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Triumph was introduced to America
as an affordable British sports car, along with
the MG in the 1950s. They were all the rage with
first time sports car enthusiasts and new magazines
like "Road & Track" and "Sports
Car Illustrated" ("Car & Driver")
applauded them as the fundamental building blocks
of the new hobby.
Triumph's virtues were more than inexpensive fun
around town. It delivered the dream of becoming
a race car driver. You simply joined the Sports
Car Club of America and raced on one of the many
abandoned World War II airbases throughout the
U. S. No trailer was needed. You drove to the
track, had a thrilling day, collected your trophy
and drove home.
The beauty of owning a Triumph with its' excellent
handling and "conservative" horsepower
was that the driver quickly learned to become
completely in control of the car's performance
on winding roads. Drifting corners comes with
ease and going through the gears is great fun.
Mistakes will be few and easily corrected. Little
danger exists, because speeds are not excessive.
It is not like driving a 500 h.p. Corvette or
Viper where you hang on to the steering wheel
for dear life, throttle to the floor and scenery
a blur. Such a roller coaster ride may be fun
for a brief time, but in a Triumph you are relaxed,
confident and enjoying the car and the drive for
as long as you want. No wonder those cars were
so loved.
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1964 |
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1967/68 |
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Many a sports car enthusiast
got married and had children, only to see their
Triumph sold or relegated to the back of the garage.
Triumph was well aware that their devoted buyers
had changing circumstances and they wisely provided
them with family transportation. From two-door
convertibles to four-door saloons, they managed
to retain a sporty feel and image and many of
these cars are now revered as much as their sports
cars.
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1958/59 |
1963/65 |
1964 |
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1967/68 |
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1972 |
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In the early 1970s, as the new
sports car seemed to lose their appeal due to
government regulations, I purchased a late 1960s
Triumph Spitfire convertible that was in such
good condition and well priced that I could not
pass it up. Although I sold it for a nice price
in less than a year, I enjoyed it on the local
back roads. It did have one strange quirk -- going
through fast, sharp corners it had a habit of
lifting it's "hind leg" like a dog marking
its' territory. But it ran like a champ and lived
up to its' "fun" reputation.
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