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

Triumph - Rocker Revival

Rocker boxes almost ready to go on, decided on a light buff job rather than the full show polish, looks more purposeful. The bolt and stud bosses have been spot faced for a flatter fit. New Old Stock rocker spindles of the later type, with "O" rings are now fitted.

Rockers lightened and polished to balance the weights between the components, it is recommended in some quarters to reduce the diameter of the arm ends much more than this but discretion won the day in this case. The Thackeray washers are out and have been replaced by 1/8" thick wood saw arbor spacers, kindly sent over by Bill "Boomer" Brown of Portland Oregon.

Rocker caps drilled and fitted with vented breather plugs, these came from a hydraulic fittings company and are used to vent small hydraulic tanks. The ones behind are sintered pneumatic exhaust breathers, second choice and plan B if the others don't flow enough air.

Some people say that this modification is a waste of time due to sucking as much air in as they allow out. Any pressure created by the bottom end by the pumping action will be above atmospheric pressure, any air that is drawn in cannot be above 14.7 p.s.i. (atmospheric pressure) so it's got to be good, I think! Anyway oil leaks are created by pressurised oil looking for a way out, this mod should help alleviate that problem.

The Epsom Salt

Pete, along with the Baron and his band o' trusty buddies are off to do battle at Bonneville at the BUB Speed Week.  They intend to have a crack at the A-PF and/or the A/PG 650 records ,A stands for special construction class i.e. purpose built frame, and P stands for pushrod, F for fuel and G for gas (petrol).  For gas class you have to use the fuels supplied on the salt by ERC, it comes in several octanes, outside that you are automatically in the fuel class whatever you use. 

Current records stand at 123.814mph and 126.976mph set by Keith Martin's  Big D Cycle.

Texas Tiger

On the bay for the next week, for sale in Texas

CHECK IT OUT

but be sure to look at all pictures carefully, as all is not what it could be.

Triumph Rigid Long Chain Cases

The search is over, if you're tired of having to look hard to find a usable pair of long cases only to get beaten in the last 10 seconds by an outlandish bid, Big D Cycles has come to the rescue.

These fine looking reproductions have just been released onto the market at USD 695 a pair, which is about GBP 450. In the current market that would be about right for a good pair of originals, but these are as perfect as a NOS pair and who knows what they would fetch.

Well worth it I'd of said.

Mister Smug

Two trophies in less than a week..............not that I'm a slut or anything,.......................just mentioning it is all.