Standard Ten

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The Standard Ten was a small car produced by the British Standard Motor Company (discontinuously) from 1906 to 1961.

The name was first used in 1906 as the 10 hp, with a 631 cc 2-cylinder side valve engine. It was re-used from 1934 to 1936 and again for the "Flying 10" launched in 1937, and produced until the outbreak of World War II. The name originally was a reference to the car's fiscal horsepower, in turn a function of the surface area of the pistons, and never a direct measure of the power produced by the engine. Like other manufacturers, Standard continued to use the name to define the approximate size of their 'Ten' model long after the origins of the name had, in Britain, become inapplicable.

The Ten and its up market sibling, the Pennant were replaced by the Triumph Herald in 1961.

Contents

[edit] Flying Ten

Standard Flying Ten
Production 1937-1940
production - not available
Body style(s) saloon
Engine(s) 1267 cc Straight-4
Transmission(s) Three speed manual
Wheelbase 90 in (2286 mm)[1]
Length 152 in (3861 mm)[1]
Width 56 in (1422 mm)[1]

The Flying Ten was a replacement for the earlier Ten with the semi streamlined look of the Standard Flying range. The side valve 1267&nbspcc long stroke (100 mm) engine had a single Zenith carburettor and could produce 33 bhp at 4000 rpm. [1]. Drive was to the rear wheels through a 3 speed synchromesh gearbox. The suspension was conventional at first with a solid front axle but this was upgraded to an independent set-up at the front with a transverse leaf spring in 1939. A top speed of around 65 mph was attainable. Brakes were cable operated using the Bendix system.

A sportier version, the Light Flying Ten was also made.

[edit] Standard Ten

Standard Ten
Production 1954-1960
172,500 made [2]
Body style(s) saloon, estate
Engine(s) 948 cc Straight-4
Transmission(s) Four speed manual
optional overdrive
Wheelbase 84 inches (2134 mm) [1]
Length 144 inches (3658 mm) [1]
Width 60 inches (1524 mm) [1]

In 1954 the Ten was introduced as a larger engined (and less basic) version of the Standard Eight, though sharing a similar frame and transmission. Overdrive (from March 1957) or a temperamental semi-automatic were available as options. An estate version, the Companion was launched in 1955. It was among the first British estate-wagons to have rear-passenger doors (like the saloon, and unlike its rivals such as the Ford Squire and Hillman Husky which used the two-door "van" arrangement).

A small number of left-hand-drive Tens were exported and sold as the Triumph TR-10. On these, the two-tone colour arrangement normally reserved for the Pennant was available (though this export model was not tailfinned).

A Ten saloon tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1954 had a top speed of 69.0 mph (111.0 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 38.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 34.4 miles per imperial gallon (8.21 L/100 km/28.6 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £580 including taxes. [3]

For the United States export market the car was badged as the Triumph Ten and in Scandinavia it was sold as the Standard Vanguard Junior.

A Scandinavian Standard Ten badged as the Vanguard Junior
A Scandinavian Standard Ten badged as the Vanguard Junior

[edit] Standard Pennant

Standard Pennant
Production 1957-1960
42,910 made [2]
Body style(s) saloon, estate
Engine(s) 948 cc Straight-4
Transmission(s) Four speed manual
optional overdrive
Wheelbase 84 inches (2134 mm) [1]
Length 144 inches (3658 mm) [1]
Width 60 inches (1524 mm) [1]

A tail finned (with optional two-tone paint schemes) version of the Ten, the Standard Pennant was launched in 1957. Engine power was increased to 37 bhp[2] and an overdrive gearbox was offered as an option.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2. 
  2. ^ a b c Robson, G. (2006). A-Z of British Cars 1945-1980. Devon, UK: Herridge Books. ISBN 1-9541063-9-3. 
  3. ^ "The Standard Ten" (August 4 1954). The Motor. 

[edit] External links

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