Hi Jim,Ron & John etc
An even smaller correction to Johns correction to Rons earlier correction!
but I expect by the time this hits the list,Andy will have flamed on in with
a correction of his own!!!
The original Triumph Herald released in April of 1959 was fitted with an
engine of not 803cc nor 947cc,but rather,the magnificent 948cc,described in
polite conversation between early Herald owners as the "Nine Hundred and
Forty-Eight".
This was supplanted by the rather better 1147cc unit,which like the smaller
unit had siamised inlet ports,ie:2 inlets and four exhausts.
As a direct result of Standard-Triumphs involvement with the Le Mans
Spitfires,the 1296cc engine was developed,and this benefitted from the much
better 'eight-port' cylinder head with four inlet & four exhaust ports,and
finally evolving into the 1493cc engine.
For my money,the best of the lot is the 1296cc unit with 'narrow main
bearings'
This has rather less beaing drag than the later 1296cc 'wide main bearing
unit'
Personally,I found the 948cc unit rather underpowered for the weight of the
car,although it might have been perfectly OK back on the almost empty roads
of 1959-60. The 1147cc unit is a fine engine,eminently tuneable and very
flexible & tough,unfortunately,the parts are beginning to get scarce &
therefore expensive,especially the repro' pistons,which I do not regard as
being of the same quality as the original ones fitted. however,pistons for
the 1296cc unit are still in much more plentiful supply and as described
above,the head is rather better designed.
Yes! Do save this car,the 948cc Convertible is very rare now,even in
England...
Keep all the original parts stored away,even if you have no intention of ever
using them,and if you want to drive and enjoy your Herald,as it was meant to
be driven and enjoyed,then find yourself a late model Spitfire with a poor
bodyshell and all its mechanical
parts,eg.Engine,ancilliaries,gearbox,differential,drive shafts,rear swing
spring,and brakes,fit them to your Herald and you're away!
As to the interior trim,Newton Commercials are not the cheapest,but they are
certainly the best,in fact I would go so far as to say that their carpets are
the best available,better even than the original new factory carpets I had
fitted in my Herald from 1981 until they disintegrated in 1983!
nb.there are a lot of companies out there selling soft-tops/hoods for Heralds
and almost all of them are total rubbish! The only company that seems to be
able to make decent soft tops for these cars is 'Don Trimming' of
Birmingham,England.
contact them at "Don Trimming Co Ltd",Hampton Road,Erdington,Birmingham,West
Midlands,B23 7JJ,England. tel:00-44-121-373-1313.
nb.I have no connection with that company,I'm just saying that I've seen
their work and its good.
Regards
Leon F Guyot
Triumph Sports Six Club International Liaison Secretary
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