> The first Triumph DOLOMITES appeared Pre-WWII. Yes! It is a
reference to TR's Rallye successes... But PRE WWII rallies (when
Donald Healey ran Triumphs in rallies like the Monte Carlo... Greg
Petrolati <
The first Dolomite was commissioned by Donald Healey, who at the time worked
for Triumph. (He had a title something along the line of advanced
engineering director, but what he really did was run their rally program.)
The Dolomite was a knock-off of a very successful Alfa with a supercharged
eight cylinder engine. Healey said he had permission to copy the Alfa
design; others were not so certain about the legalities of the situation.
At any rate a few got constructed. Healey entered one in the Monte Carlo
(?) rally. He started some place up in Scandanavia, and during the first
night ran into a train at an unmarked crossing. Amazingly enough, he and
his navigator walked away from the crash. The car, however, was a mess.
After the first series of Dolomites ended, Triumph used the Dolomite name
on other cars both pre- and post-war.
I'm did this from memory so excuse any mistakes or oversights.
Andy Lindberg (who ran the Dolomite as a WHATIZIT in a recent issue of
Triumphs and Tribulations)
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