[karlosdeville]

This thread has been a long time coming, though better late than never. In a quest to save as much as possible of India's unloved automotive heritage, an India specific 4 door Herald was on the cards to be acquired. Over 10 years back I had documented the restoration journey of our 1966 Herald Mark II here (1966 Standard Herald Mark II - Restoration) - in which I recorded as much as I could find on various model changes for the Standard Herald in India. We focus here on the 4 door Mark III.

By the time the Standard Herald was launched in India in 1961, it was the only 2 door family car being sold - competition was now reduced to the Fiat 1100 and Hindustan Ambassador. The Austins, Morrises and Hillmans (Hillmen?) were now obsolete. It was clear that Indian families preferred a 4 door family car, and work began on producing one. Michelotti was already working on the 1300 saloon, but to introduce an all-new model to India perhaps wasn't cost effective.


To the best of my knowledge 2 prototypes were built in England, numbered X696 and X706. Design was credited to the legendary Michelotti, and was a particularly harmonious conversion.

Here is a rare sketch by Michelotti kindly shared by the club. It shows a different bootlid design which didn't make it to production.




Chassis X696 survives in England now with the Triumph Sports Six Club.



Chassis X706 thankfully survived in India, owned by Standard Motor Products of India till Febuary 1972, when it was sold to an employee who retained it till a few years back. It naturally shows years worth of upgrades as expected in any factory mule, but for the most part all period. Even the 1147cc engine is still fitted, as recorded by the club. The car is now part of Diljeet Titus's enviable collection.



The car was finally launched around 1969 (can anyone confirm exactly when?). Advertising showed the doors open to highlight the new feature.



A copy of an original brochure





Extracts from the owner's manual...




...and Parts Catalogue



Mechanically the car remained largely unchanged, with the same 948cc engine and independent rear suspension. The dash too carried over more or less unchanged, with the exception of the slide out ash tray moving from the centre of the dash to the top, changed to a hinged type. The gearlever knob changed to a ball design.



There was also a short lived station wagon version called the Companion, with a fibre glass roof and hatch. I know of just one survivor, currently in the UK.


The parts catalogue lists the changes.


By around 1973 the car would be replaced by the Standard Gazel, documented in detail here (1974 Standard Gazel - Restoration).

[karlosdeville]

In 2016 a car came up for sale, a 1972 model (last of the production) in original but poor condition. Finished in the original powder blue paint shade, the car still had its factory black interiors, though in tatters. A deal was made, and the car was purchased.

While there was loads of corrossion, Hyderabad's climate is kinder on such cars.


The first registration AAY 915 still on the car.


The crumbling dash thankfully retained most original fittings. The missing horn button and gear knob were sourced thanks to Standard guru Stanher.


Here is a glass logo I haven't seen before.


Factory upholstery thankfully there for reference. Note the white door beadings, I assume original, though perished.



Auto Chenoy was the Standard Motors dealer in Hyderabad.


The engine turned freely, and was void of any alterations. I am unsure on the air cleaner though.


Factory tag intact


Loaded for Mumbai! Note the roof gutter trims, added to the last of the Mark II models, but deleted for the Gazel.


The documents showed the car belonged originally to a parsi lady doctor in Secunderabad.

[karlosdeville]

After waiting in line for an open spot, we finally started work on the car by December 2019. The bodywork and cosmetics was handled by Hervesp in Byculla, while the mechanicals by Nicki Garage.


The car was stripped down for inspection - pretty rough, but we've seen much rougher too.



The petrol tank had been altered to accomodate an Ambassador unit. The original comes on the left of the bootlid. This being a later Herald, the spare wheel is accommodated in a well inside the boot, earlier cars had it suspended below the boot floor. This would also cause much difficulty for the tinsmith to get the rear apron right, which eventually never happened unfortunately. Don't miss the aluminium trims around the taillights - a carry over feature of the last of the Mark IIs.


The wooden dash panel crumbled to pieces, not even enough left for reference. The front floor pans were rotten and poorly repaired in the past - a common occurrence on Heralds.





The car was soon scrapped down to bare metal. Note the front and rear wheels have slight differences in the thickness of the ventilation slits. I believe these Mark III cars had the thinner slits also seen on the Gazel.


After some more stripping the extent of corrossion is more apparent.


Door bottoms rusted through, a common occurrence again.


The bulkhead and battery tray etc too had rusted completely - these are the areas where water gets trapped the most.


Work moved swiftly on repairing the doors

[karlosdeville]

By February 2020 good progress was made on the bodywork.

The bulkhead portions were rebuilt as per original.




The trunk section too was completed


The floors were replaced, door bottoms patched, and assembled back. Most of the bodywork was completed in March itself.




By September the team had started the painting process




Wurth stone chip compound was sprayed on the undersides and flooring as an anti rust measure.




