A TD IN YORKSHIRE MANY YEARS AGO

John Bath

Long before the days of TROC, when I owned my Renown, a nice chap from Yorkshire corresponded with me.

He owned this 1800 saloon. The picture he sent was of high quality but the size of a large postage stamp!!!

I have scanned it as I don't think you have seen it before. The wonders of scanning ensure that I can get it up to a decent size.

The photograph would have been taken in late 1960s or early 1970s.

A Mayflower model

Malcolm Banyer tells us that the Oxford Diecast magazine – latest issue, informs readers that they will shortly produce a 1: 76 scale model of the .

The pre-production photograph shows the Mayflower finished in what looks like Nile Green.

TD AND TDA STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION

Colin Copcutt

INTRODUCTION

For the owners and users of the early Razor Edge models, identified by the prefix TD or TDA to their chassis numbers, there has never been a single point of reference document to use as a workshop manual. The produced a Service instruction manual for the Standard I.F.S. in 1946, which included a supplement for the Triumph 18T and 18TR models. This document includes a large amount of interesting facts, but is by no means a complete workshop manual. In October 1947, the Motor Trader produced one of their excellent "Trader" Service Data Sheets number 136. In 8 pages, it attempts to provide all of the information necessary to undertake an overhaul or service. For owners of the TDA models, there has never been a published workshop manual. For the engine, gearbox and back axle, a copy of a Phase One Standard Vanguard manual is needed, with all other information coming from the two documents shown above. Some time ago, the TROC produced copies of Standard Triumph workshop manuals in a combined volume. This series of short articles is intended to bring together all of the known published, official information available, into a one point of reference for the overhaul of the steering and suspension of the TD and TDA models.

1. STEERING BOX AND COLUMN Members should refer to the diagram published in April 2008 Globe on page 14 and description of parts on page 15 which relate to the following section.

Description The steering gear used on the TD and TDA models is the Marles Cam and Roller type. The cam is mounted on the shaft (F 11) which carries the steering wheel and the lever, which is provided with a hardened double roller mounted on needle bearings, is carried on the rocker shaft (F2), to which the drop arm (F3) is fixed. The cam is mounted between two ball bearings (F9). At the upper end of the steering column shaft a third bearing is provided, which consists of a rubber bush (F 19) which eliminates the possibility of dust entering.

The rocker shaft is carried on phosphor bronze bearings (F 12). The assembly is secured to the off side chassis member by a ½ -inch BSF bolt which passes through a tube welded laterally through the chassis member.

Maintenance

The steering box is replenished with oil by the application of a gun, filled with EP 90 grade of oil, to the nipple on the box lid. It should be topped up with 3 strokes of the oil gun every 5000 miles. Adjustments for wear If vertical play in the steering column-in shaft develops, it may be eliminated by the removal of a sufficient number of paper packings from between the steering box and its end cover. The original type packings were available in two thicknesses, 0.005" coloured black and 0.010" coloured white. After a high mileage, wear may allow excessive backlash between the roller and cam. In order to carry out the necessary adjustments to remove the backlash, it will first be necessary to remove the steering box from the chassis. Disconnect the wiring at the base of the column and disconnect the gear change linkage at the ball pin and rod end (castellated nut). Detach the ball pin from the drop arm. Remove the gearbox cover, offside floorboard, pedal pads and toeboard. Remove the ½–inch BSF bolt holding the steering box to the chassis and lift the steering box and column through the .

Before removing the drop arm, suitably mark it and the rocker shaft to ensure its correct engagement with the splines on refitting. Having removed the steering box from the chassis, place the steering in the straight ahead position, which can be found by halving the total number of steering wheel rotations in moving lock to lock. After slackening the lock nut on the set screw in the steering box lid and raising the locking washer from its engagement with the stop face on the cover plate, adjust the set screw clockwise with a screw driver until the roller is felt to be engaging with the cam. The setscrew must then be slackened back sufficiently to permit the locking washer to engage its stop face on the cover. The steering gear should then be checked for backlash. With the gear in the central or straight ahead position, where clearance is at a minimum, the lost motion on the drop arm should not exceed l/32" It should be appreciated, that as the roller's movement is that of an arc of a circle, on the extreme locks, maximum clearance between the roller and cam exists. In the mid position, there should only be a bare clearance, sufficient to prevent binding.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT BACKLASH SHOULD BE CHECKED IN THE MID POSITION OF THE ROLLER’S TRAVEL AND THAT ANY ADJUSTMENT SHOULD BE MADE IN THIS NEUTRAL POSITION.

