Before you buy
“When I was 13 I bought a Dolomite trade-in from my dad for £100, tidied it and sold it on”
Performance varies dramatically between the 20 secs 0-60mph of the 1300 and sub-9 secs of the Sprint, but all Dolomites should feel flexible and smooth through the rev range, with real pep in 16-valve form. On the slant-four, look for signs of overheating, water-pump leaks and/or head-gasket weeps: a lack of proper antifreeze causes corrosion in the aluminium castings, silting and overheating that blows the head gasket. On well-cared-for cars such problems should be a thing of the past, but itʼs wise to be wary. Poor running on Sprints is often down to carburettor rubber mounts deteriorating: the club has made solid alternatives.
With the cast-iron 1300/1500 units, check for overheating (radiators clog up more slowly, but none last indefinitely) and most importantly for crank end float: get someone to push the clutch pedal up and down while you watch for any fore/aft movement at the front pulley. Excessive wear can render the block as scrap. Lack of lead in petrol will eventually cause valve-seat failure on iron heads if driven much over 3000rpm: either use additives or budget £250 for an overhaul with hardened seats.
Specialist ʼbox, diff and overdrive rebuilds are available; check for excess play in diffs and wear, noise and weak synchros in gearboxes. Braking can be marginal for track work, but adequate for road use if well-maintained – Sprints need higher-rated front pads than 1850s. Suspension bushes deteriorate; uprated polybushes last longer, but can be firm.