84-751: The Standard Eight is a small car produced by the British Standard Motor Company from 1938 to 1959. The car was originally launched in 1938 as the Flying Eight . After the Second World War the Flying range of Standards was dropped but an updated car called the 8 hp was re-introduced in 1945. In 1953 a completely new car, the Standard Eight was launched sharing virtually nothing with its predecessor. In 1959
168-472: A shadow factory , began construction in mid 1939 and production began in 1940. It was managed by Standard for the Air Ministry . After the war Standard leased Banner Lane and, in partnership with Harry Ferguson , used it for the manufacture of Ferguson tractors. By the beginning of the war, Standard's annual production was approximately 50,000 units. The company continued to produce its cars during
252-414: A 2/4-seat open tourer. The former body was built for Standard by Fisher & Ludlow at a newly erected plant at Tile Hill, Coventry. The open tourer bodies were built by Carbodies at Holyhead Road, Coventry, and these cars were probably also assembled there. These tourers featured cut-down door tops, and a fold-flat windscreen. Around the turn of the year 1938/39 a drophead coupe became available. This body
336-436: A Standard engine and chassis. A prototype SS 1 was displayed at London's October 1931 Motor Show and in 1932 Swallow were able to supply three models, two of them used the same body. Swallow's business was moved to SS Cars and began to use a model name of Jaguar for part of their range, then extended it to include their saloons . In 1945 SS Cars became Jaguar Cars and Standard still manufactured Jaguar's engines, though only
420-407: A car. It was fitted to a chain-drive chassis. The three-cylinder engine, designed by Alexander Craig was an advanced unit with a single overhead camshaft and pressure lubrication. Realising the enormous potential of the horseless carriage and using a gift of £3,000 from Sir John Wolfe-Barry, R. W. Maudslay left his cousin and became a motor manufacturer on his own account. His Standard Motor Company
504-441: A counterbalanced crankshaft and an aluminium cylinder head. The bore was reduced to 57 mm in order to get into the 8 hp class, while the stroke remained at 100 mm. At 1,021 cc swept volume, maximum power was quoted to 31 bhp at 4,000 rpm. A 3-speed gearbox was used, as well as Bendix mechanical brakes operated by cables. Two versions were available from the launch of the model: A two-door all-steel saloon, and
588-567: A curved cease in the door panels. 8s were built by Holden at least in 1940/1941/1942 as Austin 8 saloon and Austin 8 saloon Melbourne model. A coach built Austin 8 tourer utility was discovered in Melbourne in the late eighties and was sold to South Australia for restoration. Post war Australian Austin 8s were therefore manufactured also as tourer, where in UK this model was not manufactured anymore. The Australian Tourers are slightly different from
672-589: A generous boot. The car was badged as a 'Triumph' rather than a 'Standard' and the Triumph TR2 was a winner. Ken Richardson achieved 124 mph (200 km/h) on the Jabbeke Highway in Belgium in a slightly modified car. As a result of the publicity, small manufacturers, including Morgan , Peerless , Swallow , and Doretti, bought engines and other components from Standard Motor Company. In 1958
756-422: A new 6-cylinder model. Founder and Chairman Reginald Maudslay retired in 1934 and died soon afterwards on 14 December 1934 at the age of 64. Charles James Band 1883–1961, a Coventry solicitor and a Standard director since 1920, replaced him as chairman and served in that capacity until the beginning of 1954 though Sir John Black briefly held the appointment before he retired. 1935 saw all production transferred to
840-538: A new factory was opened at Fletchampstead. That year, Standard launched the Flying Eight. The Flying Eight had a new four-cylinder engine smaller than that in the Flying Nine, and was the first British mass-produced light saloon with independent front suspension. The Flying Ten and Flying Twelve were also given new chassis with independent front suspension in 1938. The aero engine plant at Banner Lane ,
924-464: A non-stop run. In 1905 the first export order was also received, from a Canadian who arrived at the factory in person. The order was reported in the local newspaper with some emphasis, "Coventry firm makes bold bid for foreign markets". The company exhibited at the 1905 London Motor Show in Crystal Palace , at which a London dealer, Charles (later Sir Charles) Friswell 1872-1926 agreed to buy
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#17327879150621008-474: A prototype lightweight "Jeep" type vehicle. With peace, the pre-war Eight and Twelve fitted with 1776cc engine sold as 14 hp cars were quickly back in production using tools carefully stored since 1939. Of greater significance was the 1945 purchase, arranged by Sir John Black for £75,000, of the Triumph Motor Company . Triumph had gone into receivership in 1939, and was now reformed as
