The Class Of 57

This month's CBG is worth picking up, for obvious reasons. Only thing missing is a T100RR  to make the full house of bikes that were produced when Triumph were on top of their game.

TR5R On The Rack At Big D

Keith at Big D Dallas sent some progress shots of his 1957 TR5R restoration, with only 178 of these built in total across a 3 year span, and only 17 in '57 it is a rare beast indeed.

Produced by Triumph at the request of JoMo and TriCor, who wanted a bike that was race ready straight from the crate, without resorting to taking a Tiger 100 and adding the race kit.

Fitted with the legendary Delta Head they were the first splyed head models produced by Triumph, a year before the Bonneville.

Never seen forks assembled in this order before, but it makes sense saving all the messing about trying to get the stabchions up through the yokes when shrouds are fitted.

Another piece of unobtanium, a Lucas racing mag, all made up out of exotic stuff like platinum tipped points, stainless steel armature and maybe silver plated windings but that could well be myth. I've never met anyone who has had an original one to bits.

Sparks a' Flying......K2FC The Return.

Just got this back from Chip after he has worked his magic. A pukkah K2FC that came over from the States. Interesting to note, although competition mags were supplied on Trophies and the like going over the water, they were automatic advance and retard. The points end casting was the same as a regular comp mag, the casting for the cable and actuator were left undrilled and an ATU drive gear fitted in the timing case.

Briton Bees ‘47 BSA B33 - “Howlin’ Wolf” - Pipeburn - Purveyors of Classic Motorcycles, Cafe Racers & Custom motorbikes

Briton Bees ‘47 BSA B33 - “Howlin’ Wolf” - Pipeburn - Purveyors of Classic Motorcycles, Cafe Racers & Custom motorbikes

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

After a seat for Skankweasel, and have placed an order with Pedro of D H Customs  for one of his hand worked leather solos. He does some lovely work and at a great price for something hand made and unique, well worth considering if you're in the market this winter.

Rare Trophy motors on that well known auction site

This '53 TR5 motor is on the Bay Stateside with a Buy Now of USD 3200  looks loosely assembled in places.

The same seller has this HERE, far more interesting proposition at USD 3,800. Delta Head, Trophy tacho drive timing cover and a K2FC 

Long Stroke A7 In The Works............Swiss Stylee

Switzerland................Watches, Toblerone and big mountains, well now kool bikes can be added to the list. Luke, who has been building for years has now gone public with this 47 Long Stroke A7.

Looking every bit the custom build rather than a radical unridable fashion statement, it ticks all the boxes here.

Check out his blog at Manion Frameworks

Pre Unit Triumph Hot Rod Up Fer Grabs

Geoff is selling this sweet 750 pre unit Hot Rod. 

T140 crank and barrels with a V type splayed head, and all the benefits of an alternator.

The tank is a repro of a one year only '49 3T.

He's looking for offers around 7 grand, all taxed, ticketted and ride away goodness.

E-mail me for any more details.

Addy at left hand top of this page.

Triumph Twingle

Mossy pointed these out, on the Bay in the States. 

E1485 cam blanks ground to fire both cylinders at the same time. Herad the term Twingle bandied about over the years but this is the first tangible bit I've seen.

880 JAP 1000cc Speedway Sidecar

Thunder From Down Under

Sidecar Speedway

Can't pretend to know anything about it myself! Mossy sent these pics over from The Great Southern Land, taken by his pal John Davey at a Vintage Speedway event I guess.

A quick search on Google revealed that these 180 bhp, methanol burning, brakeless monsters are still competing in a few countries around the world but predominantly in Oz.

There are, I'm sure, a lot out there who find it sacrilegious to do this to a Vincent but here at BIW we reckon it's what they were made for! 

It's In The Bag...................Thanks Lucas!

This oil tank form The Factory Metal Works has been on my watch list for months. Looking, nay lusting, at it almost on a daily basis, already plumbed for Triumph fittings and cooler than a walrus' cod piece, I knew I had to own one.

Well there's no time like the present, (or no present like the time if you're a clock maker at Christmas) and the order went in.

All the stuff from Lucas, that I've seen, reeks of quality workmanship. Don't let the price put you off with his parts, that will be long forgotten when you're still admiring the piece in years to come.

I went for the unpolished, centre fill option, there's no shame in showing these welds off to the world, although a hinged seat now becomes a necessity, I can live with it.

They Say You Can't Polish A Turd...........

............. but you can wipe the shit off of a diamond!

Been looking for a set of big bearing 500 cases that will do justice to building a motor for the Delta Head.  Tiger 100 cases are fine and other than the stamped number are the same thing, so for all practical reasons they would do fine. If we only do things that make practical sense, then we wouldn't do most of the things we do, and most likely have a big H#nd@ sitting in the heated garage.

