Triumph Super 7
Encyclopedia
The Triumph Super 7 was a car
manufactured from 1927 to 1934 by the Triumph Motor Company
. It was produced as a response to the success of the Austin 7
and was Triumph's first car to be made in large numbers. In 1933 the name was changed to the Triumph Super 8.
was given responsibility to design a new small car. Amongst those he recruited to help him was Stanley Edge, who had been the original draughtsman for the Austin 7. The car was launched in September 1927 and was 6 inches (150 mm) longer and 2 inches (50 mm) wider than the Austin. The new 832 cc 4 cylinder side valve engine, mainly designed by Harry Ricardo
, had a stroke of 83 mm (3.3 in) and bore of 56.5 mm (2.2 in) and unlike the Austin had a three bearing crankshaft
with pressure lubrication and monobloc crankcase made from cast iron. (The Austin 7 had a two-bearing crankshaft and the cylinder block and crankase were separate castings.) The car followed its Triumph predecessors by having Lockheed hydraulic brakes, but now they were internal expanding in 9.5 in (241.3 mm) drums and so less affected by water then the older external contracting type. The handbrake operated on the transmission.
The chassis had a rigid front axle supported by half elliptic springs and a live rear axle with Austin 7-like quarter elliptics allowing the chassis side members to finish ahead of the rear axle. The three speed non-synchromesh gearbox was mounted in unit with the engine and transmitted power to the worm gear final drive via a torque tube
. The electrical system was 6 volts.
could also supply a special fabric bodied saloon with sliding roof. The chassis was also supplied to other coachbuilders for fitting their own bodies. Prices ranged from £113 for the chassis to £190 for the Gordon England saloon. On test the car could reach just over 50 mph (80.5 km/h) and return 40 mpgimp .
entered a standard car in the Monte Carlo Rally, starting from Berlin but failing to finish, getting stuck repeatedly in the snow in France. Undetered he tried again in 1930 and was the first British car to finish and seventh overall, an amazing result in a car with a top speed of 50 mph (80.5 km/h)..
Even more body styles appeared in 1930 when a two-seat coupé, a de-luxe fabric saloon and amazingly, a landaulet
appeared. Wire wheels became standard replacing the artillery
type that had been used on some versions. The extensive range was simplified for 1931 with the deletion of the fabric saloons, landaulet, coupé and Special Sport but a Gnat sports tourer and Tickford
bodied saloon were added.
With the deteriorating economic climate a further rationalisation of the range was carried out in 1932 with the cars being designated Mark I for the tourers and Mark II for the saloons. A pillarless saloon joined the range. The car's track grew from 42 to 43.5 inches (1105 mm), the rear springs were changed from quarter to semi elliptic on the Mk II Saloons and the de-luxe models got a four speed gearbox.
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
manufactured from 1927 to 1934 by the Triumph Motor Company
Triumph Motor Company
The Triumph Motor Company was a British car and motor manufacturing company. The Triumph marque is owned currently by BMW. The marque had its origins in 1885 when Siegfried Bettmann of Nuremberg initiated S. Bettmann & Co and started importing bicycles from Europe and selling them with his own...
. It was produced as a response to the success of the Austin 7
Austin 7
The Austin 7 was a car produced from 1922 through to 1939 in the United Kingdom by the Austin Motor Company. Nicknamed the "Baby Austin", it was one of the most popular cars ever produced for the British market, and sold well abroad...
and was Triumph's first car to be made in large numbers. In 1933 the name was changed to the Triumph Super 8.
Design
Development of the new car had started in 1925 when Arthur Sykes, who had been with Lea-FrancisLea-Francis
Lea-Francis was a motor manufacturing company that began life building bicycles.- History :Richard Henry Lea and Graham Inglesby Francis started the business in Coventry in 1895. They branched out into car manufacture in 1903 and motor cycles in 1911. Lea-Francis built cars, under licence, for the...
was given responsibility to design a new small car. Amongst those he recruited to help him was Stanley Edge, who had been the original draughtsman for the Austin 7. The car was launched in September 1927 and was 6 inches (150 mm) longer and 2 inches (50 mm) wider than the Austin. The new 832 cc 4 cylinder side valve engine, mainly designed by Harry Ricardo
Harry Ricardo
Sir Harry Ricardo was one of the foremost engine designers and researchers in the early years of the development of the internal combustion engine....
