1955 Standard Ten

Making its bow in 1953, the Standard 8 was a rear-wheel-drive, front-engine saloon, and Standard-Triumph’s first post-war small car. The unitary body was all new, and to keep the price of £481 below its rival Austin A30 and Morris Minor the specification was exceedingly basic; a ‘bomb crater’ radiator grille, sliding windows, one windscreen wiper and no external boot lid all kept costs low. Access to the luggage compartment was via a split folding rear seat. The body was a four-door saloon, and unlike its BMC competitors there was never a two-door option. It spawned the more powerful 10 in 1954, the Companion estate in 1955, and the upmarket Pennant version in 1957. Saloon production ceased in 1959 and the estate-car lasted until 1961.

The 8 may have been an inexpensive family runabout, but for a low budget car there was an elaborate suspension system with double wishbones coil springs and telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers at the front, and a live axle with longitudinal four-leaf springs at the rear. March 1954 saw the arrival of the £580 10, which offered a larger engine, a second windscreen wiper, a passenger sun visor, and even winding windows. The 8 Deluxe, launched two months later, combined these luxuries with the smaller engine, and in October 1954 the 10 was offered as a Companion five-door estate.

In mid-1955, sliding windows were dispensed with on all versions of the 8 and in early 1956 the Deluxe models were replaced by ‘Super’ models. The ‘Super 10’ - at long last - was equipped with an opening boot lid and there was the cheaper alternative of the Family 10, which combined the larger power plant with 8 level trim. A year later all but the basic version of the 8 now had eternal access to the luggage.

As a mark of increasing consumer affluence, Standard also offered the Pennant in 1957. This was a Super Deluxe version of the 10, recognisable via its tailfins, duotone paint finish, remote control gear change and slightly more powerful 37bhp engine. The price for such luxury was £728.

Production of all 8, 10 and Pennant saloons ceased in late 1959, following the arrival of the Triumph Herald. The Companion was last built in 1961, the final examples having a Pennant-style frontal treatment.

The 8 was powered by an 830cc four-cylinder OHV engine, whilst the 10 and the Pennant had a 948cc unit, the last named in a slightly higher stage of tune. The usual transmission was a 4-speed unit with synchromesh on the top three gears and options included Standrive semi-automatic from 1956 onwards and, very unusually for a British small car of the 1950s, Laycock de Normanville overdrive in 1957.

The Standard 10 was able to muster a top speed of 69mph, but do not expect blistering performance from your 8 as 61mph is all you can reasonably hope for. That said, both engines feel spritely and Standards were respected in the 1950s for their good handling, and light controls; after all, in 1955 a works’ 10 won the Rally. Fuel economy is another plus point as even the Pennant, which was capable of a 70mph top speed, could still return fuel economy of 40mpg. The drum brakes lack servo and may take a little time to acclimatise to.

Transmissions are known to be fairly robust but bottom-end knock is the hallmark of a very tired engine. Beware examples that have not had their 21 grease nipples regularly attended, and the Standard was not exactly renowned for its panel fit quality when new. In terms of corrosion, check the sills, floors, front wings, and the Pennant’s tailfins. Trim (and brightwork on the more upmarket models) can be hard to come by.

For too many years the small Standards were unfairly regarded as also-rans as compared with their BMC and Ford rivals but they are now receiving their just appreciation. The 10 and especially the Pennant offer the motorist more in the way of creature comforts but an original example of the early 8 is seen by many to have considerable appeal, not least for its period fascination. Possibly the most versatile model, although one of the rarest, is the Companion, the only small British five-door estate car of its day.

The Standard’s main competitors were the Austin A30/A35, the Morris Minor and Ford 100E/107E Anglia/Prefect.