A Brief History of the Triumph Southern Cross
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1934 Alpine photo at the top of the Stelvio |
All British cars in the pre-war years had an R.A.C. "horsepower" tax rating based on the bore diameter. Hence the British fondness for torquey long stroke small bore motors, which were a way of getting tax free increases in actual horsepower. The Super Seven through Super Ten Triumphs from the late twenties through the mid thirties were named after their respective R.A.C. horsepower rating. (As a side note, the Vale Special was based on the Triumph Super Seven.) With the Super Nine in 1932, Triumph introduced a 1018cc 4 built under license from Coventry Climax (whose fire pump engines would later become world class race engines in the Lotus Elite, etc.) These engines had overhead inlet and side exhaust valves (inlet over exhaust "i.o.e." or "f head"), and would power most SX cars in four and six cylinder guise. Multiple valve covers are divided among sets of two intake valves, giving the engine a rather odd appearance. (Incidently, Morgan also used this motor in its first 4 wheel cars, which did well at Le Mans in 1938-39, presaging the 1962 LeMans win with a stock block TR-3 engine)
The 1932-1934 SX was four seat sports model based on the Super Nine and introduced in 1932. With certain small refinements and a capacity increase to 1122cc, the Super Nine gave way to the Super 10, with the Southern Cross model following suit. The SX Ten acquitted itself well in Triumph's first works competition entry, the Alpine Trials of 1934. There, lead by new Technical Director Donald Healey, the SX presaged the TRs postwar success in the Alpine Rally by winning the 1,100cc class and capturing the Team Prize. John F. Dugdale, who now lives in New York, covered this event for "Autocar" and there began a lifelong friendship with Donald Healey. He was later active in the Triumph Sports Owner's Association. The photo above appears courtesy of Autocar and Bill Bolton of Club Triumph in the U.K. who recently published an excellent account of the little know SX win at the Alpine.
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Triumph ad showing Ridley |
The Gloria was introduced in 1934, a larger and more elegant car than the Super 10. Unlike earlier rather utilitarian Triumphs which looked like miniature Fords, the Glorias looked classically British, a look enhance by standard knock off wire wheels. In 1934, Healey introduced a light weight four seat ragtop Gloria, called the (not surprisingly), the Monte Carlo. For '34, the SX however remained associated with the Super 10. At Monte Carlo that year, Healey created a special using the stronger Gloria axles on the Super 10 SX. (Lawrie Alexander, of the British Sportscar Center in Carmichael, CA recalls that the smaller prewar Triumphs tended to break half shafts. This could explain the massive size of the Gloria rear axle, which would look at home in a GMC pickup.) The 1934 Monte SX specials were also fitted with Dunlop balloon tires similar to those recently featured on Ford Model A desert buggies in the film "The English Patient." Healey finished third overall, winning the light car class. In 1935, Triumph returned to the Monte Carlo with a special 2 seat sports version of the new Gloria that was, in effect, a prototype of the Gloria Southern Cross. The car again won its class and finished second overall! The Gloria came within minutes moments of winning the event outright, and competition manager and driver Jack Ridley later stated he could have won if he'd know how close he was to the lead car. As most TR folk know, Healey himself was unfortunately hit by a train while driving the fabulous Dolomite Strait 8. In 1936, Healey returned to the Monte in the Dolomite to place 8th, while another of the special two seat Gloria finished second in the light car class driven by one enterprising Joan Richmond. There is a wonderful photo of Joan in this car in the January '98 issue of Classic and Sportscar.
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Duncan Wood's 1935 SX at Triumphest 1997 |
Also appearing in the '35 Monte was an early production Gloria Southern Crosses, which won the third Ladies Cup. For '35, Walter Belgrove restyled all Glorias, giving them a wider radiator surround, and a sleeker profile enhanced by a lowered chassis.