1092-399: A serious motorcar accident. He was advised (after consultations with his wife and close friends) to relinquish his offices of chairman and managing director and his membership of the board of directors. His deputy and long-time personal assistant, Alick Dick 1916–1986, took his position as managing director. Air Marshal Lord Tedder was appointed chairman, Tedder would hold that position until
1176-669: A slightly enlarged version of the same engine. A Standard 4/8A Tourer is driven by the main characters in the 1951 film, The Man from Planet X . Standard Motor Company The Standard Motor Company Limited was a motor vehicle manufacturer, founded in Coventry , England, in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudslay . For many years, it manufactured Ferguson TE20 tractors powered by its Vanguard engine. All Standard's tractor assets were sold to Massey Ferguson in 1959. Standard purchased Triumph in 1945 and in 1959 officially changed its name to Standard-Triumph International and began to put
1260-534: A top speed of 61 mph (98 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–50 mph (80 km/h) in 26.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 43 miles per imperial gallon (6.6 L/100 km; 36 mpg ‑US ) was recorded. The Standard Ten of 1954 shared the bodyshell and running gear and would outlast the Eight by continuing until 1961. The Eight was replaced in 1959 by the Triumph Herald , which used
1344-502: A tractor and three sports cars The Standard-Triumph company was eventually bought in 1960 by Leyland Motors which paid £20 million and the last Standard, an Ensign Deluxe, was produced in the UK in May 1963, when the final Vanguard models were replaced by the Triumph 2000 model. Triumph continued when Leyland became British Leyland Motor Corporation (later BL) in 1968. The Standard brand
1428-519: A wholly owned subsidiary of Standard, named Triumph Motor Company (1945) Limited. The Triumph factory was near the city centre and had been completely destroyed in the blitz. A lucrative deal was also arranged to build the small Ferguson Company tractor. This arrangement was considered primarily by Black as a means to securing increased profits to fund new car development. In December 1945 Standard Motor Company Limited announced that an arrangement had been made to manufacture Harry Ferguson 's tractors and
1512-551: Is unknown. Production at Standard's Canley plant continued into the early weeks of 1940. The highest chassis number now known is 33433, a saloon first registered on 11.7.1940. The Glass Guide quotes 34,601 as the final pre-war (saloon?) chassis number. The saloon was road tested by The Autocar magazine in their issue of 30 September 1938, and the drophead in the issue of 26 May 1939. Both recorded top speeds very close to 62 mph (100 km/h), and standing start 0–50 mph acceleration figures of 26.2 sec and 25.3 sec respectively –
1596-592: The Air Ministry 's shadow factory at Banner Lane Coventry run by Standard during the war would be used for the project. These tractors would be for the Eastern hemisphere, Ferguson tractors built by Ford in America for the Western hemisphere. Production was expected to start in 1946. Implements would be sourced separately by Ferguson who would also merchandise the tractors and the implements. A one-model policy for
1680-565: The Cambridge 10 with its much more streamlined look, and following the arrival of Leonard Lord development of a proper 8 hp car was accelerated. First the "new" engine was advertised to be 27HP, but later it was corrected to the same rate as the Big 7, which was 24HP. The new car, which was displayed to dealers in February 1939, kept the 900 cc, four-cylinder, side-valve engine from
1764-839: The Government of Australia imposed a tax on imported cars. However, an imported chassis attracted minimal tax, and as a result Australian coach-builders imported rolling chassis to which they fitted custom-built bodies. The Austin chassis were reputedly shipped with guards (fenders), bonnet and grill surround pressings. The largest and best of these companies known for the Austin 8 were: Ruskin, Larke Hoskins, Holden and TJ Richards & Sons . The Larke Hoskins Austin 8s were called Austin Wasp and were built both as tourer and saloon. There are even Austin 8 two door Doctor's Coupes know manufactured by Ruskin. The Richards-built Tourers can be recognised by
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#17327879150621848-586: The Leyland Motors takeover at the end of 1960. Alick Dick resigned in August 1961 when the board was reorganised by Leyland in view of the substantial losses Standard was accumulating. The company started considering partners to enable continued expansion and negotiations were begun with Chrysler , Massey-Harris-Ferguson, Rootes Group , Rover and Renault but these were inconclusive. The Vanguard's engine , later slightly enlarged, powered two saloons,