When adjustments have been made in the neutral position, the gear should be operated through its complete range to identify if any binding between the roller and the cam exists. If binding does occur, it may indicate that the wear between the roller and the cam exceeds acceptable limits and that they must be replaced. NOTE: All work carried out on the steering mechanism is safety critical and must be undertaken by a qualified mechanic

2. TRACK RODS AND ENDS Members should refer to the diagram published in April 2008 Globe on page 13 which relates to the following section. Description A special type of track rod end is fitted to the drop arm. (K27), the ball pin of which is bolted through the hole in the drop arm. One extremity of the track rod end is provided with the normal threaded portion which screws into the off side track rod (K25), being secured in the rod by a clamp (K35). The other extremity of the track rod end is formed into a lever extension provided with a hole for the accommodation of the ball pin of the track rod end (K26) mounted on the inner end of the near side track rod (K24). The axis of the two ball pins are at right angles to one another, the one attached to the drop arm assuming the vertical position whilst the other is horizontally disposed. The two track rods are attached by their inner ends as described above, are connected at their other extremities, by track rod ends (K41) to a socket assembly mounted on a steering lever fixed at the rear of each stub axle assembly (K22 & K23). Maintenance Where grease nipples are fitted, three or four strokes of the grease gun should be given every 1000 miles. Adjustments for wear There are no adjustments that can be made when track rod ends are worn, replacement parts must be fitted. If any track rod ends are replaced, the front wheel alignment must be checked. The centres between the ball pins of the track rod ends on the offside track rod must be set to 12 3/l6" and any adjustments made by varying the length of the nearside (long) track rod. The correct front wheel alignment should provide a parallel setting of the front wheels. NOTE: All work carried out on the steering mechanism, is safety critical and must be undertaken by a qualified mechanic.

A TRIO OF RENOWN PICKUPS

Some may consider the treatment harsh, but perhaps as the result of a severely corroded back end, these cars had an extended life.

KWP 468 is a July 1952 Worcester registration.

This derelict TDB was found by Peter Faber in North Island, New Zealand.

TDC 2294 was within the Club for many years.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tom Robinson Three TDC chassis were produced that did not become Renowns?

In 1952 the Standard Motor Company produced these chassis which received vanguard Phase 1A cabs and ambulance bodies.

Many years ago I had the opportunity to inspect one registered CFA 921, at that time owned by Michael Joy of Nottingham. On first glance I assumed that the chassis was Vanguard, but closer inspection underneath showed front wing struts as per our TDC model. This vehicle, Michael told me had been supplied new to Burton’s Brewery in Burton-on-Trent.

From a list of experimental vehicles produced by Standard Triumph which I have, I can give the following information.

Chassis Model Build Engine Registration Remarks no. date No. No. X504 20S 1952 X559E MDU 590 Massey Ferguson Factory, Coventry

X511 20S 1952 MRW 713 Registered 13.11.52

X512 20S 1952 CFA 921 Burton’s Brewery Burton-on-Trent

AFTER THE RENOWN: A POSTSCRIPT This article first appeared in the Globe August 1966

John Bath TROC historian

We have already heard how the razor-edge era for Triumph effectively ended in October 1954 when the Renown quietly faded away. At this time Triumph were only building a single model, the TR2 a somewhat incongruous stable mate for the Renown. Thus there was to be no saloon model to bear the Triumph name until the Herald came out at the end of the fifties.

Here I am deliberately ignoring the 'badge-engineered' U.S. version of the Standard 10 saloon, known in America as the Triumph Cadet and Triumph Estate Wagon. The need for the change of marque name perhaps pointed the way to the eventual demise of the Standard name in 1963.

