UPDATE – Photos of the car with the convertible top on have been added to the gallery below. A walk-around and driving video has also been added and can be found below.
Of all the wonderful classic British cars, the Triumph Herald might be one of the most underappreciated examples of the bunch. Its styling was provided by Giovanni Michelotti and its underpinnings were shared with the Spitfire and GT6, both beloved sports cars. Of the three, the Herald is the easiest to get in and out of, has more usable space, and handles more or less the same. Given the shared components, parts are easy to find and cheap. There’s really a lot to love about the Herald, yet you don’t see these nearly as often as Spitfires, especially ones in nice condition. This example is located right here in Boise, Idaho, so we sent our photographer over to help the seller get all the photos needed to show just how clean this one is. We’ve seen it for ourselves at the local British car shows and it looks to be a well-sorted driver. The seller has a sizeable list of work that’s been done to make it a fun and enjoyable car, but the time has come to find a new home for it, so it’s being offered here as a Barn Finds Auction!
The Herald really does share a lot of parts with the Spitfire, so it’s no surprise that it drives just like one. The taller body does make a difference in how it feels to be inside a Herald, but if you’ve ever been in a Spitfire with a hardtop on or a GT6, you might know how claustrophobia-inducing they can be. That really isn’t an issue with a Herald and while it isn’t a large car by any means, it doesn’t feel as cramped as a Spitfire. The chassis, suspension, and drivetrain are essentially the same as the Spitfires and with a similar curb weight, they have similar performance. And since they are so closely related, any upgrade that works on a Spitfire will work on a Herald.
You won’t need to worry about doing any work to enjoy this classic, as the seller has already done all the hard work to make it a fun driver. The 1200 engine has recently been rebuilt, bored .02 over, and is equipped with new pistons, a new clutch, and a new alternator. The head was also reworked, with new valves, valve springs, and valve seats. It’s equipped with a pair of beautiful SU carbs, rather than the single Solex typically found on these. Power is sent through a rebuilt 4-speed with overdrive, which is a huge bonus. They also recently rebuilt the rear end and treated the brake system to a full refresh as well. It’s riding on the original wheels with new tires. This car truly is a turnkey classic that you can enjoy right away.
The inside looks to be in nice shape and is reminiscent of, well, a Spitfire. The wooden dash panel is larger and lacks a few of the gauges found in the Spitfire/GT6, but you can definitely see the relation. There are a few cracks showing in the wood, but overall, it presents nicely. The Motolita steering wheel is a nice touch, but its wooden rim doesn’t match the dash’s stain. It can be a challenge to match stains perfectly and it’s honestly a nice upgrade over the stock wheel. All of the soft surfaces look to be in good shape. A new convertible top has already been fitted, but the best way to enjoy a British convertible is with the top down.
A quick look underneath reveals what appears to be a very solid chassis and clean floors. There’s a bit of overspray and some surface corrosion showing in spots, but it’s clearly spent most, if not all, of its life here in the dry Idaho climate. The seller didn’t state whether the suspension has recently been rebuilt or not, but by the looks of the shocks and bushings, it has been.
If you’ve been on the hunt for a fun British convertible that won’t break the bank to keep on the road, but also want something you don’t see every day, this might be the car for you. They are easy to work on, parts are easy to source, and they really are fun to drive! With cars like this, we always recommend buying the best example you can find. And honestly, this might be one of the nicer examples we’ve seen in a long time. So, if you’d love to enjoy some summer cruising in this Herald, be sure to cast your high bid below. And if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section.
- Location: Boise, Idaho
- Mileage: 16,567 Shown, TMU
- Engine: 1200 Inline-4
- Transmission: 4-Speed Manual W/Overdrive
- VIN: GB53864LCV
- Title Status: Clean
Bid On This Auction
David bid $14,500.00 2023-05-07 10:01:09
BillattheBeach bid $14,000.00 2023-05-07 10:01:00- David bid $13,800.00 2023-05-07 09:50:00
halc bid $13,500.00 2023-05-07 09:42:03
petercap bid $13,250.00 2023-05-07 09:35:55- David bid $13,000.00 2023-05-07 09:16:41
- BillattheBeach bid $12,500.00 2023-05-07 09:01:50
- David bid $12,000.00 2023-05-07 07:51:26
- petercap bid $11,750.00 2023-05-07 07:45:21
- David bid $11,500.00 2023-05-07 06:08:22
- BillattheBeach bid $11,000.00 2023-05-06 10:01:23
- David bid $9,700.00 2023-05-05 17:02:58
- BillattheBeach bid $9,500.00 2023-05-05 15:14:39
- David bid $8,500.00 2023-05-05 14:40:19
- BillattheBeach bid $8,000.00 2023-05-04 12:43:50
Michael Freeman bid $7,500.00 2023-05-04 12:42:20- BillattheBeach bid $7,000.00 2023-05-04 12:30:06
- Michael Freeman bid $6,250.00 2023-05-03 18:06:04
- BillattheBeach bid $5,850.00 2023-05-01 21:05:04
Bondojohn bid $5,750.00 2023-05-01 20:08:53
Neble bid $5,600.00 2023-05-01 11:34:28- halc bid $5,500.00 2023-04-30 12:22:14
- Bondojohn bid $5,000.00 2023-04-29 12:23:36
2manyvettes bid $500.00 2023-04-29 11:14:58
I would rather be driving this than a Spitfire. Talk about exclusivity! When was the last time you saw one of these at a cars and coffee? Fresh engine with additional poke over the standard fare. Nice turn key car you can enjoy over summer. We are getting our first warm days in north Idaho. I got spring fever real bad. Cars like this will scratch that itch real good!
you can sprint from Wallace to Mullan- whooppee
👍 lots of beautiful scenes in North Idaho to see on a warm sunny day.
