Dutton register (for real duttons)

[Jay]

I was wondering is there a register for live and we'll dutton cars. Now I'm not talking about Robin hoods on dutton books. I'm mean real as I am duttons. Between me and couple of my friends we have a V8 s1 phaeton. A 2ltr s1 phaeton a 2ltr maliga and my Sierra. I've had a look about recently and can't find any sort of register for the cars. Perhaps and I do mean perhaps if there is such a thing maybe this would only help duttons stay duttons if you now what I mean. There really can't be too many cars left. And I think the Sierra's had suffered big losses due to being escort based. 

Thanks for reading my rant

[Big Vern]

Hi Jay,

Familiar rant, I had a few on similar subjects. Technically the DOC still exists but its become inert, most of the active members migrated here, though this site has died off in recent months, with fragmentation to cliquey facebook groups I rather suspect.

As for the cars anything decent has long since gone abroad as they are much more valued there, and the rest, largely broken up for the escort parts, a situation that was not helped in the '90's when the club actively promoted keeping Dutton prices low so they were 'accessible to all' but low values meant they were often not looked after well making them prime candidates for breaking. Its a sad situation but one that I feared long ago was inevitable and as with so much anti-car sentiment generally now the days of driving your car for pleasure, or at all, (driverless technology) are fast disappearing :(

[Jay]

It's heart breaking seeing what is happening to the cars. I no there is enthusiast out there but there is a real problem with like all marks of cheaper cars have a go heros. I don't mean to sound harsh but it's horrific some of the things I've seen done to lower end kit cars not just duttons. Just because you have a angle grinder doesn't mean you need to cut holes in your car. My car if far from perfect but she looks great now for a 36 years old shell. As do my friend's duttons

[Adrian Southgate]

I keep all the DOC archives etc, I'll get back to you in a bit, got a meeting tonight, funnily enough one of the few active dutton owners groups in the country.

[Jay]

[Jay]

Just a little bit of the paperwork with my car. Brilliant history with her

[James Doulton]

I still enjoy driving my Dutton ...

[Jay]

Good stuff James. And driven in anger as well I like that, that's what my wee car is getting built for mate. That's a really good colour on your car looks really really good. Where was that picture taken. Are they ecort cabriolet wheels or Orion 1600e.

[James Doulton]

That was at Castle Combe - my 'local' circuit. I'm going there again near the end of April but I need to sort out my car's rough running first.

I have them down as Cosworth wheels because that was what they were listed as on ebay. They are 14" with an ET of 36.5mm. I now use some Cobra 13" wheels (ET 8mm) with track day tyres as they make quite a difference. On the road I prefer these Fiesta wheels (ET 50mm) with 195/45x16's - they increase the gearing and increase the ground clearance for speed bumps.

[Jay]

OMG I've had a nightmare with wheels on the Sierra. I've got 15" with ET35 but cos they are front wheel drive Ford wheels I've had too fit 35mm hubcentric spacers..then the wheel studs on the car are 7/16 unf so I had to buy m12 collard nuts m12x1.5 to fit the spacers.....arghhh it's enough to send you mad :)..but I must say the paint is fabulous reminds me of the tvr colours and Nissan did a few flip colours as well (back in the day)

[James Doulton]

The car was owned by someone in Sunderland and I was told that it was painted by a body shop to practice for repairing Nissan Micras. That might be true. I don't think it was a very good job but it does look nice in the right light and from certain angles. Unfortunately I scratched it against a wall a couple of years ago and I haven't asked what it might cost to repair the paintwork. 

I have 62mm spacers on the front to make those wheels fit.

[Adrian Southgate]

15 x 8 et0, ebay purchase a few years back. 205/50/15 on the front and 235/45/15 on the rear.

also work well with slightly larger tyres.

[Jay]

I like the lower profile look myself but a good fit on the arches defo and not a bad looking set of wheels either so 15" 8j et0 hopefully I shouldn't need spacers ideal