Never seen one of these before!

Brockhouse Indian Brave

This turned up at the bike do the other day, initially thought it was another DKW two stroke derivative like the BSA Bantam. Closer inspection revealed it to be a 4 stroke, side valve but unit construction, left hand change? all in all a very modern looking motor. In fact the bottom end is reminiscent of an early Ducati single from the early 60's.

Talking to the bloke revealed that it is, in fact, a 250cc bike from 1953! A completely left field approach to 4 stroke engine design for the time, and it is difficult to see where Brockhouse got their inspiration from, none of the big players of the time were doing anything like it.

The guy scored it as a box of bits after it had suffered a front ender at some time in its career. He had to make the new forks from scratch as spares are rarer than rare, and information is just as hard to come by.

According to Wikipedia, OEC (a manufacturer of various models between 1901 and 1939) had their final fling using this motor in a model called The Apollo, now that's gotta be a rare beast nowadays.

MC Hammer was right............

........... You can't touch this!

The eternal mysteries of Mr Turner's attempts at not paying out to develop a proper rear suspension, Ladies and Gentlemen I present the Triumph Sprung Hub (if anybody wondered where the name of Rowan's great blog comes from, this is the beast)

An expensive option when new, folklore has always been that they are best avoided, and if not avoided, then not taken apart due partly to the explosive nature of the springs and also because if the stripping down doesn't cause extreme pain and disfigurement, you can't get 'em back together again without the factory jig

Triumph were so sure of this fact they underlined it in their factory literature. Can't see much gain in trying to return it to Meriden for overhaul though.

So what to do, fill it with grease, polish the outside of the hub and then hope it hasn't covered the "very considerable mileage" they talk about, or find someone with the fabled jig and separate it?

Shaun's T140 up for grabs

Shaun's last project is up for sale to fund his latest, as is the way. So here's a great opportunity to fast track yourself around all the grief and heart ache of putting one together, still might like to paint it though.
Late T140 motor in a '68 hardtailed frame and covered in nice one off parts, taxed ticketted and ready to ride away. It's here on the Bay of Fools but he may well be prepared to talk before the end of the week

Survivor or Retro New Build?

Saw this at a little local gig yesterday, genuine period piece or a modern homage to the style? Or more likely a 70's survivor overhauled and repainted, the motor sounded really happy when it turned up and as oil tight as any pre-unit Trumpet you'll see about nowadays.

The forwards and the oil tank look raging 70's and it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that it once had 100 lbs of twisted leg springer hanging out the front in a previous life.

FREE!! Triumph Lube Chart

This pic opens up and prints out on A4 real nice.

I know the new banner above is a long shot, but if you don't ask and all that............

I ain't saying nutten yet..............

......... but it's not looking too shabby.

Big thank you to Mr. A.T.

British........... ya say???????

Never really sure if there's enough of it yet to claim that, but this is where the Bullet is at..........

Smithy, closing in now.

Smithy's getting to the last knockings on his Bobbathon, some lovely touches that's for sure..........

............ but I still can't come to terms with that tank!

Then again, it ain't mine and if the man's happy with it, that's what it's all about!

Stopped By The Stopper

Started in on getting the front brake working yesterday, not so good. Got the fluid down the line, presumably behind the pistons and out of the bleed nipple. All looked good until the nipple was locked off and then there was no change in the feel of the lever, the master cylinder could not deliver real pressure. Done what should have been done in the first place and checked the seals, not the best of conditions. Contacting a bloke tomorrow who should have an overhaul kit.

Pissed about and got some more jobs out of the way though including this transfer that should go on early Ariel oil tank.

Retro Style Triumph

Nice pre unit Triumph spotted at The Hayride.......

......... clean and simple, ticks the right boxes here at BIW.

Yeah, damn right Tim!

Read this by Tim Wise, in Issue 5 of Lowside and reckon that it just about sums it up, take the time and open up the picture for a read and let me know how ya feel about it.

Lowrider

Singin' this at work all day, couldn't get it outa my head kinda deal.

Johnny's '53 Triumph Speed Twin

Johnny has started in on the Trumpet, using loads of WD40 type penetrating spray, which he has loads of, and a lot of patience, which he usually ain't got much of. For something that was last taxed in 1959 and would appear to have been sitting about unloved and unwanted in the intervening half century it's coming apart amazingly well.

The reason it was taken off the road originally may never be known, but whatever the cause it has not been stripped for any sort of inspection. All the outer cover screws are still tight, and because of this the covers have protected their contents, well if the primary is anything to go by that is. The clutch still works , and has a light smooth action, promising to say the least.

Oh So Close Now!!!!!!

Pete came through with the paint as ya can see here. He chose to keep any graphics to the bare minimum, which given the simplicity of the bike was a good move.

Reckon that the addition of the ivory/cream accents in the paint scheme resolves the issue over the colour of the seat. Always a nagging concern that it, perhaps, was not a good move but now it seems justified.

So it's just a few more fiddly bits and the job will be, as they say, a good 'un. Well as long as it runs half as good as it looks.
Following The Hayride though, and seeing the quality of the bikes there, gonna have to raise the game on the next build.

More Hayride Hullabaloo

There's been a load of web space taken up in the last week extolling the virtues of The Hotrod Hayride, well now I'm back I thought I'd best add my tuppence worth. I thought that last year's was the best do that I had ever attended, well somehow Anna and Andy managed to top it this year. There seemed to be a lot more bikes, but that may have been because there was a clash with the NSRA Supernationals held at Old Warden the same weekend and therefore not as many rods were in evidence. I can't begin to imagine the amount of organising a do like this takes but from what I saw everything went without a hitch and things flowed seamlessly, Anna and Andy seemed to be enjoying themselves all weekend so maybe it wasn't too stressful for them either.

The Madras Marauder sneaked in amongst what must be one of the finest collection of custom motorcycles ever gathered other than at an organised show. That'd be them Stockers boys on tour, and looking uber cool.

Steve Marshall's 6T, Holy Moly looking all lean, mean and moody, not a great lover of the raw steel look myself but the lines and stance of this bike are sublime.

Sweet little unit Trumpet outside the pavilion.

Eddie's impossibly noisy unit 500, lovely simple bike with all the attitude (and sound effects) you can handle.

The boys from the north, Shaun's raw T140 rubs shoulders with Toddy's GKM trophy winning TR6, a pair of unit Trumpets that should stir the loins of any bloke who sees 'em.
Tell ya what Shaun, she'd look lovely with a splash of paint. ;-)

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Anna and Andy for putting on a great show, and Eddie, Leight, Rowan, Roland and the rest of the Stockers crew for putting up with me!

No Posts

Nothing going on this week folks, I'm away in Ireland ! But the Hayride was great as I'm sure you've read elsewhere on the blogscape. Normal service next week.