1932-623: The Standard Atlas panel van and pick-up was first marketed, a cab-over-engine design. It initially used the 948 cc engine from the Standard 10, making the resulting vehicle woefully underpowered, even with its 6.66:1 final drive ratio. In 1961, the Atlas Major was introduced, and sold alongside the original 948 cc Atlas. This variant was powered by the Standard 1670 cc wet-liner engine, as used with different capacities in
2016-492: The 1911 Delhi Durbar . In 1912 Friswell sold his interest in Standard to C. J. Band and Siegfried Bettmann , the founder of the Triumph Motor Cycle Company (which became the Triumph Motor Company ). During the same year the first commercial vehicle was produced, and the 4-cylinder model "S" was introduced at £195, the first to be put into large-scale production. 1,600 were produced before the outbreak of
2100-404: The 1920s all the models were named after towns, not only near the factory such as Canley and Kenilworth but also further afield – Teignmouth , Falmouth and Exmouth . By the late 1920s profits had decreased dramatically due to great reinvestment, a failed export contract and bad sales of the larger cars. In 1927 the inadvisability of matching the larger more elaborate trend became apparent and
2184-494: The 8 was phased out, Standard-Triumph's next small car was the Triumph Mayflower . It was only after this model had failed to meet its sales targets that a new Standard Eight was launched. The 1953 Eight was a completely new car with unit construction and the new Standard SC overhead valve engine . It was offered only as a 4-door saloon . The new overhead valve engine of 803 cc produced slightly less power than
2268-524: The 9 hp Fulham with fabric body was introduced at £185. Production was concentrated mainly on one basic chassis with a 9 hp engine. The importance of standardisation was now appreciated and only one alternative was offered. In 1929 John Black , a joint managing director of Hillman , took up an appointment at Standard as joint managing director. Black encouraged the supply of chassis to external coachbuilders such as Avon and Swallow Coachbuilding and Jensen . The coachbuilding company of Avon during
2352-730: The Big 7, now with a higher 6.5:1 compression ratio, but had a completely new chassis. This was halfway to full unitary construction in that the main member was a pressed steel floor pan with a box section welded down each side of the car with three others going across the floor. The body was then bolted to this structure. Suspension was by semi-elliptic leaf springs with hydraulic dampers. Two- and four-door saloon bodies were made as well as two- and four-seat tourers, and vans. About 47,600 were made before war closed production in 1943. In 1945, production restarted, but there were no more tourers or two-door saloons produced in England. Post-war production of
2436-537: The Canley site. Extensive re-organisation occurred including a continuous track being laid down in the paint shop on which the cars were completely painted. Through the 1930s, fortunes improved with new models, the Standard Nine and Standard Ten addressed the low to mid range market. At the 1935 Motor Show the new range of Flying Standards was announced with (semi) streamlined bodies. The Flying Standards came to
2520-581: The First World War, 50 of them in the final week of car production. These cars were sold with a three-year guarantee. In 1914 Standard became a public company. During the First World War the company produced more than 1,000 aircraft, including the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 , Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 , Sopwith Pup and Bristol F.2-B in a new works at Canley that opened on 1 July 1916. Canley would subsequently become
2604-557: The Flying Sixteen and Flying Twenty had six-cylinder engines. At the top of the range was the Standard Flying V-Eight, with a 20 RAC hp side-valve 90 degree V8 engine and a top speed of more than 80 mph (130 km/h). 250 Flying V-Eights were made from 1936 to 1937; they were offered for sale from 1936 to 1938 with the initial price of £349 lowered to £325 in the last year to clear inventory. In 1938
Standard Eight - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-569: The Gazel was built in small numbers – it has been suggested that it did so to keep its manufacturer's licence – until 1977. With the company concentrating solely on producing commercial vehicles based on the Leyland 20 model, badged as "Standard 20", production of Standard cars ceased until the Standard 2000, a rebadged Rover SD1 , was introduced in 1985. The car was higher and had a slightly modified old 1991 cc Standard Vanguard engine, as
