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Post by Dirty Epic on May 18, 2023 11:10:14 GMT
Nice spot that Toledo as Gene. I always saw the Toledo as a bit of a poor relation to the Dolomite right or wrong they were roughly the same car perhaps the Toledo being slower and more practical. I liked them. Keep them coming pal.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on May 18, 2023 12:03:05 GMT
The small Triumphs had quite a complicated history. The Dolomite bodyshell, in basic form started off with the Triumph 1300 in 1965, which was front wheel drive and had a short boot. In, I think, 1970/1 the 1500 replaced it, with a longer tail, and a restyled front, with four headlamps, still front wheel drive. At the same time, the Toledo was launched, which was the 1300 body, but with the 1500 grille, but single headlamps, and was rear wheel drive, it seemed to be intended as a Herald replacement.
In 73, the 1500 was then changed to rear wheel drive and the range was renamed as the Dolomite, the Toledo got the extended rear and was renamed the Dolomite 1300, and the 2 litre Sprint version added. These carried on in production until 1980.
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Post by Dirty Epic on May 18, 2023 13:02:37 GMT
Thanks for the post Carty , IRRC BL had a similar ID crisis with what became the Austin Princess. have to have a scout of some of the car ads to post on here again soon.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on May 18, 2023 13:09:49 GMT
Yes it did. The wedge shaped Princess was launched in March 75, to replace the 1800. Initially it was called the 18-22 and was available in Austin, Morris and Wolseley versions. In September 75, Leyland was nationalised, to bail it out as it was on the verge of going bust, in the recommendation of the Ryder report, which then saw Leyland signs at the dealerships, so badge engineering was ditched and the car was then the Leyland Princess, the Wolseley version being dropped after only six months
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Post by Gene Hunt on May 27, 2023 19:10:01 GMT
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Post by Dirty Epic on May 28, 2023 10:48:31 GMT
Very nice find Gene, those 2300's were nice back then.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on May 29, 2023 15:56:23 GMT
Nice find Gene I agree! That model Viva estate I think was a bit of a lead in to the more luxurious equipped Magnum 2300 estate which replaced that model in late 1973, which as well as an interior revamp and name change also changed to the 4 headlamp front (together with the 1800 engine option and saloon versions). Tuning firm Blydenstein Racing offered a performance modification for the 2300SL estate too, with some road testers calling it a poor man's Scimitar GTE!
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Post by Gene Hunt on Jun 10, 2023 17:57:08 GMT
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Post by Dirty Epic on Jun 11, 2023 10:10:06 GMT
Those RS 1800 & Mexico's look very tasty probably more rarer these days than the 2000's. If only Ford were as committed to RS these days can't see there Mustang/Crossovers being suitable modern day replacements for these Escorts? Another great find Gene.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Jun 11, 2023 18:29:06 GMT
Many thanks for that post Gene! An original concours, numbers matching MK2 RS Escort of one of those models is worth incredible money now. That must be an early advert from early 1976 (just after the MK2 Mexico and the beak nosed RS2000 were launched) due the Mexico's chrome door handles, shortly changed for the black ones. The RS1800 had been launched about a year earlier.
The RS1800 model had a more sophisticated BDA engine for competition whereas the OHC "Pinto" engine for the Mexico and RS2000 was the basic design of engine from a more mundane American compact hatchback car called the Pinto - hence the name. Probably why the RS1800 was faster as it was already developed from the 1600 BDA engine of it's predecessor the MK1 RS1600.
The RS2000 was the most successful model of the 3, selling approx 10,500 units as opposed to the 2,500 approx of the Mexico and 109 RS1800 road cars with apparently around 75 survivors. The RS2000 was around the longest too, from 1976 to the end of MK2 Escort production in 1980.
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