01x01 - Dolomite Sprint

[bunniefuu]

I'm Ant Anstead.

I've been fixing cars
since I was a teenager.

And I've set myself
the task of restoring...

Yes! Come on!

...and selling eight
crumbling old cars for profit.

It's the ultimate road cruiser.

And the stakes are high
because it's personal.

The cow room is now the bathroom.
Okay.

Everything I make is going towards
this 500-year-old farmhouse...

She goes today,
which means big hammer.

...that I bought
for my mum and dad to retire in.

So, what's gone wrong there, then?
Bodged.

But it's a total wreck.

How far away from collapse is this?

A really good storm
could cause a problem.

Let's do it.

With my family by my side...

Feels like a proper brake pedal now.

...and some help from
my engineer mate, Darren...

Are you joining me for the ride?
Yeah. Why not?

...I've got the best team
around me...

Ant, watch out!

...as I take on eight wrecks
on wheels...Perfect.

...and a house that's falling apart.

What, the whole thing's being kept
up by chicken wire?Pretty much.

It's a massive gamble.
Come on, breathe.

I am losing sleep over this.

I'll be honest,
I have no idea what's going on.

This is, er, workshop setup day.

This is the big part
of the business model.

Workshop in here.

Find cars, fix 'em,
flip 'em, sell 'em,

take the profit,
stick it in the house.

Sounds easy if you say it quickly.

But I can't do it all on my own.

Darren!Yo.

So, my best mate, Darren's here
to lend a hand.

This is our new
perfect workshop space.

The perfect workshop. Okay.

I'm gonna turn
the home storage facility,

which is this barn,

into an actual working workshop.
Uh-huh.

We fill this barn
with restoration projects,

take that margin,
and we stand a fine chance

of finishing the house.Okay.

Darren used to work for Rolls-Royce.

He's an incredible mechanic,

and a bit glass half empty.

I've known Ant a long time.

He comes up with these
marvellous ideas.

I have to, kind of,
make those ideas work

and rein him in occasionally.

While Darren sorts out the barn...

Oh.

...or maybe just knocks it down...

...Mum and Dad have dropped by

to see how the work
on the farmhouse is going.

Come on, let's check it out.
How you doing?

Hi. Hi, Dad.Hi, son.
How you doing? Nice to see you.

Let's go. This way.
What have we got?

Right. Come and check it out.

Oh, my goodness.
What have you done with the ceiling?

No, what have you done
with the walls?

It's a huge job.
We're not moving in here next week.

Yeah, it's... It's a bigger project
than I thought.

I love the character.
I am just a little bit shocked

at the state it's in.

This is 100 times worse
than I thought it would be,

but I am absolutely committed
to getting it done.

He's gonna wait till we die,

and then, he's got it,
do you think?

If you stay in here any longer,
it'll probably fall on you.

Flipping cars can't start too soon.

I'm headed deep into the
Hertfordshire countryside

to scope out a rare British saloon

that could be just
the money spinner I need

to kickstart the renovation.

A friend of a friend
has put out feelers

knowing I'm looking for projects,
and has found me a Triumph.

And, of course,
I'm a British car guy.

Triumph. Boom, tick.

It's a Dolomite,
so bang on, my era of car.

I'm a late '70s kid,

so Dolomite was around
about that period.

The problem is, Dolomite
don't command huge value,

so, to do a viable
restoration project

that's gonna make decent money,
it has to be halfway there.

Right. I think... I think it's here.

Hey. Hi. Morning.
Hiya. Morning.

I'm assuming you're Dave.
I am. Nice to meet you, Ant.

So, I understand, er,

there's a potential
Triumph for sale.

Yes. So, in my garage,
there's a 1980 Triumph Dolomite.

It's actually my brother's.
I'm selling it for him.

Your brother knows...
He knows it's for sale.

I'll not get in some family feud?

Absolutely not.
No, no, it's all good.

Would you like to have a look?Yeah!

It's my favourite moment...
...in car-buying.

Here we are.Oh, yeah.

Oh, it's a Sprint.
Is it a real Sprint?Yeah. Yeah.

It's a genuine Sprint?Genuine.Wow.

Triumph was part of British Leyland.

Their infamous strikes delayed
the launch of the Dolomite

until the London Motor Show
in October 1971.

