The Swallow Doretti is a British sports car built on Swallow's own custom chassis using Triumph TR2 mechanicals, made between 1954 and 1955. It was intended for the US market, as a more refined two-seater than what was available there at that time.
Swallow
The car was built by the Swallow Coachbuilding Company Ltd., a Tube Investments Group subsidiary bought for its 1935–1946 association with Jaguar's prewar motorcycle sidecars.
Name
The Doretti name was derived from Dorothy Deen, who managed the Western US distributorship Cal Sales.[4]
The Trade Mark logo and Doretti name are in the ownership of Canadian Peter Schömer. He is building a new limited edition sports car called the Doretti TR250 'Corsa Veloce' using the Ferrari TR 250 chassis and engine from 1957.
[5]
Design
Some observers find similarities between the Doretti and the 166MM 'Barchetta' and Austin-Healey 100. Based on the Triumph TR2, the Doretti had much improved stability, its track was 3 in (76 mm) wider, and its wheelbase 7 in (178 mm) longer.
The Doretti had a tubular Reynolds 531 manganese–molybdenum, medium-carbon steel chassis. Reynolds was another member of the T.I. Group. The double-skinned body had an inner structural skin made of steel and an aluminium outer skin. Power came from a 1,991 cc (121.5 cu in) Standard wet liner inline-four engine. Most cars were supplied with Laycock-de Normanville electric epicyclicoverdrive and they were capable of 100 mph. 276 Mk I cars were made, including a single fixed head coupe version.[6] The car was designed in-house by engineer Frank Rainbow,[1] and produced in the T.I. factory at The Airport, Walsall, Staffordshire, England.[citation needed]
Three prototype Mk II cars, called Sabres, were produced. These had a stiffer chassis and better weight distribution.[6]
The Doretti was the only car that the T.I. Group ever built under the Swallow name. Production stopped in 1955 when the parent company T.I. Group changed policy. Allegedly, pressure placed on T.I. directors by the British motor industry, most notably Jaguar, alleged that Doretti production created a conflict of interest for T.I. by giving Swallow an advantage over other customers in buying its products.[citation needed]
Performance
A car with overdrive tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1954 had a top speed of 100.2 mph (161.3 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 12.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 27.9 miles per imperial gallon (10.1 L/100 km; 23.2 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £1,158 including taxes.[2]
The standard version without overdrive cost £1,102. At the time a Triumph TR2 cost £887.[7]
^ abpage 63 Motor Sport (magazine), January 1954, London, Teasdale Pub. Co.
^ abcde"The Swallow Doretti 2-seater". The Motor. 15 September 1954.
^Culshaw, David; Horrobin, Peter (2013) [1974]. The Complete Catalogue of British Cars 1895 - 1975 (e-book ed.). Poundbury, Dorchester, UK: Veloce Publishing. pp. 44–46. ISBN978-1-845845-83-4.
^"Dorothy Deen". Hagerty Media. 3 June 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
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