Does the car have a top, can you please send pics of that. I’ll be watching this auction for sure
I agree, no mention of the top. Would be nice to know if it has one and what it looks like.
Definitely is mention of a brand new top…,
Photos of the top have been added!
I’ve always thought the stogy look that Michelotti came up with was a good reason the car wasn’t a world wide hit. Compared to the Spitfires and GT 6s they just couldn’t compete. Nice example here though.
It reminds me of Thora Hurd’s red convertible from “Last of the Summer Wine.”
🤗I have a scale model in a diarama of her and the car. Edie Pegden… 🥰
I remember the old saying from way back when: “Hark! The Herald’s axles swing!
Sort of the Step-Child of the sports car world……
though this one well groomed.
I love Red Headed stepchildren!!!
Cute and sporty. Even cooler with my german sheppard in the passenger seat
And I thought a 1967 red Morgan was the ultimate! I must say that this car would be a great summer ride!
Looks like a fun little toy
Underappreciated and unattractive, IMHO.
Very nice car for the money. Having owned several GT-6’s in the past there are 3 things I would do to it to give it more reliability,
1.Replace the distributor with an electronic one,
2.replace the intake manifold to accept a Weber 2 bbl carb,
3.install a weber 2 bbl carb and air cleaner.
Then drive the piss out of it.
It’s different enough to be a “cute” car. The concept is straight forward, a car to be driven and have fun doing it. I like it.
It would be helpful to have a photo of the top up.
Growing up in London these were common and considered a”rich your girl’s car.”..not fair but it did seem that well heeled parents would buy these for their daughters.I always liked them but the swing rear axles could be a bit of a problem with hard conering like the early Beetles and Corvairs.I Believe an anti sway bar was available to stop that..something I would try to get. I always liked the Coupe version of the Herald..probably even rarer than this lovely drop top.
Fo even more power and a modded front end they made the Triumph Vitesse that shared its motor with the GT6..now that a very nice one to have..
Really it has a Laycock overdrive in a 1200cc automobile – must have been an aftermarket addition I believe Triumph only put them on the larger 6 cyl cars.
sun gear (the OD) perated by ele button? I dont see it~
In late 1966, my father won a triumph herald on a game show called “eye guess” the host was Bill Cullen. It had a black convertible top other than that it looked like a twin.brings back great memories.
Last TR4 I drove had overdrive. No add on, factory installed.
But it probably had a switch on the shift knob, this car has none hence the operation question.
Very nice… a sporty Brit one doesn’t have to fold up to fit into.
Add two more cylinders and more aggressive fascia for the Vitesse, please.
One recently showed up at a local car show and drew much admiration.
Learned to drive a stick in a ‘65 Herald back in the early ‘70s, and I still have that car. Running like a top. A very unusual car in this country, and a blast to drive.
The reserve is off!
their is not mention about the condition of the soft Top?
any options on having the car shipped to the buyer
It does say a new soft top was installed, but one picture would be nice.
Hi David, we are going to see about recording a video of the car for the seller and can get photos of the top then.
As for shipping, that’s the buyer’s responsibility, but we have a shipping broker we’ve used in the past and even give BF readers a special promo code. I can send you his phone number if you’d like so you can get a shipping quote.
can you get me shipping cost to Virginia 24065
also no mention of clean title . is title clean
Thank you
It has a clean title in the seller’s name. And you can call Dakota at (971) 246-6601 to get a shipping quote. Just make sure to give him the promo code barnfinds22
yes please send me a phone number so i can see how mush shipping would be
I’d like to see shipping cost to 92649, Huntington Beach CA
I would like to know the shipping cost to VA 24065
Dakota’s phone number is (971) 246-6601 and our promo code is barnfinds22
How does payment work ? Usually you pay the auction company
Payment for the car is handled between the buyer and seller.
We took this Herald out for a drive yesterday. The video of us driving it has been added to the article. We also took a couple of photos of it with the top up and you can find those in the gallery. It really is a fun little car! Our thanks to the seller for allowing us to come take a look.
In answer to a couple of questions: The overdrive switch is on the right side of column behind the light switch. Also the distributor has a Pertronics ignition installed.
Can the seller please explain:
Any info on the Car’s history?
Why the assigned title?
Any major bondo repairs of collision damage or rust under the paint?
D or J type overdrive?
GLWTA
From what I gathered from the PO, the car was delivered to the first owner in England as a left hand drive export model. It came to California and was purchased there by the PO. They brought it to Idaho at some point. It was in an accident and repaired and painted by a local body shop. The PO drove it up until early 1990 and stored it. As far as I know it has no rust under the paint. There may be some bondo on it but I can’t say for sure right now. It is a “D” type OD. I have a clear Idaho title so am not sure what you mean by assigned.
Thanks for the replies.
I was referring to the California assigned ID plate in photos 20 and 21.
I assume the Idaho title lists it as a 1967, using the assigned CA ID.
Do you know if it was ever registered and issued plates in CA using that same assigned CA ID?
I also want to point out the alternator, upgrade from stock generator.
Another suggestion for a future owner upgrade would be the larger discs and the dual reservoir brake hydraulic system from a later Spitfire.
And if you actually plan on driving it much, please install three-point belts, at least in the front.
Yes, the Idaho title lists the VIN on the door plate. I have an original English license tag issued in Coventry that I assume the first owner used to drive in England for awhile. I assume it was licensed in California but have no records of such.
Congrulations to both the buyer and the seller! This really is a sweet little machine. Huge thanks to Steve for listing it with us and for letting us take it for a spin.