OPINIONS OF THE TRIUMPH HERALD
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OPINIONS OF THE TRIUMPH HERALD
Sir,
Your letters from Mr. Atkinson (August 1959) and Mr. Norton (March 1960) concerning their troubles with early Herald coupes have established that the first production batch of these cars contained some very strange pieces of machinery indeed. However, the makers quickly introduced many mods., to such things as rear axles, front wishbones, window runners, headlinings, etc., and the chaps on the production line seem to be learning where to stick the mita and bolts and sealing .m14)0,11111. As the owner of a toupti bought in November, I think the:e two letters give a completely false impression Of the car now being produeed. Truue. die car ha. its faults. but if goad driving position, featherlight and ai•curate steering, and excellent road-holding, make it a
joy to Iris ,. gcar-ehartge is quick and ideally placed, although mine raffle, and we 1..c, is certainly not silent in the indireet gears. This make,dir -.nod a bit Ini,y al times. but in top gear the machinery us smooth all the way up to its 80-in.1u.11.
(At this tmeed the engine is at the peak of its net power curve. Can Mr. Norton suggest a better gear ratio ?) The suspension can be heard at work e, eteert,iin surfaces below about 3I) m.p.h., lint in these two respect, I think that Mr. Norton either bad a very bad specimen or ii’ u grossly overstating the ease. As for die rifle, ray car has never made anyone sick yet, except with envy, and most passengers comment on the comfort; those who also drive tend to go into earnest confabulation with their bank managers. The Herald is so far ahead of its competitors that I sometimes wonder how the salesmen sell any of the others. I have tried most of these and could not tolerateany of them for live minutes after my 1,500 miles in the Triumph. However, I’m hoping that by the ii ins 1 want a tiesear, they will have introduced a Mark II Herald incorporating the following improvements :
(1) A bigger engine. 1,290-c.c. should suit the chassis well and please the competition boys. but let us have eight holes-in the head this time-1 suppose hemispherical combustion ehambers and twin o.h.e. are too much to hope for.
(2) Proper gear ratios. The designers of the TR3 box need no leloiOns In the art., lint the so-called sales experts need putting in their place. Who on earth really wants a 19:: I bottom gear and a gap between second and third you can drop a torque curve into ?
(3) Seats that hold you en corners. Much as I covet the D.K.W. seats, 1 adz not prepared, like Mr. Norton. to pay another 2400 for them.
(4) Re-arranged wipers to reduce the off-side blind spot. In this respectthe A-1.0 is better.
(5) In these ‘days of shunt. parking in London the car needs bumpers. At the sume time I should like to ace the front end made easier to clean.
(6) The roof guttering causes a good deal of wind roar at the otherwise comfortable cruising speed of 70 m.p.h. I may be spoilt by having a friend with a Porsche, but I’m sure this could be improved.
(7) As far as Em concerned, Wilmot Breeden can keep their zero-torque door locks. Apart from pawls that bend out of adjustment, they have the. charming habit of jamming half shut, when they cannot be opened from inside or out. The cure seems to be to get the locking plates perfectly positioned and then pack grease into the grooves in which those. little wedges slide. I cannot see What benefits these locks confer, and they must have caused the customer to use more vile. language than any other piece of equipment in use on cars today. I am, Yours, etc.,
Twickenham. E. M. Mums.