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Triumph Dolomite (pre-1940)
Encyclopedia
The Triumph Dolomite was a car that first appeared in 1934 as a sports car and reused on a series of sporting saloons and open cars until at least 1939 when the Triumph Motor Company
went into receivership. A number were still sold and registered in 1940, though it is uncertain whether the receiver or new owner turned out cars from spare parts, or sold off completed cars. All except the Straight 8 featured a "waterfall" grille styled by Walter Belgrove, versions of the saloons with conventional grilles were sold as Continental models.
. However this car did not make production, only 3 being made. The engine was of 1990 cc capacity with twin overhead camshafts and fitted with a Roots type supercharger
. The engine output was 120 bhp at 5500 rpm giving the car a top speed of over 110 mph (175 km/h). Lockheed hydraulic brakes with large 16 inch (400 mm) drums were fitted. The pressed steel chassis was conventional with a beam front axle and half elliptic springs all round.
One of the cars was entered in the 1935 Monte Carlo Rally
driven by Donald Healey
but was withdrawn after being written off in a collision with a railway train on a level crossing in Denmark.
Largely because of the financial troubles of the company the car never went into production. Some spare engines and chassis were later assembled into complete cars by a London company called High Speed Motors (HSM).
There was also a 6 cylinder version, the 2-Litre or 16 of 1 cc capacity. The cars received excellent reviews from the period motoring press.
An increased compression ratio and mild further engine tuning justified a changed designation from 14/60 to 14/65 (where 14 was the fiscal horsepower
and 65 was the claimed actual horsepower). The car was announced with the 1767 cc engine with twin SU carburettors, but in July 1938 a slightly longer wheelbase version powered by a 1991 cc engine fed by triple SUs joined the range while the saloon version featuring the same 1991 cc engine still made do with just two SU carburettors. No power output figure was quoted by the manufacturers for the 1991 cc Dolomite, but a straight-six engine of the almost the same size produced at the time by BMW and also fed by three carburettors was being quoted as producing 80 bhp. (Both engines were driven to feature long thin cylinders by the taxation regimes
to which their manufacturers were subjected, so the Triumph's bore and stroke were 65 by 100 mm (2.6 by 3.9 in), whereas those for the BMW's were 66 by 96 mm (2.6 by 3.8 in).
Triumph had been moving progressively upmarket during the 1930s, and the 1938 Dolomites were very well equipped, with winding windows in the doors, automatic chassis lubrication, a leather bound steering wheel adjustable for rake and reach, dual hydraulic brake circuits, twin trumpet horns, and spot lamps included in the price. There was even a tray of fitted tools slotted beneath the driver's seat cushion, and for an extra 18 guineas buyers could specify a radio.
The body was aluminium over a rot-proofed ash
frame. Like many Triumphs of that time, the car followed the American trend of concealing its radiator behind a flamboyant shining metal grill. The British market, then as now, was in many ways a conservative one, however, and before Dolomite production was suspended completely Triumph had time to introduce a "Vitesse" branded version of the Dolomite on which the grill had been removed and the car's own radiator was exposed in the traditional manner.
In 1939, less than a month after Britain declared war on Germany, and before civilian automobile availability had been withdrawn by government in either country, the Autocar
magazine featured a road test of the two litre Dolomite Roadster coupe. By this time the manufacturer's published price had risen to £495. The testers recorded a mean maximum speed of 78 mph (125.5 km/h), with a best timed maximum speed of 81 mph (130.4 km/h)). Acceleration from rest to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) was timed at 15 seconds. The testers appear to have been impressed by everything except the ambient weather.
The experience of producing hand beaten aluminium panels made the Coventry
plant where the Dolomite was built a natural candidate for aircraft production as this was ramped up. Unfortunately this also attracted attention from the Luftwaffe
, and the plant fell victim to bombing in 1940.
A coupé was shown, but never went into production.
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...
went into receivership. A number were still sold and registered in 1940, though it is uncertain whether the receiver or new owner turned out cars from spare parts, or sold off completed cars. All except the Straight 8 featured a "waterfall" grille styled by Walter Belgrove, versions of the saloons with conventional grilles were sold as Continental models.
Dolomite Straight 8
The first use of the Dolomite name was in 1934, when it was used for a 8 cylinder sports car which resembled the Alfa Romeo 8CAlfa Romeo 8C
-1935 Monoposto 8C 35 Type C:Eight 3.8 litre versions, sharing no castings with the earlier blocks, were individually built for racing in five months, most being used in the Alfa Romeo Monoposto 8C 35 Type C, as raced by Scuderia Ferrari. The 3.8 produced at 5500 rpm, and had from...
