mark that he has respect for is the original Land Rover Defender. He has been running Japanese now for over 20 years. Was Triumph the last really great BL car?
Merry Christmas Steph. 🎄🎅Thanks for all the fab content in 2020. Welcome entertainment to help us all through COVID19. 👍
Lovely car. We never got triumph saloons in the USA that I know of. Just their roadsters.
that brings back memories i owned one of these --loved the car=thanks for that- look foreword to your future videos