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triumph herald


Sparkymart

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Well my lad passed his test 6 months ago and since then he's been saving for a car he wanted a classic mini but he has just found a 1969 triumph herald monte carlo rally spec car (he's would sooner walk than drive a corsa or the like) the herald is in mint condition and the old boy that owns it has just got it back from the body shop after getting a scratch done so it's right when sold, has anyone had any experience with these and know things to look out out for before he hands over his hard earned cash..

Thanks Martin

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The most common problem is outrigger corrosion and that can be expensive to repair. The U/Js on the swing axles will fail and you get a characteristic knocking from the rear on light or no-load throttle. The studs that the transverse rear spring is attached by break one by one - at least they did on one of mine. A very pretty car IMHO but a nightmare to drive by modern standards - tucking under of the rear wheels and lousy brakes being the main problems. The gear linkage wears and the gear lever can drop down through the extension if the nylon ball pops out. Another easy fix though.

 

I had a 1960 saloon with 948cc twin SU engine, and a 1967 estate 1200. The first one had outrigger rust and a broken piston ring requiring a recon engine,The second one's diff went very noisy in about 20 miles due to oil loss that I hadn't noticed. I have to admit that maintenance was not high on my priority list in those days!

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Simple to work on but they are prone to rusty out riggers and the usual body rust. Check door gaps as sagging doors are a sign of the sills being weak.

Obviously a separate chassis centre section strong outriggers are just pressed steel.

One thing to watch for an inexperienced driver is if being pushed in a corner, they can suffer wheel tuck under on lift off which makes them spin very easily.

All the bits are available and cheap as chips but you will need to buy a set of AF sockets and spanners as nothing is metric.

On the engine side they have weak thrust bearings so get hold of the crank pulley and push and pull to see if it clunks.

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Cheers guys the car was MOTed yesterday and passed without any advisors here is a video clip of the car in 2014 but the car has only done 2k and dry stored and only used in the dry since and the photos I've seen confirm the condition is the same (I have posted this on another post on here) https://youtu.be/Ja9qUkB5m3Y

I have heard about the wheel tuck is there any mods to cure it?

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I have heard about the wheel tuck is there any mods to cure it? 

Yea ! drive carefully , but joking apart they give you loads of warning before the point of no return , just ease off the gas you will be fine .

My wife owned a hi miler yonks ago , no issues apart from routine service , the thing finally suffered from the usual bio degradation .

 

A bonus is the extremly tight turning circle , making it one of the easiest cars to park ever !

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There are alot of kits to improve the suspension

and handling

Rimmer brothers seem popular

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This is the wheel tuck problem (Google exactly this 'Triumph Herald wheel tuck)

resized_tilt_herald.jpg

 

The 25' turning circle sounds a lot better than it is in reality IMHO. It really hurts the mechanically sympathetic people when you see the evidence of stresses on the suspension. In fact a mate of mine who had a Herald Coupé (very desirable nowadays) tore the wishbone out of the chassis when showing off to a young lady!  :oops:

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No air bags, no side impact bars or front end crash deformation zone etc. Someone said crap brakes too.  Frankly, I'd be scared to death if one of my kids was using one of these as a dally driver on today's roads.

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Life is full of danger as we all know driving a bunch of steel tubes with a plastic body. One of the things is that now people have no idea of speed or danger. 70mph in a Herald will feel like 150mph in a modern car and that is what will help him learn to drive not become an auto pilot.

 

Most accidents are low speed, it is only when the odd high speed one tears a car to bits that we all think wow these days.

 

I would much rather this than a Motorbike for any of my kids

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Legally if he has accepted your deposit there is a contract and it is your car.

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I did think that but I'm not even sure there is a 3rd party I think he's just trying to get more money out of my lad which he's hasn't got

And wouldn't I need to prove that the money I transferred to him was for the car?

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I assume you have correspondence around him accepting your offer, giving you his bank details etc. why else would you transfer money to someone that you have no prior relationship with?

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Personally if he's trying to change handshake deal he's not as honourable as first thought... The car may not be as good as he says either.

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