2772-578: The Pennant, was the Gold Star engine, tuned for greater power and torque than the standard 948 cc unit. Another tuning set, featuring a different camshaft and twin carburettors, was available from dealers. As well as an overdrive for the gearbox, an option for the Eight, Ten and Pennant was the Standrive, a semi-manual transmission that automatically operated the clutch during gearchanges. During
2856-655: The Phase II engine was one Solex carburettor, with 85 mm by 93 mm pistons. Standard Motors at the time supplied many of these engines to Ferguson Tractor distributed in the United States. The Ten was followed in its turn in 1957 by the Standard Pennant featuring very prominent tail fins, but otherwise little altered structurally from the 1953 Standard Eight. An option for the Ten, and standard fitment to
2940-481: The Second World War, but now mainly fitted with utility bodies ("Tillys") . However, the most famous war-time product was the de Havilland Mosquito aircraft, mainly the FB VI version, of which more than 1100 were made. 750 Airspeed Oxfords were also made as well as 20,000 Bristol Mercury VIII engines, and 3,000 Bristol Beaufighter fuselages. Other wartime products included 4000 Beaverette light armoured cars and
3024-441: The Standard 20. Later that year, the Standard name was dropped by Leyland , and these models were rebranded hastily as the Leyland 15 and 20. By 1968 when production ended in the UK, all variants were powered by the 2138 cc engine and badged as Leyland 20s. These vehicles were badged as Triumphs for export to Canada, and possibly other overseas markets. The van's tooling was also exported to India after UK production ceased, where
3108-474: The Standard Motor Company , Veloce, ISBN 978-1-845843-43-4 ) Austin 8 The Austin 8 is a small car which was produced by Austin between 1939 and 1948. Launched on 24 February 1939, production continued into the war until 1943. Approximately 9,000 - 9,500 of the wartime Austin models were two-seater military 8AP tourers produced for the armed services and government, and
3192-426: The Standard marque (alongside a range of new Triumphs) was adopted in 1948 with the introduction of the 2-litre Standard Vanguard , which was styled on American lines by Walter Belgrove, and replaced all the carry-over pre-war models. This aptly named model was the first true post-war design from any major British manufacturer. The beetle-back Vanguard Phase 1 was replaced in 1953 by the notch-back Phase 2 and in 1955 by
3276-841: The Triumph brand name on all its products. A new subsidiary took the name The Standard Motor Company Limited and took over the manufacture of the group's products. The Standard name was last used in Britain in 1963, and in India in 1988. Maudslay, great-grandson of the eminent engineer Henry Maudslay , had trained under Sir John Wolfe-Barry as a civil engineer. In 1902 he joined his cousin Cyril Charles Maudslay at his Maudslay Motor Company to make marine internal combustion engines. The marine engines did not sell very well, and still in 1902 they made their first engine intended for
3360-695: The US export models were provided with the closed pressed wheels instead of the pressed spoke wheels used for the cars for the home market. The pressed wheels were of the same model as fitted on the Austin 8AP tourer models and had the same wheel discs as the military ones, although the civilian US wheel discs were chrome plated. The following list shows the total which was manufactured in each production year (August–July) : 1938-1939: 17447 1939-1940: 24230 1940-1941: 5064 1941-1942: 707 1942-1943: 34 1943-1944: 0 1944-1945: 0 1945-1946: 15169 1946-1947: 31619 1947-1948: 9315 The last pre war chassis number
3444-621: The Vanguard cars, and the Ferguson tractor. The same engine was also used in Triumph TR2, TR3 and TR4 sports cars. To use this larger engine, a substantial redesign of the cab interior and forward chassis was necessary. The vehicles were of a high standard but not priced competitively, which resulted in relatively few sales. In 1963 the Atlas Major became the Standard 15, with a new long-wheelbase variant, with 2138 cc engine, which became
Standard Eight - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-472: The all-new Phase 3, which resulted in variants such as the Sportsman, Ensign, Vanguard Vignale and Vanguard Six. The one-model policy lasted until 1953, when a new Standard Eight small car was added. This was introduced at £481. 7. 6. the cheapest four-door saloon on the market, yet it boasted independent front suspension, hydraulic brakes and an economical O.H.V. engine. At the same time in another part of
