The one and only Triumph Herald hatchback

[@stephenboitoult8774]

I'm the Steve who gave this to Chris! It was already horribly rotten when I got it and the chassis, running gear, bonnet and doors were already missing so basically what I bought was the glazed body tub and tailgate. there were no front seats and the rear seat consisted only of rusted framework and springs. the back end of the rear roof pillars were rotted out and there was a 3" diameter hole in the front of the roof. When I picked it up (with a trailer and 4 bodies for lifting) we got a guy on each corner and lifted, the wings, bulkhead and roof lifted and the floorpans stayed on the mud floor of the leaky asbestos garage it had inhabited for donkeys years. Of course I knew what I had and at one point I bought a 65 Herald estate to build it into. But I quickly realized I had neither the metalworking skills nor the money to do it justice. It sat around for many years dwindling further. Apart from the guy who wouldn't tell Chris where it was (who's name escapes me) nobody showed any interest in it until Chris called and saved it. For which I am eternally grateful. Both my (consecutive) wives tried to persuade me to bin the sad remains but there was NO WAY that was going to happen. I'm REALLY pleased that Chris took it on and he and Mark made such a fine job of it. On the matter of the mismatched rear posts and windows, the story I heard seems plausible, it was done like that to show off 2 potential styles for the production version. As was so correctly stated, you can't look at both sides at once! One more thing, the reason the o/s/r pillar disintegrated was that nothing actually connected the vent on the the outside to the one on the inside, so rain got into the pillar throughout it's whole short early life! The guy who bought it from Triumph was (IIRC) Graham Bell, who I believe was fairly high up in R+D dept at Canley. Apparently his wife drove it around regularly until the tinworms got a hold. It passed to the Vandal (I won't name HIM) who sold or lost the chassis and other stuff in his bid to make a Vitesse out of it. Then it sat for 20 years till he needed to move house, so he contacted the TSSC in the shape of Chris Squibbs the then chaiman. I just happened to be at Chris' place the day the letter came in. Under extreme pressure of time, I was the only one in a position to take it on, so I did. Im happy to have played a part in saving it, even if not such a large part as I initially intended! Even when I got it, it was so far gone only a loony would have looked twice. only it's unique nature made it worth saving. Steve

[@fredericksaxton3991]

Well done there. I have had 4 Heralds in my time and enjoyed them as reliable and easy to drive.

[@touraneindanke]

Thanks for the donation..... If not it wouldn’t have lived his current life 💪 You absolutely did the right thing 🙏🏽🍀🍀🍀 Obviously !

[@pashakdescilly7517]

That adds a whole lot of history to the car. I hope you enjoyed the wine.....

[@007JHS]

All kudos to this gentleman who has brought this unique car back to life.

[@samuelrohekar2162]

Such a beautiful conversion.

[@asa1973100]

The man who restored this car is a keeper of history and the car is absolutely gorgeous

[@telemedic5142]

Side windows look like fiat 850. Thanks for showing this.

[@pwareham61]

Absolutely stunning, my first car was a herald.

[@BassistPaul]

Mine too - a 1200, HYR 572C

[@ronsimpson261]

@@BassistPaul And mine cherry red 1200 LEH 327 E. in 1974. And many more after .

[@ForeverNeverwhere1]

And mine, passed my test in a white 1200 estate in 1988, cost 500 quid in great condition, sold for the same a year later, no idea the reg. Fast they weren't but I still maintain they were an ideal learners car, in fact my dad used one as a driving instructor car when they were new. Big greenhouse, you could see every corner at a glance and with crossplies and swing axle suspension it taught you how to recover from a skid at super low and safe speeds.

[@ronsimpson261]

@@ForeverNeverwhere1 Mine was 15 quid .! after that i bought a 1600 vitesse for a fiver, NTD 699C needed a clutch that was 4 pounds 25 .afternoons work and it was racing round fields with a bunch of mates in it.👍

[@reggievangleason9511]

In the mid 1970’s, I was the only student at Iowa State University with a Triumph Herald (‘65). Sold away not long after, I still miss my old white “rubber baby buggy bumpers”.