I found out from Pete (Lurkingclass on JJ) that he had this set of '55 TR5 cases that needed a little love but were available. Most people here in England think of the rigid Trophy when they hear TR5 mentioned, but the model carried through until 1959 in limited production all it's life.  Only 4594 standard TR5s were built between '49 and '59 plus 178 highly desirable TR5Rs, not many by Triumph standards and being predominantly off-roaders who knows how many survived.

As you can see in the pictures there has been some very good repair work done on the dynamo ear, and there's witness that the motor was run subsequently, albeit without a dynamo. More evidence of dirt usage.

Being a sucker for punishment and determined to run a set of BB TR5 cases here in England, just for the kudos,  we made the deal.

Gave the pair of cases a cursory clean, before taking them to a retired toolmaker in the village to see if he could right the wrongs to the dynamo mount. Not a bad effort I'm sure you'll agree, and whoever did the initial weld repair was a master of his craft, no porosity or blow holes seen throughout the machining process.

Other than that, and a missing cam bush, the cases are in superb condition, It's as though the damage was a blessing in disguise and people passed over them because of it.

Rather than vapour blasting, which always leaves a degree of uncertainty, they were cleaned with hot water and washing up liquid followed by carb cleaner and a brass bristled wire brush. They will now be done again to get right into the corners etc. as the repair has been so successful.

Greasy Kulture 35

Issue 35 of GKM has just dropped on the mat, as ever well worth the read.

A real bonus is the first real English article that I've seen on Mark Drews' legendary T110 show bike featured below;

It amazes me that in the article it says that it's a bit of a Marmite bike, that people either love it or hate it. Now I don't like Marmite, but I can't  honestly understand anyone not liking this.

If you don't know the bike, or you do and want to see quality pics of it, hit Guy up for a copy

HERE

1959 Tiger 100, The Last Of The Line

Pete in sunny Cali seems to have an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time. While he was actively searching for a late TR5 Trophy he came across this running '59 Tiger 100 at a price that couldn't be refused.

It is quoted that less than 900 T100s were built in 1959 as the curtains were coming down on the all alloy 500 range of pre-unit Triumphs, as the unit construction "C" class range was introduced.

Pete has done a quick makeover on the Tiger, giving it a far more purposeful look by fitting a '57 Trophy front end and new 13" Hagon shocks.

The front end is finished off by a pair of pre-unit T120C bars and an 8" front brake.

The high exhausts are a pair of sleeved down 650 pipes mated to period Superior silencers, the alloy guard is hand made along with the mounting hardware. All topped off with a 3 gallon sports tank and a Bates solo pad, make it a bike to put a smile on the most hardened of faces.

Roland's got the MOJO back!!!!

Our old mate, and my good friend Roland has relaunched OUTTA CONTROL and is giving his lovely B31 a makeover,

Like it ever needed one.........................

Get over there, if you know the man you won't need tellin', if you don't, then you'll wish ya did.

Triumph T100C For Sale

Y'all know how it goes, something's gotta go when something new turns up. Markus is offering up his sweet unit T100 Bobber  to make way for something a little different. Here's the lowdown;

Fully rebuilt T100c Engine (Reground Crank, All Bearings, New Clutch and Rebuilt Gearbox, all vapor blasted, powdered or Nickel'd)

Hand Milled Timing cover showing Nickel Clutch

Fully rebuilt Forks (New stanchions, bushes, de-lugged fork bottoms, MCM shrouds, de-seamed yokes, new fork seals and holders - all coppered, polished and nickel'd)

Fully rebuilt wheels - reconditioned hubs, stainless spokes, stainless rims, avon front Firestone rear

Factory Metal Works hard tail - all mounts and sissy bar made by barons

Semi de-seamed and restored fuel tank

Pill style Nickel Oil Tank

Maund Speed licence plate holder

After Hours Choppers Tail Light

HD Parts Seat

Hippy Killer Pegs and Grips

Every Nut, Bolt Washer Nickel plated

Electronic ignition

Brand new Amal mono-block Carb

Cloth wired or hidden in frame

New Battery

10 Months MOT

Excellent Condition with only a few very minor chips to paint in tank - but I can get this redone if required for cost

Registered as a 350 - just needs engine updating on V5

Markus is open to discussion on price, and from what I understand it's a good price for what's on offer here.

 07584449425
if it floats your boat.

Stolen IronHead

Posted on D.T.F.P.

Some scumbag has just stolen my mates ironhead chopper, It was taken some time today from Port Dundas in Glasgow, Scotland, it's a 79 sporty with a weld on hardtail, repop springers, please can you repost this where ever you are, even if you are not in the U.K people here still read your blogs, if you get offered this bike or any part of it please contact me on 07913325297. We want it back