948 Herald Convertible - Restoration

[948_droptop]

Hi All

 

Thought I would start a thread to document the build of my 948 convertible . It's my first Triumph. If any kind and I will definitely need some advice and help as I go along. So thought this would be the perfect place.

 

A quick recap on the purchase - I found the car over two years ago - one owner for over 40yeara - ex race car driver here in Sri Lanka and the car was raced for many years in the 70s and 80s. During that time the cars body had been modified quite a bit and at some point a make shift roof was fitted along the way

 

I have attached a few pictures of how I found the car.

 

Long story short I checked the registration and the numbers seem to match - a quick email to the heritage trust in the U.K. Confirmed that it was a original 948 convertible. Extremely chuffed about that I picked it up immediately.

 

Car has been in storage for the past year as I was traveling for work but we have started work for the past new months.

[Colin Lindsay]

That's an amazing car! Very unusual. I've never seen a modification like that to either the bonnet or the roof.

Are you intending to return it to the original looks?

Keep posting, please!

[Pete Lewis]

is she still a 948 or is under the bonnet as modified as the body and interior

 certainly unique

let us know how you get on

Pete

[948_droptop]

@Colin - Yes! I would like to bring it back to its original state but maybe with a few touches which hark back to its racing pedigree.

 

@Pete - The engine is still the original 948unit - but according to the previous owner it had been modified for racing larger jetted carbs and high lift cam etc.

[Pete Lewis]

i sheared the diff output shaft on my  59- 948 back in 1965   it was a real rust bucket .

 

worked in the dark 30yds from the house , took the whole diff out then found i only needed the short shaft....we learnt the hard way back then 

no money and no forums 

[948_droptop]

Been rather busy these days - but managed take the car out of storage and into the garage for the restoration to start. It became apparent quite quickly that the over 20years of being stored 100 meters to the sea had really done a number on the body of the car with the rust hitting every nook and cranny - the highly modified body really hasnt survived and was going to have to be binned. 

 

 

So i took the initiative to purchase a donor car for the build - its an abandoned 948cc saloon - modified to be a convertible  - rego and hasnt been on the road for over 30years so perfect candidate to give life to another. (see pics attached)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuffed that i found a donor car over here - Heralds are rather few and far between. Will update images of the body stripdown and chassis images soon. 

 

[Bordfunker]

That little 948 convertible looks remarkably straight, and a very lucky find.

 

Best of luck.

 

Karl