1973 Triumph 1300

The Triumph 1300 was Triumph’s first ever front-wheel-drive car, with a 1.3-litre OHV I-4 engine and a four-door body designed by Michelotti. Front disc brakes were standard and the independent suspension was via front coil springs with single wishbones and rear coils with semi-trailing arms.

The Triumph 1300 was originally planned as a Herald replacement but as sales of that car increased it was eventually decided that it would bridge the gap between the Herald 12/50 and the 2000 saloon. A front-wheel-drive setup was chosen in part because of the success of the BMC 1100, but the 1300 had a north-south engine layout. It was launched in September 1965 although formal sales would not commence until January 1966. The price was a high £796 12s 11d for a small car, but the Triumph had a wood-trimmed cabin, multi-adjustment for both the steering column and the driver’s seat, a folding rear armrest, a panel lamp rheostat, plus a rather splendid ‘All Systems Go’ warning light cluster. The top speed was 86mph, which was reasonable by the standards of the day.

Two-door and estate versions of the 1300 were considered but never put into production, and the main development of the model’s run came in September 1967 with the 1300TC. For £874, it was an attractive package with servo assisted brakes, a top speed of 90mph, and an extra 4bhp over the basic 1300 thanks to the engine it shared with the Triumph Spitfire Mk III.

The Triumph 1300 and the 1300TC were replaced by the larger and more powerful 1500 in August 1970.

The Triumph 1300’s engine would subsequently be fitted to the Herald 13/60 in 1967 and the TC has SU carburettors. On both models the transmission has synchromesh on all four gears.

The Triumph 1300 offers a very comfortable cabin, a slightly awkward gear change – a long, cranked, lever sprouts from beneath the dashboard – and softly sprung relaxed motoring. Neither version has any claim to be a ‘sports saloon’, but as a front-wheel-drive tourer with elegant styling they have a good deal to offer.

Beware the front suspension turret box sections, the A pillars, the fuel tank, sills, wings and boot floor as these are notoriously rust-prone on the 1300. The engines are known to leak oil and have starter motor problems, gearboxes need to be checked as these can be difficulty to repair and worn rear suspension bushes make for poor handling. Interior trim can be hard to source so joining Club Triumph and the Triumph Dolomite Club is a good plan.

The 1300 is an example of how far-sighted Triumph was in the 1960s and any surviving example is a legacy of the time when the marque was seen as the British equivalent of Alfa Romeo. For too many years the 1300 has been overshadowed by the later Dolomite but it is now gaining a following as an important Triumph in its own right.

Alternatives to the Triumph 1300 included the MG, Riley, Vanden Plas and Wolseley versions of the BMC 1100/1300 and, if you wished to consider a rear-wheel-drive model, the four-door Vauxhall Viva HB SL. Overseas rivals included the Peugeot 204, the Saab 96 V4 and the Toyota Corona.