CT Steve's "TRUTH" Kustom Chopper

Steve sent me a email earlier this year. He was asking for some advice on building a show & go style kustom out of his 1966 TR6 Cafe Racer that someone had built years ago. I've never been able to buy a complete Triumph in any kind of good running condition and having always been stuck working with bent, broken, rusted parts and basket cases I have a natural aversion to breaking down good working motorcycles. My advice to him was don't F-with it!



Well, if he had listened to me this wouldn't be much of a story would it? The story is that he didn't take my advice and tore into the Cafe Racer big time. The result speaks for itself. Anyone out there that is about to molest yet another surviving swingarm frame and use one of those peice of crap bolt on hardtails please DO take this advise. DON'T DO IT! Swingarm customs rule.








the details:

frame mildly molded and peaked in the front by the head tube and the down tube
rear section of the frame has cut off and capped off molded to finish (cap) off the rails
custom seat mounts
custom made battery box, lid and mounts ( gotta keep what i used for the box a trade secret, so please do not disclose)
late 60's NOS Wassell style tank (made in Japan) made mounts
original NOS Wassell rear fender decked the peak so the tail light sits flush on the fender.
Custom mounted fender with no visible rear fender brackets
NOS Sparto tail light
2 1/2 lowered rear shocks re-chromed (donated)
new leather solo seat
NOS Selle Giuliari pillion pad
chrome rear triumph hub laced to a 16" Harley rim built by me
tire is a goodyear double e copy
Shortened forks 2 1/2" sanction tubes from by Forking By Frank
Front wheel is a 1968 Honda sl350 hub high polished laced to a chrome steal 21" DID wheel laced built by me
front tire is a Avon Speedmaster 21x3.00
chrome triple clamp pull back style risers with Gibson Les Paul volume knob to block off lock hole
custom retro fitted triumph brake cable to work with metric hub
chrome levers
Smith gauges (painted)
Chromed external oil filter custom mounted
NOS gran turismo grips
Stock BSA style bars
white rubbers from Barons speed
bates style headlight
custom mounted and polished coils
gas tank, oil tank, gauges and rear fender are purple base with 8 coats of purple metalflake and 18 coats of clear i think? I lost track after 16
frame is painted PPG Carrara white with purple pearl (paint by me) obviously..
chrome plating by Bar Plating Meriden CT
lettering by kenji
hole drilled in Wassell fender by nigger rigger
155 hours from start to finish not including dis-assembly

The majority of the work was done by Steves bud Harley Carrara while Steve was doing some touring with his punker band. Harley provided the details above and has a blog going with some neat stuff to check out HERE.