3612-518: The boot was by folding down the rear seat, which had the backrest divided in two (an innovation copied in saloons from late 1980s onward to extend their boot-space into the passenger-compartment). The 1954 De luxe got wind up windows and the Gold Star model of 1957 an opening boot lid. From mid-1955 all the Eights finally got wind up windows. At launch the car cost £481 including taxes on the home market. An example tested by The Motor magazine in 1953 had
3696-469: The brand by BMW, the car was finally launched as the Rover CityRover . The Standard name had disappeared from Britain during the 1960s but continued for two more decades in India, where Standard Motor Products of India Ltd manufactured the Triumph Herald badged as the 'Standard Herald' and with the basic 948 cc engine during the 1960s, with increasingly local content and design changes over
3780-581: The building were three 1300 ft assembly lines equipped to be one of the most modern car assembly plants in the world. This turned out to be the company's last investment on such a scale at Canley: investment decisions after the merger with Rover would favour the newer plant at Solihull . Overseas manufacturing plants were opened in Australia, France, India and South Africa. Overseas assembly plants were opened in Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. During
3864-473: The bumpers, full back bumper instead of quarter ones, trunk handle, moveable licence plate carrier on the trunk lid, cast steel gear box instead of aluminium one. Only two models were available after the war, the six light four door saloon and the van. The tourer and the four light two door saloon were no longer available. AS1 = Austin 8 four door six light saloon AV1 = Austin 8 van In an attempt to establish an Australian motor industry after World War I ,
3948-598: The car was dropped to be replaced by the Triumph Herald , as the Standard brand was being phased out. The Flying Eight was the smallest member of the Standard Flying family. It was launched by the Standard Motor Co Ltd late September 1938, prior to the 1938 Motor Show at Earls Court in October of that year. Apart from the power unit, it was a brand new design, and marked Standard's first entry into
4032-478: The company could not procure the licence to use the original Rover engine on this car. Being expensive and outdated it was not successful, apart from the reasons that it had competition from cars with Japanese and other newer, fuel-efficient technology in India. It ceased production in 1988, with the factory in Perungalathur near Chennai also closing its operations at the same time, around the same time that
4116-475: The drophead being 57 lb (26 kg) lighter than the saloon. The tourer was priced at £125, the saloon at £129, the saloon de luxe at £139, and the drophead at £159. The 8 hp model, now without the Flying name, was rapidly re-introduced after the Second World War with the first models appearing within ten days of VE day . It is sometimes referred to as the Standard 4/8A. The only major update from
4200-430: The early 1930s commenced producing cars with a distinctly sporty appearance, using as a foundation, a complete chassis from the Standard Motor Company. These chassis were ordinary production units, used because of their sound engineering design and good performance. Known as Avon Standard Specials they catered for a select market too small for Standard themselves. Swallow decided to produce a car under their own name using
4284-423: The engines were not merely "square" but had 6" diameter pistons with a 3" stroke. As well as supplying complete chassis, the company found a good market selling engines for fitting to other cars, especially where the owner wanted more power. Although Alex Craig, a Scottish engineer, was engaged to do much of the detail work, Maudslay himself was sufficiently confident to undertake much of the preliminary layout. One of
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#17327879150624368-456: The entire factory output. He joined Standard and later was managing director for many years. In late 1906 production was transferred to larger premises and output was concentrated on 6-cylinder models. The 16/20 h.p. tourer with side-entrance body was priced at £450. An indication of how much this was can be gained from the fact that a draughtsman earned £3 a week. In 1907 Friswell became company chairman. He worked hard to raise its profile, and
4452-678: The finishing touches and test are given to the All British 'Standard' Light cars which issue there to almost every quarter in the world". It was about this time during the early 1920s that the slogan "Count them on the road" appeared on every advertisement. By 1924 the company had a share of the market comparable to Austin Motor Company , making more than 10,000 cars in 1924. As the immediate post-war boom faded, many rival marques were discontinued. Cars became steadily larger and more elaborate as manufacturers sought to maintain sales. During
