Triumph car dealers

[steveweblin]

I have been collecting information about Triumph car dealers and started writing blog posts: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/TriumphCarDealers

 

I have recently been given a dealer listing from 1965 and attach a copy to this post.

 

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr gallery of images I have found on Flickr. 

If you have any information about these garages, photos of window stickers or sill plates etc please let me know.

You can download a copy of the Triumph Sales and Service Directory 1968-69 which started me off on the search for info about Triumph car dealers.

 

Triumph Service Directory 1965 v ocr.pdf

[steveweblin]

Here is the Triumph Sales and Service Directory 1968-69 version.

Triumph Sales and Service Directory 1968-69 version2.pdf. 

[Gary Flinn]

Steve

 

I've had a look down the List and there's a few I know of local to me in Derbyshire, the Light Car Co on Derwent Street was a Kenning garage up to the Early 90's, I remember getting Service parts for my Stag from there. Also I remember LMA Motors in Godfrey Street Heanor, in the mid 1980's it was a privately run Garage but they still had some of the Original Sales Posters up on the Wall including the Mk2 Vitesse two Seater beater Poster, wish I'd nipped in and asked em if they wanted to sell it!

 

Another Garage in Moor Street in Burton-on-Trent is right next to were I work, its a Kia Dealer now but is still the same Layout.

 

Another one me and my mate John used to use regulaly for parts for our Vitesse's was a Garage called Service Motors in Leabrooks near Alfreton, I remember getting some Original Door Window Weatherstrips from there in the mid 80's for my first Vitesse, sadly this is now a Co-op Supermarket!!

 

Keep the Info coming, I for one find it fascinating reading    

[Colin Lindsay]

Nice to see some old familiar names from Northern Ireland there; I was in Roadside Motors in Lurgan earlier in the week.

Eastwood of Belfast always strikes a chord with me, I always think of this particular piece of footage from 1972....

 

 

[AndyTV8]

Hi Steve,

There is an old dealership in Ottershaw, Trident,  (how a Honda Dealer) there are a couple of older pictures on their website in the history section. Although they may not be keen them being reproduced without speaking to them first, there are some screen-shot from an episode of The Sweeney which shows it in the background - plus a Dolomite and Spitfire

 

http://www.tridenthonda.co.uk/pageloader.pl?page=home_other_abouttrident_history_thesweeney

 

.......... Andy

[Eddie]

Sorry I can't be of any help but thanks for the link to the pictures. One of the Triumph dealerships had my surname!

 

My Dad bought his first Herald from a dealer at the junction of the A3 Kingston by-pass and A240 Ewell Road, might have been called Tolworth Garages? Does anyone remember it?

[steveweblin]

Galileo on the Triumph Dolomite forum has very kindly scanned and made available a 1974'ish copy of the Triumph Sales And Service directory.   You can get a copy here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6QR7c9loufLQXJsTkJWUTEtelk

[spitfire1300]

Galileo on the Triumph Dolomite forum has very kindly scanned and made available a 1974'ish copy of the Triumph Sales And Service directory.   You can get a copy here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6QR7c9loufLQXJsTkJWUTEtelk

 

Interested to see that Howlett Bros, Sudbury, Suffolk was still on the Triumph Dealer List in 1974.  My Spitfire was supplied new by them in January 1973, and serviced and repaired at the same garage until 2003!  By the mid 70s they were a Datsun dealer (according to the invoices with the service history) and later moved to Ford.  According to Google Streetview the showroom is still there behind a big supermarket, no doubt awaiting redevelopment.  According to a local Datsun enthusiast on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/7430965@N05/5085953396, the garage was latterly a fast-fit outlet before closing.  The Howlett business has moved to a different site I believe.

 

Does anybody else have a Suffolk registered Triumph or know anything about Howlett's of Sudbury?  

[steveweblin]

My latest blog post was about Clark & Lambert of Eastboune. http://vitessesteve....ne-triumph.html

Anybody got a picture of Clark and Lambert garage showroom or street scene you can share here.

 

 

 

[spitfire1300]

My latest blog post was about Clark & Lambert of Eastboune. http://vitessesteve....ne-triumph.html

 

Anybody got a picture of Clark and Lambert garage showroom or street scene you can share here.

 

According to the Flickr page, this building is "Trinity Place Garage".   https://www.flickr.com/photos/28976636@N07/16123824309

It used to be a cinema, which closed in 1965 - see here:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/28976636@N07/9526063626

The buildings are long gone, as you can see from the 2nd Flickr link, retirement flats now stand on the site.  

 

This link http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/remarkable-town-stalwart-dies-aged-85-1-1406310 is an obituary of a Mr. Denys Lambert, who "...joined his father at Clark and Lambert, a garage in Trinity Place, Eastbourne, which merged with Caffyns in the early 1980s."

[spitfire1300]

Reference to the cinema becoming a car showroom on this page:  http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/rolling-back-years-to-reveal-inn-site-s-past-1-6336767

 

Hopefully a few clues for you there Steve - might be time to take a run to the seaside!

