1957 Standard 8 Gold Star
SOLD
Standard 8 Gold Star
4-Door Saloon | 1957 | 803cc OHV | 4-Speed Transmission | Black with Red Interior | Comes with 12 Months MoT
Equipment:
1957 Gold Star model. 803cc Standard ‘SC’ OHV engine with 4spd manual transmission. Radial tyres. Additional individual rear indicator lamps, reversing lamp and driving lamps. ‘Gold Star’ equipment included: 33bhp ‘Power Plus’ engine. Opening boot lid(!). Large grill. Improved interior including carpeting, design and more fittings. Built on 5th April 1957, registered on 8th May 1957 in Guildford.
Introduction:
The Standard Motor Company launched the Eight in 1953, and was powered by their new 803cc overhead valve engine with 26bhp. To help keep the cost competitive, Standard originally offered the car with basic sliding windows, a single windscreen wiper and no external boot lid. Access to the boot was via the fold down rear seats… This all changed in 1957 for the ‘8-Plus’, aka Gold Star, with an opening boot lid (although the folding rear seats were retained for additional load capacity). A new grill design, carpeting and interior fittings were also added, along with the main event of the Gold Star ‘Power Plus’ engine… Still retaining the same capacity, power was upped to 33bhp thanks to higher compression, giving similar performance and economy to the Standard 10.
This particular little Standard, affectionately known as ‘Daphne’, is a real time machine transporting you back to the simpler times of the 1950s. Targeting the same segment as the Ford 100E, Morris Minor and Austin A35, these relatively low-cost cars were often a lot of families first and only car on their driveway. It is hard to think that an opening boot, heater, sun visors and a 4-speed gearbox were attention grabbing luxuries in those days! Today, they make a fantastic entry point into classic motoring thanks to their affordability, usability, ease of maintenance and small size.
Description:
Sitting in the driver’s seat, her engine starts with a brief tug on the starter with some choke from cold, and settles down nicely once some temperature is attained. It accelerates and maintains speed easily with no smoke or untoward noises, with the four-speed gearbox working as expected. She will pull up to a stop nice and straight with the hydraulic drum brakes all around, and the steering is nice and direct. The car is tax and MoT exempt now; however we will put her through a MoT giving you and your insurer a peace of mind that it the car is fully roadworthy.
Externally, her paintwork does have a few marks, scratches and pitting here and there, but she still polishes up with a nice aged patina. The chrome work is good all round, although the bonnet ornament has been repaired in the past – It could do with replacement when you came across one at an autojumble etc. At the rear, a reversing lamp has been added, plus the indicators have moved outboard to allow the tail lamps to operate as combined stop/tail lamps instead of just the one central brake lamp for added safety. Underneath she is very solid indeed; the sills have been replaced at some point, and the only other visible repair is on the rear right-hand inner sill/foot well behind the carpet. Certainly no rot or rust to worry about anytime soon!
Inside, she is all complete with red carpet plus red/white seating and door cards in very good condition. The headlining is also in excellent condition. A panel to the right of the speedometer has been added to hold auxiliary light switches, plus a vacuum and capillary temperature gauge (the latter seems reluctant to work, and the fuel gauge can sometimes stick). There is a spare wheel, wheel brace, jack and engine crank handle under the floor in the boot.
There is a nice history file with the car including some old press releases, brochure, original parts and workshop manuals lots of more recent parts receipts (with include a full new wiring loom and reconditioned steering box, to name a few). There is also a copy of ‘Triumph World’ magazine, where she was featured in a 4-page article. All in all, this is a fantastic, well-loved little motor car that is absolutely ready to be preserved and enjoyed, for day trips into the country on a weekend, classic car shows in the summer, or just to nip down to the shops to make a change!
Price: £3950