[@cllris]

Brilliant. This is the sort of car stories I love.

[@1258-Eckhart]

What a fascinating story. Michelotti did (as always) a very fine job of converting the Herald, but Triumph probably made the right decision, because the Herald was becoming increasingly old-fashioned both in looks and engineering alongside the more modern Triumph products, the original unitary bodied 2000 and the new front wheel drive 1300.

[@pashakdescilly7517]

Also, the Estate version leaned towards the 'hatchback' end of estate car.

[@paulaspinall919]

I had no idea that this car had ever been made. Utterly delighted. My first car in 1973 was a well rusted Herald 1200. I kept it going till 1978 and then passed it on to my sister for another two years. 116,000 miles on the original engine. They were so good at rusting that it was very much like ‘Trigger’s Broom’. The best work I ever had done on it were the lower panels on the bonnet. Done by a local small body shop. Never rusted again. As you might envisage I enjoyed that car. When it broke down it was so easy to fix I was never at the side of the road more than ten minutes. Memories!!

[@paulb4uk]

Absolute superb save of this rare car I think it looks great as a hatchback i guess the two different windows on the rear were to showcase two different styles and see which one was preferred, i like the rear glass on the left side more .

[@paul5683]

I've seen that done with other prototype coach made designs where the car was made to represent two different possibilities of how the car could have been done.

[@davidpatterson9107]

Heralds were also assembled in Belfast at Clarence Enginering Works Northern Ireland ,worked there later as an apprentice Mechanic mid 1970 s Servicing repairs pdi s,Engine Gearbox rebuilds on all Triumph cars .Amazing to know this story of Herald Hatch Congratulations.Very Special Car👍

[@kenday4812]

I had a Triumph Herald in the Sixties, Didn't know they made a Hatchback

[@Curiousdriving]

Great video - fascinating car, always had a soft spot for the Herald.

[@stevemason5348]

Beautiful car, must be worth a fortune. I spent many an hour under Heralds back in the early 70,s welding out riggers etc

[@kellybrickey4300]

Brilliant work! If only they would have been produced. It's a beauty.

[@CaptJerry]

My first car was a Herald, would have loved this, wow what a lovely car

[@Lot76CARS]

Brilliant... and the different side treatment is unbelievable! Great video.

[@davidsheppard1362]

Fascinating story. A very unique vehicle.

[@24th1879]

Wow, what an absolutely fascinating and interesting story.. How lucky it was the right people spoke to the right people or we would probably never have known much about the Herald Hatchback let alone have this one and only example for posterity.

[@aliwhitwell]

Dad a Triumph Herald 13/60 back in the day. Lovely car. :-)

[@DavidMBanes]

Excellent, always wondered about this when I was working on my Vitesse 6 especially. As a Marlin Sportster owner, builder of Marlin Roadster and one time owner of the Marlin prototype I've always loved the oddball and prototype cars. You web site looks amazing!

[@peterryan7827]

I think this video is a wonderful piece of car history,i love the story,i did own a herald for a while back in the day, and was also lucky enough to drive the van version as my boss just happen to purchase one for the plumbing firm I worked for, and found it also was a good vehicle to drive and i am pretty sure the engine in the van was the bigger and more powerful version and very nippy, congrats on the whole thing and i wish i had a herald today,

[@Lookluuk]

Ain't it stunning a peice of art

[@danieleregoli812]

Lovely looking car! Pity it never made it into production. I always liked the 4-door version built in India under the Standard name.

[@ianmcdiarmid4563]

Nice restoration job! a recreation with 3 glass windows & a few trim bits of the original car though...

[@alanhindmarch4483]

I never knew till now such a Triumph Herald was ever built, never mind existed. My Dad when I was in my early teens had a white Herald Estate, so easy to work on and had a fantastic tight turning circle as I remember, we went on holidays all over the U.K. in it. Great Memories.