[steveweblin]

The info about the cinema is interesting. It is said that The Classic, Trinity Place cinema opened in 1938 and closed in 1965. I however believe that Clark & Lambert were operating from the same address as early as 1950 having seen them listed as a Land Rover dealer in 1950 and as car park also in 1950.

 

Reading www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local/rolling-back-years-... I wonder if the car dealer car park operated from premises behind the central cinema portion at first.

[steveweblin]

Nice to see some old familiar names from Northern Ireland there; I was in Roadside Motors in Lurgan earlier in the week.

Eastwood of Belfast always strikes a chord with me, I always think of this particular piece of footage from 1972....

 

 

 

Colin

 

That is a dramatic bit of history. Got any images of the other Triumph garages you mention?

 

Steve

[steveweblin]

My latest blog post is about College Motors of Bristol.  http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/college-motors-of-bristol-triumph-car.html and includes this image supplied by Steve P.

[steveweblin]

I have just published a blog post about C Allen and Son (Bristol) Ltd in Bristol. http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/c-allen-and-son-bristol-ltd-triumph-car.html

I have found about the history of the firm but could really do with some more Triumph related material. However I was sent these pictures of an unusual Triumph document which feature the C Allen dealer stamp.

[steveweblin]

Moores of Brighton are the subject of my latest blog post: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/moores-of-brighton-limited-triumph-car.html

 

The second dealer for whom I have found a St Christoper badge.

 

 

I am still looking for material to use in my blog posts. Please share images of garages, showrooms, dealer badges, windows stickers etc. Am also interested in antidotes about Triumph garages.

[steveweblin]

Fodbank Motors of Dunfermline - Triumph car dealers article 15.

 

http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/fodbank-motors-dunfermline-triumph-car.html

The opening of a new premises by Fodbank Motors of Dunfermline on Halbeath Road was reported in the the Standard Triumph review in August 1966. I have the Standard Triumph Review DVDs and am finding some material for my blog articles.

I am still looking for material to use in my blog posts. Please share images of garages, showrooms, dealer badges, windows stickers etc. Am also interested in antidotes about Triumph garages.

[steveweblin]

 

My latest blog post is about Triumph car dealers in Lincoln: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/j-r-j-mansbridge-wests-of-lincoln.html

 

If you have any more information about these garages such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know.

[steveweblin]

Browetts in Leicester are the subject of my most recent article about Triumph car dealers.

 

http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/browetts-of-leicester-triumph-car_29.html

 

 

This business used radio to keep in touch with its service fleet.

[Gully]

I know this thread hasn't been the most active in terms of participation, but I've been thoroughly enjoying it, so thanks Steve!

 

Looking forward to CA Britten up in Liverpool - original supplier of my GT6!

 

Gully

[steveweblin]

Triumph car dealers in Exeter feature in my latest blog post: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/motor-macs-exeter-ltd-and-lock-bros-of.html

 

 

Motor Macs (Exeter) Ltd and Lock Bros of Exeter

 

 

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about these garages, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

[steveweblin]

 
The Exeter post was number 18 in my series about Triumph car dealers since then I have done these.
Lambs Ltd of Woodford Green - Triumph Car dealers 19:
Patmore Bros Limited, Loughton Essex - Triumph Car dealers 19a
Newton Baker Ltd of Leicester - Triumph Car Dealers 17a
Wicliffe Motor Co Ltd of Stroud, Gloucester and Tewkesbury - Triumph Car Dealers 20
 

 
My dealer directories cover the period from 1955 until 1974.  I have not been able to find when Wicliffe Motor Co Ltd got the Triumph franchise can you help?
 

 
Anybody know anything about this pickup?
 
Plea for information
If you have any more information or recollections about these garages, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know.  I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

[Darren Groves]

The pickup is a Devon car, but the south so not sure who it belongs to. I'll get Sue Franklin to reply, she will know.

[Sue Franklin]

The Herald Pick-up - another they never made - as Darren says belongs to one of our Devon members.  Made from a donated saloon - originally thought to be a scrapper.  Ian decided it was too good and wanted something quirky.  Made it himself and was ready in time to use as a friend's wedding car.  Nice idea and turns heads.  He is a signwriter and hence the Lambs name.  Will ask more when I see him.

[Sue Franklin]

Several Devon members have mentioned Motor Macs in Exeter.  One contacted me a while back as he had a 948 (I think) from Motor Macs which used to belong to the late father of another member.  The car was bought by the son, also a member, who is in process of restoration.

All my family's Triumphs were sourced from Evans & Cutler, mainly in North Street Totnes.  2 x Heralds (including the one I now have), Mk 1 and Mk 2 2000 and early Stag.  I bought a 1500 Spitfire in 1975 from Evans & Cutler's outlet in Valley Road, Plympton, Plymouth.  Friday car - many faults on delivery, and UJs went within 1000 miles.  Factory trouble shooter inspected and tried to say it was 'normal'.  Repaired 3 times under warranty.  Kept it and did both sides after warranty expired - dealership had repaired wrong side - and did 100,000 miles without a hitch.