Harleys? We Don't Need No Steenkin' Harleys!

This was published in this week's Harley dealer newspaper and as a poster to honour the work put in by the H-D fellahs at the sharp end of the business. Maybe they should have gone to a more bike orientated ad agency, or need to sack the proof reader.

That there is Gary Scott on a T120!!!!

AMAL Home Of The Good And The Free

There's not much available nowadays that is free and still worth having. 

This catalogue is just that though, not exactly free as you've got to pay postage, but the book itself is gratis. Containing details on all ranges of post war carbs right up to the Mk II concentric, there's also the standard settings for just about every AMAL equipped bike since 1940. It's just got to be worth owning for the price.

CHECK IT OUT

Bible Bashin'

Birthday coming up? No? Then you should really treat yourself to this book if nobody else will. Harry Woolridge worked at Meriden fom 1953 until they turned the lights out for the last time. Big Ted Turner is well known for not allowing factory support of a British or European racing effort, not so in the States where the Trophy received continual development and improvement throughout the fifties and early sixties . Linked to names like Bud Ekins and the King of Cool Steve McQueen, the TR6 absolutely dominated the US desert racing scene for close on a decade.

The information and changes given about Trophies and pre-unit twins in general is immense and as it's first hand information, from memory and unrivalled access to factory records can be taken as gospel.

Available on the Bay between 22 and 35 pounds new it's a must have.

Pre Unit Triumph - Must Have Accessory

Never seen or heard of one of these, which ain't unusual, but neither had Geoff and that is. First spotted in the '57 Tri-Cor catalogue, it's an obvious improvement...........once you've seen it of course..........and good any any pre-unit. Anyways up, about a week later I'm sifting through the US Bay of Doom and lo and behold, there they are! Repro of course but really nicely made and polished, a satisfying thing to have in ya hand, so to speak.

The guy does not sell into England through the Bay, but it's OK through his web shop so get over there, but keep it on the QT and you'll be the envy of all your chums in the Summer.

Oh, ignore the buck 85 , that don't count any more!

Digging The Past

Got hold of a copy of the 1957 TriCor catalogue recently, and it contains some very rare birds indeed. At the bottom you can see a Delta Head for USD 103! This is the first documented evidence I have seen for this head as a stand alone accessory and it is shown with two left hand monoblocs fitted, probably wouldn't have thought that without seeing it.

If 103 bucks was too rich rich for your blood, how about CP162? A complete tacho kit, including the timing cover and the tacho itself for a smidge under 55 dollars!

Is it better to know this information, or is ignorance bliss?

Searchin' for information

Been searching for a dimensioned diagram of a standard rigid frame for quite a while now. Came across this on a Triumph parts list CD, gotta be the best I've seen as it's the only one I've seen, anybody got any links to anything showing more detail?

Skanking For Inspiration

Been running the various ideas and mind-builds through the old noggin of late, trying to find form for the Tiger 100 build.

As the text says, this '57 T100/RR was a US only variant built for the Flat Tracks. Educated opinion seems to agree that 130 of these were produced, along with 10 spare motors. Which of course makes them a rare sight across the pond, if there's more than a handful here in Blighty I'd be surprised.

Originally built for the 1948 International Six Day Trial, an event at which it took top honours, this is the TR5 Trophy. This bike has got the "Generator Motor" fitted, with the parallel exhuast ports, and squarer barrel, these were used from 1948 to '51. It went on to father a whole batch of Triumphs with dirty intentions all named Trophy, the last in the line even regained the TR5 model code. 

Lovely looking bike, the nicest main line production bike Triumph ever built ?? 

The Granddaddy of  'em all, the 1948 GP500.

Same motor as the Trophy, although on this early picture the casting can still be seen in the side of the barrels, these were drilled and tapped on the motors that saw service on generator sets to hold the cowling on.

All great, purposeful looking bikes where function is first and foremost yet somehow the form is almost by necessity sublime.

So, the Skankweasel build will be on the lighter side whilst leaning heavily on bikes like these for guidance.

Britax

Straight out of the old Pride & Clark advert in the back of the Motorcycle Mechanics,

can't say I'd ever heard of one let alone seen one.

Had to be done for a Tenner, looks more like it's been in a shed rather than pukka NOS,

gotta be late fifties, early sixties.

Now, where's that Goldie hiding.................................?

Triumph Norton Parts Books On Line

Big D Cycle, out of Dallas Texas strangely enough, have put all the post war Triumph and a lot of the Norton original parts books on line. This is a great resource as it allows that elusive part number to be nailed. Interesting to look at the amount of variations and changes between the different models of the same year as well, people like to say it all fits everything but it ain't necessarily so.