Meanwhile, the less than stylish Phase II notch-back Vanguard continued in production and, if anything, making the short car look even more dumpy than the original 'beetle-back' version.

However, the Phase II was only to be a stop-gap before the launch of the 'all-new' Phase III in late 1955. 'All-new' is perhaps not quite true, as the trusty 2088 cc engine was retained in modified form. Whilst it may not look so now, in its day, the Phase III was a much more balanced and successful design, with its somewhat scaled- down American influence. Remember, that the-original Phase I Vanguard was inspired by the 1942 Plymouth.

The Phase III’s rear lights were very much like those on American Fords, but overall, the car was distinctive in its own way. The main innovation was its unitary construction, replacing the traditional body/chassis of the earlier cars. The grille resembled a 1954 Plymouth, with its oval opening bisected by a prominent horizontal moulding in steel.

However, Triumph - the senior marque to Standard - did lack a top of the range saloon, or at least, one which would attract extra 'showroom traffic'! The TR2 had by 1955 become the TR3, a car aimed at a very different sector of the market.

We know that a Renown replacement was mooted. In addition to a full-size mock-up being constructed, with varying grille treatments, a very different wooden scale model was made by Les Moore of Mulliner's, Birmingham, probably around 1953/4.

We show a photograph of the model which happily survives in the safe hands of a nephew of Mr. Antweiler of Mulliner's. The photograph of the model was lent to the Club by Mrs. Gwen Moore, Les's widow.

We are grateful to her for the loan. The car is vaguely reminiscent of an Armstrong- Siddeley and tried, perhaps not totally successfully to marry a traditional upright radiator into an envelope-style body with suggested front and rear wings. The superb model has an opening boot and scale luggage.

As regard the 'full scale mock-up' mentioned above (and this was presumably a Standard styling creation, not Mulliner's), we will be featuring photographs in due course. It was, I regret to say, a styling disaster - the exact opposite of the harmonious and well- proportioned lines of our cars!

Even Les Moore's model is nothing like as distinctive as the original razor- edge, and my guess is that if it had been put into production, it would have had a short run.

Indeed, the Renown replacement which eventually came into production had itself a very short life. It was a totally different car from those potential replacements mentioned earlier.

We also know that Standard had a habit of making last-minute changes, often after a new Triumph had been introduced - -the 1800 Town and Country Saloon became the 1800 saloon post launch in 1946. -the 2000 saloon was later renamed Renown after the new independent front suspension version appeared in late 1949.

An up-market Phase III Vanguard was to be the new with its Triumph grille with globe, steering boss with globe and commission number (chassis number) in the Triumph series. All show a very late decision to rename the car, the Standard Sportsman. The commission numbers ran from TDD 1 onwards immediately followed on from the Renown series 2, which bore TDC as a prefix to the commission number.

Note the family likeness to the grille on our cars

Garish colour schemes were not exactly in the Triumph tradition, but bore further evidence of transatlantic influence - at least the car did not sport the 'gay look' of rival car makers Hillman.

At least one Sportsman is rumoured to have borne Renown nameplates in script form. This was in its early stages of test and development. The Sportsman (née Renown), had different bumpers, over-riders and other features to distinguish the car from the lesser Standard models. However, at £1231 on announcement in August, 1956, the car was priced too high in its class to be competitive. However, it must have had a fair turn of speed, with its twin carburettor 2138 cc engine with overdrive - a sort of early 'GT' model.

Commission numbers ran from-: TDD1-901. Saloon version. TDD902-5. Estate version. Note that the estate did not feature the Triumph- style grille.

The name Sportsman by the way was an odd choice. Used by both Ford and Chrysler in the U.S.A. before. Daimler also produced their own very different Sportsman also in 1956. This had semi-razor-edge style, with coach-built body...... by Mulliner's of Birmingham!

Thus the Razor-edge story ends with a Mulliner’s of Birmingham connection, just as it started. But one wonders how two major car makers could come up with the same model name at the same time....without apparently a dispute! Photographs in this article are from the collection of John Bath.