[@davidgallop484]

I had two heralds, one a rag top the other and estate, the rag top I fitted a Ford 1600 e engine and box, then fitted discs and a servo to stop it! 5 1/2 wheels arches cut a way at rear to stop tyres cutting them self up, got a 1800 marina axle but didn’t fit it as moving house got in the way. Great cars loved them

[@johnarnold7460]

My first car was a Herald Coupe and I loved it even though I had to rebuild the engine just after I got it (second hand) due to a broken piston ring which scored the bore. Very interesting that they were inovative enough to try a hatchback.

[@nygelmiller5293]

Unique car. Unique channel. Congratulations to all concerned

[@gilesgriffin9479]

My best guess - and perhaps someone has already said so - is that that hatchback is from an Autobianchi Primula: produced from 1964 and certainly looks similar…

[@robertristinge4385]

Beautiful

[@jamescoe764]

Very good looking car

[@tonykeogh6135]

Very interesting! What a unique car

[@chrisbagley8104]

In the 1970s I was an AA patrol in central London. One evening I had a job in an under ground car park, of the Dorchester hotel. Parked there was a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Estate. I was told it was built to order for some millionaire and he only used it during the grouse shooting season.

[@007JHS]

What a lovely car, beautiful fastback lines. Would have been a real winner.

[@jonjoyce3188]

I need to see this!

[@davidjones332]

I suspect that without that fixed rear panel the lack of structural rigidity would have been an issue, but it's a pretty car and a shame Triumph never pursued the idea. Triumph owed a lot to Michelotti who produced a series of exquisite designs for them.

[@tjm3900]

I don't think rigidity would have been an issue. It wasn't in the estate or convertable.

[@bcfairlie1]

Brilliant looking design. What a true shame that this didn't make it to production. I prefer the left side to the right side personally

[@stevehill4615]

Nice looking car, you mentioned the Austin A40 Farina as being a "hatchback" which as a kid in the early 70's my friends mum had one and everyone referred to them as "small estates" as the term "hatchback" wasn't known/used back then and from that I can see why the management might not have gone with the idea as car owners were either saloon, estate or car based van drivers, with no real idea of a hatchback.

[@BassistPaul]

I think the term "hatchback" arrived around the same time as the Mk 1 Golf (maybe). When I was 18, a friend's first car was an ageing A40. Quite a practical little motor, although I do remember us having to bump start it outside the Odeon, Leicester Square!

[@rexnemo]

My dad had an A40 , I remember he used to drive me around in it when I was really young .

[@johnjones4825]

It would be nice to see some photos of the wreck and restoration process...

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Chris has been going through the house move and rebuild from hell over the past four years. Everything is boxed up in storage, but at some point he'll send me some shots and I'll put a gallery, with the story, onto the Below The Radar website at www.below-the-radar.com

[@richardgiles2484]

A good few years ago, when I was 17years old I had a salon model and remember driving from South Wales to Essex on the M4 at a maximum 45mph to make it, which did take a long time 🤣🤣

[@danpeters7850]

Absolutely stunning

[@joebuckmaster1908]

Triumph had a very high success rate of making bad decisions. Another beautiful, unique car. People like unusual cars and clammer to them. Another Triumph concept that should have gone into mass production, just as the Triumph Fury should have.

[@fredericksaxton3991]

Way back in the 1980's a chap I knew who I played basketball with had a Triumph Dolomite with a hatchback made out of a Jensen Interceptor rear screen. It actually looked perfect. I would love to know that it still existed. As an aside, not quite a hatchback is a Jaguar Mark II Estate car. This car was a one-of built to be a rally support car. I used to see this Jag parked down behind Commercial Road in Portsmouth in the mid 1960's. In about 1970/71 I saw it advertised in Exchange & Mart at Eastleigh nr Southampton for £50.00. The only 3.8, manual o/d Mark II Jaguar Estate car in the world, on sale for £50.00, but seeing that was a month salary to me at the time, I never went to buy it. It has since been restored/modified/desecrated and is/was valued at £200,000. sighhhhhhhhh.