In 1973,

the two-litre Sprint arrived.

It was marketed as an elegant
four-door family saloon

with the hot performance
of a sports car,

to rival the likes of the BMW 2002.

The sporty Sprints
could reach 120 miles an hour.

Priced at £1,740,

less than 23,000 were ever made.

And only 400 are still
on the UK roads today,

so this one's caught my eye.

So, give me the skinny
on the car then.

What's the basic history?

Okay, so it was owned
by a guy locally

who spent a lot of money on it.

And my brother eventually bought it.
Got it running.

Right. How far did he get?
At what point is it, at the moment?

Okay, so the engine has been
boosted to about 180hp.

Way more than it originally was.
Love it.

So, she starts now.
Well, not at the moment.

There's a slight issue
with the starter...
Of course, she doesn't.

The slight issue is, well,
there is no starter motor.

Replacing it is a simple
part purchase,

but buying any car
without seeing it run is a gamble,

because there could be a load
of other unknown engine problems.

I'll leave you to it.
Thanks, buddy.Cheers.

All right. Wow. I gotta admit,

I'm actually really
pleasantly surprised.

The reality is, I'm already in love
with the Triumph Dolomite,

they're cool cars.
But the fact it's a Sprint

makes it even better.
But there are some clear issues.

Rumour had it that, in the '80s,

Triumph used poor quality steel.

Whether they did or not,
they have got a reputation for rust.

Question is, how much?

Now, this is this car's problem.

That whole panel is gone.

Yeah, that's actually
quite a big welding job.

Right, part the negativity of rust

and focus on this.

The engine bay on this car is...

It's exactly what I want.

The Sprint is the one to get.

Weber carbs,
upgraded cooling system,

stainless exhaust.

This thing's gonna go like stink.

Weber carburettors are
a premium performance upgrade,

designed to let more fuel air
mix into the engine,

giving it more power.

A new Weber carb kit
would set me back £1,600,

so as long as these are good,
this is a result.

That just leaves the interior.

Oh, my God.

I mean, the veneer
is an obvious problem.

It's gone this weird,
kind of, milky...

Hopefully, it's just the varnish,

and the wood can be saved.

I reckon it'll take about a grand

to get the car back
to its original condition,

and that's just for
the problems I can see.

So, now it's all about price.

Oh, lovely.There you go.
Look at that. I can't believe that.

It's been a while.
Living in the US, I miss...

Proper cup of tea, this.Well,
I'll judge it in a minute. Hang on.

Yeah, it's actually really good.

Well, obviously, there's a few
issues that might seem small,

but they're quite big
red flags for me.Okay.

So, we have rust issues,
starter motor issues,

I don't know whether it runs,
so it boils down to numbers.

Well, I've got my brother's back
here, remember,

and, for us, it was a ten-grand car.

Erm...I don't know
what your thoughts are.

I'll be honest,
not a ten-grand car.Okay.

I'm looking at...
I mean, probably the six mark.

What's the bottom line?
What would your brother take

right now, in his absence,
that's gonna make him happy?

I think he'd love to see eight.

Well, if I'm at six
and you're at eight,

let's go bang in the middle now.

Seven grand?Seven grand.
You got a deal.

Yeah?Yeah. Go on. Go on.Yes!

I know he'll, er, probably
never speak to me again, but...

I mean, I've done you a favour.

A 7K deal and a helping hand
on the trailer

means my grand plan
is up and running.

So, when I go back and tell my dad

I just bought a...

a Dolomite for seven grand,

he's gonna go,
"What's seven grand do to the house?

"You've just bought a Dolomite
for the porch

"or part of the new roof."

But I'm confident that
our Dolomite's gonna make profit.

And, erm, he who laughs last
laughs longest.

Oh, I hope it's not my dad.

It makes me very nervous
when he goes out to buy a car,

and I don't know
what he's bringing back.

Erm, I'm quite apprehensive of what
he's actually committed us to.

You're gonna wear that broom out.
Oh, hello.

Do you wanna give me a hand?

You mean it doesn't run?
Bring Dad as well.

Nigel!

Hey, what have we got?

We got a car we gotta push.

A Dolomite!Oh, wow.

Oh, excellent.

Okay, has it got an engine?

I hope it's got an engine.
All right.

