The Vanguard was conceived in 1944, but of course serious development work could not progress until peace had returned. For the next three years Standard continued to produce a range of 8, 12 and 14hp sidevalve cars whilst in parallel refining all elements of the Vanguard’s completely new design.
By 1947, the Company was ready to declare that it was going to adopt a one model Vanguard policy, and production of everything else would cease. Morgan was more or less forced to go along with that, especially as we can assume the new Vanguard engine would again, and as usual, be offered to them, and most probably at an attractive price.
Of course, the Vanguard OHV engine was not designed primarily with Morgan in mind. It was intended from the outset to fulfil two primary roles. In the company’s own words: ‘The (Ferguson) tractor required an engine very similar in size to that decided on for the car so Standard quickly realised that substantial reductions in costs could be achieved by arranging that key dimensions of both engines should be the same, so that the same machine tools and factory processes could be used in making the basic parts of both engines.’ A common misconception however is that the engines were the same, but you definitively can’t swap one for the other.
The company toyed with an 1850cc variant for a short time, but eventually settled on an 85mm cylinder bore and 92mm stroke giving a capacity of 2088cc. The Vanguard wet-liner design is of course familiar to regular readers of these columns, and it was also the basis of the TR2-4 engines. Briefly, and using the company’s own words once again:
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ZIGGY'S NO BANGER!
Good friends Paul Herbert and Chris Harding bought this Mk2 Spitfire in 2014 to use on a Banger Rally. Six years on they’ve still got the Triumph, and it is running better than ever.
The right choice
In 1978 a Triumph Stag would have been a brave choice as your only car, but after 41 years and getting on for 200,000 miles together, it was clearly the perfect fit for Malcolm and Vera Whitehouse.
THE GREY LADY
In the mid-1930s the New Avon Coachbuilding Co started to build luxury saloons and no longer concentrated on building smaller open sports cars. Phil Homer introduces a luxury product of the era, a six-cylinder Avon on the Standard Flying 16 chassis, and explains why it wasn’t a success.
HAROLD THE HERALD
Over the last 20 years, Harold the Herald has been through five distinct phases of development. Now though, with owner Dale Barker going soft and transferring his favours to a big and comfortable saloon, Harold is looking for a new home.
APPRENTICE TR2
History repeats itself as RHP 552 is handed over to apprentices – 64 years after the last time!
A LASTING PASSION
Lee Godfrey has featured in these pages before, but his enthusiasm for the big Triumphs remains undiminished. Mike Taylor talks to him about the model, his latest example and how the passion started.
A flurry of activity ends 2019 season
H&H’s last sale of 2019 was at the Buxton Pavilion and offered 127 lots.
Herald Suspension Overhaul
Thorough investigation turns into a major overhaul and a future-proofed Triumph
Hotter Rockets Launched For 2020
The world’s largest-capacity volume production motorcycle just got bigger.
SPECIAL EDITION DOLOMITE 1500
Andrew Burford reckons that a 1500SE represents the epitome of Dolomite design. Mike Taylor meets the man who likes to champion the underdog, and his ultra-rare example of Triumph’s evergreen Dolomite saloon.