Today, I will pose another question to my fellow SOL subscribers. I hope
that most of us have at least a passing familiarity with Triumph's 1970's
hot-rod saloon, the Dolomite Sprint. If not, the Dolomite series was, I
believe, the last true Triumph saloon before British Leyland dishonoured
the marque by placing its name upon four dour Honda Civic sedans they
cleverly called Triumph Acclaims. The lesser Dolies were nice albeit boring
cars, however the Dolomite Sprint had a unique 4-valve-per-cylinder head during
a period when such engines were found only in racing cars. Naturally, the
Sprints had special wheels, special body colours, full instumentation, an
overdrive transmission and an oh-so-stylish black vinyl roof. They were raced
extensively in Britain and I first became enamoured with them when I was
given a book picturing one strutting its stuff in a stock car race. Anyhow,
my question concerns this: did any of these cars manage to make it to this
side of the pond? I know that they were not officially imported by BL, though
don't know if they were only sold in RHD format. I can't afford one now;
nevertheless, it is never too early to start the ground work. Can anyone
advise upon the feasibility/practicality of importing one from Britain?
Also are they really as good as the British press says? Thanks in advance.
Brian Willoughby
bawill01@ukcc.uky.edu
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