. However this car did not make production, only 3 being made. The engine was of 1990 cc capacity with twin overhead camshafts and fitted with a Roots type supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
. The engine output was 120 bhp at 5500 rpm giving the car a top speed of over 110 mph (175 km/h). Lockheed hydraulic brakes with large 16 inch (400 mm) drums were fitted. The pressed steel chassis was conventional with a beam front axle and half elliptic springs all round.
One of the cars was entered in the 1935 Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
driven by Donald Healey
Donald Healey
Donald Mitchell Healey CBE was a noted English rally driver, automobile engineer, and speed record holder.- Early life :...
but was withdrawn after being written off in a collision with a railway train on a level crossing in Denmark.
Largely because of the financial troubles of the company the car never went into production. Some spare engines and chassis were later assembled into complete cars by a London company called High Speed Motors (HSM).
Dolomite 14/60 and 16
The Dolomite name was again used from 1937 to 1940. The car this time had a 1767 cc four cylinder engine and saloon body. The design was overseen by Donald Healey and featured a striking new design of radiator grille by Walter Belgrove. The cars were marketed as "the finest in all the land" and targeted directly at the luxury sporting saloon market.There was also a 6 cylinder version, the 2-Litre or 16 of 1 cc capacity. The cars received excellent reviews from the period motoring press.
Dolomite Roadster
This was an open version of the 14/60, announced in April 1938, with seating for three people on a single bench seat and "two additional outside seats in the tail, reminiscent of the dickey seat that was at one time common" for two more people behind.An increased compression ratio and mild further engine tuning justified a changed designation from 14/60 to 14/65 (where 14 was the fiscal horsepower
Tax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
and 65 was the claimed actual horsepower). The car was announced with the 1767 cc engine with twin SU carburettors, but in July 1938 a slightly longer wheelbase version powered by a 1991 cc engine fed by triple SUs joined the range while the saloon version featuring the same 1991 cc engine still made do with just two SU carburettors. No power output figure was quoted by the manufacturers for the 1991 cc Dolomite, but a straight-six engine of the almost the same size produced at the time by BMW and also fed by three carburettors was being quoted as producing 80 bhp. (Both engines were driven to feature long thin cylinders by the taxation regimes
Tax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
to which their manufacturers were subjected, so the Triumph's bore and stroke were 65 by 100 mm (2.6 by 3.9 in), whereas those for the BMW's were 66 by 96 mm (2.6 by 3.8 in).
Triumph had been moving progressively upmarket during the 1930s, and the 1938 Dolomites were very well equipped, with winding windows in the doors, automatic chassis lubrication, a leather bound steering wheel adjustable for rake and reach, dual hydraulic brake circuits, twin trumpet horns, and spot lamps included in the price. There was even a tray of fitted tools slotted beneath the driver's seat cushion, and for an extra 18 guineas buyers could specify a radio.
The body was aluminium over a rot-proofed ash
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
frame. Like many Triumphs of that time, the car followed the American trend of concealing its radiator behind a flamboyant shining metal grill. The British market, then as now, was in many ways a conservative one, however, and before Dolomite production was suspended completely Triumph had time to introduce a "Vitesse" branded version of the Dolomite on which the grill had been removed and the car's own radiator was exposed in the traditional manner.
In 1939, less than a month after Britain declared war on Germany, and before civilian automobile availability had been withdrawn by government in either country, the Autocar
Autocar
Autocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Motoring Publications Ltd. It refers to itself as "The World's oldest car magazine".-History:...
magazine featured a road test of the two litre Dolomite Roadster coupe. By this time the manufacturer's published price had risen to £495. The testers recorded a mean maximum speed of 78 mph (125.5 km/h), with a best timed maximum speed of 81 mph (130.4 km/h)). Acceleration from rest to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) was timed at 15 seconds. The testers appear to have been impressed by everything except the ambient weather.
The experience of producing hand beaten aluminium panels made the Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
plant where the Dolomite was built a natural candidate for aircraft production as this was ramped up. Unfortunately this also attracted attention from the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
, and the plant fell victim to bombing in 1940.
A coupé was shown, but never went into production.
Dolomite 1½ litre
In 1938 a smaller engined version with 1496 cc engine was announced and available as a saloon or tourer. The 1767 cc engine was an option at first but became standard in 1939.External links
- The Pre 1940 Triumph Owners Club - For the original Dolomite
- CRL 810 - Restoration site of a 1937 Triumph Dolomite