Ooh. Let's leave it right here,

and I'm gonna show you
the glorious Dolomite Sprint.

Come on, initial reaction.

It's a little bit crusty.

Er...What's he gonna find?
A big hole.

Oh...

This side's okay.
What happened to the other side?

Yeah, that side's been done.

But it's the groundbreaking
four-cylinder, 16-valve,

overhead cam engine
that makes this car worth restoring.

Oh, yes.That is the look of a man

who sees twin Weber carburettors.

So, why doesn't it run?

There's no starter motor.

I know you need one of those.

But I'm gonna propose, very quickly,

it's a Triumph part, we can get
a starter motor quite swiftly.

We put it in the car and try it.

Make sure there's really
no engine problems.

My gut tells me
this is a solid, driveable car

that has a starter motor issue.
Okay, well...

In which case...

And here comes the bad bit.
There's more?Now, open the door.

Every single panel
that has wood in it

will have to be removed off the car,

and tackled, by hand,
panel by panel.

That's a specialist job.

So, what would you say,
this car, fully finished,

turn the key, drive it away,
would be worth?

It's got to be mid-teens upwards.

We will have a very, very
saleable car.

Oh, it'll be a saleable car
when it's done,

but we've got a bit of work to do.

All right, I'm gonna go
buy us a starter motor.

I've bought a centuries-old
farmhouse

for my mum, Sue,
and my dad, Nigel, to retire in.

It's gonna be fantastic
when it's done.

A 16th century
restored house...

17th century.

Oh, somebody told me it was 16th.

1600s is 17th century.Okay.

Either way, unless some work
is done on it sharpish,

it won't be standing much longer.

Hopefully, my 1980s Dollie Sprint
can pull in some cash.

I picked up a starter motor
from a Triumph specialist.

It set me back £117,

and is a modern equivalent
of an original part.

This is the starter motor.

This big chunk of metal here

is fitted underneath
the exhaust manifold on this side,

and, quite clearly, you can't get

this bit of metal
down through that hole.

So, the only way I can fit
a starter motor on this

is from the underside out.

It's a fiddly way
to fit a starter motor,

and the Dollie's cramped engine bay
makes it even harder.

It's going,

but it is quite tight.

When you turn the ignition,

the starter motor
engages with the flywheel,

using a small gear
called the pinion.

This turns the engine over,

sucking in air and fuel.

The spark then ignites the mixture,

and if all goes well,
the Dollie starts.

They will fight...

...but they will never win.

Okay, she's in.

But tightening the bolts
is a real k*ller.

The space is so limited,

my ratchet's got about...

five teeth worth of leverage.

Right. This is the last now.

You have to do it up super tight

because the motor's under
a great deal of pressure.

Okay, wires.

Now, the wires are in here already.

Attaching it to the battery
means I can test it,

but I have to be careful.

I can't risk the old degraded fuel
that's been sat in the tank

being pulled into the system,

as it could damage
those Weber carbs.

Now, under here...

This little thing here,
this is the electric fuel pump,

so if I disconnect that,

that means no fuel is gonna be
pumping towards the engine.

So, I'm gonna do a little cheat.

I'm basically gonna fill these
carburettor chambers with fuel.

It means that the engine
will be able to run, or not,

just for a second.

I wanna know if our car has life.

Time to find out
if I'm looking at 100 quid

for a new starter motor,
or hidden engine problems

that could cost me thousands.

Darren?Hello.
Dude, check it out.

I'm just filling up, 'cause
I'll crank it over for a second.

I just wanna see if it'll run.
Are you ready?Yeah.

Oh!Oh!
Come on. This is it.

Come on, Dollie.

It's trying. It's definitely trying.

Yes!Yes!

Come on!

Oh, yeah!

Yes. That's my girl.

Oh.

Yes!Excellent.Well done, girl.

Cars, I can do.
Houses are more of a challenge,

and the state of the kitchen roof
on the back end of the house

is worrying me.

If my parents are ever
gonna move in,

I need to find out
just how bad things are.

I've called in
a structural engineer,

Ben Blackwell, to help
figure out a plan of attack.

Lead on.BEN: Thanks. Right.

I mean, I can clearly see
that's a problem.

Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, this joist here

has actually sheared completely
in the past,

and then, the previous tenants

have added another piece of timber
to extend it.