[@jimrudolph1582]

You only get that one chance to save these rarities even if you can’t restore it you’ve saved it. Over here in the colonies (Ontario, Canada) cars right down to vin tags and serial number matching drivetrain are restored especially for rare cars. Rust here of course is the killer. Cheers.

[@raypurchase801]

WOW! That is rare! Are there any 1970s Rover estates still surviving? I've only ever seen one.

[@levelcrossing150]

Yes, I think there are a few P6's. I saw one at Tatton Park Show, Manchester last year.

[@rogercook9693]

I have one in model form (1:43) and it looks stunning.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

There are quite a few of those around. Sounds like another good candidate for a Below The Radar film; I have it on my to do list for a website article (at www.below-the-radar.com).

[@raypurchase801]

@@BelowtheRadarCars Maybe make a video about the only TR7 which never broke down. (Sorry, that'll offend people.)

[@Mariazellerbahn]

That's what happens when people in the know won't divulge information.

[@jussiketels151]

Beautiful car! May the different windows are based on the airflow from the trunkroom?

[@rexnemo]

I remember once my brother in law told me a Triumph Herald was a Ford Anglia . When I told him that it wasn't as it did not have the unusual reversed slope rear window , he got really angry with me . 😲 I figured it's not worth trying to tell him .

[@lazer5582]

Pity it was never put into production,its a good looking car.

[@firsteerr]

how cool is that !!!

[@robertrider6163]

In1966 l had a used 105e Anglia that had received a similar conversion.

[@adambirchall70]

Watching the video. Looks great by the way, back end for a MG for the hatch? Leyland parts bin was quite big in those days

[@fatbelly27]

There were early hatchbacky cars in the 60s and they were popular with owners but didn't sell in huge numbers - the A40 countryman as mentioned. Also Renault 4/6 and 16, Simca 1100 and the little Citroens. I think it was the Golf that blew the market open in 1974

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

The Renault 5 arrived two years before the Golf, and the Fiat 127 arrived a year before the Renault. But the Autobianchi Primula was around from 1964, so that really was a trailblazer!

[@jimclarke1108]

Amazing,

[@saxon-mt5by]

I doubt if the hatchback or glass came from a contemporary Italian car; estates were not popular in Italy at the time. Michelotti had the fabrication facilities to make all the metalwork, and also had access to glass manufacturers who could make one-off pieces far more complex than used here.

[@sidneythomasparker121]

Can't believe he did not know it was a parcel shelf

[@davegeros9314]

What a brilliant attractive looking car, imagine these would of been hugely successful if BMC had the foresight to put them into production. Thanks so much Chris for preserving this unique piece of British motoring history 👍. Both sides look equally awesome to.

[@jitendrapurohit8822]

❤Satendra herald is my dream var❤

[@danieleregoli812]

what this offered against the estate was a nice sporty and modern look that somehow reminds me of the GT6. The estate looked far more sedate.

[@ratty383]

I also thought the side with the vent reminded me of the GT6, I think the trailing edge of the side window is similar.

[@strongereveryday2302]

That blur in/blur out effect it kills my eyes.

[@bobparadis8454]

Did the person you got the remains from have the Log Book V5 ? is that the original Reg # ?

[@stephenboitoult8774]

Yes I did! Not only a current (white) V5 as they were then, but 2 old style green log books dating back to it's first registration. The first registered owner was Standard Triumph Motor Co and the 2nd was Graham Bell. And Yes! FHP 644C is it's original reg number. (HP is a Coventry reg, if you research it, you will also find one of the Works Triumph 2000 saloon rally cars is (or was) FHP 992C There are pics of it on the net. Unusually, it didn't bear an X*** chassis number like Triumph built prototypes did, but just a normal GA******DL line Herald chassis number (which I still know by heart but won't quote here for obvious reasons) Steve

[@bobparadis8454]

@@stephenboitoult8774 That is great !! I now live in the USA but can remember most of my ole bangers I had reg #s :) :)

[@spg254]

Didn’t get to see the pic of the car in the 70’s….?

