Chris Longhurst

This photo was listed on eBay a few days ago (now sold) by an Australian seller as:- 'Triumph Herald Hardtop 1963 Motor Show Car Old Photo' Although the car is LHD I suspect the Herald 1200 Convertible may be on a Triumph Stand in the U.K. The hard top is rather nice with the wrap-around rear window; I don't recall seeing the design before; does anyone know if it was a Standard-Triumph offering?

Link to MARonline article on the model of a Triumph Courier Van 'support vehicle'. https://www.maronline.org.uk/triumph-courier-van-code-3-model/ Information on the 'real' van was put in the 'Period Photos of Triumphs' thread in the General section on November 10th (page 12). Chris

Mathewson's Auction site back in the late 1970s. It's still as crammed today judging by the TV series!

Attached photo of UVL 522 was listed on eBay recently as a 'Race Car' "ORG 1965 CAR PHOTO RACE TRIUMPH HERALD REG UVL 522" As there were no race logos visible I wondered if this Herald 1200 was an actual race car - I could not trace it to any races Chris (I wasn't thinking of buying it - just curious!

Attached link to my recent MARonline article on the Triang battery operated 1/20th scale Herald Coupe. https://www.maronline.org.uk/triang-minic-120-scale-electric-triumph-herald-coupe/ Chris 78/00350

In response to my recent article on models of the Triumph 5cwt Courier a colleague sent me some photographs of a 1/43rd scale Courier Van he had made as well as some links to pictures of the real Van, which is now registered in The Netherlands, that he had based his model on. Max Derrez was able to provide some interesting information on the Van which has the Commission (‘Chassis’) Number GA55440V and Body Number 989GVA. The Litchfield Green Van was originally registered in the U.K. in 1962 with a DWC 626 licence plate (Figure 1). It was exported to The Netherlands where, in September of 2006, it was registered as AM-21-00; the AM prefix is used for ‘classic’/’old timer’ cars. It has been ‘customised’ as a Standard-Triumph support vehicle (Figures 2a – 2c); additional photographs can be found at https://www.paul-wouters.nl/michelotti.htm and https://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/lieferwagen+triumph/interesting/ . This Triumph Courier Van (AM-21-00) featured in a Giovanni Michelotti display at the DAF Museum in Eindhoven to celebrate, in 2021, the 100th anniversary of Michelotti’s birth. Although the Courier Van seemed to be a support vehicle for the 1961 Tulip Rally, where a Triumph Herald 948cc twin-carb Coupe recorded the Herald’s only win in an International Rally, this did not add up as the Triumph Courier Van was not launched until 1962 – I can only assume that the Courier Van is a nice tribute to the Herald’s success in the 1961 Rally. I did wonder, after seeing the ‘tribute’ Van, if a Courier Van had ever been used as a support vehicle in any Rallies in the 1960s.

To 'celebrate' the Triumph Courier Vans 60th anniversary I reviewed models of this 'rare' Triumph for MARonline(Model Auto Review)! https://www.maronline.org.uk/triumph-courier-5cwt-van/ Chris 78/00350

Thanks for the comments:- Having looked at a blow-up in more detail I think I can see on top of the fork to the front of the car a block of wood or similar (smaller red rectangle) which would protect the side valances. The white soft top is covered with a 'polythene bag' perhaps to give additional protection (larger red rectangle) to a show car. The 1200 badge on the boot (under the 'herald' badge) does not look correct to me - too 'boxy' - but is really too low a resolution to be sure.

This Standard-Triumph photo recently put on sale on eBay (hence the steel rule obscuring some of the detail) intrigued me 'Rare Standard Triumph, Triumph Herald Factory stamped Photo with Forklift.' 1. Would it really be possible to pick up a Herald convertible, as illustrated, with a forklift without damaging it? 2. Is it my imagination or does the truck 'chassis' the car is being lifted onto have 'cradles' to take the Herald wheels? Chris

Link to my maronline (Model Auto Review) article on Plastic toy/model Vitesses:- https://www.maronline.org.uk/hong-kong-plastic-triumph-vitesses-laurie-and-petrel/ Chris 78/00350

I notice that the 'missing' 2019 and 2020 Courier .pdfs are now on the Club site. - just found them after doing the Club Survey!! They may have been there few a while but thanks to whoever prepares & loads them! Chris

No problem - no need to sign into google. Chris

I had to look up Inyanga - Southern Rhodesia back in 1962, now Zimbabwe! I had assumed the RSA # plate was Republic of South Africa but could not confirm it on Google.