That's actually...
Yeah, they've botched it, indeed.

That's actually
stopped short as well,

and that's not making it
any more, either.

There are certain elements of this
which have completely failed.

Rotten timbers on
the east and west elevations,

which are completely rotten through.

What's happening is the roof
is pushing the walls out,

and the walls are pulling
the joists away

from this central support beam.

Eventually, the whole...
It wants to come down.

The house was probably built first,
and built as a house.

Whereas, this area, we think,

probably was built
as a dairy or stables.

And, of course, we don't build
our structures quite as robustly

for farm animals,
as we do for ourselves.

How far away from collapse is this?

A really good storm
could cause a problem,

which causes another problem.

So, we're talking
major construction.

We're talking a lot of work.
Yes, absolutely.

I think the roof is the big thing.

You can see the dormers
are falling in,

the roof is starting to spread.

Upshot is, my parents
won't be moving

into this part of the house
anytime soon.

Everything from there backwards

is written off in my mind,

because that part of the house
is condemned. It's overwhelming.

So, the focus is
the front of the house only,

which, actually, is a humble home.

It's two up, two down.

To make the front of the house
liveable for my parents,

I need to fix the leaky roof.
It's gonna cost thousands,

so the Dollie needs
to turn a good profit.

If I get it right,

the Dollie could sell
for over 14 grand,

so I've got to get
the rust sorted first.

Right. This is...

the big job on this
Triumph Dolomite,

replacing the rusty sill.

Most '70s cars corrode

because they were not
sufficiently protected.

And Dollies often rust
in the sill area,

which is a crucial part
of the car's strength.

Right. I'm in the sill zone.

Okay, I'm glad you are.
I know, right?

But, look, I've got this lovely
replacement panel.

This is gonna end up
somewhere in there.Mmm-hmm.

It cost me 130 quid
from an online bodywork specialist.

Without it, the car would become
dangerously unstable.

I think, if we cut this out first,

and then, we can have
a good old look.

Yeah, see where it goes.Mmm-hmm.
Should we take the doors off?

Got it.

So, the way that Triumph
made this car, this monocoque,

is a section of metal jigsaw puzzles
welded together,

to give strength and structure.

So, the one that we're worried
about today is this one.

This sill section here.

Now, worst-case scenario,
I gotta replace the entire sill.

But my hope is, I'm gonna get
a little bit lucky,

because this panel looks quite good.

So, I'm gonna let some paint off.

Oh, gosh. See, hidden under
that first bit of black paint,

a really bad rust hole.

And another one.

All right. Okay. Yeah.

It makes sense just to replace
the whole panel.

This is turning
into a major surgery job.

I need to slice from
the bottom of the door

right down to the base
of the original sill,

to get the rusty section out.

Oh, my God, look in there.

So, the problem is
the structure of the monocoque.

It has this panel in,

the holes in, and you can see
it's completely gone.

So, before I can mould that one in,

I need to replace
that panel as well.

I know.

I know, I know.

I should have got
the inner panel as well.Oh, my.

There's not a lot left
of that, is there?

No.Right. Okay.

Better go get one, then.

Hello. I'm wondering
if you could help me.

I'm looking for an inner sill,

reinforcing power for
a 1980 Triumph Dolomite Sprint.

Cheers, Darren. At 76 quid,

a new inner sill is an expense
I hadn't bargained for,

so I just hope
this Dollie isn't hiding

any more rusty secrets. Okay.

Do you know what, though?
The panel behind

is really, really good.

So, the rust is isolated
to the sill outer panel

and the sill support panel,

which is a win for us.

So far, this Dollie restoration
owes me £7,320.

So, if I can sell it
in the mid-teens,

well, I'll be happy.

Yeah. I mean,
this is gonna make this car

super safe, solid,
and a stronger car handles better.

And this is a fast road
"racy" style car,

so it's all about handling.

Stay. Stay.

Now, this panel

now fits... beautifully
within the gap.

All lines up lovely.

Now, the key is,
I can't actually fit this outer sill

until I get the internal panel.

We've come as far as we can.

My Triumph Dollie Sprint
has a serious rust problem.

But Darren has managed
to get his hands

on just the part I need.

Fitting the support panel
is relatively easy.

Once it's cut to size,
it just needs to be welded

securely into position.

Hello, mate.Check it out.