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Now you can - Chris has sent it to me and I've included it in the gallery on the article on the Below The Radar website, at www.below-the-radar.com/triumph-herald-hatchback

[@iamgod6464]

I wish there are more old British Cars around to buy. They're better than the Crappy Modern Cars we're forced to purchase and drive in these days.

[@keithwoodhouse4682]

Is the Louvre from a gt6

[@MsJoao101]

Another Swedish racing green car!

[@O1Richard]

I always thought the Renault 16 was the first hatchback. Shame they didn’t see into the future.

[@suznet]

Be nice to have seen the pictures he possessed, from the 70s & if when he collected the bits.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

I did ask for something, but he couldn't find anything that I could use, unfortunately.

[@vincentl.9469]

@@BelowtheRadarCars first I've seen this model..i'm 65 and remember the Herald well

[@chaddamp2894]

wow it must be worth a fortune !!!

[@Tony-hx2fj]

very pretty

[@robinoconnor1203]

I believe I have seen a photo of this a very long time ago. It has similar styling to the Sunbeam Alpine B series Harrington cars. I have a question for Chris or his fellow Herald fans, that two so called Triumph experts have been unable to answer. Many years ago I am sure I saw a Herald Estate with the name Maid on the rear. Was this a factory version or a dealer, owner addition?

[@tarkus-sw9wx]

My first thoughts on seeing it were that is a Harrington conversion.

[@brianylon]

Didn't Triumph float an idea for a 2000 'fastback' as I think they were called?

[@stephenboitoult8774]

They certainly did and once more the prototype survives to this day. It was built earlier than the Herald, possibly 64, registered as 4940KV and It had an interesting early career with Triumph, being used more more than once as a rally service vehicle and later as a test bed for what would become the 2.5PI, before being sold off in the late 60s. Many years ago and having already bought the remains of the Herald Hatchback, I learned of the whereabouts of this other unique survivor and travelled to it's then location in Builth Wells in an attempt to go "2 for 2" and buy it. However the guy who was it's custodian was more than aware of what he'd got and wanted £10k for it. Since it was also well rusted in the sills and other spots (though nowhere near as bad as the Herald) I thought this price was miles beyond anything I was prepared to pay and came home empty handed. It was subsequently sold, though I don't know how much for and has been partially restored to roadworthy condition, although I understand it is still largely as original and retains its "patina" Steve

[@brianylon]

@@stephenboitoult8774 Many thanks Steve - that's really interesting. Didn't think I'd imagined it! Great that it's still around - somewhere. Love your description of it's "patina". As a side issue, I have thought it's a real shame the modern-day hatchback took the place of those 1960's 2-door estates like the Herald, Viva, Escort, Morris Traveller etc. They were far more practical. Maybe that's why the fastback car(s) never went into production.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Sadly soon all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN, BEFVEN AND TEBBVEN laws)

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Looks slightly like a VW Type 3 from the side

[@Lee-cz6ss]

What a Missed opportunity... Looks lovely as All Heralds do ...and practical ....""Replaced" by the Toledo in 1972 ....what a Downward Slope ...note Has anyone thought the Roof is off a Tr4 Dove Coupe ? .....would have been easy to adapt ..... But that was BL for you ...Triumph should have stayed away from all that ... They built lovely cars on their own. 200Kid .m

[@semiretired86]

if they had taken a coupe than it would much likely have ended up as a fastback or a liftback

[@welshlyn9097]

I bet that will bring a pretty penny at auction

[@nickthomas181]

Just missing a drop down tailgate....

[@Mark1405Leeds]

Should have happened but BL had too many competing models! Even Moskvich managed it!

