On Mon, 14 Dec 1998
Bill Davies <daviesw@ecid.cig.mot.com>
schrieb: Foreign Market Heralds
Hi,
I'm hoping someone on the list will be able to help me with my research
regarding the Heralds produced for markets outside the UK, particularly
those assembled from CKD (Completely Knocked Down) Kits in foreign
countries.
I know of the satellite production in the Belgium, Eire, Australia,
South Africa and India. Are there any countries I've missed? How do I
identify where they were made? Anything distinctive in the construction,
ie., use of locally sourced materials or components? As an example, I
have studied two of the Eire Coupes from 1959. These both had two tone
Red and Grey interiors, with stitched rather than heat formed pleating
in the interior trim panels and seats. Also, all glass on these cars was
of Irish manufacture, with a Shamrock logo rather than the usual Triplex
markings. Similarly, a friend used to own a South African built Coupe
(year unknown), on which he told me the interior was hand stitched.
So can anyone help on this score. I know previous researchers have been
criticised for not documenting the foreign market cars, now I'm trying
to set the record straight,
Cheers,
Bill.
Bill,
How long have you been a member of the TSSC ?
How many of my monthy reports have you read ?
eg. 'Uncommon Assembly', A two page article about Standard-Triumphs PKD & CKD
kits on pages 66-67 of the January 1990 Courier magazine.
Thereon was a map of the world, showing assembly plants in Lima & Arica, Peru.
also Dublin, Eire. Malines/Mechelen in Belgium, Oporto in Portugal, Malta,
Haifa in Israel, Madras in India, Manila in the Philipines. Melbourne in
Australia and Nelson in New Zealand. also Durban in South Africa.
Many Countries also progressed onto building various parts-bin specials of
their own,
most often utilising Glass-Reinforced-Plastic bodyshells of one shape or
another.
including Israel with the 'Sabra' Gilboa Saloon,(4 doors 1296cc), the 'Sabra'
Carmel Saloon,(2 doors 1296cc), and the 'Sabra' Sussita Estate (1296cc), and
then there was the 'Sabra' Sport Coupe fitted with the 6-cylinder TR5 engine.
(My report in the March 1990 Courier magazine pages 56-57 refers).
India (the Gazelle(s)), and even Turkey with the 12/50 Zafir, (and they didn't
even have an assembly plant there! The South Africans also had such as the
Triumph Protea(s) and Chicanes to name but two.
There was much local input at all plants, and indeed, cars assembled in Malta
have a distinctive badge of their own, and were (possibly unofficially) known
as 'Maltesers'.
There aren't too many words in the article,(which I cannot claim credit for,
as it came from a very old magazine),so at the risk of using up bandwidth
talking about Triumphs on this list, (ha ha), I'll repeat it here.
Uncommon Assembly.
The same car can be built in many ways. It can come down the assembly lines in
Coventry or Birmingham or Luton or Dagenham (or wherever else it may be) in
the ordinary way and this is how it normally reaches the UK buyer; but if the
purchaser happens to live in Melbourne or Malta or Madras or Manilla for that
matter), the answer is likely to be quite different.
The car may have come off the production lines in England and been shipped out
in one piece, but the chances are that it will have been assembled in the
country concerned-using mainly local labour-and that it will have some 'local
content'. This (which normally reduces or avoids import duty) may consist only
of a few locally made items such as glass, batteries and upholstery material.
Or it may amount to well over 50 per cent.
There are four methods of exporting: (1) Complete, (2) PKD or Part Knocked
Down, but with the body-shell assembled and welded up and other components in
a greater or lesser state of completion according to local customs regulations
and the assembly facilities available, (3) SKD, or Semi Knocked Down. Here the
aim is to export in as unassembled a state as possible, but avoiding high
capital outlay on jigs and tools for major assemblies. (4) CKD, or completely
Knocked Down. Even here, such items as engines and gearboxes normally made in
England and some complex body parts may be welded before shipping if the cost
of local tools for the job is uneconomic.
There are various line-drawings here which depict a GT6-1
"Stuffed like a Christmas hamper with the bits which will turn it into
Triumph's latest in swift motoring, a GT6 body shell passes down the K.D.
assembly line in Coventry to the point where it disappears under a Stanpack
for shipment to Belgium"
The main drawing is of Herald 1200 Convertibles:
The caption says: "Export of Triumph models to the Common Market via the
Group's modern factory at Malines in Belgium is geared to the use of Stanpack
containers which are reminiscent of rectangular pudding basins and stow inside
one another for cheap and easy return. They arrive back in Coventry as shown
and are slung from the roof of the K.D. department ready to be lowered on to
pre-packed body shells. The latter arrive empty at the common
reception/dispatch point whence Stanpack attachments are bolted to their
undersides and they are lowered on to trolleys to start their journey round an
assembly line, where they are progressively packed with parts and components
until they finally arrive at the end where they are hoisted to the point where
a Stanpack is lowered into position and the attachments bolted to its
floorless underside. Finally the complete packs are removed by fork-lift
trucks for loading on to lorries for dispatch to the docks."
Other (shorter) annotations state:
Knocked Down cars are sometimes built up for transit only. This Herald engine
is in it's normal place for convenience in carriage, but attached by wooden
slave mountings and with a clutch housing which houses no clutch!
In dozen lots, A batch of engines is packed after passing through the
corrosion inhibitor section. Whenever possible, assembly line methods are
applied to export packing.
Before dispatch, engines are sprayed with a special inhibiting oil which
protects them from rust and corrosion in transport. The clutch assembly is
subsrquently bolted to the engine for transit, but the clutch unit is
dispatched seperately.
(1) Glass (including windscreens), tyres and batteries are supplied from local
sources in all Triumph overseas assembly plants except Malta.
(2) Paint and adhesives are invariably supplied from local sources.
(3) Wheels are made in Australia and South Africa, but not elsewhere.
(4) Except for Malta and Peru. leaf springs are invariably made locally.
(5) Some electrical equipment is made in Australia, South Africa and India.
(6) Upholstery and trim are mainly "local", except in Malta.
Hope you all find that interesting,(sorry about the length).
Leon
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