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50-Year Time Capsule: 1962 Triumph Herald

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The original owner of this 1962 Triumph Herald died in 1965 and the family just left the car where it was parked in the garage at the time. Recently, the house it was in was going to be demolished and the current seller ended up with the car. It’s being sold here on eBay and is located in Atlantic Beach, Florida. Thanks to Iain B. for this great find!

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While there are a few areas of rust around some edges, the car looks remarkably solid to have been put away for 50, yes 50 years! I can’t imagine seeing this beige color on a car today, but at the time it was quite popular. The car only has 24,253 miles and after looking it over I believe it.

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Bumpers on Heralds are white rubber and these actually look to be in pretty good shape (reproductions are available, but I’d hate to see someone mess with the originality of this car). By the way, the angle of the rear wheels probably indicates that the car has been jacked up and not moved since it was parked; although they are swing axles, they will level out somewhat when the car is rolled.

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A quick look inside the trunk shows the factory tool kit, jack, and boot cover.

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The interior really is a time capsule. I hope someone sympathetically repairs what’s here and otherwise leaves it alone. The white gauges and (I think) the painted dash are characteristic of early cars; maybe Andy Mace will come on and verify that for me? Or maybe he’ll buy it!

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The seller states that this is the original battery; I’m not sure about that, but it is pretty old. I do wonder about the primer on things, though–why was it needed or wanted? Regardless, I hope someone saves this charming little car and I’d love to see it at an event next to our 1963 version!

Comments

  1. Avatar Grant

    This lilac colour was only available for a short period on early Heralds.

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  2. Avatar john

    This is an early car probably with the 948cc engine. An upgrade to a 1300 would be useful as would an upgrade to Spitfire brakes. The colour is horrid! I remember a friends mother having a coupe Herald (now rare) in this colour. It was not a popular colour at all in Europe. Fitting later 13/60 rear suspension would also make it safer and more drivable. None of the mods I suggest would be especially detectable and would be very easily reversed if originality was everything. The best thing is it looks like hardly any rust, and its all there. The metal dash though, I may be wrong but I thought all Heralds had a bit of wood there? It fitted over the painted metal bit….

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    • Avatar Michael Cornish

      The herald had a hard cardboard dash and the console was also the same material
      My dad bought a new one in England in 1960
      The vittiess had a wooden dash front

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      • Avatar andy

        only the early had fibreboard. Wood was an option and on all 1200s onwards except the base models.

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    • Avatar andy

      a Mk 1 chassis wouldnt cope with those upgrades. The dash is fibreboard and should be grey/ black. be a shame to modify it,

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  3. Avatar bcavileer

    Striker shows signs of a repaint. And where is the missing trim? Rocker sill has some kind of screwed on repair. Story don’t jive with overall condition. Skeptical, sorry.

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  4. Avatar Michael Cornish

    Rear wheels angle was normal on the Herald, when dad 1st got his someone knocked on our house front door to tell him the wheels were on a funny angle

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    • Avatar Malcolm Braganza-Pereira

      My mum had this colour “Coffee” on her 1960 Herald. Black dash, 948 cc. And the wheels were at a funny angle.

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  5. Avatar Duncan

    So ugly…… it’s AWESOME!

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  6. Avatar Andrew S Mace Member

    No “screwed on repair” on the sills. Rather, the lower outer sills were literally fastened with screws; that outer part is cosmetic, not structural. Oh, and that color was called “Coffee”! There’s a very good chance that the right-hand door was replaced with one from another car. That door is lacking the additional “anti-burst” catch that the convertible doors had, so the replacement door likely came from a coupe or sedan.

    And I must agree with the other “Andy” above: the early chassis has a number of known weaknesses and would NOT cope long-term with any substantial increase in power or torque from a bigger engine. There are also several fairly easy and not too expensive ways to “cope” with what might or might NOT be the “dangerous” rear suspension!

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  7. Avatar Andrew S Mace Member

    Oh, one more thing: Yes, Jamie, the “white-faced” gauges are characteristic of the early 948cc Herald series. And the fibreboard dashes were painted, but not as shown here. Rather, they were predominantly a rather flat black with tiny bluish-grey “flecks”!

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  8. Avatar Jim

    It’s a nice complete almost drivable project. I’d upgrade the brakes and make sure everything was in good shape, the color of the exterior and interior I couldn’t live with but it could be done tastefully and look great, save the old seat covers and other parts removed for the next guy. It shotbe enjoyable to drive. I love seeing different cars on the road, I’ve seen enough Mustangs and Camaros for ten lifetimes, nice cars but. I hope someone takes care of it and mostly drives it. Time to shovel again! I’ll be back

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  9. Avatar Graeme Pattinson

    Very collectible if it has a 948 cc engine! Keep it original and there a winner for any classic car show in the future.

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