4536-471: The last examples of the SD1 left British showrooms (production had finished in 1986 but stocks lasted for around two more years). After feeble efforts over successive years to revive the company, the premises were auctioned off in 2006 and Britain's Rimmer Bros. bought up the entire unused stock of SD1 parts. This also signalled the end of the Standard marque. (Sources—Standard Motor Club and Graham Robson Book of
4620-527: The main centre of operations. Other war materials produced included shells, mobile workshops for the Royal Engineers, and trench mortars. Civilian car production was restarted in 1919 with models based on pre-war designs, for example the 9.5 model "S" was re-introduced as the model SLS although this was soon superseded by an 8 h.p. model. In the early 1920s saloon bodies were first offered; previously all cars had been tourers. The bodies had, since
4704-524: The market in 1936 with their distinctive streamlined sloping rears virtually replacing the existing range of Nine, Twelve, Sixteen, and Twenty. The Flying Standards were so-called because of the major radiator shell change to a waterfall grille topped by the Union Jack badge apparently streaming backwards in contrast to its previous forward-facing position. The Flying Nine, Flying Ten, Flying Twelve, and Flying Fourteen had four-cylinder engines, while
4788-475: The move to Bishopsgate Green, been made in Coventry by the company itself, but it was not until 1922 that they were mass-produced, using a wooden track along which they were pushed by hand. The company was justifiably proud of the modern factory at Canley, boasting in its advertisements "It is a beautifully lighted and well-aired factory standing on the edge of a breezy common away from the city din and smoke, that
4872-475: The original. The front window and seats were changed and some were fitted with a trunk lid, a feature which was not present on the pre war UK tourers. Both post war and pre war Austin 8s export models were manufactured. The Austin 8s were available for the European market as LHD. All other details of the cars were un-changed. The pre war export models for the US market were delivered LHD as well. At least some of
4956-434: The outgoing larger side-valve unit with 26 bhp at 4500 rpm but this was increased to 30 bhp at 5000 rpm in 1957. The 4-speed gearbox, with synchromesh on the top three ratios, was available with optional overdrive from March 1957. Girling hydraulic drum brakes were fitted. To keep prices down, the car at launch was very basic with sliding windows, single windscreen wiper and no external boot lid. Access to
5040-485: The pre-war Flying Eight. The pre-war tourer body by Carbodies was dropped, being replaced by a new tourer body in the form of a simplified drophead coupe, with cut-down door tops, detachable sidescreens and a fixed windscreen frame. Estate cars were produced in 1948 only and were not on general sale. The car was pitched by Standard against the Austin 8 and Morris Eight rivals and was priced at £314. After this version of
5124-406: The pre-war model involved the fitting of a 4-speed gearbox. The cylinder bore was reduced to 56.7 mm, giving 1,009 cc swept volume while dropping the tax horsepower rating from 8.06 to 7.98 as the rules for rounding off numbers had been changed. Maximum power was now quoted to 28 bhp at 4,000 rpm. The absence of bonnet louvres on the 8 hp model provided visual differentiation from
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#17327879150625208-469: The radiator emblem until after the Second World War. By 1911 the range of vehicles was comprehensive, with the 8-horsepower model being produced in quantity whilst a special order for two 70 hp cars was at the same time executed for a Scottish millionaire. Friswell's influence culminated in supplying seventy 4-cylinder 16 hp cars for King George V and his entourage, including the Viceroy of India, at
5292-407: The rear wheels. By the end of 1903 three cars had been built and the labour force had been increased to twenty five. The increased labour force produced a car every three weeks during 1904. The single-cylinder model was soon replaced by a two-cylinder model quickly followed by three- and four-cylinder versions and in 1905 the first six. Even the first cars boasted shaft drive as opposed to chains, and
5376-507: The rest were four light saloons, six light saloons, two and four seater tourers and vans. After World War II, the model was made from 1945 until 1948. By the late 1930s, sales of Austin's big seller, the Austin 7 , were declining and the 1938 addition to the range of the 900 cc "Big 7" did little to fill the demand, as despite its larger engine its suspension and handling were still rooted in its early 1920s origins. A restyled and re-engineered range of cars had started to appear in 1937 with
