Triumph Roadster Tyres
1947 Triumph Roadster 1.8
Triumph Roadster 1946-1949
- The original equipment on a Triumph Roadster 1800 was a 575 - 16 crossply tyre when it was first released in 1946.
- 600 - 16 Tyres are close enough in size to 575 - 16 tyres to be fitted to a Triumph Roadster 1800 and later Triumph Roadster 2000 of 1948, and this size offers more and better options.
- If you want to put crossply tyres on your Triumph Roadster the 6.00-16 PIRELLI STELLA BIANCA would be excellent.
- For modern roads a Triumph Roadster will drive very nicely on an appropriate radial tyre for which the 185 SR 16 Michelin X is recommended by Longstone Tyres.
- The Triumph Roadster fitted tube-type wheels; innertubes are required for these wheels, our suggestion for these tyres is the Michelin 16F.
- The Roadster 1800 was in production from 1946–1948 and the Roadster 2000 was made from 1948–1949. Both models fitted the same wheels and can fit the same sized tyres.
History of the Triumph Roadster
Built between 1946-1949 with 4501 being made, it was the first car that Triumph made post-World War Two that would later be superseded by the Triumph 2000 Roadster. Like the Triumph Renown, it was made from Aluminium due to immediate post-war prices of steel being high which in turn led to the shortened life of the model once the price of steel fell and aluminium rose. The engine was a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder side-valve design adapted to overhead valves by Harry Weslake and constructed especially for SS-Jaguar by Standard before World War II. The Triumph variant used a downdraught Solex carburettor and a compression ratio of 6.7:1. A four-speed gearbox was employed, featuring synchromesh on the top three gears. Hydraulic brakes were used. In a 1947 test conducted by Autocar magazine, the maximum speed attained was 75 mph, with a 0–60 mph time of 34.4 seconds. The publication, clearly wanting to be positive without deceiving its readers, defined the top speed as "satisfying but not startlingly high".