Dolomite Sprint?
Yes, sorry about that, I was off waffling about what a nice car and totally forgot to say what it was. Dolomite Sprint, first massed produced 16 valve engine and first British production car to have alloy wheels.
We had the 2000 which looks similar. I remember it having an armrest in between the back seats which seemed like luxury then. Spent a couple of days helping my Dad strip down the carbs and refurbish them. He changed it for a Citroen GSA Special with hydraulic suspension and a ‘digital’ speedo which was basically a cylinder that presented the speed in a window. It meant you couldn’t see the max speed and the handbrake was in the dash!
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Citroen used to make very quirky cars back then, they’re just mainstream now though.
I briefly had a “bargain” (deceased estate clearance) Triumph 2.5PI, bought at 2 years old expecting it to be my first decent car, spent a small fortune on it (more than I could afford) in parts and was lucky to sell it at break-even after three months with a full swear-box. It might be easier to list what didn’t need fixing!
But from fifty years ago all I can remember is that I’d never buy one of those again.
And yet…S.A.A.B when they were still S.A.A.B got that slant 4 with turbo (!) well developed to be pretty much bullet proof with the 900 Turbo.
I think the Stag V8 was essentially 2 Dolly slant 4’s…and we know how wonderful these engines were. 
It would have helped if the factory had actually properly pressure blasted silicon sand cast swarf out the water ways on the heads…allegedly…bar the fact the cooling system was marginal to put it politely. They were originally intended to be MG until the Boardroom decided the public needed even more 4 wheel detritus with the Triumph badge.
It was the usual story with BL or whatever name they were at that point in history. How does the old story go, BL’s development engineers were the buyers of their cars. 
The story goes that the reason Triumph seemed to hold sway was because the BL boardroom had more old Triumph guys than from any other make in the group, that’s why you had a V8 engine made for the Stag when they had a perfectly good V8 on the shelf.
You mean the Buick derived 3.5?
Only one I can think of bar the Daimler old schooler.
Anyhow…back on track so to speak.
These two, bar a lovely Celica Lifback, are the ones I’d have back tomorrow.
Show standard 2.8i
3.1 litrs
Vulcan block with steel innards
Burton gas flowed heads.
Mile the Pipe extractors.
Scorpion leaf-spring locator kit.
Tarox front discs, Koni shocks & poly bushes.
Clueless as to BHP…I bought it thus but it was a widow maker in the wet, and a total beast in the dry. I’m guessing…circa 200/220 BHP so the Club said anyway. Not a lot today…but how shall I say…instant V6 power in any gear.
I took a horrid “Tickford” body kit off…which over heated the front brakes anyhow…and kept it looking “normal” Went through 2 gear boxes…they did strip 5th eventually.
And the other was my beloved Opel Monza “unofficial” as the bits came out a write off…Courteney Turbo.
Utterly hopeless brakes…again Tarox made them a bit better… dodgy through the twisties thanks to it’s sheer bulk, but a real straight line demon & Pov Spec 4 pot van engined Porker eater. Again no idea about BHP…would not like to guess but when it spooled up ( very suddenly) the backside squatted, the bonnet lifted a tad…and off you went. Preferably in a straight line…
Neither of them exist now.
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Yes the Buick V8
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Wow, what a dashboard (and steering wheel)!
I know I used to borrow it once I learned to drive and it felt pretty space age in the late 80s! Playing with the hydraulics was also fun you could raise the rear right up so the car looked pretty crazy driving down the road 
My Dad always jokes that I spent most of the time on 3 wheels in his car 
And car reviewers today complain about “hard” plastics lower down in the cabin…Imagine a car manufacturer releasing a car with a cabin like that nowadays?
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Wow!! Few pennies needed there!
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I remember it well! My first car was a 1966 Standard Triumph 2000.
It had a straight 6 engine that was easy to work on and we could identify all the parts; not like modern cars!
Like many cars of its day, the door panels rusted badly and probably ended up with more fibreglass filler than steel. But it always looked immaculate.
It also seemed to use nearly as much oil as petrol!
We used to sit in the back with the tarp up and peek at cars. It never got dangerous as it wouldnt do much over 40.
I’m actually getting ready to build a new garage so I can have one with the MX5 and the Alfa
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The first family cars I remember were a VW Variant and a Morris 1000. I think the Morris was bought and sold for about £50.
My first car was a Renault 8 in beige
Hardly a family car but got me through my driving test. Very sad to find it on a heap at one of my regular scrapyards a few years after I sold her.
I think Andy Stott from Autolink restored a similar car recently.
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Remember my Dads wee Citroen Visa having that very same control cylinder on the left side…I thought it was from a spaceship! lol Very good ergonomics in old Citroens!
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Never had one but do remember that cylinder - and thought it a good thing.
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