Oh, that side. Much better, mate.

I know, right?

This Dolomite is structurally
sound once more.

Getting the new outer sill fitted
is a two-man job.

Hit it, hit it!

Slowly, slowly catchy monkey.

Nah, whack it. It's a Dolomite.

They like to be treated mean.

Mmm-hmm. Do we wanna hang a door
and check the line first?

Yeah, for sure.

And what we ideally want is the
perfect shutline around the door,

and the location of that lower panel
would determine the shutline

on the bottom of the door.

When it comes to shutlines
and panel gaps,

there is only one way to do it,
and that's to do it right.

Boom! This shutline is nice

and this is...
Yeah, it needs to go up.

That is...

That is the one.Mmm-hmm.

Right, this is it. Speak now,
or forever hold your peace.

Oh, look at that. Glorious.

Now, that sill...

is now structurally in,
and the next stop

needs to be the paint booth,
to blend it in and make it yellow.

I only wanna go
to the paint shop once,

but, unfortunately, my Dollie needs

some paintwork blisters
repaired first.

Question is, are they
just surface rust or worse?

Yeah.

It has penetrated the metal.

Oh, man. This one's pretty bad.

See, the rust has gone
all the way through.

Only one way to deal with this,
that's to cut this section out,

and weld a new bit of steel in.

To save some cash,
I'm using a leftover portion

of the sill panel.

That's the flat piece of steel
cut to size.

But flat's not the shape I'm after.

What I wanna do is find
something in the barn...

that fits that curve.

See, look how nice

that piece of steel fits there now.

And I bent that
on the old door rail.

You know, when the panel
fits nicely,

you don't have to hold it.
It just rests in place.

Now, that is the patchwork done.

And, actually, that represents
the final part

of the bodywork on the Dolomite.

New sill, blisters all resolved,

patchwork in.

Actually, the next thing
for this car

is to go to the paint booth,
because whatever the temptation is,

don't try and paint the car
in a dusty old barn.

Thanks to its new
inner and outer sill panel,

my Dollie is structurally safe.

The same can't be said for the roof
at the front of the house.

To make that watertight,
I've been quoted £12,000.

Most people would do all the work

under the cover
of a temporary tin roof.

But that would cost me
another 20 grand,

and no Dolomite
would ever pay for that.

Fortunately, though, I've got
a brother in the roofing business.

Timo is here.

Right, this is the moment
where you work out

how many favours
I accumulated as a child.

What's up?

All right?How's it going?
All right.

I've got a solution.

If we can save costs
by scaffolding the front section,

get the front section done
in a window

where the sun
don't shine down on us.

Then relocate the scaffolding...
You'll save some cash,

but, if it rains,
you are totally screwed,

'cause that'll be rotting
in the rain.

You'll put another year or two
on the job.

You need to get felt and battened,

and you need to get them back on...
Before it rains.

You know I love taking risks.

I know, but unfortunately,
we're in England,

and no one does this job, no one,
without a roof on it.

Now, though, you see...

The minute you say,
"No one does it..."

Yes, and I know you.

My other genius penny-pinching plan

is to try and re-use as many
of the original tiles as possible.

I think a lot of them
are gonna break, personally.

That's why they're called
biscuit tiles.

They're fragile.
Yeah, they're biscuit tiles.

Tread on 'em, they'll break.
Put your knee on 'em, they shatter.

Dunk them, and they're tasty.

So, provided they come out right,

'cause they're already hooked on.

So, they're held on by two nails,
right?Only every sixth one.

Every sixth one
is held on by two nails?

One nail, and then,
the rest of them,

literally, got two little lips
on the back of the tile,

and it just sits on the back
like that. It just hangs. Yeah.

Oh, my God. I'm learning
so much about homes.

I need to teach you some car stuff.

I hate cars.

I don't think, personally,
you'll get that off.

Felt and battened, cleaned,
back on in a week.

You're literally, like, the doom
monger of all doom mongers.

Give me one bit of positive news.

Positive news is, I'm a scaffolder

and I'll do the scaffolding for ya.
There you go.Yes!

But nothing's free.I know that.

It's two pints of Guinness.

Taking a risk on the British weather

and pulling in family favours
saves me a lot of cash,

but the roof is still
gonna cost me 12 grand.

