Triumph Mayflower - shite?

[Angrydicky]

I've got the massive horn for a Triumph Mayflower recently, and I think I might just have to buy one in the near future. The fact that they are almost universally loathed by the cloth cap brigade due to the awkward styling and mega-slow sidevalve engine makes them particularly attractive, plus I actually think they look quite cute!

 

I believe they're based on the Standard Vanguard with a pre-war Standard engine, but don't actually know much more about them, there's not much information available on the web. Has anyone on here ever owned one?

 

[autofive]

whitevanmans old mayflower

 

[Mash]

Not shite, just shit. One of the most unfortunately styled cars there ever was IMO. A neighbour of my parent's had one a couple of years ago and it was nothing but trouble. To be fair he's a persistent tinkerer so no classic he has is ever perfect but the Mayflower was pretty dire. Not for the longer journey. You can easily fit a Herald rig in there and the spares back up through the club is surprisingly good. They usually get about half a dozen cars at their national rally....

[barrett]

Not shite, just shit.

 

Agreed. these are one of the few cars that holds absolutely zero attraction for me whatsoever. They look awful, and from what I've heard they are rubbish to drive. NOT GR8 4 ANYFING.

Sorry!

[Shep Shepherd]

Not one of Triumph's best efforts, in my opinion. Even the Acclaim holds more attraction.

[wuvvum]

I'd have a Mayflower if it was cheap enough, purely for the oddity value. They're pretty dire to drive in almost every respect though - would make your old A35 feel like a WRX - although they're reasonably comfortable to ride in if driven gently. I don't think they're Vanguard based though - they're smaller than that. If any Triumph of that period was Vanguard based it'd be the Renown.

[Angrydicky]

 

Not much love for the poor Mayflower then?

 

I'd have one for the same reason I'd have a Maestro, Solara or Lada - because I feel sorry for them being hated by everyone and like the idea of annoying Sherpa coupe owners by running something interesting, rare and a bit different. I honestly thought Autoshiters would like them - they were such a dismal failure for Standard-Triumph in the early 1950's!

[Guest]

They're a funny-looking sod, they remind me a cross between a novelty "old van" biscuit tin and those hokey replica vintage cars for weddings.

 

But I like faintly rubbish cars, so they're alright in my book.

[Captain Mainwaring]

Definately qualifies as shite, if you ask me. One of the most uncomfortably styled cars I would care to think of. I'd roll about in one, for sure.

[scooters]

I love em - all that is insecure about the British middle class is in the Mayflower - especially with the crazy roller grill!

 

I seem to recall they were first designed to sell the americans some British class at a cheap price - cocked that one up didn't they! but it would explain the name - The Mayflower being dear to all septics

[fotorabia]

popular enough locally that the VC club have restored this one..

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

That so badly needs rodding.

[Des]

I think they are the most exquisitely awkward looking car yet made, including current Peugeots and all drug fueled ill conceived kit cars of evah. The Japs have tried to emulate with Jag Mk II lookalikey Micras etc. but merely achieved exquisite bad taste. It would take balls to drive one, real balls. Drag that one above from the pig yard, scrape just enough algae from the glass to see, keep it as your sole transport and you shall be a man my friend. And one double hard bastard.

[Des]

 

 

That so badly needs rodding.

 

 

 

That so badly needs Dyno-rodding.

[Negative Creep]

Looks like a kit car. I'm aware of this due to its appearance in my "Worst Cars Ever Sold in Britain" book

[seth]

I'll just add a photo of the proper shite spec one seen at Whitewebbs new years autojumble

 

[Lord Sterling]

But I like faintly rubbish cars, so they're alright in my book.

 

+ 1

 

I quite like the Mayflower. I like it the way it looks and its oddity. I'd roll one.

[RedSparrow]

So, is this one of the first proper shite cars OF EVAR?

I like them, so I'm thinking yes.

[Wilko220]

I like them...

 

This one was traded in for a BINI under the scrappage scheme

 

More depressing details here: http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/tag/scrappage/

[fotorabia]

http://www.carandclassic.com/car/C201897/.....this is pretty cool but heinous price tag

[Justin Case]

Am I the only one here who actually likes it It may have the guts (or lack of guts ) of a pre-war standard under the skin, but I like the way in which they have apparently taken a Rolls-Royce, and instead of just shrinking it, taken slices out until they got down to the required size. It sounds bonkers, but there was blue one that used to live just round the corner from me and it looked surprisingly effective.

[Angrydicky]

That scrappage Mayflower makes me very grumpy

 

Looks like a kit car. I'm aware of this due to its appearance in my "Worst Cars Ever Sold in Britain" book

 

Alongside the Tagora, so it can't be that bad

[Cavcraft]

My dad had one many moons back he told me. Now, bearing in mind he bought all kinds of horrific rubbish from BL stuff through to an appallingly unreliable Panda 4x4 and kept them for decades it says something when he stated he couldn't wait to offload the Mayflower as it was a heap of shit.

 

I think they're right in 'our' radar though and...

 

[Richard]

I imagine any budget car of the era would be fairly unrewarding to drive, back then it was reward enough to be driving at all, what makes the Mayflower stand out as being particularly bad?

[Torsten2001]

My uncle in Australia had one, he hated it so much he swapped it for a steam iron, I think they are highly desirable however!

[Gompo]

I share the sentiment that they look awkward and shit, and are thus shite. I'd probably struggle to cope with one but as an odd-ball motor for a few months I'd give it a go.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I imagine any budget car of the era would be fairly unrewarding to drive, back then it was reward enough to be driving at all, what makes the Mayflower stand out as being particularly bad?

 

Not at all. A good, uptogether Minor 1000 on radials is a very pleasant car to drive - lovely steering and a willing nature. The Gayflower is just a pretentious, ridiculous little turd. But it's the sort of car you'd feel sad to see in a scrapyard. You'd take pity on it.

[mattblack]

I remember going to look at one being given away free when I was about 14 or so. IIRC the bloke's Dad had been in the process of restoring it when he had a heart attack and died while flatting down the bonnet(!), and it had sat in a garden ever scince. I seem to remember the engine was in the shed...

[qwerty]

Scaryoldcortina has one........His looks quite different.

[eddyramrod]

That scrappage Mayflower makes me very grumpy

 

+100! And traded for what? A useless overpriced pig-ugly German handbag. Far too many people have more money than sense. The imbalance should be forcibly rectified. The truly "green" way to go would be to simply drive the Triumph. For about 50 more years, by which time there won't even be anyone alive who remembers the BINI.