Popular Science 1961 Article

[Telly]

what Do you mean the doors don't close....It's a Triumph!

 

[Andrew Mace]

:cooler:

 

[CinneaghTR]

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[AltaKnight]

I never realized how light the Herald is, only 1,680 lbs; lot lighter than the TR6.
BTW, fit/finish was not a high priority in that era and certainly not in the Triumph lineup!

 

[Andrew Mace]

Actually, finish tended to be fairly decent. Fit, however, was another story, especially with the "Meccano set" Herald body construction!

If this link to Mike Cook's Triumph Cars in America works (picture at top of that page), you'll get some idea how they were put together! :laugh:

 

[VitSport6]

Hey the guy in the pic is short :wink:

 

[VitSport6]

Thats a great read Andy thanks

 

[UmmYeahOk]

Hey the guy in the pic is short :wink:

Its called marketing. It makes the car appear bigger.

Also 30-40mpg? that cant be true. Otherwise people would be buying up these and forgetting about hybrids altogether

 

[Andrew Mace]

30-40mpg? that cant be true. Otherwise people would be buying up these and forgetting about hybrids altogether

I'm sure it was -- and still is -- true. However, one has to keep in mind that such figures might not be obtained at what we consider "highway" speeds today. More likely, such figures for the Heralds were obtained at more like 45-50 mph speeds. My own 1200 Herald, with single carburetor, averages around 30-31 mpg in "mixed" driving, and I've seen upwards of 35-36 mpg on trips averaging 60-65 mph. That's a good 4000+ rpm for the 1200; for the 948s it was a good bit higher rpm (with a 4.55:1 diff for the twin-carb and a 4.875:1 diff for the single carb)!

Different times, and well before 5- or 6-speed gearboxes with an overdrive top gear.

But yeah...around town or on country roads, very good mileage indeed!

 

[VitSport6]

Could be marketing, But he has to be at least a head shorter than me, Im not all that tall

 

[70herald]

30-40mpg? that cant be true. Otherwise people would be buying up these and forgetting about hybrids altogether

I'm sure it was -- and still is -- true. However, one has to keep in mind that such figures might not be obtained at what we consider "highway" speeds today. More likely, such figures for the Heralds were obtained at more like 45-50 mph speeds. My own 1200 Herald, with single carburetor, averages around 30-31 mpg in "mixed" driving, and I've seen upwards of 35-36 mpg on trips averaging 60-65 mph. That's a good 4000+ rpm for the 1200; for the 948s it was a good bit higher rpm (with a 4.55:1 diff for the twin-carb and a 4.875:1 diff for the single carb)!

Different times, and well before 5- or 6-speed gearboxes with an overdrive top gear.

But yeah...around town or on country roads, very good mileage indeed!

I've never gotten even close to that, but then again, I have a 1300 and tend to drive like I just stole it.

 

[AltaKnight]

I'm not sure but the ad might be measuring in UK (Imperial) gallons which is approximately 20% larger than the US gallon (them 'mericans are always changing stuff)

If that's the case then the 40 mpg claims would be about 33mpg in american gallons; still pretty good though.

 

[Andrew Mace]

I'm not sure but the ad might be measuring in UK (Imperial) gallons which is approximately 20% larger than the US gallon (them 'mericans are always changing stuff)

Yeah, we're just never happy with the way things are! :laugh:

But it's really not an ad; more a "capsule review" of the car, in an American magazine. So the "short guy" (hey, I more than resemble that remark, at 5'6"!) is probably leaning over slightly, whilst calculating mileage in tiny American gallons!