The Illustrated History of Triumph Sports and Racing Cars. G. William Krause
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Название: The Illustrated History of Triumph Sports and Racing Cars
Автор: G. William Krause
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Автомобили и ПДД
isbn: 9781613254417
isbn:
Power was transmitted through a 9-inch dry clutch to the unchanged Vanguard gearbox. A Laycock de Normanville overdrive was bolted to the rear of the box but was only useable in top gear. The transmission posed no problems during development and was left untouched throughout the process.
After Richardson was regularly and reliably hitting the century mark on the test track, Black ordered him and the TR2 to the Jabbeke Road in Belgium for a speed run. The highway, located in the northwest of Belgium, was something of a Bonneville Salt Flats of Europe where many speed tests were conducted in the 1950s. What made it so desirable then was that it was a brand-new, smooth concrete highway that was long, straight, and incredibly flat.
The prototype 20TS later became the TR1 that launched the iconic TR line of sports cars. The TR1 shown here at the Brussels Auto Show was unveiled at the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show after just eight weeks of gestation. It was created on a very small budget; many of the styling cues seen here were carried over to the final production model. (Photo Courtesy Revs Institute, Karl Ludvigsen Collection)
On May 20, 1953, a TR2 trimmed with a single diminutive Brooklands-style racing windshield, metal tonneau cover, metal undertray, and rear fender skirts made its first official run. Triumph legend suggests that the seat was removed and Richardson was sitting on a cushion to get as low in the car as possible.
The 20TS is shown in Coventry on a break from testing by Ken Richardson. The grit and grime of the proving grounds is evident on the side of the car. This view also reveals the sharply curtailed rear end and the exposed spare tire. With the exception of the fender-mounted turn signal indicators, the front section of the car was retained in the final design. (Photo Courtesy British Motor Industry Heritage Trust)
Here, Ken Richardson is all set for his speed test at Jabbeke Road in Belgium in 1953. The TR2 was modified to reduce drag by removing bumpers and including a metal tonneau cover, rear fender skirts, and a belly pan. The full windshield was removed and replaced with a small aero screen. To get as low as possible in the car, Richardson removed the seat and sat on the floor. The TR2 was clocked at 124.889 mph and went into the record books with the highest top speed of the day for a 2-liter production car. (Photo Courtesy British Motor Industry Heritage Trust)
The first two-way run was clocked at just over 104 mph. This was a credible run, but was disheartening to the Triumph crew because everyone felt the potential was much greater. With typical British aplomb, Richardson suggested to the engineers that the car might do better running on all four cylinders rather than three. A plug wire was quickly replaced and on the ensuing run the TR2 topped 124.8 mph, thereby officially launching Triumph’s new sports car.
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