Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image
;) | ;) | ;) | ;) | ;) |
| Lot number | 48 |
|---|---|
| Hammer value | £5,000 |
| Description | Triumph Herald 1200 Estate |
| Registration | 4368 HJ |
| Year | 1962 |
| Colour | Renoir Blue |
| Engine size | 1,147 cc |
| Chassis No. | GA53717SC |
| Engine No. | GA53024HE |
Launched in 1959, the Triumph Herald flew in the face of prevailing trends in car design by retaining a separate chassis onto which the outer panels were bolted.
This allowed the car to be built in a variety of body styles with minimal fuss – saloon, coupe, estate and convertible versions were all available. The hinged bonnet/front wing assembly also permitted generous access to the engine and front suspension, making it one of the easiest cars to work on. The design also allowed an amazingly tight turning circle – just 25 feet, making it a doddle to manoeuvre and park.
From 1963 the 948cc engine was increased in size to 1147cc, boosting power to a useful 48bhp in the Herald 1200. A sportier 12/50 was also offered with a slightly revised grille and a tuned engine which upped the output to 51bhp. Later still the 13/60 made its appearance, with the more powerful 1296cc engine from the Spitfire. Herald production finally came to an end in 1971.
To look at this Estate, you would think that it was only a few years old but it was actually first registered in May 1962. The fist owner kept the car until 1979, keeping a log of the mileage, petrol and oil consumption for the first 51,509 miles. The second owner kept it until 2013.
Under the third owner’s care, the car has undergone a full respray in Triumph Renoir Blue and the panel gaps are said to be probably better now than they were when it left the factory. There are also receipts for some £1,600 in parts alone in the last 12 months.
As can be imagined from three such meticulous keepers, the car carries an extensive history file, which includes the original owner’s handbook (and those early mileage records), as well as evidence of 26 earlier services. Still on its original and transferable number, the car is said to drive as well as it looks with an MOT until September 2015. Practical, fun and beautifully presented, the vendor believes that this is perhaps as good an example as you could wish to find.
