Triumphrat

hillclimber · 11-15-2005

Hi there.
I've been lurking around for a few weeks now, trying to decide if I wanted to get back into Triumphs all over again.
You see, I was a proud Triumph owner/rider for most of the 80s and part of the early 90s, 'till I sold out to the evil H.D. V-twin (a mistake that I regreted for years).
I had long since sold my harley and had been working on raising a family.
A few months ago, I ran into an old friend of mine, who started grilling me about my old Triumph days.
He said that he had found a '74 Daytona in a shed, and after a few months of haggeling, had bought it for $200.
He mentioned that he didn't think he had thought it out very well, because he knew he didn't have the time, experience, or the money to restore it properly.
I told him that if he ever wanted to get his money back I might be interested.
A few weeks later he gives me a call, and to make a long story short, I'm now the proud (?) owner of a rolling basket case. :wink:
It's about 90% complete. I'm missing the air cleaners, headlight lens and bucket, taillight lens, etc......
Like I said, It's been many years since I hung up my whitworth tools, so I'm sure I'll be looking for lots of advice.
I'm in hopes of being able to ride it this spring.
Wish me luck...............

Scott

vik · 11-15-2005

Wellcome back Scott,

Will start attacking some of the evil 500units soon too, so my learning/reviving curve will be equally steep. Allready traced back all my documentation and most of my tools. Still have to do a headcount of the spare parts and the Rumble in the Jungle can begin !

Have never been unfaithful to the brand however unless you consider Mr Bloor's efforts too distant from what happened in Meriden. Owning both incantations I do think the link is mostly cosmetic, and maybe rightly so or Hinckley wouldn't have stood a fighting chance of survival.

"A rolling basketcase" eh, isn't that a shopping trolley then ?

Best of luck.

ViK

hillclimber · 11-15-2005

Yes, I think it would be much the same.
You know, when your tires are rotten to the point where you can stick your finger through the side wall????

I never got very deep into my Bonney when I had it.
I did do the valves. Other than that it was all general maint.
This one will be a different story.
The temptation is there to get it fired up quickly, but where it's all there and mostly original, I can't see taking the chance on screwing it up.
Last time it was registered was in 1987 and it has 10,760 miles on the clock.
It was sold new at "Yvon's Track and Trail" in Greene Maine.
From what I can tell from the Ser.#, it was built in Sept. of '74.
I'm only the third owner, and that counts the guy I bought it from (who never did anything with it).
Now my teenage son has developed a love affair with it.
I keep telling him "NO, it's MINE".

Here's a pic from the night I brought it home (in a snowstorm no less)

Fixed the busted link...

[ This message was edited by: hillclimber on 2005-11-16 13:33 ]

11-15-2005

Ohhh man, some people never learn. What were you thinking??? Seriously, I just got back into it myself after about 20 years. If you,re even a semi-demi gearhead and a rider to boot, there's so many good deals at swap meets, garage sales, word of mouth etc. that an "experienced" Triumph is hard to beat. When I had my scooter ( "62 t120 chopped), there was nowhere the support for the beast that there is now. Witness this site. Yahoo has a bunch of good groups too. Spares, new and used are redily available at a reasonable price. Congradulations and good luck. As far as just starting it up and going, you might wanna read a little lower on this page! :wink:

jimballard · 11-15-2005

Don't worry about the Whitworth tools, Scott. I think you'll find that most of the fasteners on yours are the Unified ones, i.e. the same as U.S. s.a.e. There may be some metric ones on it as well, along with a few Cycle Engineering Institutes, but you shouldn't have any problems in that area.

Great Bike, Good Luck: Jim

hillclimber · 11-16-2005

Don't worry guys.
I've long since forgotten about just firing it up.
There's just too much to risk.
The motor comes out this afternoon.

hillclimber · 11-16-2005

Motor is out.
Rocker boxes and head will be removed on Thurs. :-D

[ This message was edited by: hillclimber on 2005-11-16 13:32 ]

red59 · 11-17-2005

A Snowstorm is the best weather to bring one home. IMHO justs makes the Winter melt and keeps a person from doing something without thinking it through.
I started again after 15 years or so. Had units BSA,and 2 Triumphs and a truckload of parts. I kept my tools'in case'. In 1999 I ran across a 1959 650 chopper that was neglected and abused. When I did the other bikes , I usually took about a year for each bike(amatuer resto). This bike I figured 2 years max. I got it running in Fall 2004, and got to ride it some in 2005.
A series of bummers got in the way. 1, I broke my back when a truck rearended my RKing2. I moved into a new house to discover the family room flooded. 3 went through two lawsuits for the wreck&house.4 got stuck on third shift.5 went through one year of Hepa****C therapy.
The bike looks nearly stock now and its been worth the wait and downtime.
Is that an oil tank I see on your bike? Hang in there.

hillclimber · 11-17-2005

Oil tank??
Yep, it's the original oil tank.
Most of the bike is there. Just small stuff missing. Even the exaust is in good shape. It does need a seat cover, one blinker, air cleaners, head light and tail light lenses.
And a LOT of work.
Gearbox is stuck in neutral from sitting in a damp shed with a leaky roof.
I'm sure that I am in for many surprises, and more than a few setbacks, but I remember what it's like and I know it's worth it.

TRI-AL · 11-18-2005

Yep, everyday will be like Christmas as the delivery man brings you a new box of "toys". Just find a good supplier and take your time! Good Luck. Have Fun. It'll go quicker than U think! :: Ride 'em, Don't hide 'em.