Triumph Herald

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Triumph Herald

WHY SHOULD I BUY ONE?

Charming looks, easy spares availability, simple to service and a turning circle to die for. The Herald is one of the perfect starter classics, and is well up to daily use.

All had a separate chassis and a four cylinder engine. Early cars were 948cc with single or twin carbs depending on model, with an expansion to 1147cc for the Herald 1200 in 1961 and later 1296cc for the restyled 13/60 in 1967. There was also a performance variant of the 1200, called the 12/50. The 12/50 also had a standard Webasto sunroof. In addition to the standard, a particularly neat Coupé was available until 1963, while an estate was launched in 1962. This was developed into the now collectible Courier van, produced between 1962-64. The six cylinder Vitesse was essentially a Herald with that creamy six-pot engine.

WHAT ARE THEY LIKE TO DRIVE?

You sit high and upright, in a cosy cabin trimmed with wood and vinyl. They aren’t fast but then you don’t expect them to be – though later 13/60s boast a surprisingly useful turn of speed. The brakes are okay by the standards of the day, likewise the gearchange – Heralds rarely had overdrive as standard but many have been converted using Spitfire parts. The turning circle is startling because it was originally planned to make a minicab off the Herald chassis. There’s wind noise and the chassis rattles and groans, but overall Heralds are an enjoyable drive. There’s horror stories of the quirky rear suspension design prompting snap oversteer, but driven sensibly, a Herald is safe enough.

WHAT ARE THEY LIKE TO LIVE WITH?

Simple! Just about everything you need is available from specialists such as Rimmer Bros, which makes maintaining a Herald an absolute doddle. That extends to body panels and chassis sections. Heralds don’t rust that badly, but as with all 1960’s cars it’s a potential issue if neglected. The mechanical side was shared with the Spitfire, which means upgrades are widely available if you want more power and many owners fit Spitfire bits. Get a Courier or an estate and you have a useful classic load lugger, or soak up the sun in style with the pretty convertible – but these models carry a premium price tag.

OVERALL

The sharp-suited Herald makes a charming daily driver that has a touch of middle class quality about it and is super easy to maintain. With plenty of models to choose from to suit all budgets, there’s a Herald out there for everyone.