Peter - see info on attached .jpg - 12/50 Vitesse bonneted saloons looks like GBxxxxxDL. I can't remember where I downloaded this from! 12/50 Aussie Coupes were GBxxxxxxxCP (sorry, can't find the reference at the moment) Chris

Relevant Commission numbers (sometimes referred to as 'chassis' numbers) are:- Herald 12/50 'Sunroof' Saloon GD1RS to GD44689RS Herald 1200 Saloon GA1DL to GA249873DL The Commission # plate should be on the outside of the front bulkhead on the nearside (near to where the bonnet catch secures). The same ## should appear on the DVLA documentation. It is (? was) fairly common to find 1200 saloons with a 12/50 sunroof, 12/50 grill (no centre portion) or 12/50 engine - I modified my (now Ex-) 1200 Saloon way back in the 1980s with parts from a scrap 12/50 - the full roof swap was a 1/2 days job! DL I think meant 'DeLuxe (saloon) & I have assumed RS meant Roof - Sun! Chris

At last!! The final part of my MARonline articles on the Dinky Toys 189 Triumph Herald - this article covers boxes and box colour spots for the Promotional models in Standard-Triumph colours:- https://www.maronline.org.uk/dinky-toys-189-triumph-herald-saloon-promotional-issues-boxes-and-colour-spots/ Chris 78/00350

Picture 1 shows a B&W picture of a Victoria (Australia!) Police Triumph Herald; I found a colour photo (2) of a Victoria Police Ford Anglia which shows a White car. Does anyone know if white was the 'standard' colour for Victoria Police cars in the 1960s (maybe Peter Truman) as I would like to make a model of the Herald. I have a nice colour scan of the door crest to turn into a 'decal' (Picture 3) Thanks - Chris

OK - I know I left school a long, long time ago..... but what the hell is a 'cattle' as a unit of force "NOTE! ! ABS plastic can't replace the hardness of steel. It is recommended to use the appropriate force when working (maximum strength should not exceed 500 cattle)"

A 2022 reproduction of the 1960s Triumph Herald Coupe Corgi Toys 231 in blue & white is now available from the Corgi Model Club At £29.99 + postage it is a nice model with original features such as lifting bonnet, air filter, etc. I've just ordered one for my collection! https://corgimodelclub.com/collections/corgi-authentic-re-issues/products/231-triumph-herald-shipping-july-2022 My understanding that this only available to UK buyers. Chris

Part 3 of my articles on the Dinky Toys Triumph Herald 189 Model - this time on the Promotional models which were available through Standard-Triumph dealers in 'real car' colours. Link to MARonline:- https://www.maronline.org.uk/dinky-toys-189-triumph-herald-saloon-part-3-promotional-colours/ Chris 78/00350

Up-thread I posted some screen grabs of the prototype White & Black TH coupe VWR589 from 'Triumph Saloons DVD extras' The cine footage of VWR led into some stills of a ribbed roof 948 Coffee & White coupe stuck in some red mud (laterite soil) with the registration KGS130. This was part of an anecdote by Ray Bates (Standard Triumph engineer) of getting stuck in the mud in Kenya & he & his mates having to pull the car out (note the rope over the side of the bonnet!). I thought the registration was from the UK but it is correct for Kenya (K), Nairobi (G = 1959 & 1960). The ribbed coupe roof was introduced in June 1960 so the pic would have been taken in late 1960 - probably October or November (Kenya's 'lesser' rainy spell).

I think JohnD was looking for some Brabham Herald information but I can't remember which thread he was in!! Attached info. may be of interest - it dates back to when I was working on Brabham Herald specifications with Max Derrez of Derrez Models (Holland) when he was preparing to make some 1/43rd Brabham models. Max wrote up the info. in a Dutch magazine in 2014 (.pdf attached) I did a subsequent 'Google translate' (Word doc. attached) in 2021. Chris TT242 Ri Miniat.druk-x-.pdf The Brabham Heralds.docx

Part 2 of my articles on the Dinky Toys 189 Triumph Herald model deals with the Standard Triumph colours available to Meccano/Dinky Toys. https://www.maronline.org.uk/dinky-toys-189-triumph-herald-saloon-part-2-standard-triumph-herald-factory-colours/ Chris 78/00350

TH Coupe prototype X597 (VRW589) is the less well known sibling of the more famous Black & Silver coupe X608 (VRW 582). As far as I can tell it was assembled in Italy & shipped to Iberia in spring 1958 for testing. A still B&W photo can be seen in Picture 1. I've also included some (rather blurry) screen-grabs from colour footage. Some time ago I looked at Picture 2 (BMIHT DVD) closely with a bit of 'digital manipulation' and convinced myself it was very dark blue. I recently found some footage on the 'Triumph Saloons DVD extras' (screen-grabs Pictures 3 & 4) and all I can see is black. If anyone else wants to examine the screen-grabs closely I would value their opinion on the dark colour. For completion I have included & B&W photo of the silver & black coupe VRW 582 (Picture 5).

It's a hefty piece of 'stuff' - I imagine shipping to Australia will be expensive!