, had a stroke of 83 mm (3.3 in) and bore of 56.5 mm (2.2 in) and unlike the Austin had a three bearing crankshaft
Crankshaft
The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...
with pressure lubrication and monobloc crankcase made from cast iron. (The Austin 7 had a two-bearing crankshaft and the cylinder block and crankase were separate castings.) The car followed its Triumph predecessors by having Lockheed hydraulic brakes, but now they were internal expanding in 9.5 in (241.3 mm) drums and so less affected by water then the older external contracting type. The handbrake operated on the transmission.
The chassis had a rigid front axle supported by half elliptic springs and a live rear axle with Austin 7-like quarter elliptics allowing the chassis side members to finish ahead of the rear axle. The three speed non-synchromesh gearbox was mounted in unit with the engine and transmitted power to the worm gear final drive via a torque tube
Torque tube
A torque tube system is a driveshaft technology, often used in automobiles with a front engine and rear drive. It is not as widespread as the Hotchkiss drive, but is still occasionally used to this day...
. The electrical system was 6 volts.
Body Styles
A range of body styles were available, all made in house. The cheapest model was a two-door four seat tourer, followed by a de-luxe tourer with two coloured body, a two-seater with dickey seat, a two-door saloon, a fabric bodied saloon and at the top of the range, a coachbuilt saloon. Gordon EnglandGordon England (coachbuilder)
Gordon England was a British coachbuilding company based in Putney, South West London and Wembley, North London..E. C. Gordon England started work as an apprentice in the railway industry and went on to work in aircraft manufacture rising to works manager at Bristol during World War I.After the war...
could also supply a special fabric bodied saloon with sliding roof. The chassis was also supplied to other coachbuilders for fitting their own bodies. Prices ranged from £113 for the chassis to £190 for the Gordon England saloon. On test the car could reach just over 50 mph (80.5 km/h) and return 40 mpgimp .
Model History
For 1929 a new body style was released called the Special Sports with pointed tail and there was also briefly a supercharged version with the engine capacity reduced to 747 cc and reputedly able to reach 80 mph (128.7 km/h) but they were expensive at £250 and few seem to have been sold. Also in 1929 Donald HealeyDonald Healey
Donald Mitchell Healey CBE was a noted English rally driver, automobile engineer, and speed record holder.- Early life :...
entered a standard car in the Monte Carlo Rally, starting from Berlin but failing to finish, getting stuck repeatedly in the snow in France. Undetered he tried again in 1930 and was the first British car to finish and seventh overall, an amazing result in a car with a top speed of 50 mph (80.5 km/h)..
Even more body styles appeared in 1930 when a two-seat coupé, a de-luxe fabric saloon and amazingly, a landaulet
Landaulet
A landaulet or landaulette is a car body style, "an enclosed sedan or coupé with a folding top at the extreme rear quarter, over the rear seat."...
appeared. Wire wheels became standard replacing the artillery
Artillery wheel
The artillery wheel was developed for use on gun carriages when it was found that the lateral forces involved in horse artillery manoeuvres caused normally-constructed cart wheels to collapse. Rather than having its spokes mortised into a wooden nave , it has them fitted together then bolted into...
type that had been used on some versions. The extensive range was simplified for 1931 with the deletion of the fabric saloons, landaulet, coupé and Special Sport but a Gnat sports tourer and Tickford
Tickford
Tickford is an automobile engineering and testing company with a history of coachbuilding and tuning and is famous for such products as the 140 mph Tickford Turbo Capri.-Early years:...
bodied saloon were added.
With the deteriorating economic climate a further rationalisation of the range was carried out in 1932 with the cars being designated Mark I for the tourers and Mark II for the saloons. A pillarless saloon joined the range. The car's track grew from 42 to 43.5 inches (1105 mm), the rear springs were changed from quarter to semi elliptic on the Mk II Saloons and the de-luxe models got a four speed gearbox.