Standard Atlas

Standard Atlas
Standard Atlas Major
Overview
Manufacturer	Standard Motor Company Leyland Motors Limited British Leyland Motor Corporation Limited (BLMC) Ashok Leyland
Also called	Standard Atlas Major Standard 15/20 Leyland 15/20 Triumph Atlas [1]
Production	1958 – 1980
Body and chassis
Class	Light van

The Standard Atlas is a light van which was produced and sold under various names between 1958 and 1980, initially in Britain, and subsequently in India.^[2]

Standard Atlas, Standard Atlas Major and Standard 15/20 (1958–1962)

In 1958 Standard presented the Atlas, their contender in the growing but (in Britain) increasingly crowded small van sector. It was a competitor for BMCs venerable J-Type and the much more modern Morris J2, as well as for the Ford Thames 400E and the market leading Bedford CA. For some export markets, notably Canada, the Standard Atlas was badged as a Triumph, reflecting the value of the brand recognition achieved for the Triumph name by sports models such as the Triumph TR3.

Light vans in Britain were at this time frequently identified by their maximum permissible gross payload, and the Atlas was often advertised simply as the Atlas 10 cwt or the Atlas 12 cwt, reflecting allowable load weights (including a driver) of 500 kg and 600 kg. In addition to the panel van, a pick up truck version was also offered. Both hinged doors and sliding doors were offered. There was also a small flatbed truck version which had rear hinged doors.

Like its competitors, the Atlas shared its engine with a passenger car from its manufacturer's range. In this case the engine in question was the 948cc petrol/gasoline engine from the Standard Ten, which was installed under a cowling between the driver and his passenger, and delivered power to the rear wheels. In this form the van was very slow. This was addressed in 1961 when it became possible to specify the van with a 1670cc petrol/gasoline. The larger dimensions of this engine meant that the chassis had to be enlarged and the cabin design rearranged. At the same time the smaller engine was enlarged to 1147cc.

When the Standard Company was blended with British Leyland in 1964/5 the Atlas vans were the badged as Leyland 15 and Leyland 20, and were now provided with the Standard 2138cc petrol/gasoline engine that also powered the Triumph TR4. Payload limits had also been raised to 15 cwt (750 kg gross) and 20 cwt (1000 kg gross). It was now also possible to order the van with a diesel engine. The unit in question was a 2260cc 60 hp (44 kW) unit from Massey-Ferguson who also installed it in tractors.^[3]

Leyland 15/20 1962–1968

In 1963 Standard was acquired by Leyland Motors Limited and for 1964 the little van was renamed Leyland 15 / Leyland 20 (according to capacity).

In 1968 Leyland merged with the British Motor Corporation to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation, and the van was taken out of production in order to avoid direct competition with a range of vans such as the Morris JU 250, now produced by the same company.

Standard 15/20 in India 1970-1980

After production of the van in the United Kingdom had ended, the tooling and panel presses were exported to southern India where the van re-emerged, to be produced, between 1970 and 1980 by Standard Motors of Chennai.

References

• Graham Robson. The Book of the Standard Motor Company. Veloce Alan Sutton. ISBN 978-1-845843-43-4.