Triumph Roadster

Infobox Automobile


name=Triumph Roadster
production=1946–1949. 4501 made
manufacturer=Triumph Motor Company
class=Sports car
successor=Triumph TR2
predecessor=
engine=1776 cc (1946-1948)
2088 cc (1948-1949)
Straight-4
transmission=4 speed manual
3 speed manual
wheelbase=100 inches (2.54 m)
length=168 inches (4.26 m)
weight=2540 pounds (1150 kg) (1800 model)
2460 pounds (1115 kg) (2000 model)The Triumph Roadster was the first post war car from Britain's Triumph Motor Company and was produced from 1946 to 1948. It was first made with an 1800 cc engine and superseded by a larger engined version, the 2000 Roadster from 1948 to 1949.

Design

The car was designed in the closing days of World War II, shortly before Triumph was bought by the Standard Motor Company and the Managing Director, Sir John Black, wanted a sports car to take on Jaguar who had used Standard engines in the pre-war period. Frank Callaby was selected to style the new car and after getting Black's approval, he and Arthur Ballard produced working drawings with Callbay responsible for the front and Ballard the rear. Mechanical design was by Ray Turner. Walter Belgrove who had styled the pre-war Triumphs and was employed as Chief Body Engineer had no part in the design.

With early post war steel shortages the body was built from aluminium using rubber press tools that had been used making parts for the largely wooden bodied Mosquito bomber that had been built by Standard during the war and the chassis was hand welded up from steel tube. The engine was based on a 1.5 Litre, four cylinder Standard design which had been supplied to Jaguar. A four speed gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios was used.

The tubular steel chassis featured transverse leaf sprung independent suspension at the front and a live axle with half elliptic springs at the rear. The rear track was considerably narrower than the front. Brakes were hydraulic.

The body design was anachronistic. The front had large separate headlamps and the radiator was well back from the front between large "coal scuttle" wings. Passenger accommodation was on a bench seat that was claimed to seat three and this decision meant a column gear change was required. Additional room for two was provided at the rear in a Dickey Seat with its own folding windscreen and it was outside the hood that could be erected to cover the front seat. Entry and exit to the Dickey seat was never easy and a step was provided on the rear bumper.

On test by "Autocar" magazine in 1947 top speed was found to be Auto mph|75 and 0–60 mph (0-96 km/h) took 34.4 seconds.

2000 Roadster

The only update in the Roadster's production came in 1948 when the chassis was changed to a lengthened version of the pressed steel one used on the Standard Vanguard and the 2088 cc Vanguard engine was fitted. A retrograde step was the fitting of a three speed gearbox even though it now had synchromesh on bottom gear. Front suspension was now by coil springs and double wishbones.

On test the changes resulted in the top speed increasing marginally to Auto mph|77 but the 0-60 mph time was much better at 27.9 seconds.

The car was never made in large numbers and was mainly hand built. 2501 examples of the 1800 and 2000 of the larger engined version were made.

Today, surviving examples are keenly sought and change hands for high prices.

Popular culture

The Triumph roadster was the chosen transport of Bergerac in the BBC TV crime series of the same name, starring John Nettles.

References

*The Story of Triumph Sports Cars. Graham Robson. Motor Racing Publications. 1972. ISBN 0-900549-23-8