Description
Heralds like this don't come up very often. Since 2021 it's had:
- Fully rebuilt original small crank engine - upgraded to Spitfire Mk3 spec, with correct cam and twin SUs
- Water pump rebuilt by EP Services
- Inlet manifold fitted with stainless water pipe
- Fully rebuilt overdrive gearbox
- Overdrive rebuilt by Overdrive Repair Services of Sheffield
- Brand new propshaft to suit the overdrive
- Bulkhead removed, fully repaired with new floor pans and replaced
- Rebuilt and reskinned passenger door
- Wiring loom stripped and reconditioned
- Rear wings, rear light areas stripped and rust repaired
- Fresh paint from the bulkhead back
- New sills and rear valances. All NOS except the right hand sill
- New rear bumpers
- New rear overriders
- Front suspension stripped and poly bushed
- Front chassis stripped, rust repaired and painted body colour (while the bulkhead was off)
- Boot corner hand rebuilt to original appearance
- Spare wheel well rebuilt to original appearance
- New front brake lines
- New front trunnions
- New large capacity fuel tank (which was standard for this late car) with ethanol proof coating
- Re webbed original Stanpart seatbelts
Before then, plenty more. The drivers door was reskinned in 2016, new discs and pads, heater refurb. Basically I've always done my best to keep the car in a very good condition!
The engine and gearbox are now only about 900 miles old. I had the car set up on a classic friendly rolling road at the beginning of the year and the engine is running great. Even at 70 in overdrive top it's still got a bit of torque available so motorways are no problem. Nominally it'll be close in performance now to a 1600 Vitesse.
Couple of minor things. There's a few tears in the hood. Nothing major, but it's probably about 30 years old. The MX5 seats are kinda worn. I have some Herald seats that could go with the car. I had a dodgy fuel filter spill petrol and take some of the paint off of the front left wishbone, so there's primer showing through on that. There's a small scuff on the front right bonnet corner, about 2x20mm.
Currently the car is sitting on some replica Minilites. The wheels in the photos are Dunlop 5. 5Js, but the tyres are pretty old. Could go with either set. After 18 years of ownership its time my Herald found a new home. I'm the fifth owner, the previous person had it from 1978-2007. I was lucky enough to be able to get the history from the DVLA before that service was banned, so the whole ownership history is known. I've got a huge lever arch file of paperwork including receipts for pretty much everything I've spent on it, every MOT since 1978, tax discs from 1992 on, Heritage certificate, copies of the TSSC Courier magazine where the car has featured etc.
Until I took ownership, the Herald spent most of its life on the south coast. Then I eventually brought it far north!
There's plenty of info on the history of the car on my YouTube channel, search for RedFoxClassics as links are apparently not allowed, that will give you an overview of where it's been and what's been done to it. Prior to that there's a lot of info on my TSSC forum thread, search for Tssc Herald 13/ 60 Rolling Resto.
If you couldn't tell from the info section, this car has been looked after well! I'm now quite an accomplished amateur mechanic and restorer. In earlier years things I was unable to do were taken care of by Willow Triumph in Darlington, and prior to my ownership the car was looked after by Southern Triumph in Bournemouth.
This car has been a big part of mine and my families life, including being the transport of choice for two weddings! So finding the right person to take it on is more important to me than a quick sale.
Mileage is highly likely to be once round the clock at (1)35000 ish based on MOT history.
"Has there ever been any major structural issues which needed work?" - The car has had structural rot repair over its lifetime. Not sure if this is what the above question is referring to, but for full disclosure!
