Standard´s history still remains a bit uncovered

Standard Flying Eight

Tourer - 1948

The  

Standard  

Eight  

is  

a  

small  

car  

produced  

by  

the  

British

Standard Motor Company from 1938 to 1959.

The   car   was   originally   launched   in   1938   as   the   Flying   Eight.   After   the   Second   World   War   the Flying   range   of   Standards   was   dropped   but   an   updated   car   called   the   8   hp   was   re-introduced   in 1945.   In   1953   a   completely   new   car,   the   Standard   Eight   was   launched   sharing   virtually   nothing with   its   predecessor.   In   1959   the   car   was   dropped   to   be   replaced   by   the   Triumph   Herald,   as   the Standard brand was being phased out.

Flying Eight

Introduced   in   1938   or   1939   (sources   differ),   the   Flying   Eight   featured,   in   its   saloon   form,   the "streamlined"   body   of   the   little   Standard   Flying   Nine   that   had   appeared   in   1937.   However,   the Flying   Eight   came   powered   by   a   side-valve   1021   cc   long-stroke   (100   mm)   engine   to   keep   it   in   the British   8   hp   taxation   class,   which   calculated   the   annual   licence   payable   according   to   cylinder surface   area.   In   this   case   the   bore   was   of   just   56.7   mm. A   single   Solex   carburettor   was   used   and the   engine   could   produce   28   bhp   at   4000   rpm.   Drive   was   to   the   rear   wheels   through   a   3-speed synchromesh   gearbox. The   suspension   was   independent   at   the   front   with   a   transverse   leaf   spring at   the   rear. A   top   speed   of   around   65   mph   was   attainable.   Brakes   were   cable   operated   using   the Bendix system. The   car   had   a   separate   chassis   and   initially   saloon   and   four   seat   tourer   bodied   versions   were produced    joined    by    the    drophead    coupé    in    late    1939.    Tourers    had    cutaway    doors    and sidescreens,   while   drophead   coupés   had   conventional   doors   and   windup   glass   windows.   Very   few coupés were made before the outbreak of the Second World War halted production.

8hp

The   8   hp   model,   without   the   Flying   name   now,   was   rapidly   re-introduced   after   the   Second   World War   with   the   first   models   appearing   within   ten   days   of   VE   day.   The   only   major   update   from   the pre-war   model   involved   the   fitting   of   a   4-speed   gearbox.   The   absence   of   bonnet   louvres   on   the 8hp    model    provided    visual    differentiation    from    the    Flying    Eight.    The    tourer    could    be distinguished   externally   from   the   coupé   by   having   cutaway   door   tops.   Estate   cars   were   produced in 1948 only and were not on general sale. The   car   was   firmly   pitched   by   Standard   against   the   Austin   8   and   Morris   Eight   rivals   and   was keenly priced at £314. After   this   version   of   the   8   was   phased   out   Standard-Triumph's   next   small   car   was   the   Triumph Mayflower   and   it   was   only   after   this   model   had   failed   to   meet   its   sales   targets   that   a   new Standard Eight was launched.

Eight

The   1953   Eight   was   a   completely   new   car   with   unit   construction   and   an   overhead-valve   engine. Only   saloon   models   were   made.   The   new   engine   of   803   cc   produced   slightly   less   power   than   the outgoing   larger   sidevalve   unit   with   26   bhp   at   4500   rpm   but   this   was   increased   to   30   bhp   at   5000 rpm   in   1957. The   4-speed   gearbox,   with   synchromesh   on   the   top   three   ratios,   was   available   with optional overdrive from March 1957. Girling hydraulic drum brakes were fitted. To   keep   prices   down,   the   car   at   launch   was   very   basic   with   sliding   windows,   single   windscreen wiper   and   no   external   boot   lid. Access   to   the   boot   was   by   folding   down   the   rear   seat,   which   had the   backrest   divided   in   two.   The   1954   De   luxe   got   wind   up   windows   and   the   Gold   Star   model   of 1957   an   opening   boot   lid.   From   mid-1955   all   the   Eights   finally   got   wind   up   windows.   At   launch the car cost £481 including taxes on the home market. An   example   tested   by   The   Motor   magazine   in   1953   had   a   top   speed   of   61   mph   (98   km/h)   and could   accelerate   from   0–50   mph   (80   km/h)   in   26.5   seconds.   A   fuel   consumption   of   43   miles   per imperial gallon (6.6 L/100 km; 36 mpg-US) was recorded.

Replacement

The   Eight   was   replaced   in   1959   by   the   Triumph   Herald,   which   used   a   slightly   enlarged   version   of the same engine.

Film appearances

A   Standard   4/8A   Tourer   is   driven   by   the   main   characters   in   the   1951   film,   The   Man   from   Planet X.

1948

Engine 1021 cc 4 cylinders Power 31 HP Top speed 90 km/h Lenght/width 3,43 m/1,37 m Weight 750 kg The collections car has been fully restored.