Friday 31 October 2008

4WD Triumph

Five years ago I put together a web page with some photographs and details of the 4WD Triumph put together in the late 1960s. Unfortunately the web page was lost a while ago, but I recently found the photographs on my computer, so I'm uploading them here in case anyone is still interested.

Background Information

Sometime in the 1960s, Triumph designed a 4WD utility vehicle utilising 1300 FWD derived components, called the Triumph Pony. From what I can tell, Triumph never went into production with the vehicle, instead series production was taken up by a company called Autocars in Haifa, Israel who turned the Pony into the Dragoon.

Triumph Pony / Autocars Dragoon
Triumph Pony / Autocars Dragoon

Autocars Dragoon
Autocars Dragoon

Triumph Pony - registration CHP 786C
Triumph Pony - registration CHP 786C


Triumph Pony / Autocars Dragoon Technical Specification

Engine
Triumph 4 cylinder, I-I-W-F (cylinders in line, valves in head (OHV), water cooled, front mounted), 1498cc, 56 bhp @ 4300rpm

Transmission
4F1R x 2

Brakes
Hydraulic

Tyres
6.50-13

Wheelbase
2.01 m.

Overall
l x w x h : 3.43 x 1.57 x 1.93 (max) m.

Weight
991 kg. GVW on/off road : 1638 / 1435 kg.

Note
Normally front-wheel drive, engagement of rear wheel drive also engages low range. DeDion front axle. Semi-elliptic springs front and rear. Produced to British design (Triumph 'Pony').

Triumph Pony Gearbox

Pony Gearbox from Canley Classics (shown with genuine Le Mans Spitfire wheel)
Pony Gearbox from Canley Classics (shown with genuine Le Mans Spitfire wheel)


Motorsport

However, the story doesn't end there. The Triumph Competition's department took a 1300 FWD, and fitted a Le Mans Spitfire 70X spec engine, 2000 LSD rear end and the Pony 4WD system. Now we're talking! The result is shown below, being driven to first place by Brian Culcheth at a televised Autocross at Lydden in Kent, in February 1969.

Getting some air!
Getting some air!


Brian at the Wheel!
Brian at the Wheel!


Unfortunately, in an event later in the same year at High Egdorough, the car with Brian Culcheth at the wheel broke a trailing arm, rolled and was comprehensively written off.

Oh dear!
Oh dear!


'finishing lines' - courtesy of Classic Cars Magazine
'finishing lines' - courtesy of Classic Cars Magazine


Letter from Brian Culcheth to Jason Chinn
Letter from Brian Culcheth to Jason Chinn


Further reading

I'm assuming (until David Pearson tells me otherwise) that the Pony gearbox will bolt on to the back of the FWD engine in a similar fashion to the FWD gearbox -

FWD transmission
FWD transmission


Here's a more detailed cross section of the arrangement of the FWD gearbox. It would be great to get a similar diagram of the Pony gearbox arrangement -

FWD cross section of clutch, gearbox and final drive
FWD cross section of clutch, gearbox and final drive


Here's the arrangement of the RWD rear axle. Note the mounting points of the "trailing suspension link (2)" and the "semi-trailing radius rod (4)" -

RWD rear axle
RWD rear axle


Here's the arrangement of the FWD rear axle. I'm assuming that the FWD rear axle shares the same mounting points as the RWD rear axle.

FWD rear axle
FWD rear axle


If anyone's actually up for doing this conversion, I'd be very interested to see the results!

Wednesday 22 October 2008

More Paint!

Rear tub now looking fantastic in Cactus Green and Sebring White. Original Triumph colours in a slightly non-standard duo-tone combination.





















Monday 20 October 2008

Paint!

After what seems like months, the Coupé is finally going through paint this week. Paul has done a fantastic job with the bodywork and Ian is doing a brilliant job with the paint. It's difficult to work out the colour in these pics under fluorescent light, but it looks just great.

Rear tub in Cactus Green and primer...





Bootlid, doors and bonnet in primer...




Bulkhead, chassis and valences in Cactus...



With any luck, more pics this week with it looking a lot more like a car again...

Sunday 5 October 2008

Didcot to The Plough

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Didcot to The Plough on the fourteenth and final leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Pimperne to Didcot

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Pimperne to Didcot on the thirteenth leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Badgers Holt to Pimperne

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Badgers Holt to Pimperne on the twelfth leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Lands End to Badgers Holt

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Lands End to Sennen Cove and then onto Badgers Holt on the tenth and eleventh legs of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Gordano Services to Lands End

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Gordano Services to Lands End on the ninth leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Morrison's Garage to Lancaster Services, Gledrid Services and on to Gordano Services

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Morrisons Garage in Stirling to Lancaster Services, Gledrid Services and on to Gordano Services on the sixth, seventh and eighth legs of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Saturday 4 October 2008

Conon Bridge Hotel to Morrison's Garage

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from the Conon Bridge Hotel to Morrison's Garage in Stirling on the fifth leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


John O Groats to Conon Bridge Hotel

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from John O Groats to Conon Bridge Hotel on the fourth leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Edinburgh Airport to John O Groats

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Edinburgh Airport to John O Groats on the third leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.


Blyth Services to Edinburgh Airport

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from Blyth Services to Edinburgh Airport on the second leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.




next leg : Edinburgh Airport to John O'Groats

Friday 3 October 2008

The Plough to Blyth Services

HD Time lapse of Craig Gingell and Mark Bland in a Triumph 2000, driving from The Plough to Blyth Services on the first leg of the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run 2008.