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Gloria SX were beautifully built and equipped. A nice touch is the fold-down windshield which has aeroscreens mounted at 90 degrees on its base so they pop up automatically when the main screen is folded down. |
A close-up of the aeroscreen mounting. |
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The pretty wood fascia |
The folding windscreen was complemented by a well finished wooden fascia holding a nice 5" tach and speedo, plus two 3" dual gauges for oil pressure/amperage and temp/fuel. (Upon seeing my car at Britfest in Palo Alto, one TR wife said "look at that dash, just like a real Triumph." Real indeed.)
The engines, by now 1232cc were available in tuned "Vitesse" form which included a hotter cam, polished ports, and dual carb consisting of one familiar looking side draft SU with another arranged as a down draft over the middle of the engine, giving another strange twist to the appearance of the mill. All engines came standard with a wonderful finned alloy sump. Brakes were 12 inch Lockheed hydraulic drums, state of the art at a time when AC, MG, Morgan, and SS were still making do with cables. Healey made up massive finned alloy brakes for the Strait 8 Dolomite, only to discover that the 12" Gloria brakes were better, causing him to use Gloria brakes on the Dolomite for his Monte Carlo forays. Another advanced feature for 1935 is the twelve volt electrical system. The cars also sport Luvax adjustable shocks which, in theory, can be adjusted from a knob between the seats with relative pressure showing on two small gauges for front and rear. However, these systems are troublesome, and many SX owners have switched to non-adjustable units. The gearbox was a four speed non-synchro unit. To aid in shifting, a freewheel was bolted to the rear of the box and to modern eyes looks somewhat like an overdrive. The freewheel could be locked in or out by a knob, and later a lever, behind the shifter.
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John Bishop's SX6 in Singapore |
For 1935 only, the SX was also available with a six cylinder version of the Climax engine, adding nine inches to the bonnet and boosting top speed from around 75 mph to over 80. The Classic Car Club of America has bestowed its rarified Classic status on all Gloria Sixes. Only four examples of the SX 6 are know to survive today. One such car was purchased new from Donald Healey by 18 year old Tony Rolt who promptly entered it in the Spa 24 hour race of 1936, finishing fourth in his class. Rolt would win LeMans for Jaguar in 1953. His Southern Cross 6 was recently restored by Rob Green's Gloria Coachworks in Wallingford.
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Dale Will's 1936 SX showing the |
In mid-1936 Triumph introduced a new range of OHV engines designed under Healey's direction with a cross flow head. The four cylinder was produced in both 1496cc and 1787cc form, while the six was 1991cc. This was a more traditional looking engine, with dual side draft SUs, and a nice alloy valve cover with the Triumph script embossed on its side. A revised transmission with synchros 2-4 was also introduced. Sadly, Triumph terminated the SX after 1937, just as the more powerful OHV engines became available. However, a few Southern Cross 4s were built with the new 1787cc "14/60" engine, and at least four more have been converted. The SX 14/60 gives up only 5 hp to the SX climax 6, but is lighter. No direct performance comparison has been done and it is uncertain which is the quickest pre-war Triumph (outside of the two prototype Dolomite Strait 8s). The works campaigned a short chassis Vitesse 14/60 coupe at Monte Carlo in 1937, but it crashed in icy conditions.
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Rear of Dale Will's 1936 SX |
During the war, Donald Healey made plans for a new Triumph-Healey based on the OHV engines he brought to life in 1936. It was not to be as Triumph was acquired by Standard, and none of the engineering was carried forward. Standard Company had no experience with sports cars, and Sir John Black bought Triumph largely to capitalize its sporting image created during the thirties. The initial TR-1 prototype could barely hit 80 mph, and was likely no match for the SX in either Climax six or 14/60 guise. Ken Richardson's talents were needed to fill the gap left by Healey, and to produce the winner the TR was to become. Only the stylist, Walter Belgrove, would have a hand in both the Southern Cross and the TR-2, and ensure that Triumph's pre-war heritage was not lost.
Above information provided courtesy of Dale Will, dalew@ci.aspen.co.us
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