So, I'd best get back
to doing what I do best.

Right. Veneers.

Eight of them in the car,
and they've each suffered.

The lacquer has completely gone
this milky, failed creamy colour.

So, they need to come out.

There you go.

And the wood itself
is in great condition.

It's literally just
the lacquer that's failed.

Right.

At the moment, that looks
like a bit of a dog's dinner.

But that in the hands
of a professional wood meister,

is gonna really lift and transform
the interior of our car.

And that's what's gonna sell it.

Veneering is a specialist skill,

which is why I'm sending the panels
150 miles northwest to Cheshire.

The book price
for getting them sorted

would be a profit-busting 700 quid.

But I've got an old friend
to do me a cracking deal

if I cover the cost of materials.

Cheers, Ged.

So, what causes
this milkiness is, basically,

car lacquer has been sprayed
on top of this,

the woodwork hasn't been primed,
so the lacquer has started to lift.

So, then you get the milkiness.

This process is
a real labour of love.

First step is to remove
the old lacquer

using a hot air g*n.

Next, the damaged
original worn-up veneer

is sanded off, to reveal
the solid piece of ash beneath.

On the Dolomite Sprint,
a thin veneer of expensive wood

gave the car a luxury feel
at a more affordable price.

To achieve that Bentley feel
on a Triumph budget,

a piece of straight grain,
real wood, walnut veneer

is cut to size, and then,
glued onto the ash trim.

Next, it's into the vacuum
heat press for 20 minutes,

to bond the two together.

Okay. The veneer is all bonded

to the substrate, with no damage.

It's all solid as a rock.

Then a light oak stain to bring out
the beauty of the grain.

Each piece of wood will get not one,

but seven coats of lacquer,

before being left to cure
for at least a week.

Then after the final
sand and smooth,

the last step, a good old polish.

That's it. All the polishing's done

and just look at that.

Absolutely beautiful.

If I had a Triumph Dolomite,

that's what I would want in it.

Veneer's done,
and the paint's nearly done, too.

The sills have been coated

with an authentic
Triumph inky yellow.

While they dry out,
I can get on with the roof,

with a little help
from my big bro, Tim.

Anthony has actually
come and help me scaffold

a couple of times
when he was younger.

But he's pretty scared of heights,
you can ask him.

He is, er, terrible with heights.

What do you need?
What, you're gonna help?

Of course, I'm gonna help.
Go up there.

I don't wanna go up there.
What can I grab?

We're gonna get some more of these.

What, do you want 8ft boards?
Yeah.Done.

It's gonna cost him a lot of money,
I think, in the end.

But he's gonna
give it a go, ain't he?

Where do you want 'em?

Seamless.
Made my life harder, didn't he?

Seems to have got
all of us in to help him,

which, er, he's quite lucky
in that sense, you know?

This is a bit
too big for him, really.

I think he has bitten off
more than he can chew.

He's a bit stupid,
but fair play to him.

Yo, Santa time.

This is way cooler than
a pair of socks at Christmas.

Look at that. That's amazing.

That's a massive transformation.

Now, we just need to fit them.

It's these, sort of, details,
particularly at an auction,

that make all the difference
in the value of the car.

Before the Dollie goes to auction,

the engine bay
needs a final tidy up.

You can see right here,

the existing air filter
is hitting the battery.

You can see where
it's all rubbed away, so...

I've got myself a pair
of new air filters.

£90 for the filters,
money well spent.

That really neatens out.
Right, what's next?

Damper.You wanna do the damper?
Yeah. Why not?

£110 for a new set of dampers.

This new addition will really
smooth out the car's ride,

and, most importantly, keep
the tyres in contact with the road.

Okay. I think we're there.

Yeah, this thing's gonna pop
under the auction hall lights.

I love the yellow.

Thanks to my brother, Tim,
I've saved on scaffolding.

But the roofing estimate is £12,000,

so every penny of profit counts.

Question is, how much
does the Dollie owe us,

now all the hard work's done?

Of course, the labour
for that work is free.

I've done it for love. And Darren?

He's done it for a pint... or three.

Where do you think
we're at, total-wise?

I think we spent about 1,500 quid.

All right. Well, I did a tally up.

Total...

£866, 59 pence.

That's not bad, is it?
That is not bad at all.

So, we paid...