The car progressed to undercoat in body colour by December.

[karlosdeville]

By January 2021 the time came to move to the mechanicals. The body was braced before being removed from the chassis to avoid buckling. The frame then moved to another workshop for prep.



By April most of the chassis was repaired.


By May the frame was ready, painted, and protected for corrosion. The rebuilt suspension could now be fitted back. The engine was started up and healthy, so just serviced and not overhauled.


Luckily Glasurit's list of paint codes shows the Triumph Herald powder blue, so we stuck with that ready formula. Even though the colour is a repetition for me (having previously restored a Gazel in the same shade), I was keen to retain the factory combination.


The car was now in final paint by June.



Come July final fitting starts. Luckily a lot of the original trim and fittings were intact and in good condition. A new set of side trims was sourced.



Headliner went in, and black body beadings had to substitute the original white ones.


Since the original dash had crumbled, the workshop made a new dash by estimate. It turned out terribly incorrect!


So I got a new template made from an original.


I was lucky to find an NOS petrol tank.


Remains of the original interior provided templates.



A shiney rexine was selected as close to the original as possible.



Generic rubber matting was cut to size for carpeting. We are now in October.


The wheels were repaired and painted in the correct cream shade, and new radial tyres fitted.


The serviced mechanicals back in place. Finally the car was shaping up!


Most Heralds I had seen seem to have always had the rear plates painted directly on the bootlid, including this car. So I decided to stick with this.
The matter of hand painting the letters would follow.

[karlosdeville]

Come December 2021 the car was almost ready, with final mechanical work progressing.






First trials were taken, the car ran surprisingly smooth and silent. Surprisingly brand new hubcaps with the dimple were found in Bombay, hence the yellow stickers in the centre. That being said I am not sure whether these cars came with the regular Ambassador style hubcaps (seen in all the literature and period photos), or the dimpled ones seen on the Gazels.


The new dash looked so much better. Still missing the trim that fits below the knobs.


A nice set of period horns that came with the car were restored and fitted back, along with the original smaller single unit.


Come June 2022 the car finally came home to me in Pune, giving company to the cousin Gazel.


Thanks to Stanher an original gearknob was sourced and fitted.


The STANDARD script bonnet trim was removed to get it expertly painted in the correct shade of dark blue.


It made a big difference!


The missing spare wheel was also sourced thanks to Stanher, a correct thin slat version.


The missing dash trim too we could source, a well made reproduction.

[karlosdeville]

Finally, here is the finished car - thanks to Makarand Baokar for the professional photographs. Excuse the temporary number plate stickers.

[karlosdeville]

During the restoration unfortunately the original dealer sticker that was still stuck on the window was removed.


The sticker was carefully reproduced exactly, and I'm very happy with the results.



The finishing touches included period looking registration plates, and Hyderabad was known to use a stencil font that I liked, so got the plates hand painted.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[arun1100]

Lovely Herald, congratulations Karl.

Fantastically documented thread which will help many as a reference for restoration projects. Great work by the team and nice to know Bhpian Stanher could help source many parts!

P.S: Some of my favorite Standard cars restoration threads for quick reference:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...storation.html (1958 Standard Super 10 - Restoration)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...storation.html (1974 Standard Gazel - Restoration)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...storation.html (1958 Standard Vanguard Phase III - Restoration)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...storation.html (1966 Standard Herald Mark II - Restoration)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...storation.html (Standard 10 restoration)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...r-stanher.html (Resurrection of (a) Stanher by Stanher!)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...pf-4050-a.html (Welcome my new (b)ride, CAN 1526 (nee APF 4050)!)

[that_sedate_guy]

Beautiful restoration with good care taken towards each step!
My grandfather used to have a black Herald. My dad used to tell stories of how he was tasked with starting up the car early in the morning, clean it and park it out of the garage for my grandpa to come out of the house, get in and drive off to the college where he worked. This was probably in the late 60's. There was a photo of it somewhere but couldn't find it.

[123.rishabh]

You have done such a meticulous restoration, its amazing to see the minor attention to details like the recreation of stickers, the period correct number plates etc . Wishing you happy miles ahead.

[rpunwani]

Wow, an amazing restoration Karl - congrats !

Back in the days when Standard was being produced there was a standard joke going around. Customers at the Standard dealerships were asked whether they wanted two doors or four doors rattling

[kpkeerthi]

These cars are an eye candy to look at!

[Jeroen]

Lovely little car, great restoration!

Now what’s left is to enjoy riding and maintaining it!

My best man Chris had one of these, back in Barbados. His was a cabrio version though. I’ve done some work on it decades ago. The mechanics on these cars are fairly simple and straight forward. As with most cars of that era. From the little I know reading UK classic car magazine parts availability is excellent.

Jeroen