This is my second most recent acquisition as of this writing (June 2002) and my eighth (or is it eleventh?) Herald. The original Heralds, as introduced to the United States in 1960, were offered in a wide range of colors. Some -- such as Signal Red, Pale Yellow, Powder Blue or Black or even Litchfield Green-- were pretty "conventional" colors. Some -- such as Coffee, Alpine Mauve, Monaco Blue and Targo Purple -- were, uh, not quite so conventional and, judging by their relatively quick disappearance from Standard-Triumph USA's color choices, not terribly popular then.
This car happens to be a good example of what happened to cars painted by the factory in those "less conventional" colors. The body currently sports a decent black paint job over not only the original Targo Purple (somewhat visible in one picture below) but also immediately over a really hideous shade of purple. ;-)
But the poor car has suffered other indignities over the years. A previous owner had taken the body off the chassis for some restoration work. As I remember hearing the story, he was called away for a longish period of time (job or similar commitment); during that time, he had to vacate the garage in which the stripped Herald was stored. Helpful and well-meaning friends managed to move the car and all the related bits...except the chassis, which disappeared before the owner realized the problem. Oh well, guess I'll keep on the lookout for a 948 sedan chassis....
For the most part, the body (I still need to retrieve the bonnet as of this writing) is fairly solid, with only front footwells showing significant rust. The interior upholstery is in fair shape, although the Targo Purple (yes, "matching" interior!) has faded to a pale, light blue. The dashboard is perhaps best left undescribed. Suffice it to say that it is not quite as original and features a clock from a 1960s American car! The original 948 engine is long gone; "in its place" is a GB-series 1147.
Anyway, enjoy the -- for now -- low-resolution pictures. (Clicking on the thumbnails will yield larger versions.)
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| One view of the trailer loaded with bits o' Herald! | Another view of the trailer loaded with bits o' Herald! | Front suspension turrets turned into an engine cradle (temporarily, I assure you)! | Some original Targo Purple paint on the bulkhead. | A view of the many layers of paint.... |
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6/13/02
