Hmm, that's a bummer and that engine does tend toward a rattly bottom end as a result of its hugely oversized journals, long stroke in the case of the 1500s and troublesome thrust washers.
However, they are easy to sort and in many cases will respond to shells without a regrind being essential if the thrusts aren't worn enough to allow the end of the crank to chew its way through the block. Check for endfloat as that, more than a bit of a grumbly bottom end, is what can render a 1500 fit only for scrap. Trouble is, the large journal engines (late 1300 as found in Toledos and the 1500 in all of its applications) are a typically long stroke, low revving thing that delivers its grunt like a Diesel and ideally should have been treated as such but BL seemed not to consider the possibility that buyers of a small, sporty two seater might just want to thrash the nads off the engine. Best place to find a used one that stands a chance of being healthy is from an automatic Triumph 1500 TC (that's the RWD version of the 1500) or Dolomite 1500
auto, as the two pedal versions were almost impossible to wreck as a result of there being far less load on the thrust washers. Sumps would need to be swapped over but that's about it.
Assuming (and please let me be wrong here) that the seller of the car doesn't help out, then I'd tend to risk just putting fresh shells in one of these to extend its life
if the endfloat hasn't become too serious. Then find a way to govern the engine to 4,500rpm at most, they can last well when driven that way. Sometimes.
so something may be different about the set up from original... by the way, these carbs are SU's with integral float bowls (HIF's?)
