Win a dashcam

Just as he had done at Ariel in the 1920s, Val Page transformed his employer's ageing range on his arrival at Meriden as Triumph's Chief Designer in 1932.

The new line-up comprised overhead-valve and sidevalve singles in capacities ranging from 250cc to 500cc, plus the range-topping 650cc 6/1 sidecar tug. Edward Turner's arrival at Triumph in 1936 resulted in extensive improvements to the range. A brilliant stylist, Turner transformed Page's overhead-valve singles by adopting sports-specification engines, high level exhausts, chromed fuel tanks and a new name: 'Tiger'. Frames, forks, engines and gearboxes were all improved for 1937 and a trio of randomly selected Tigers successfully completed a series of arduous speed trails to secure the Maudes Trophy for Triumph later in the year.

Today, Turner's Tigers are widely recognised as the most stylish sports roadsters of the period and thus are highly sought after. Jack Sangster, the owner of Triumph motor cycles from January 1936, moved Edward Turner across from Ariel, along with Bert Hopwood as Chief Draughtsman, in order to get something done to boost Triumph's flagging product line and sales figures. Val Page had produced good engines, and Turner acknowledged this, but they lacked the 'eye appeal' to attract customers.

 

With no time to design anew, and not really necessary as the 'basics' were good, Turner set to in providing that 'eye appeal' and also in providing a meaningful name. Thus, with small 'tinware' changes and 'shell blue sheen' replacing the drab black, by April Turner had three new models on the road for testing. The Model L2/1 became the Tiger 70, the Model 3/2 became the Tiger 80 and the Model 5/5 became top of the range Tiger 90. (The numbers gave an indication of their top speeds.)

 

Initially the original twin down-tube frames were used, and even the engine numbers continued their sequences, but with an addition to indicate that they were fitted to a Tiger. With time to make further improvements later models were given more sporting looking single down-tube frames and further 'tinware' improvements were made, and these three models continued through to 1939, being joined in their last year by a further 500cc Tiger model - the Tiger 100 Twin of 1939.