1938 Triumph Dolomite
Words Mike Ryan
Photos: Courtesy of Firepower Customs & Classics
FOR SALE
Triumph’s range of post-war sports cars and sedans is well-known, but their pre-war range is more obscure. That’s a shame, really, as Triumph’s first 16 years as a carmaker produced some interesting, innovative and stylish cars. Perhaps the most stylish was the Dolomite.
Those with some knowledge of Triumph’s post-war history will be familiar with the Dolomite 1850 that debuted in 1972, followed by the sportier Dolomite Sprint that arrived a year later. That wasn’t the first Triumph to bear the 'Dolomite' name. Nor was the car featured, actually, with the first Dolomite coming from an interesting – and sometimes bewildering – period in Triumph’s history.
Success, then Struggle
By the mid-1930s, Triumph’s finances were in a parlous state. What had looked like a strong, popular and profitable brand producing well-engineered and capable cars only a few years before was now losing money and would ultimately go into receivership in 1939. Why? A series of mis-steps by successive Managing Directors was the main cause and one of those mis-steps was the original Dolomite.
Triumph’s entry into carmaking came off the back of a successful bicycle business that had been founded in the UK by German immigrant Siegfried Bettmann in 1886. Triumph expanded into motorcycles in 1902 and was equally successful in that field, prompting the move into the automotive market.
Debuting in 1923, the first Triumph cars were unremarkable, offered in the ‘light car’ class (less than 1500cc) and powered by sidevalve four-cylinder engines of various capacities. The ‘Super 7’ of 1928 was different, though. As the name suggests, it was an enhanced alternative to the Austin Seven, with a similar 747cc four-cylinder engine, but included luxury features for the period and was capable of a good turn of speed with some basic tuning. This latter capability established Triumph as a brand for the sporting motorist, but more importantly for Triumph’s future as a manufacturer, the Super 7 was practical, economical and affordable. In the Australian market, the Super 7 cost around £220, which was less than half the price of the Triumph ‘15’ that the Super 7 replaced.
In the early 1930s, Super 8 and Super 9 models expanded on the Super 7's formula, with the latter introducing a Coventry-Climax inlet-over-exhaust engine.
A “Southern Cross’ model followed in 1932, with the ‘Gloria’ introduced in 1933. The former was essentially a sports version of the Super 9, re-named to reflect the importance of the Australian market to Triumph at the time. The latter used the same 1087cc four as the Southern Cross initially, but had a new, rakish body designed by Walter Belgrove and could be ordered with a high-performance ‘Vitesse’ engine. This model flagged Triumph’s intention to take on the likes of Riley, Rover - and later - SS Cars (Jaguar) in the mid-priced, mid-sized sports saloon market.
This change was made under the watch of Claude Holbrook, who replaced Bettmann as Triumph’s Managing Director in 1933.
Not content with beating domestic rivals, Holbrook also wanted to challenge foreign makes, taking Triumph into territory they’d never entered before, specifically large cars and eight-cylinder engines.
Leading this initiative was Donald Healey (yes, THAT Healey), who had joined Triumph as manager of their experimental department in early 1934.
Using an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 for inspiration, Healey developed a 2.0-litre, straight eight engine of aluminium alloy construction, with hemispherical heads and gear-driven double overhead camshafts. To this, a Roots-type supercharger was added, backed with a four-speed manual gearbox.
Offering 120mph (193km/h) without adjustment (the most powerful Triumph engine to that point peaked at around 40hp and 66mph - 106km/h), the new eight-cylinder creation was dubbed the ‘Dolomite’ in tribute to the Italian mountain range that was so popular with rallying motorists. Healey aimed to prove the new car’s credentials at the 1935 Monte Carlo Rally, but crashed early on and could only finish eighth on his second attempt in 1936.
For all its innovation, style and performance, the Dolomite proved to be a dead-end for Triumph. It had also cost an exorbitant amount to produce the three examples (same sources say six) before Maurice Newnham, who replaced Holbrook in 1936, shut the project down.
In an attempt to stave off bankruptcy, Newnham diverted resources away from rallying, trials and other motorsport competition, which proved to be counterproductive, as Triumph’s reputation to that point had been built on competition success. Without that “visibility” in the marketplace, sales started to fall.
As finances became more desperate, the new Managing Director sold off Triumph’s motorcycle and bicycle businesses, then introduced a new version of the Gloria with an overhead valve engine and full synchro gearbox. The Vitesse became a separate model from 1937.
Newnham didn’t see a future in offering a new take on the affordable Super 7 that had proved so popular, especially here in Australia. Instead, he stuck to the premium path, offering the Gloria/Vitesse in a bewildering array of body styles and adding gimmicky “luxury” features like metallic paint and integral jacks. Newnham also introduced a new model with an old name…
Dolomite MkII
The second Triumph to bear the Dolomite name debuted in 1937. Available with the same 1.8-litre four as the Gloria, or a 2.0-litre six from the Vitesse, the Dolomite didn’t offer anything particularly new – except the styling.