5460-408: The resultant vehicle continued in production until the 1980s. By the later 1950s the small Standards were losing out in the UK market to more modern competitor designs, and the Triumph name was believed to be more marketable; hence the 1959 replacement for the Eight, Ten and Pennant was badged as the Triumph Herald ; with substantial mechanical components carried over from the small Standards. Despite
5544-505: The resulting increase in demand necessitated the acquisition of a large single-storey building in Cash's Lane, Coventry. Even this was inadequate after the publicity gained when a fleet of 20 cars, 16/20 tourers, were supplied for the use of Commonwealth editors attending the 1909 Imperial Press Conference in London. In 1909 the company first made use of the famous Union Flag Badge, a feature of
5628-1015: The saloons at Standard's Canley plant seems to have commenced early September 1938, and it seems probable that 23,069 home market (RHD) saloons had been assembled by the end of August 1939 (end of company's 1938/39 financial year). The number of home market open tourers seem to be 1,500 (two batches of 1,000 and 500 respectively). Assembly of these seem to have begun in early November 1938, and continued uninterrupted until about July 1939. Number of drophead coupes were certainly less than 1,000 – only one proper batch of 500 has been identified. 550 left hand drive (LHD) completely knocked down (CKD) sets were supplied to Denmark for assembly by their importers, Bohnstedt-Petersen AS in Copenhagen. 500 of these were saloons, 50 were open tourers. CKD sets were also supplied to Australia, and assembled there by Mortlocks of Perth. For open tourers they used locally built bodies by Richards. The number of Flying Eights assembled in Australia
5712-712: The same building Standards were producing a very different engine, the Rolls-Royce Avon jet aero engine of which 415 were made between 1951 and 1955. In 1954 the Eight was supplemented by the slightly more powerful Standard Ten which featured a wider chrome grille. The Phase II Vanguard was powered, like the Phase I, by a 2088 cc 4-cylinder "wet sleeve" engine , now with a modestly increased compression ratio, and producing 68 hp. This engine could be modified by using an additional intake system and two single-barrel Solex carburettors, producing 90 hp. Typically,
5796-493: The same year that the '8' was introduced, another car was displayed at the London Motor Show. This was the Triumph 20TS , a sports two-seater with a modified Standard '8' chassis and a Vanguard engine. The 20TS's lack of luggage space and unsatisfactory performance and handling resulted in production being delayed until the next year when the chassis and drivetrain were developed and the body was restyled to incorporate
5880-467: The separate chassis and independent rear suspension, the differential, hubs, brakes, engine and gearbox were all common to the last Standard Pennants. In order to build the Herald the company invested £ 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 million in a new assembly hall extension at the Canley plant which Standard had acquired in 1916. The builders of the three-storey building excavated 250,000 tons of soil and rock. Inside
5964-535: The several derivations of the name "Standard" is said to have emanated from a discussion between Maudslay and Craig during which the latter proposed several changes to a design on the grounds of cost, which Maudslay rejected, saying that he was determined to maintain the best possible "standard". In 1905 Maudslay himself drove the first Standard car to compete in a race. This was the RAC Tourist Trophy in which he finished 11th out of 42 starters, having had
6048-418: The smallest 8 hp market. The chassis frame was all new, with box section longitudinals, and independent front suspension (ifs) by a transverse leaf spring. It was the first British 8 hp family car to feature ifs. At the same time, an updated Flying Ten and a Flying Twelve were introduced, incorporating the same chassis features. The engine was a development of the previous Flying Nine/Ten, but now with
6132-530: The smallest remained a standard Standard design. It was not until 1930, after the replacement of artillery wheels by spoke wheels that the distinctive radiator shape first used on the 6-cylinder models in 1906 was finally abandoned. In 1930, before the worst of the Depression, the Big Nine was introduced which together with the 6-cylinder Ensign and Envoy constituted the complete range. Here standardisation
6216-532: The tourer was however undertaken in Australia . Initially there were four base models of the Austin 8. The model was unnamed and known simply by its RAC horsepower rating, plus the prosaic code that would not have been familiar to many outside the industry and trade. AR = Austin 8 four door six light saloon. ARA = Austin 8 two door four light saloon. AP = Austin 8 tourer, available in two seater and four seater AV = Austin 8 van Just before and during