£7,000.£7,000.

So, £7,866 and under

is a problem.Hmm.

But I'm quietly confident.
Yeah, me too.

And do you know what?

I'm just desperate to drive her.

Oh, my gosh!

This car is effortless.

Now, in terms of getting this car
ready for auction,

we have absolutely
smashed it out the park.

The steering's on point,

the brakes are amazing.

But the thing that gets me the most
about this car,

the thing that I love,
is the throttle response.

The way that those
Weber carburettors engage,

you just wanna hit that accelerator,

and it reacts instantly,

and it sounds unbelievable
at the same time.

I'm actually quite emotional.

Against all odds,
this car has been waiting to drive.

It's almost like...
it's got freedom.

Oh! What?

She's beautiful.

Oh, my gosh, we have built
a fantastic little Dolomite.

I love this car.

But getting her back on the road
took some effort.

So, the first job,
new starter motor,

get the engine turned over.
And then, it was all about rust.

It's a triumph in England.

Of course, it's rusty.
It's had two new panels

completely re-welded,
and at the same time,

tackled all the blemishes
that come through the paint,

including a little patch of weld
on the front.

And then, the only way
to make a car look beautiful

is to give it some paint.

And then, I think
the piece de resistance,

the veneers.

It's given a basic, kind of,
road race car, a bit of elegance.

Whoever buys our Sprint,

yeah, they got a great car.

There's only one place
for the car to go now,

and that's to auction,
which is being held

at the Silverstone Festival
in Northamptonshire.

From Ferraris to Lamborghinis,

more than 140 collectible classics

are going under the hammer today,

including our Sprint, as Lot No.400.

Great to see you all in here today.

You're very, very welcome.

Got 140 or so cars
to get through with you,

so do bid enthusiastically.

I would be lying
if I said I wasn't nervous.

If the Dolomite
doesn't make a profit,

then it's gonna have
a huge impact on the farmhouse.

Now the job is done,
it's handed over to the auctioneer.

There's no reserve. What she sells
for is what she sells for.

Well-proven example, this, for you

of the Dollie Sprint,
fourth generation.

Finish in that canary yellow.

At £8,000.

Going 500 anywhere else now?
At £8,000 only.

Five, can we wait? Online.
£8,500...

8.5. 8.5 puts us into profit.

£9,000...Nine grand. Yes.

That is good.I wanted five figures.

£10,000, they do bid

at £10,000.Congrats.

We can put your bid... At £10,000.

Okay, we're into five figures.
This is a good thing.

Back in full now. £11,000.
It's £11,000? Come on.

£12,000. They do...

Yes! Right on, 12 grand.

£13,000. Back in pool.

Unlucky for some,
but maybe not you there

at £13,000.Come on, 13 grand.

£14,000. Not quite.

£14,000?£14,000.

At £14,000. £14,500?

They're back in at £14,500.

Well...Here on the telephone,
against you online.

Selling then, at £14,500.
I am over the moon with that.

Here at £14,500
and selling to the telephone.

Your car, £14,500.

Yes.Yes.

Well done, guys. Thank you.

Oh, man, that was a real
heart-in-the-mouth moment.

It's... It's so wild.
The Dolomite, to make £14,500,

I am over the moon.
The Dolomite has done everything

that we wanted to do and more,
and we are...

Yeah. We're having a glass
of, er, something sparkly tonight.

Yep.Yeah, but you're paying
the bar bill.

Do you know what? I'm really, really
pleased with that.

I mean, 14.5 is a great price
for a Dolomite.

It went to a phone bidder,
and the quick math in my head

means that we've made a profit

over 6.5 grand, which,
straightaway, I'm thinking,

"Well, at least that pays
for half the roof."

But before I get in my car
and head back to the farmhouse,

there is one more thing.

As I stand here at Silverstone,

there's a Dolomite and a racetrack.

I mean, it seems reckless
to not at least give it a spin

and take someone with me.

My dad.

Seatbelt! Seatbelt!

I haven't got my seatbelt on yet.
You'll be okay.

Blimey. Wow. Slow down.

Slow down!

Ant!See, it's not bad, is it?

For goodness' sake,
put on the brakes. Sheesh.

Ant! Watch out!

For God's sake! Whoa.
She's great, isn't she?

Oh, I love this car.

I love this car.