Check the parts lists out HERE

Tiger 100 Race Kit Prep

Following Thursday's post of the original 1951 Tiger 100 road test, Bit Monkey came up with this continuation piece taken from the September 13th 1951 issue of Motor Cycling. 

Following the demise of the GP500, the factory race bike for the privateer, (Edward Turner would not sanction an official  factory road racing team) Triumph produced a "hop up" kit for the new alloy engined Tiger 100. This article follows the fitting and consequential testing of the kit.

Taking 2 seconds of the standing quarter, and on Pool Petrol!

Pool petrol (gas) was what was available to the public in the years following WWII and had an octane rating of just 72! Even the ethanol laden shit that is offered today is better than that, so how quick are these bikes now? 

Triumph Tiger 100 Road Test, August 1951

One of the great things about these contemporary road tests, is that they weren't afraid to cane 'em! Difficult to imagine modern classic magazines giving someone's pride and joy prolonged periods of cruising between 70 and 75 mph.

BSA Factory Tour 1958

Artistic Licence or False Advertising

Scored this the other day, repro unfortunately but interesting just the same. It's a copy of a genuine Triumph publication as can be seen, and therefore can be viewed as somewhat of a gospel. It's well known that companies of the time could be a little imaginative with their claims, and road test bikes were specially prepared before the press got their hands on 'em, but the graph beggars belief. 31 BHP out of a standard 500 of 1951, even at the crank takes some believing, but 43 after fitting the parts is a huge leap of faith.

These are the only parts needed they claimed, available direct from the factory, although they do say the engine and frame numbers must be provided. They could be pretty confident that there were not many Heenan and Froude brake testers available to the average rider, and therefore difficult to disprove, but, Joe Craig, Francis Beart and the other tuners of the day reckoned that 100 BHP per litre was bloody good going. 43 from a tweked road bike, from a factory without a racing programme of it's own, kinda makes you wonder. 

All you need to know..................

.......... about 1951 Beezers,

Had a request for more of the '51 Data Book so the whole lot is now available on it's own page. See the bar at the top of the entries to access the info, or click here!

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?

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............

Fuel/Air Homogenisation

Guess that it's time to start thinking about some method of getting a petrol - air mix in where it's needed.
Still got the 626 Concentric that was on there 30 odd years ago, complete with period gold plated screws. That would probably do just fine, just as fine as all the others that are doing just fine out there in fact.
On the other hand ............... this bad boy is available new from Burlen Fuel Services, current owners of the AMAL marque.
Set up to whatever spec is required it'd be rude not to get one............. doncha think?

1951 BSA Engine Specs

The pages above are from a small book entitled "BSA Motorcycles for 1951 - DATA BOOK. Private and Confidential"
From that it must have been a dealers only publication, not for consumption by the paying public. The thing that is interesting is the figures for the B34, they are identical to the B33, even the alloy head and barrel are optional extras! On the other hand, the B34 GS is a completely different beast, very much a customer specced bike individually built to order. This must have been the case as the permutations available with cams, compression ratios carbs etc. would have made it impossible to have done it any other way. So it is then, unless the cases are stamped GS it ain't anything special and it certainly did not leave Small Heath as a Gold Star.

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As you can see along the right hand edge of the second page this book contains virtually every specification for all 1951 BSA models. If you want to see any other pages leave a comment or mail me.

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Gold Star BB34 and DB34

Not being able to get on the A7 motor build until I get up Johnny's tomorrow has been twisting my melon this week, so thoughts today have been on the B33. I fancy putting a Gold Star top end on it, more for appearance than performance, but a little more get up and go is never a bad thing.
Most people think of the 500cc DBD34 Clubman, the classic Cafe Racer, when they think of Goldies, but BSA were very successful in the States with them, both off-road and on the half and one mile flat tracks.

The big finned motor seen above first appeared in 1954 as the CB series, this lasted for a couple of years until the DB's arrived in 1956.

Before '54 were the smaller finned ZB series in a plunger frame and the BB in a swinging arm frame. It should be noted that it's not a Gold Star unless it has the letters GS as part of the engine number.
Personally, I prefer the look of the earlier BB engine where the pushrod tunnel is still exposed, although the behemoth proportions of the later barrel has a certain charm.
So, word up people, I am now officially on the hunt for an early alloy 500 Gold Star top end. Rare as rocking horse shit I don't doubt, but if any of you fine folk who take the time to read this drivel know the whereabouts of such parts I would love to know.

These two early advertising brochures clearly show the difference between the two types of head and barrel set ups.

Triumph Instruction Manuals

The good lady found these again whilst having a bit of a tidy up. Why is it that women can't help 'emselves, even when they're supposed to be on holiday ?. Anyway here they are, guess I should start to try and get the whole set while they are still about. Anybody got one they don't need then drop me a line, by the same token, if anybody wants anything scanned that may be of help let me know.