Triumph Herald

"Completed" frame-off restoration of a little British convertible

I'm a big fan of tiny cars

The Triumph Herald fits many of my desires for a project, but in factory form it is slooooooow. 1650 pounds may be extremely light, but 35 horsepower is still anemic.
The secret of the Herald is that it was designed as a sports car but detuned with a family car body shoved over it. Add in drum brakes all around and it's a boring, compact import.

This project aimed to rectify the power deficit and other shortcomings with mostly period-correct modifications. No literbike engine swaps, but maybe some microcontrollers.

Pneumatic Shifting

This is basically a fever-dream turned real project, with little justification other than it'll look cool in a convertible. There are some interesting accessibility accommodations made possible by this device, though they require very specific circumstances.

I used this for a few weeks with a simple button control scheme, and it functioned well in normal driving despite the lack of position feedback. Ultimately removed with the gearbox - the unsynchronized first gear and reverse require careful feathering even when shifted normally. A modified version will return with a 4-synchro gearbox in the future. Probably in the Lotus instead.

Major Components

Rebuilt 12/50 Engine

Holds 7k redline, vs 5.5k original (balance & springs)

Frame/Chassis

Bare-metal strip and repaint

Rebuilt Transmission #2

Laycock D-type Overdrive

Carburetors

SU HS2 (1-1/4"), replacing original Solex

Steering Rack

from a Mk3 Spitfire

Rebuilt Transmission #1

Standard 4-speed, traded for trans. #2

I think I would have fit in well at MIT

Simultaneously ahead of its time and decades behind, the Triumph Herald is as simple as "modern" cars get.

The tip-open bonnet reveals a measly 1.2 liter 4-cylinder engine, mated to a 4-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels. Its sporty front suspension and steering were copied onto the reveled Lotus Elan and Europa, but the swing-axle rear end was subject to the same safety concerns as the Chevrolet Corvair.

I've done very stupid things in a Corvair and will claim to be immune to that hazard.

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