1954 Swallow Doretti

Swallow Doretti (Convertible), 1954-1955

The Swallow Doretti was in production from 1954 until 1955. Styled in house by Frank Rainbow, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive convertible range seating two adults.

The Doretti was the work of Tube Investments subsidiary Swallow Coachbuilding, and took its name from Dorothy Deen, Triumph distributor in the western USA. With a wider and longer track and wheelbase than the TR2, the Doretti was a softer and more refined machine. The shells were double skinned; a support structure made of steel upon which aluminium panels were then hung. Cars were produced in Tube Investments' Walsall factory, though they were intended primarily for sales in America. 276 MK1 Dorettis were made including one fixed head coupe, while three prototype MK2 Dorettis were also produced. These had a better, stiffer chassis with improved weight distribution.

It's believed that the Doretti ceased production amid pressure from the British motor industry upon Tube Investments - namely that it could source sheet metal and other components from its own subsidiaries at a better rate than other manufacturers, thus giving itself an artificial advantage in the marketplace. It's also possible that cost counted against the car; at almost a third more than a TR2 it was an expensive proposition, and while it could do 0-60 in 12.3 seconds and crack 100mph, that was still expensive given that the same £1101 would have bought a Healey or an Allard Palm Beach 6 cylinder.

The Triumph TR2 and TR3 were cheaper than the Doretti when new and that remains the case today. But if you want a coachbuilt TR, what about the Triumph Italia 2000, or the Peerless GT? Both are fixed heads rather than the open Doretti but each is equally interesting. The Daimler SP250 uses a similar chassis, albeit fitted with Daimler's 2.5 litre V8 engine for extra power. Rivals at the time would certainly have included the Austin Healey 100, and this would make sense as an alternative today too.