THE CCW VIEW
How the Herald was successfully publicised in the UK
DRIVING TRIUMPH’S GAMECHANGER
A gentleman, or indeed, person, of a certain age should not be calling a car ‘cute’, but just look at it. Aww! You almost want to tell this oh-so precious early and original Triumph Herald that you’re not going to hurt it by taking it for a spirited spin.
The styling so complements the delightful green and white colour scheme and the Coventry registration number – thankfully not plundered from this car – all conspire to send out a beam of 1960 optimism into today’s world.
There are so many finely crafted details, right down to the exterior badging – all so neat and well executed. This car doesn’t have the white covering over the bumpers of later cars, but look at those wing mirrors! Time to open the usefully wide door and clamber in.
BEHIND THE WHEEL
The driving position is excellent. You sit low down and it almost feels sporty. The steering column and seat are adjustable, as Standard-Triumph promised, and the wheel feels just the right size. The handbrake is also well situated on top of the Herald’s wide transmission tunnel.
This car is original down to the quite plush – though faded – carpeting that spreads over the transmission. Please do not replace this, new owner.
All those bits that make an early Herald are still here. There isn’t the expected wooden dash but a matt black affair that looks as if it’s been pressed from cardboard. There’s no door on the glovebox and an amazing survivor underneath is the wire mesh carrier, often known as ‘the chip basket’.
The speedometer has a white facing and has faded to look like a Victorian clock face, and the door trims are two-tone.
The main switchgear – in the form of pull-out knobs – are spread like a circle around a large ashtray, topped by a ‘Herald’ badge in the centre of the dash. All are clearly marked – heater, wiper, panel lights, choke and ‘screen car’.
Moving on, there are two stalks either side of the steering column – one for the headlight dim/dip and the other for the indicators. The interior light is an exposed bulb under the top lip of the dash – not quite in accordance with the manufacturer’s claims of an upmarket product, but there you go.
The whole cabin feels airy and welcoming, and visibility is excellent as you look over the bonnet and notice the tips of the rear wings behind you.
Turn the key and the 948cc engine starts its instant chatter. The stubby gearchange is an utter delight as we move off through non-synchromesh first (complete with delicious gear whine) and up the ‘box. The pedals are offset slightly to the right, but you soon acclimatise.
There’s not a lot of power here but the car is lowgeared, meaning you could at least keep up in town. A 0-60mph time of 31 seconds won’t set the pulse racing, though. The Herald isn’t especially noisy for a small car of its era, though the engine does make itself heard under load.
The light rack-and-pinion steering is a delight, being fluid and responsive and the all-independent suspension, with coil springs and telescopic dampers at the front, provides a reasonably jitter-free ride, though it’s not Citroën CX smooth on pitted surfaces. The clutch is light and the alldrum brakes surprisingly responsive. The system is obviously well set-up on this car and shouldn’t intimidate even unfamiliar drivers.
HANDLING WITH CARE
Now to the handling. Many commentators have given the impression that every ditch in 1960s Britain had a Triumph Herald protruding from it courtesy of the car’s allegedly vicious oversteer, caused by the rear swing axle arrangement.
Really? ‘Our’ car’s rear remained where we expected and, indeed, wanted it to be. If you are stupid enough to lift off the power – or floor it – in any car mid-bend, you can expect turbulence, A more powerful Triumph Vitesse may highlight the worst characteristics in the wet, but any suspect handling is a sleeping lion on this more pedestrian car, which you really would have to prod with a stick and call rude names like ‘Mangy Mane’ to elicit a response.
The Herald’s 25-foot turning circle is amazing, though expect a close relationship with your local tyre fitters if you demonstrate this too frequently.
This car is really happiest cruising at around 55mph, though there is quite a bit of power (if you could call it that) in reserve.
All in all, this is no executive cruiser, but there’s so much to recommend this Herald as a town car. And just try finding something with more character! NICK LARKIN The features that made the Triumph Herald unique at its launch make it one of the very best classic cars to own and restore today. The chassis, providing it’s not damaged or rotted out, is straightforward to restore, the tilt front gives wonderful accessibility, then there’s that turning circle, the reserve fuel facility, commendable boot space, excellent visibility and a massive glutinous dollop of fun style and character.
This early car’s 948cc engine and low gearing mean that it’s not exactly a highspeed cruiser – to be honest, we might be inclined to go for the wooden dashboard delights of a 1961 onwards 1147cc model (ooh, a convertible!) or even better the later 12/50 with sunroof and extra bhp. The estates are great too, and of course there’s the 13/60 with even more power and… hang on. Look again at this 1960 car and all those original features, which have lasted 60 years despite seeming almost delicate. Later cars might be dynamically better, but this early car positively drips charm. What’s not to love?
New experience
‘ The new, skylight-Triumph Herald’ is how the 12/50 model of March 1963, complete with sunroof and a few useful extra bhp, was marketed. ‘Keeps out the rain, lets in the sun,’ the ad men added. Which was more than some early saloons that were dogged by build quality problems had managed. The left picture does tend to suggest the driver still had his umbrella up in the car, however. We know the Herald is spacious, but… really?
Just like a woman?
For a car that was very popular with – and often driven by – the ladies, this is possibly not the greatest ever piece of adverting copy. Other epistles had a similar theme, and why just insult one sex, when, with just a little more effort, you can wipe the board with ‘Do you drive better than your wife?’ Still, it was all in good fun. Honestly…
Weather word
The Herald was universally praised at its launch and Triumph miraculously managed to market the separate chassis – which was born of necessity – as something new and innovative, inducing ladies to wave their arms around like a drunk praying mantis. The obviously upwardly mobile couple the car is aimed at never sat around drinking milk stout in
front of Criss Cross Quiz, now, did they?
Numbers game
Triumph obviously went for broke and pitched the Herald variant, marketed as ‘the eager new 13/60’, at the very rich. Leave the dull, stuffy and wallowy Rolls-Royce in the garage M’Lord and use ‘er dear old ladyship‘s 13/60 instead!
Dating the dated
It’s a wonder many modern copywriters haven’t recycled this theme. It’s interesting how ‘money has been available to improve the Herald’s quality’. Note again the upmarket setting and glamorous, obviously popular owner.