Tiger 110.............AKA Newgate's Knocker

Here's another couple of the Ton-Ten on the way back from this year's Trip Out. 1954 motor in a '49 Tiger 100 frame and running a Factory Metalworks springer front end. Front hub is Tiger Cub fitted with a trials alloy brake plate, and that really improved things there's definitely some slowing down action going on when the lever is hauled upon.

There will be more details on the brake plate when I can sort it out.

Newgate's Knocker, as she stands.

I don't think I posted any pics of the Tiger Ton- Ten since the final alterations. There are more pictures but I can't transfer them between devices at the moment...........
Glad to report the spingers are working a treat out on the road, and the motor is as strong as an ox!
This picture is from Offley, the first time out on her, a successful foray as you can see!

The Numbers Are In

The letter's back from the dating fellah, to allow the registration process on Newgate's Knocker to proceed. Frame's earlier than I thought, sure one of the interweb lists showed it as a number from 1951, ain't moaning though. The motor is early '54 which is excellent news as this clipping from the Jan '55 issue of the US mag Motorcyclist shows,

If they weren't released until March to the American press then early May is very early indeed.

Down The Road Apiece.......

.............well, up the track a bit, as it goes.

Pulls like a good 650 should, and it weighs not-a-lot so set the phasers on smile I reckon.

Up and Runnin'

Geoff doin' the honours, not completely finished but a step forward for Mankind and all that!

Still got a shoe-box of bits to be blessed with Otto's Blackness and a couple of wires to add and that'll be about that. Oh yeah, and get it registered

Gettin' Oh Sooooo Close Now

Pipes and silencers are now bracketted and done,

pegs need a wee tweak,

handlebar furniture about complete,

just waitin' on the paint and a few last knockin's.

Speedo Finds A Home

Got the speedo bracket together and mounted, it just peeks out from the front of the tank. Nowhere else to put it really.

It's not good engineering practice to fix things with one bole, but a shakeproof washer either side of the frame and 4 Shredded wheat before tightening should keep it in place.

Having said that, it is a truism that anything that you have to convince yourself will be alright, will bite you in the arse. There may be more on this at a later date.

The Ton Ten Sees The Sun

With the forks in it was only natural to fit the front wheel and a few other bits. The next no-brainer was to get it down on the deck to have a lok at the stance and get an overall feel of how things are going to turn out.

Things always look better in the sun, and seeing as that rare commodity was available, outside it went.

Not the best of pics, but we'll call it moody and arty for now. Pipes look OK though, once they're bracketted on properly that is.

The jury's still out on the bars, want to stay with standard inch Triumph, more in keeping and the big stock twist grip looks nice, but this bend...............not sure.

Skinny little MOFO ain't it?

Thanks Mate!

Four of these arrived today, cut by Roland's neighbour in France from a drawing knocked up over here. I know that Laser is regarded as too high tech and cheating in some circles, and maybe I could have chiselled it out using a flint hand axe, but................

............ it would never have looked and fitted like this! There are another three so builds in the immediate future will be featuring Smith's "D" shaped speedos. Which is just as well, 'cause I think they're great.

This speedo is the one sent over by Chris a few months ago, a couple of grim pics were posted earlier but these are a bit better.

Roland's blog, as if ya need telling!

outta-control

Standing on one leg..............sort of

Slotted the back wheel in and popped the muddy on for a look.........as ya do. Not convinced about the ride height of the mudguard though, sits a bit high, but major alteration will detract from the original part ethos that has driven this build. Have to wait until it's on the deck to make a decision on that one.

Really stoked with the black primary cases, always thought they looked good but they're even better in place. The seat should work out OK as well although the original spring length was over the top.

Back In Bitchin' Black

Otto worked his magic on the frame, and magic it certainly is. The finish is petrol tank quality and, "As black as Newgate's knocker" which was the brief.

A bit shakey this shot, but that's down to the excitement factor.

Happy with it ? What do you reckon?

Joe's plates fitted a treat, no levers or hammers!!!! The dimensions on these plates are spot on.

Arty Farty detail, a random I think they call 'em.

Torquing Point

Made a bracket for the torque arm on the front brake, it's been brazed onto the rear leg rather than welded to minimise the damage if it needs to be removed for any reason in the future. It is set at 2 inches above the centre of the rear rocker pivot bolt, this is the same dimension as the centre of the wheel spindle to the brake anchor stud on the brake plate.

The arm itself has been cut from 5mm thick stainless, with hole centres at 3 1/2 inches to match the  dimension of the rocker pivot centres. This maintains the parallelogram as described in an earlier post, and it should allow the suspension to operate during braking. The arm has been fitted with two spherical bearings, this will allow the the arm to move in operation and also to compensate for any misalignment. 

The wheel has been pushed over by 6mm to allow clearance for the arm to get through, the rim will now have to be tweaked back by 3mm to recentralise it in the forks, shouldn't be a problem.

Bottommimg Out

Always reckon this point is the symbolic bottom of the build trough, the Ton Ten frame is blasted and 'round at Otto's for a lick of black that is so black Stephen Hawkins would be worried.

When it's back, the fun can really start when proper assembly begins. 

Sitting in a Ghetto Stylee

Got the seat back from the upholsterer a few days ago and he's done exactly what was asked of  him. The brief was, black leather, tuck and roll and keep it as thin as possible to maintain the contour of the base.

Looks so thin it's difficult to think it's padded but it is, not saying that the springs won't be doing most of the work, but give it a squeeze and it's soft.

If you want any work done you could do a lot worse than talk to Bespoke Auto Interiors in Letchworth. 

Chris' Speedo Get's A New Lease Of Life

Remember the D shaped speedo that Chris sent over from The Lone Star State a couple of months ago?  well, the case has been chromed and the internals have been  overhauled and recalibrated to suit the Triumph gearbox drive. Also took the opportunity to have a 75 MPH dial fitted rather than the original 55 one as supplied.

The work was carried out by Speedo Repairs down in Aldershot, great work and turned around in under two weeks.

If you need similar work doing, he's the man to see.

WIPAC S179

This bad boy arrived today, scored off of the bay (as if you hadn't guessed) for half the price of a Taiwanese imitation, although I don't think they do a knock off of this particular light...... yet!

Listed in the very brief description as for a C15, I don't reckon it is 250 AJS/Matchless seems to ring a distant bell but that's not a definite. If anybody knows for sure please let me know.

The description didn't say it was NOS but it's hard to believe it's spent much time fitted to a bike, this is how it arrived with no attempt to clean it up, no signs of rust on the back plate and not a hint of fading in the lens.

Easy to imagine that it was designed by the same guy that did the WIPAC Sabrina posted on here a little while ago, all fifties starship dreaming style. They seemed to be far more adventurous in their designs over at Wico-Pacy than their compatriots over at Lucas.