Standard Eight

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Standard Eight
Production period: 1922–1923
1938–1939
1945–1948
1953–1959
Class : Lower middle class
Body versions : Touring car , limousine , station wagon , convertible
Successor: Triumph Herald

The Standard Eight designation was used by the British Standard Motor Company in Coventry four times, with interruptions, for various types of small passenger cars from 1922 to 1959.

The first 8 hp was a small touring car with an overhead controlled four-cylinder engine and was built in 1922/1923. From 1938 there was the Flying Eight . After the Second World War , the "Flying" series ran out, but in 1945 a small car appeared, again called 8 hp. In 1953 a completely new car called the Standard Eight came out, which had almost nothing in common with its predecessors. In 1959 the production of this car was stopped and the Triumph Herald was offered instead ; the Standard brand was abandoned.

8 hp (1922-1923)

8 hp

Image does not exist
Production period: 1922-1923
Body versions : Touring car
Engines: Petrol engine :
1.1 liters
Length:
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 2591 mm
Empty weight :

The first 8 hp was added to the larger 11.6 model with an overhead engine . The small touring car had an in-line four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1087 cm³ (bore × stroke = 62 mm × 90 mm). The engine performance of the vehicle is just as little known as the number of vehicles built. The small car was discontinued as early as 1923.

In 1930 the period of overhead motors ended for the time being at Standard. It was not until 1948 that the side-controlled motors were finally abandoned.

Flying Eight (1938-1939)

Flying Eight
Standard Flying Eight

Standard Flying Eight
Production period: 1938-1939
Body versions : Touring car , limousine , convertible
Engines: Otto engine :
1.0 liter (20.6 kW)
Length: 3531 mm
Width: 1422 mm
Height:
Wheelbase : 2108 mm
Empty weight : 762 kg

The Flying Eight was the smallest member of the standard Flying family. It had a side-controlled 1009 cc four-cylinder in-line engine with a long stroke (100 mm) and thus remained in the British 8-tax-horsepower class. With a single Solex carburetor, the engine made 28 bhp (20.6 kW) at 4000 min −1 . The engine power was transmitted to the rigid banjo rear axle via a fully synchronized three-speed gearbox . The car had independent front suspension on a triangular wishbone (above) and a transverse leaf spring (below). A top speed of 105 km / h could be achieved. The brakes were operated by cables according to the Bendix system.

The car had a separate frame and in addition to the sedan and four-seater touring car versions that were initially available, a convertible was added at the end of 1939. Soon after the outbreak of war, Standard stopped producing civilian vehicles, so that only a few convertibles were made.

8 hp (1945-1948)

8 hp
Standard 8 hp

Standard 8 hp
Production period: 1945-1948
Body versions : Touring car , limousine , station wagon , convertible
Engines: Otto engine :
1.0 liter (20.6 kW)
Length: 3531 mm
Width: 1422 mm
Height:
Wheelbase : 2108 mm
Empty weight : 762 kg

The 8 hp model (now without the addition "Flying") was reintroduced very quickly after the end of the war. The first wagons appeared just 10 days after the German surrender . The only innovation compared to the pre-war model was a four-speed gearbox. In 1948 some station wagons were made . The touring car was easy to distinguish from the convertible, as it had cut-out doors.

Standard put the 8 hp against the Austin 8 and Morris Eight ; its price was very reasonable at £ 314.

After this model was discontinued, the Triumph Mayflower was the smallest model from Standard Triumph. Only after its proven failure did the company bring out the new Eight standard as its successor.

Eight (1953-1959)

Eight
Standard Eight with trunk accessible from the inside

Standard Eight with trunk accessible from the inside
Production period: 1953-1959
Body versions : limousine
Engines: Otto engines :
0.8 liters
(19.1-22 kW)
Length: 3658 mm
Width: 1524 mm
Height: 1520 mm
Wheelbase : 2134 mm
Empty weight : 737 kg

The 1953 Eight was a completely new car with a self-supporting structure and overhead engine. It was only available as a four-door sedan. The new 803 cc engine delivered 26 bhp (19.1 kW) at 4500 min −1, slightly less power than the larger side valve, but in 1957 it increased to 30 bhp (22 kW) at 5000 min −1 . The four-speed transmission, which was synchronized in the upper three gears, was also available with overdrive as an option from March 1957 . The car had hydraulically operated Girling drum brakes on all four wheels.

To keep selling prices low, the cars were initially very simply equipped with sliding windows, only a single windshield wiper and no trunk accessible from the outside. This trunk was only accessible by folding down the rear seat backrest, which was split in the middle. In 1954 the deluxe cranked window and the 1957 Gold Star model had a trunk lid that could be opened from the outside. From mid-1955, all eight had crank windows. When it came out, it was £ 481 including taxes in the UK market.

In 1953 an example was tested by the British car magazine '' The Motor ''. It reached a top speed of 98 km / h and accelerated from 0 to 80 km / h in 26.5 seconds. The fuel consumption was 6.6 l / 100 km.

The 1954 Standard Ten had the same body and powertrain as the Eight, but was built until 1961.

successor

The Eight was replaced in 1959 by the Triumph Herald , which had a slightly reamed version of the same engine.

As a classic car in daily use

With a car that has at least half a century under its belt, you can expect some problems in daily use. The engine plugs corrode easily, but you can use an old English penny if you can't find a replacement. The teeth on the starter and flywheel can break off; however, the car still has an old-fashioned hand crank. Wear on the rear wheel bearings built into the axle is an expensive damage to repair. The chassis carriers also tend to rust. The bodies are made of thick sheet metal; The worst problem areas are the front fenders and the lower part of the rear of the vehicle, where mud and moisture can collect and cause rust perforations. The same applies to the area around the headlights. Another problem is the poor road holding, which is typically referred to in English as “standard hike” and which gets worse on wet roads. Modern tires provide some relief.

Web links

Commons : Standard Eight  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

source

  • Allen, Michael: British Family Cars of the Fifties , Haynes Publishing. (1985), ISBN 0-85429-471-6

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Culshaw, David & Horrobin, Peter: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975 , Veloce Publishing plc., Dorchester (1997), ISBN 1-874105-93-6
  2. ^ Culshaw, David & Horrobin, Peter: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975 , Veloce Publishing plc., Dorchester (1997), ISBN 1-874105-93-6
  3. ↑ http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/pre-war/93282d1232972268-my-1940-standard-flying-8-restoration-07.jpg brochure of the manufacturer
  4. ^ Culshaw, David & Horrobin, Peter: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975 , Veloce Publishing plc., Dorchester (1997), ISBN 1-874105-93-6
  5. ^ Culshaw, David & Horrobin, Peter: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975 , Veloce Publishing plc., Dorchester (1997), ISBN 1-874105-93-6
  6. ↑ `` The Standard Eight saloon Road Test, '' The Motor, September 16, 1953
  7. ↑ `` The Standard Eight saloon Road Test, '' The Motor, September 16, 1953