[@peebeedee6757]

This car is interesting as a one-off but sorry Chris Gunby, at the time a hatchback DID exsist. The Farina A40 Countryman of 1959 had the same configuration, roof hinged tailgate that went one better than this Herald in that the lower (boot) rear also hinged above the bumper whereas this Herald doesn’t. The A40 also had folding rear sear backs. The A40 made in Italy in 1965 went one better with a single roof to bumper full hatch.

[@john1703]

The Austin A40 Farina Countryman (hatch-back) existed since 1959!

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

When we were filming this, I thought it had arrived in about 1961 or 1962; I hadn't realised that within a year of the A40 Farina's debut the Countryman was introduced

[@philiptownsend4026]

I had one. Bought it in 1970 while I was just 17 and still at school. There was a very good view of the road through the floor until I glued a piece of old green carpet over it. But the upper hatchback and lower tailgate were properly engineered, worked, were waterproof and robust on a proper unitary monocoque body.. Definitely far superior to that dated and dangerous (swing axle) Herald lash up. The Vitesse was downright lethal with far more power than roadholding. Incidentally the Holman Imp I had was an early hatchback of sorts.

[@HowardGould-f5i]

Pity the tail gate doesn’t drop down

[@peterward3965]

Hatchbacks didn't exist in 1965?? Well the small two door Austin A40 from 1958 to 1967/8 lays claim to being a Hatchback, some say it was the first hatchback. The chap on here said the A40 was more of an estate, I don't think so. Don't shoot me I'm only the messenger lol 😂

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

If only I had thought to mention the Austin A40 Countryman in the video...

[@peterward3965]

@@BelowtheRadarCars Hello there, it's like the Austin Maxi I believe is classed as a Hatchback, but to me looks more of an estate car lol 😂 each to their own views. One of my regrets in 1976 not saving a Triumph Courier van from Pease Pottage scrapyard just outside Brighton. A light blue van and in all round good condition as I recall. But I had enough cars at the time and couldn't take it on sadly. Anyway I enjoyed your video, thank you.

[@bobbowling2979]

The fold down seat isn't unique, in the 1960 948 saloon the rear seat back folded. It was held up by two straps that were fastened onto press studs on the metal rear window shelf. I don't know if this was common to all 948 saloons as mine had the twin carb engine and dash instruments from the coupe. It was quite useful as I could slide 8 foot fluorescent tubes right through from the boot.

[@saxon-mt5by]

The folding back seat was standard on all the 948cc saloons.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

Unique in the sense that the parts fitted to this car are not interchangeable with those of other Triumphs. I think!

[@geoffreypiltz271]

It needs a drop tailgate.

[@francisnicholls6454]

i know who built that

[@lenholloway4390]

Hatch backs did not exist? Take a close look at the Austin A40 Farina.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

If only I had thought to mention that in the video...

[@matbritton6816]

🍬

[@bivalveeternity4227]

While you've made a nice video, you haven't done the most important thing. Video of the owner driving it and you chatting next to him. The way you made it is incomplete, not including driving.Fix it, in your next videos, when you have the opportunity to interview the home of the owner of a historic car.

[@BelowtheRadarCars]

We ran out of time unfortunately, but that was the plan all along...

[@DutchVanHelsing]

Good looking motor..

[@tombaker9341]

please rustproof this triumph Italian beauty 😍 🙏 💖 💕 ❤️.

[@tombaker9341]

Italian beautiful design 👌 😍 ❤️ gorgeous triumph mamma Mia 😍 ❤️ ♥️ 💕 💖 ✨️ 😍 ❤️ ♥️ 💕 💖 ✨️

[@looneylozzer]

Just a mile away from where I live is an old airfield from WW2, and in the field around the back of one of the old hanger buildings is nearly 40 triumph heralds spitfires and other models of triumph from the early 60’s. They are in various states of condition and rarity and just sitting there rotting away. Such a waste.