Job done! Everything is back together and it all works. I also cured a slight problem with one of my headlights which involved bypassing a broken wire. Not quite as British Leyland intended but it is 100% functional.

New stalk fitted and it was a perfect fit.

...and on with the new. Not bad for a fiver!

Off with the old...

...once I'd disconnected the connector. Beware! Earlier Dolomites have a different type of plug. The 1976 BL parts catalogue for the Triumph Dolomite shows the earlier type of plug on the indicator stalk. Snowdrop is a 1977 car so BL must have changed it about then.

...and then removal of the indicator stalk could begin...

...followed by the wiper stalk...

Next it was the turn of the bottom half...

The first thing to do was to remove the top half of the steering column shroud and disconnect the blue wire from the headlight switch.

I have been having problems with my indicator stalk and I finally managed to get one via eBay so I fitted it at the soonest opportunity. This pic is before I started any work.

Indicator problem

My indicator stalk arrived today and the connectors are the wrong ones! It ain't all bad though. They look like earlier ones that will fit Baby Blue. I'm sure my butchered indicator stalk is causing problems with that car. Now I've got a decent one I can use that.

Anyway, back to the story. (as Ronnie Corbett would say!) A quick search on eBay turned up somebody who is breaking a Dolomite 1300 and he's in York so all being well he will have exactly what I need. We shall see...

Here's a close-up of one of my wheels. Even though I used a brush to apply the paint it is a vast improvement on before and the wheels look like new! Well worth it.

As you can see Snowdrop's newly painted wheels has improved the look of the car. Once I've de-rutsed the body she will look a lot better. In this pic she was ready to go unlike the Dolomite 1500SE in the background which was having an overdrive conversion done.

I should've done this a bit sooner but better late than never! The Restoration Show went quite well despite not getting everything done that I'd planned to do. First up was my service which went according to plan. All the wheels recieved a coat of silver Hammerite smooth paint. (as did the rocker cover) I was unable to swap my plastic expansion tank with the brass one because I'd forgotten the bracket and besides, I couldn't undo the hose clip. I ended up selling the expansion tank for £10. I sold a few other bits too. I also replaced my rear section of exhaust which was delivered to the show by a fellow Triumph Dolomite Club member. I decided to get a new clamp and ended up getting one from Bill & Karen Davies of Rarebits costing me only 90p! Fitting the exhaust was easier than taking it off!

Stoneleigh Restoration Show part 2

It is 6.45 am in the hotel where I'm updating this Blog. Like the last time at Stoneleigh I booked in at a hotel. Unfortunately, my first choice which was the Express Holiday Inn at Coventry on the A45 just down the road from where the Triumph factory was in Canley was full and the nearest one with an available room was in Rugby. For £42 for me and Anita it was fantastic value. She said that it wasn't quite as good as the Travelodge we stayed in last July for last year's Club Triumph National Day but it was the little things such as the hairdryer, wireless Internet access, (without which I couldn't be writing this) inclusive breakfast and the location next to the river Avon that made the difference. I'm all set and I've got everything I need for the show. The journey down yesterday passed without a single problem. Snowdrop performed impeccably. I reckon if I push her too hard on the motorway the underbonnet temperature gets too high causing fuel vapourisation and engine bay airflow management is virtually non-existent on the Triumph Dolomite.

Stoneleigh Restoration Show

Snowdrop is going to be on the Triumph Dolomite Club stand at this show which takes place this coming Sunday. (11th March) The jobs I plan to do include:

A basic service. (Changine the engie oil, oil filter, air filter & spark plugs)
Smartening the wheels. (Clean, wirebrushing and painting them with some silver Hammerite)
Painting the rocker cover with silver Hammerite (if there'e enough paint left)
making a start on de-rusting the bodywork.
Replacing the rear section of exhaust.
Clean and adjust the rear brakes.
Fit a replacement indicator stalk. (if my eBay purchase arrives in time)
Clean up electical connections. (I've got a bad earth somewhere)
Clean and degrease the engine bay.

That's all I can think of so far. I'm sure that will fill up the whole day.

The breaking is over

The Toledo has gone to I took what was left which was just the wheels. The spare 1500fwd engine that was on the pallet was stripped of the water pump, clutch slave cylinder and distributor. All the parts have now been secreted away in my emporeum. I must have the biggest collection of parts in the area and they are for sale.

I ended up robbing Baby Blue's headlight switch to keep Snowdop usable. I managed to win an indicator stalk on eBay. Let's hope I can sell some more of my parts.

With Snowdrop being out of use Becky was pressed into service and I've found out that her exhaust was blowing at the front of the downpipe. A bit of exhaust putty soon cured it though.

Electrical woes & Baby Blue on the move

Lately the indicator on Snowdrop was a bit dodgy on the right indicator. In an attempt to cure this I decided to check the contacts on the switch and in doing so I broke it! On top of that I broke a couple of the terminals on the headlight switch which is connected to the indicator stalk by one of the wires. I'll need to replace the stalk. (the one off the Toledo is slightly different) and I'm sure I've got a spare headlight switch but I can't find it and I'm loath to rob Baby Blue's which would make me mobile again. (I can't use Snowdrop if I can't switch on the lights) I've done some asking around and hopefully something will turn up.

I've found a new resting place for Baby Blue, I now have use of an off-road parking space so I got Baby Blue steerable and therfore towable. The lack of brakes didn't help when being towed and one the way one of the track rod ends came out which necessitated a trip back to where I'd left Snowdrop to get my tools. Once that was sorted out the rest of the journey was completed without further incident. I've since cleared out a few things from the car and Baby Blue looks more like a car rather than a mobile storage shed! Hopefully, this will be a short term solution and it gives me some breathing space to find a more permanent resting place.