6300-409: The war a special Austin 8 "tilly" was manufactured, the Austin 8AP Military Tourer. Exact manufacturing numbers are not known but according to several sources the number would have been between 9000 and 9500 vehicles, most of them for Royal Army Service. The Military 8AP Tourer is recognised by, vertical louvres in the side bonnet plates of the car instead of horizontal ones, woodwork on the lower part of
6384-430: The windscreen, oil filled air filter, key-less ignition switch, closed wheels instead of pressed spoke wheels, pressed steel grille instead of sectioned cast grille. After the war the Austin 8 was manufactured in a slightly different way than the pre-war 8s. The main differences were: steering wheel, chrome plated head lights instead of spray painted ones, horizontal air filter instead of vertical air filter, over riders on
6468-492: The year ended 31 August 1954 Standard made and sold 73,000 cars and 61,500 tractors and much more than half of those were exported. Since the war Standard had made and sold some 418,000 cars and 410,000 tractors and again much more than half were exported. Appointed to Standard's then ailing business in 1929, director and general manager since 1930 and appointed managing director in 1934 energetic Sir John Black resigned as chairman and managing director of Standard that year following
6552-608: The years, eventually producing additional four-door and five-door estate models exclusively for the Indian market by the late 1960s. After 1970, Standard Motor Products split with British Leyland, and introduced a bodily restyled four-door saloon based on the Herald known as the Standard Gazel in 1972, using the same 948 cc engine but with a live rear axle, as the Herald's swing-axle was not liked much by Indian buyers and mechanics alike. Allegedly India's first indigenous car,
6636-554: Was built for Standard by Mulliners of Birmingham, who were already building drophead bodies for the Standard Flying Twelve. The initiative for this version probably came from Mulliner's and not from Standard themselves, as it appeared 4–5 months after the original saloon and tourer versions. The prewar production ledger has not survived. The saloon and tourer prototypes (DDU 514 and −516 respectively) were both registered on 15 February 1938. However, series production of
6720-701: Was chassis 47600. The last chassis was 103585, manufactured in 1948, which suggests that 103,585 Austin 8s were produced. How many were manufactured of each model is not known, since more detailed production records have been destroyed. Since 1990, there is an Austin Eight Register, started by Ian Pinniger and continued in 2012 by Hermann Egges. Slightly over 100,000 Austin 8s have been manufactured between 1939 and 1948. The register contains information about 400-500 Austin 8s in existence, of which most are post-war six light saloons. The actual number of Austin 8s in existence can be found here . More information about
6804-614: Was ended on 17 August 1970 when a sudden announcement said that henceforth the company was to be known as the Triumph Motor Company. The Standard name has been unused in Europe since then and the Triumph or Rover Triumph BL subsidiary used the former Standard engineering and production facilities at Canley in Coventry until the plant was closed in 1980. BMW acquired the Standard and Triumph brands following its purchase of BL's successor Rover Group in 1994. When most of Rover
6888-467: Was incorporated on 2 March 1903 and he established his business in a small factory in a two-storey building in Much Park Street, Coventry . Having undertaken the examination of several proprietary engines to familiarise himself with internal combustion engine design he employed seven people to assemble the first car, powered by a single-cylinder engine with three-speed gearbox and shaft drive to
6972-522: Was sold in 2000, BMW kept the Standard brand along with Triumph, Mini and Riley . The management of British Motor Heritage , gained the rights to the Standard Brand upon their management purchase of this company from BMW in 2001. There was talk of a possible revival of the Standard name by MG Rover for its importation of the Tata Indica . However, for reasons relating to the ownership of
7056-619: Was taken a step further with the bodies on 9 hp four-cylinder and 15 hp six-cylinder being almost indistinguishable except for bonnet length. The Big Nine was soon followed by the Big Twelve and sales for the second six months of 1931 exceeded those of the whole of the previous year. In 1932 there was a Royal visit to the Canley works by the Duke of Gloucester who came to open the Canley Pavilion outside which he took delivery of
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