1937 Triumph Dolomite 6-cyl

In the care of the current owner for the past ten years, this rare two-litre, straight-six engined example is thought to be one of fewer than ten examples to have survived. Registered in 1937, it is actually a 1938 model year car that has been in regular use since it was new.

A well-known example with just three former keepers - the latter of which was the chairman of the Pre-1940 Triumph Motor Club - this is a meticulously documented, beautifully preserved example of a vintage British car that will unlock the door to a vast range of Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC) events for its lucky new owner.

Strong, reliable and ready to delight and thrill its new owner, it is being offered with a very sensible reserve and would serve as the ideal introduction to the vintage car world.

The paintwork is wonderfully patinated, and before you think we’re damning with faint praise we aren’t; a car like this should be about conservation rather than restoration and we’re delighted to see that where work has been necessary over the years – and at 83 years old it will obviously have needed some – the repairs and touching-in has been localized, preserving as much of the car’s original paintwork as possible.

And yet, despite the odd area of new paint, the occasional stonechip and even the odd crack in the surface finish, the car still looks utterly magnificent: the boss used expressions like “quite gorgeous” and “delightful” to describe it, finishing by saying that it is “straight, true, honest and strong. It wears its heart on its sleeve, and has nothing to hide.”

Take a look at the photos to see what he means; our photographer is a talented chap and we think he’s captured the car, defects and all, perfectly. It’s a strong, very usable example, that is free of rust, damage and bodgery – and we’d always rather buy a car like this than one that’s had a quick blow over to tart it up for auction…

The famous ‘waterfall’ radiator grille is thought to be original, and while you might not think that’s worth stating, it really is because modern reproductions vastly outnumber the real thing. It, along with the rest of the exterior chromework, is in a great condition, ‘better than the paintwork’.

The painted wire wheels are in great shape too, and it’s good to see the owner has resisted the urge to chrome plate them, a move that can lead to all sorts of unwelcome stresses and does nothing for the longevity of the spokes. Sure, they’ll need another lick of paint at some point but for now they’re strong and true and presentable enough.

The twin horns and spotlights are present and correct and add enormously to the vintage appeal of the car. Both look terrific and will help you satisfy your inner Mr. Toad.

The sunroof means you can enjoy open-air motoring when the weather co-operates, and the security and coziness of a closed saloon when it doesn’t.

The final thing to note is the precision with which the doors open and close. This might seem like a small, almost irrelevant detail but the way they’ve been hung and latch struck us as being worth mentioning because cars don’t function this well without a great deal of time and effort going into their assembly and ongoing maintenance.

The leather seats might look lightly patinated yet this is a trick of the photography as they are only seven or eight years old. The refurbishment has been done very sympathetically and they look, and feel, great.

As do the simply gorgeous Jaeger instruments with their ivory faces; they, along with the huge steering wheel – complete with advance and retard levers, and loud/soft selector for the horn - and vast wooden slab of a dashboard make for an imperious view from the driver’s seat.

In fact, the entire interior is every bit as fabulous as you’d expect of a vehicle that competed with the very best cars of the day. As the boss put it: “it is clearly a premium car, stuffed full of lovely details.” Witness the ivory knobs, plaited grab handles, and rear-hinged ‘suicide’ doors front and rear, which not only look fabulous but make entry and exit more graceful than the more modern arrangement.

The carpets are recent but still look entirely in keeping with the rest of the interior. The underlying wooden floor has also been strategically reinforced with metal plates. This work might not look overly pretty but it does strengthen the area up nicely.

Aside from that, the only other jarring note – and it is only a minor matter – is the rev counter, which is a more modern item. Still, think of the hours of fun you’ll have tracking down a genuine period one to complete the interior.

Oh, and there’s even a battery cut-off switch to help preserve its charge during extended periods in the garage. It functions as a nifty little anti-theft measure, too.

The engine was stripped down and completely rebuilt in November 2015. The work was comprehensive and took more than 150 man-hours to complete and resulted in a bill for more than £2,000. However, despite the passage of more than four years since being completed, the refurbished engine has just completed its running-in period, so is still fresh and powerful and performing as it should.

The Triumph was also fitted with a new steering box in May 2019, and a new clutch in February 2019. The radiator was also professionally refurbished in April 2019, at a total cost of £2,160.

The engine bay itself is very clean and tidy; this, along with the centre-hinged bonnet, will make working on it a pleasure, which will make sorting out the occasionally messy wiring less of a chore than it might otherwise have been.

The chassis and underside of the car looks to be straight, strong and fit to fend off another eight-and-a-bit decades with aplomb.

The vendor drove the car down to The Market HQ last week, completing the 30 mile journey with no issue. On our short testdrive we found the car very strong and that all the functions worked well. In fact it is worth saying that with the synchro ‘box, this car’s controls are exactly the same as those we use today.

The Triumph doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we always encourage new owners to have the cars re-MOT’d at the earliest.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a huge number of invoices and bills as well as both hand-written and typed summaries to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

The Dolomite has also featured in the Pre-1940 Triumph Motor Club’s in-house magazine as well as Classic Car Weekly, and page 74 of Triumph Cars – The Complete Story by Graham Robson and Richard M Langworth. Also included are many badges and rosettes from just some of the many vintage car runs and rallies it has completed, including the famous Daffodil Rally, in which it has been a regular contender.

It also comes with a series of exploded diagrams that have been used to have parts reproduced over the years, plus data sheets, workshop instructions and much more. It is, in fact, too much to comprehensively photograph, so please feel free to pop along to take a look at it and the car, or ask us if there is anything you would like us to take photos of if you’d rather not venture out in these uncertain times.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so please have close inspection of the galley.

Or, even better, contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call, where you can direct us in real-time.

With a guide price of between £12,000 and £20,000, this wonderful Triumph Dolomite is a classic example of just how much vintage car you get for your money – and, if you’ve never owned or driven one, we can confirm that vintage cars can be enormous fun, especially if you’re looking to join in the fun and japes arranged by the VSCC, one of the most active car clubs in the world with a wide range of sporting and social activities to suit every taste.

Not one for the rivet-counting stuff-shirt in its current condition, it is nonetheless a strong, solid and reliable example and what few faults it has are out in the open; duplicity is an alien concept to it, which makes it more Churchill than Johnson. Reliable too, and don’t forget that barely run-in engine…

And, if that weren’t incentive enough to buy a rare example of one of the best, most luxurious and stylish cars of the thirties, the really good news is that the seller is pragmatic enough to have set his reserve even lower than that, which means one of you could walk off with the biggest bargain of 2020 to date…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.