Grunting, swearing, wrenching, hammering, gripping, sweating. That was me this evening dismantling the forks from the donor cub. Well, its finally down to its constituent parts: triple tree, stanchion, damping rods, springs, bushes, pinch bolts and dribblings of old stinky oil. To keep the goal in sight here’s a couple if Cub images. I need these visual mantras to keep me on task…
This Tiger may leave a few scratches and bites along the way but I’ll have ‘er purring by the end.
Warbirds of the past growled down on their enemies with snarling teeth. As well as the smilin’ gals back home giving leggy support to the airmen on their lengthy missions.
Bombs Away!
Uncle Sam’s newest member! I’m a citizen of the good ole U S of A. I know there’s the well know Captain America chopper used to wonderful effect in Easy Rider; well here’s the Brit equivalent. A gaudy Triumph Bonneville complete with spangled tank.
To fill out the story appropriately he’s the Capt’n himself…
Today the wheels were released from their tight hold in the frame. The front one was also stripped of its oxide adorned rim. I cut the 40 spokes so the hub was quickly freed allowing it to be subsequently serviced and eventually rebuilt it with a more appropriate 21″ alloy rim (its standard 19″ is small for trials geometry). There was some very stubborn bolts that needed plenty of grunt behind the spanner but eventually surrendered their rusty bite!
Looking forward to the lacing, truing and reshodding of the front wheel.
This is the ‘seen better days’ chassis I picked up yesterday. It has the front fork I need, a nice chunky rear alloy rim, hubs front and back, and a few more bolts. It looks as though it had a fun previous life though!
WD40 was liberally applied and the bolts are freeing up nicely. I’m about 75% there with major parts I think.
I took a drive out to pick up my Cub frame and wheels from the suburbs (more on that at a later date). The fella who’d brought the frame into the Chicagoland was Buzz Walneck; as soon as we got there he opened his garage to reveal an Aladdins Cave of two-wheeled wonder. A bevy of BSA’s sandwiching a X75 Hurricane sat at one end. The racing Clubman in the foreground was hard to take your eyes off, the orange and yeller Triumph triple included a Craig Vetter signature on the tank, and the far moto was a 500 single Catalina, the off-road version of the foreground item. All in fine condition. Beautiful machines! Well, we got the frame home… WD40 soaking some crusty bolts…
Reaching out for the ‘bar. A finely tattoo’d arm adorned with curly far eastern print graphics. Seems appropriate with the lines of a sweet looking ride. The Scrambler Triumph has a few special mods to enhance an off road appeal – well, rough lanes, not true dirt, but dusty paths nonetheless.
Hope she covers up for action at speed. Care canny lass!
This poster says it all: Brit iron across the rolling Kettle Moraine in southern Wisconsin and winding up at a pub to quench your thirst with a Newcastle Brown Ale.
Gan canny young ‘un!
A kitchen accessory foe call Triumph aficionados…. A wall mounted bottle opener.
The late seventies Yamaha XS650 twin was the Far Easts answer to the British twins of the previous 4 decades. The main difference was that the mechanicals were up-to-date (for the time) and gives a very suitable foundation to build cafes, bobbers, roadsters and other 21st Century hipster customs. This one has been stripped, cleaned, upgraded, and given the old Trumpet Scrambler treatment.
Blackened engine, trim and olive drab tank. The logo has even been given the Triumph swoosh. Nicely executed indeed!
Some lucky fella picked up this recent offering on our favorite online auction facility. A nearly whole Tiger Cub for $1,900. Downstate Illinois too!
But where’s the fun in scrounging parts together? My wee cub is going to be an amalgamation of lost parts made one again.
Twins back together: the carbs were cleaned and reassembled today ready to be refitted back on the Bonnie. The L & R 900 units not contain new 106 needle jets, cleaned 180 main jets and all new seals and gaskets.
These old units can be kept going with full support from Amals website http://www.amalcarb.co.uk
A road-going racer: there’s a strong heart under that hood, and what a big hood that is! Aspiring speed demons need only apply…
Of course Steve had it painted British Racing Green.
Mix, ignite and bang! Well that’s the simple idea. Getting it to work is more subtle. So I find myself with disassembled carburetors and new seals, gaskets and o-ring as well as a shiny new needle jet in an attempt to smooth up my throttle action. It was lumpy and low on power last weekend.
An intricate little device, but Amals are fairly straight forward and once you’ve taken it apart and put back together knowing what each component does it becomes more approachable.
Supersport podium place for our man Guy Martin today. Third place behind Alistair Steely and Michael Dunlop.
Working his way up to a good result with the Superbikes race at the weekend. Concentration: the eyes have it!
geordiebiker.com 