Eight Years Ago – I took the rebuilt Bonnie out for a spin along Lake Shore Drive. A happy broad grinned memory. Parked-up at the Adler Planetarium I snapped a photo with the Chicago skyline beyond. It sported Gulf colors, original wheels and brakes and upright bars and footpegs. Well, I had evolved from there. A larger British tank in Mango Tango orange; rear-sets and ace bars; alloy wheels with modern rubber tires; and a disc brake front end. Where will it go from here? Time will tell!
Fill ‘er up! Or so you would have asked Dick Dunkle, proprietor of the Gulf service station on the old Lincoln Highway (Route 30) that went cross country in the days before the Interstate system was laid. The terra-cotta tile work and old mechanical pumps as atmosphere. As did the rain stotting down on Bedford PA. The Minx sits in the forecourt: “one for the album!”
We’re only half way through a short week after Labor Day weekend but we need a fuel stop… BP is known the world over a the premiere petrochemical company… Just don’t mention the Gulf! Ford GT in Porsche livery anyone?
The sky blue background and vibrant orange pinstripe is always a great choice for giving your ride a historically significant color scheme. Making it a Triumph Bonneville is even better.
This owner has also created a matching lid too. Smashing!
Another twho wheeled adorned with Gulf colours; this time a lesser know German make called Kreidler ~ although in the late fifties one third of German mped were Kreidler. This is a 50cc moped, so quite a diminutive example of the race colors, especially with clubman bars.
Here’s a beautifully detailed cafe racer prepared in glorious blue and orange. Thiunassuming rebuilt 1975 model has been methodically reconstructed with special care to details such as the sumptuous tank, tail section and he controls.
The updates to the bike have been taking shape over the winter. The bars have been swapped out for a pair of M-bars, a shape developed to work specifically with the 70’s steering triple tree where clubmans won’t fit. These are from Norman Hyde in England; he specializes in upgrades for both Meriden and Hinckley Triumphs. Also from NH are a pair or rearsets, these change footing position with well manufactured cast aluminium plates and gear and brake levers. There was some fanagling with the fitting points as these were developed for the pre oil in frame unit models. There is still some tweaking with the fine adjustements and mounting to ensure the kick start lever swings cleanly, the gear change pivots correctly and rear brake rod arm levers well.
The tank was repainted to include a Gulf decal, adding to the Le Mans theme. Also a narrow nosed seat from a T140V has been included, swapping out the boxier seat that came with the original project bike. New downpipes and long Dunstall mufflers complete the clean, low fast look I’m trying to achieve with this bike.
…looking forward to warm spring days!
More and more bikes are cropping up with the sky blue, orange and navy pinstripe colors of the Gulf Oil scheme. It’s the one previously mentioned in this blog being Steve McQueens Porsche appearance in Le Mans.
Michael Delaney: “A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing’s important to men who do it well. When you’re racing, it… it’s life. Anything that happens before or after… is just waiting.”
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