The Triumph 12/50 -- Australian Style

A different slant on the Herald

Many, many thanks to Dale Hickman of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, Dale.Hickman@tres.tas.gov.au for providing the pictures and text below. Dale sheds some light on an Australian version of the Herald unfamiliar to most of us!

Dale Hickman's 12/50 Coupe. Note the Vitesse 1600 bonnet with the Triumph badge and TRIUMPH lettering in front of the chrome bonnet strip.

I have a 12/50 Coupé (everyday car) and a 12/50 saloon (awaiting full restoration). Both of these are the Australian-assembled versions, which were fitted with the Vitesse 1600 bonnets and disc brakes as standard. The Coupé came with the twin carb setup as standard, while the saloon has the single Solex. I have been told that all Australian sold Coup&eacutes (presumably 1200s as well) were fitted with the twin SUs.

It is interesting to note that it appears the 12/50s were not specifically marketed as a Herald in Australia as they do not have any Herald badges -- simply the 12/50 badge on the boot and a Triumph badge on the dash in place of the Herald badge. My Coupé was manufactured in March 1965 from an exported CKD kit in November 1964 (after the production of Coup&eacutes ceased). It is also fitted with the early smooth roof [as opposed to the later style, with its "ribbed" sail panels].

I have found that there is little information published about the Australian version. The only article I have seen is a reprint of a Road Test from a "Wheels" Magazine in 1964. It is reprinted in the Brooklands Road Test book "Triumph Herald 1959-1971". This article is on the saloon version but it does mention that the 12/50 range started with the introduction of the Coup&eacute. As far as I am aware, a convertible version was not offered.

The 12/50s were assembled by AMI (Australian Motor Industries), who later went on to concentrate mainly on assembling Toyotas in Australia. Several years ago they finally were totally bought out by Toyota. Consequently all the Triumph records were discarded, but these are now with another Triumph fanatic. I have spoken to him and he has verified that my car is original.

I been able to obtain from him some details of Herald production by AMI. The following chart lists the various models, years and numbers produced:

948 
       Saloon 

948TC 
       Saloon 

948TC 
       Coupé 

948TC 
       Conv. 

1200 
       Saloon 

1200DL 
       Saloon 

1200 
       Coupé 

12/50 
       Saloon 

12/50 
       Coupé 

YEAR 

1959 

1758 

406 

1960 

3920 

1174 

2439 

747 

1961 

1065 

196 

777 

205 

7 

1962 

8 

85 

953 

5 

1963 

55 

501 

130 

27 

1964 

112 

202 

93 

1965 

80 

24 

1966 

6 

Total 

6743 

1370 

3622 

960 

147 

1566 

135 

288 

144 

The details of my cars are:

12/50 Coupé
Commission No: GB14387CP
Engine No: GD13691HE
(AMI) Body No: C64069

12/50 saloon
Commission No: GB10687DL
Engine No: GD13645HE
(AMI) Body No: X64135

[Note that Commission numbers of these 12/50 cars are in the GB series, which, according to Triumph factory literature was used primarily to designate the Herald Mk. II 1200 "Export" model; this same series was used to identify later Triumph ("Sports") 1200 models in the United States. The GD prefix for the engine numbers denotes an engine to 12/50 specification. The earlier AMI-assembled 948 series Heralds carried unique Commission and engine numbers, with a KA prefix for 1959 and a KB prefix for 1960 and later cars.]

Features unique to the Australian 12/50:

• fitted with Vitesse 1600 bonnet
• disc brakes standard (type 12 calipers but fitted with dust shields)
• no cubby box lid
• both saloon and Coupé had separate temperature and fuel gauges ("Jaeger" white with black writing)
• water valve to heater located on head rather than heater body
• different sill tread plates fitted
• moulded rubber footwells for front seats in place of carpet
• different wheel trims
• sunshine roof was not fitted to either model
• Coupé had the earlier type smooth roof
• no Herald badges
• badging
  • the 12/50 badge on the bootlid on the saloon is positioned identically to that on the UK model, but on the Coupé it is angled -- presumably using the same mounting holes as the Coupé script badge fitted to other Coup&eacutes.
  • The saloon had two-tone paint with the roof painted a different colour to the rest of the car.
• Australian versions were not fitted with the rubber bumper insets but rather had a smooth chrome capping on them (different from that fitted on Vitesses). The saloon was fitted with these front and back. I am not too sure about the Coupé as mine only has it fitted on the front. The rear bumper is simply painted. If it was originally fitted it must have been beyond replating when the car was rebuilt.
• front turn indicators are the inside lens on the Australian cars -- all pictures of UK Vitesses I have seen show the amber lens to the outside.

For more pictures of the above cars, there is a Australian 12/50 picture gallery.

Above information provided courtesy of Andrew Mace, Vintage Triumph Register President and Triumph 10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant herald948@aol.com