Once again designed by Walter Belgrove, the new Dolomite’s standout feature was its chromed ‘waterfall’ grille that wrapped around the front end of the car and was accented with large free-standing headlights, auxiliary driving lights and exposed dual horns. Hudsons and Pontiacs of the mid-1930s have been cited as influential in Belgrove's styling, but it's hard to pin down a specific marque. Indeed, the Dolomite looks more European than American to this writer’s eyes.
Response to the Dolomite’s very distinctive grille was mixed. Some thought it was gorgeous, but conservative tastes of the period saw negative feedback, too, which led Triumph to offer a toned-down ‘Continental’ model using a grille from the Vitesse.
A four-door saloon was the standard bodystyle, with a two-door roadster also available. Both had suicide doors and were low, wide and sleek, making the move into Riley/Rover/SS territory all the more obvious. The addition of a 1.5-litre variant in 1938 pitched the Dolomite against MG, too.
The luxury look outside was reflected inside, with a timber dash, timber door cappings, leather seat and doorcard trim, interior lighting and full carpeting. On the car featured, a wind-back sunroof is fitted, which was a factory option when new.
While the focus with the Dolomite was on looks rather than performance, it was still a capable car, with a top speed of around 75mph (120km/h) in the saloons and up to 90mph (145km/h) in the roadster, but the lighter Vitesse was quicker.
Ultimately, Dolomite production came to an end when Triumph went bankrupt in July, 1939. By that stage, around 7,200 units had been built, but that number includes the OHV-engined Gloria and Vitesse, too. From that total, less than 300 are thought to have come to Australia, with the last few registered here as late as 1940.
Breaking the numbers down even further, the bulk of Dolomite production is believed to be of the 1.8-litre saloon, with around 200 roadsters built. Saloons with the 1.5 engine are rarer and 2.0-litre versions rarer again. Today, only about a dozen ’38 Dolomite saloons with the 2.0-litre six are believed to exist worldwide, making this car incredibly rare.
Down… and Up
The car featured is offered through Firepower Customs & Classics in Queensland and was a recent addition to their consignment stock at time of writing.
A history file available with the car shows it was sold new on Christmas Eve, 1937, by Buckle Motors Pty. Ltd. of Sydney (W.G. Buckle of Buckle Motors was the father of W.F. ‘Bill’ Buckle who would produce an eponymous sportscar and the famous Goggomobil Dart). The purchaser was an ‘R.H.C. Down’, who was obviously a man of means, being a resident of Mosman (a ritzy inner Sydney suburb then as it is now) and keen yachtsman who served as Commodore of the Sydney Amateur Yacht Club for two decades.
The purchase price of just over £724 was offset by a trade-in, but what Down traded to receive the Dolomite saloon is unrecorded, as is how long he held onto the car for.
Following an unknown time in New South Wales, this car headed up to Queensland and was offered to the vendor in late 2022, who believes he’s the fifth owner.
As bought, the car was run-down and undriveable, but fortunately, unique features like the waterfall grille were complete and in good condition.
After stripping the car down, the six-cylinder, twin-carb engine that makes this Dolomite so rare was refurbished, with most of the attention needed on the top end. The steering and brakes had to be completely rebuilt. These rectifications, along with some corrections to the wiring, brought the car back up to running spec.
The Dolomite body uses (mostly) aluminium panels over an ash frame. While the timber was good in most areas, the frame was sagging and the doors not closing properly. Some strengthening on key areas of the frame was needed, but luckily, the panels required little attention.
Inside, the upholstery had already been replaced before the vendor’s purchase, as had the headlining and carpets. There's room for four and the boot area is spacious, thanks to an externally-mounted spare, while factory-fitted tools are located in two compartments on the firewall.
The indicators set into the front guards and mounted above the rear bumper are non-original, but these were added by a previous owner to make the car safer in modern roads, but is at its most comfortable cruising in the 50mph (80km/h) range.
ON THE MARKET
The rarity of pre-war Triumphs generally and Dolomite sixes in particular means this example is unlikely to come on the market again anytime soon. The vendor says he wouldn’t be surprised if this car goes overseas, but that would be a shame, as the long Australian history of this Dolomite deserves to continue in the hands of a local owner.
For Sale
This 1938 Triumph Dolomite is currently on consignment with Firepower Customs & Classics in Capalaba, Queensland.
One of the ‘second series’ Dolomites from 1938, this car was restored to an exceptionally high standard some years ago, but remains in very good condition today.
Outside, the paint, chrome and trim still presents very well, including that signature waterfall grille. The same goes for the interior, with fresh-looking leather seats and doorcards, timber dash and full carpeting.
The six-cylinder engine, matched to a four-speed transmission with synchromesh on all gears means this car is as capable on a highway as it’s comfortable in traffic. Concessions to safer driving on modern roads include indicators front and rear, but the original semaphores remain in place and are functional.
Listed mileage of 59,456 is believed to be genuine, with some spare parts and original tools included in the sale.
Asking price for this very rare pre-war British sports saloon is $95,000 ono.
For more details, see the advert online at justcars.com.au with the ad code JACFD5278002, or contact Shane at Firepower Customs & Classics on 0400 382 378.
