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54 Swallow for sale at Anglia Car Auctions April classic car auction 

Could be an interesting and worthwhile project as there can’t be many left in this condition 

https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic/saturday-4th-april-2020/1954-swallow-doretti/

Estimate 18 - 22k

if only I had the space and more importantly the money 

Edited by Jonathan Smith
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          That looks a nice rocker cover for a Standard Sportsman and with a fancy flip up oil filler. I'm surprised I've not seen one on a TR before now but I guess there are not many Sportsmen about. (Sportsmans?) The Doretti looks a bit scruffy and needs some trim parts but the estimate is low, I wonder if it runs?

          Cheers

                      Richard

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On 3/9/2020 at 4:21 PM, Harbottle said:

Surely Caroline could hold down a second job :D, and space is infinite or so I am told.

 

 

I had suggested this and also removing  the ground floor bay window  as the front living room would make a great second garage. Unfortunately   neither suggestion was well received. I don’t know why it seemed like a. more than reasonable proposals to me with swallows not coming up for sale that often

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  • 3 months later...

Hi all, 

I am the new owner of this Doretti! Owner of a TR3A and a Spitfire 1500, both of which came to me in arguably worse condition than this car... Clearly a sucker for something that needs love. I've lusted after the Swallow since I was 14 (28 now, so about half my short life :)) and though I may have slightly overpaid (I am sure you all will be able to tell me) I am tremendously excited to have such a piece of history and the opportunity to restore it to a deserving sparkle. Particularly excited that this car has the original hard top, which as I understand are hen's teeth.

I'll be posting a lot, I'm sure, as I begin the process of "de-scruffing". Can't wait to have the car up with me (I'm in Scotland, anticipating later this week). I have some experience fabricating interior panels and reupholstering (I like to do things myself wherever possible),  but my main concern will be finding patterns, and determining what changes might be all right and which ones destroy value/history! 

Meanwhile, if anyone has a spare Doretti rocker cover and wants to swap it for a Standard Sportsman cover, you know where to find me...

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@Dic Doretti I see you are in Argyll and Bute! I am currently in Auchterarder. Perhaps, if you'd like, we can meet up (social distancing observed, of course) once the car arrives, or at least chat in PMs etc. I'd love to see your Doretti, looks beautiful and definitely would be useful for the finer details of trim and finishing.

Cheers,

Jack

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Thanks John! Always been a Triumph fan, and the "specials" (SD, Italia) are particular faves. I can't wait to get stuck in. I've started a thread with initial questions, the answers to some of which I have already garnered from looking through prior posts of Swallows for sale... It seems that the black of the car might not be an original colour, and changing colours won't entirely alienate everyone and destroy the value :)  

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Hi Jack

              Welcome to the fold and congratulations on your purchase. You are in good company as there are 9 Dorettis in Scotland and Alan Gibb just south of Aberdeen is probably the most enthusiastic owner of all, he also has a hardtop. Hopefully this lock down will finish soon and we can all get together. 

              My car was originally black when new followed by several shades of red a stage which all sports cars go through and finally a silvery blue and I suspect your car will have a similar history. Its your car so paint it a colour you like and the rocker box cover looks good but the original cover is a plain black pressed steel affair, all alloy covers are after market. I will pm you my contact details.

              Cheers Richard 

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Good to know these things are flexible, re: colours etc! Also that there are 9 in Scotland - definitely would love to attend a meetup when everything has simmered down. Even as is the car runs and drives legally, just lacks door panels and carpets... So I can make a tatty appearance :) 

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I spent many years restoring my last  Swallow from a pile of parts, there was no trace of paint so I felt free to paint it a colour of my choice and the engine was wrecked so in went a 2.5 Daimler V8 engine. I had a lot of fun with that car with 2 runs to Le Mans, a TR tour to Orkney and Shetland plus International Weekends etc which for me is what it is all about. Never did get around to trimming the interior!

          Cheers Richard

IMG_0602.JPG

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Wonderful picture :) What a great meetup! 

The Swallow arrived today. A quick once-over shows more or less what I expected - moderate paint, a clean-slate interior, and a very good engine! The electrics need some fettling - lights and indicators not running, push start doesn't work (you have to push directly on the solenoid) but had an absolute blast driving it on a short stretch of private road. Pulls like a train, the engine actually feels stronger than my '3A... 

A nice thing is it came with several of the (badly deteriorated) interior panels, so patterns for new ones are going to be very easy. Based on every area of the car (especially the roof, which is part-bare where the paint has flaked off) this car was originally black, as it is now - but I think I will still change the colour, as I don't think it's the best complement to the lines. 

All very exciting!

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Great looking car!   I think the black is beautiful, but of course now you get to choose!  What is the conventional wisdom about how certain colors highlight certain body lines?   My Doretti is now white and I think the lines do get washed out a bit with that color.  Congrats on getting the car.  Lot 200 looks like an excellent find!

cheers

Dan

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Hi Dan,

I think the wisdom runs along the lines - white washes out the lines by making them fade, but black can also hide them in shadow/make the car stand out less. Of course, it totally depends on the type of car too - the Traction Avant is always great in black, and fiddly-detail cars like the 190SL I think look great in white. I haven't seen a full picture of a white Doretti so I couldn't comment but I'm sure it's still lovely! 

I very crudely photoshopped the car into blue... I'd probably go even slightly darker (or at least less purple) and perhaps stick with the original cream interior, with details in dark blue.

Thanks for the congrats - it's been three days of howling wind and rain since I got the car, so I've only driven it for about 2 minutes, but I'm so excited to get to work!

Blue attempt.JPG

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What a nice car Jack! 
it’s just my opinion, but I would consider to do a “technical refurb” only to retain it’s patina. I’ve seen a Healy 100/4 like that, technically sound and reliable, but otherwise clearly showing 60+ years of age. What a Magnificent time warp.

Wish I could buy a TR250/5 like that, they are rare.

Cheers,

Waldi

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Hi Jack,

I was surprised how a friends Jaguar SS Tourer (1936) interior came out of a thourough clean, re-sewing  and polish. Worth a try if you want to go that route.
Anyway, enjoy your pride.

Cheers,

Waldi

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It would be worth trying a leather restorer on the seats, its amazing how leather can be brought back to look good I use TRG renovating balm, it comes in lots of different colours and is about a tenner on Amazon but there are lots of other products out there 

George

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