Tuesday, November 23, 2010

1957 Triumph T100RR Oil Tank Pics














This oil tank is original as supplied on the T100RR. One of the rarest and most desirable parts for a rigid frame Triumph. Pictures courtesy of Dave Quinn.



Big question. Did the Webco sticker on the right side come on all these tanks, or does Dave own the actual tank used on this T100RR rode by Johnny Allen???

Dave Quinn Motorcycles


A huge thanks to Dave for hooking me up with these spiffy Hagon long travel trail shocks for my 1970 T100C project. Newly acquired trick parts always a good motivator. If you need shocks he is definitely the man to CONTACT.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Triumph going's on's in Florida

Scott Thompson sends in this encouraging report from the Florida cross country crew.

As usual I continue to enjoy the hell outta the blog. Great stuff as always. A year or so ago I sent some pics of us beating a couple Triumphs to death off road, and I'm happy to report we continued to do so this year. In fact, its been a pretty good year for our woods tanks in AHRMA Cross Country. Max (Tr5t #M50 in the following pics) won classic expert and I (T100 #S50) won classic intermediate, while our other teammate (George Tr5t #G50) finished 3rd in classic int. I've included some pics from the last race, the ISDT Reunion Ride in Combs, AR, where we collectively got beat to death by a swarm of Hodakas.

First pic, the three of us on the line waiting for our start minute. Me in front, Max next, George on end.




On the grass track at the end of day one







You can beat the ever living snot outta these 500 motors. Even after a couple seasons of hard racing I'm still amazed at the amount of abuse they can take and keep going. Earlier this season I had an oil pump failure while screwing around the friday before a two day race. I got it cleared on saturday, missing that day's racing, but it sounded horrid (I would describe it as sounding like sticking a dozen hammers in the dryer). I knew it was gonna need a teardown when I got it home so decided to get whatever points I could on sunday. I managed enough laps to win my class before it stopped, and I mean it just STOPPED operating. When I took it apart there was nothing left of the big ends (shells were extruded out between the rods and flywheels), timing side bush, and crankpins but it had just kept on going. I had torn down, parts tracked down and reassembled in a week an a half. It was together in the shop and started but not ridden by 5pm on thursday, loaded in the van at 6pm, we drove to West Virginia and raced the next day around noon and it won its class. Incredible engines, simply incredible.

Also, a while back you posted this pic on your site:



Along with a couple others I found around the same time:





Which was perfect timing because I had just picked up this thing in a parts auction:



Which was a bit of a horror (in this pic I've already removed the Schwinn handlebars), but pretty interesting below the surface. There were to distinct layers to it, the last involving some honda parts, but the first was much much earlier, involving swapping out some of the Red Hunter parts for a good bit of work, and it was generally stripped pretty well down. Not sure who did all the work or for what purpose, but it was pretty neat stuff. So, thanks to the pic you posted and a couple other shots of what people had done to the weird batch of twin port Red Hunters that were sent to California immediately post war, I built mine like this:


Which is a pretty fun pile. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it runs great and I'm just enjoying it for the mongrel it is.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

2010 Hansen Dam Run

Submitted by JON RISPANTE

Here are some photos from the Hansen Dam ride over the weekend. Good time as always. Lots of bikes. Spent all day Saturday riding around the Pasadena area, then Sunday was the actual ride.

Johnson Motors






Jonnie Green's Triton


Homer Knapp's Noriel with reversed cylinder head and long distance fuel tank.






Nice T-Bird or Speed Twin. On his way to the laundry mat?

Cool Street or Trail T100C survivor.






Dan Druff's sweet pre-unit show and go bike on the road.


Barry Sulkin's BSA A10




Love it.

This one is my favorite. Obviously a survivor. Mustang gas tank, 4"? cocktail shakers, perfectly executed rear fender bob. Either it's a '59 Bonneville fitted with tach kit or it was fitted with the dual carb head later. I would love to hear the story on this one.


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Hagon Triumph Pre-unit Drag Bike For Sale










Thanks to Steven Phillips for sending me this LINK. What a beautiful example and a really fair price for a Sprinter of this quality in ready to race condition.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Desert Sled Cross Country Enduro Parts WANTED

I know there's plenty of guys out there looking for old custom parts. My problem is finding the old cross country stuff. I will give high trade in value for anything pictured here. I have a Triumph pre-unit factory rigid frame, twisted rail springer forks and many more aftermarket goodies to trade for the right stuff. Anything I list on ebay HERE is game for trade as well.


In desperate need of a skid plate for 1960-62 Triumph Duplex frame. Factory TR6 plates considered too.


Looking for more examples of the Q air filter. Especially with the stamped Q cover.





Anyone seen one of these rifle carriers in a dark spiderweb infested corner of the local M/C shop or wrecking yard?




I am really looking for one of these VDO Speedometers with the little Triumph logo above the M.P.H. The logo is blacked out on the picture above. Everything else on the Webco catalog page above WANTED.



Will trade NOS MCM exhaust parts or other for one of these FREFLO spark arrestors.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Desert Sled Q Filter Mysteries Revealed


I believe they were originally made in New Mexico, if anyone has a catalog listing, magazine ad or any further info please contact me: kustomhut13@yahoo.com Old sled components like this stuff and anything related WANTED!
Same manufacturer, some had the Q stamping some did not. These two are the only examples I've been able to find in over a year of searching.

Here you can see the original method of attaching to carburetor. Good old suede leather. Rubber sheet from a old inner tube or similar was another method used.

Orange filter still has the original intake set up. Part rock sifter, part snorkel.
Although they may appear a little crude the quality is very nice. The covers have a perfect fit that is dirt proof and water resistant.

Both examples have the exact same filter mounting arrangement. There is a hole near the front and a wire hook to keep a fabricated filter element in place with single spring. Because the old filter foam is badly deteriorated you can see that the filter is shaped around a wire mesh. Not sure why the holes were drilled in the example on the right, but I have seen other cross country filters with the same design.





I plan on using this one for my 1961 TR6C Desert Sled. Here it is fitted to the duplex frame. It has a little relief area in back to clear the frame boss and the front mount (that may have been added later) lines right up with the sidecar attachment lug.


The cut part of the snorkel may have been done to the piece originally to deflect big stuff, and helps clear the cross strap on the seat loop part of the frame.


It looks like someone may have cut the part of the leather that attaches to the carb, but I won't know until I get it assembled and test fit. I love small bits of originality like this.







Original Q Filter as fitted on Jonnie Green's untouched SoCal Sled.


As fitted to Ted's Triumphs "Competition Special"



This nice example of a modern era built Cross Country bike has and original Q filter and what looks to be a stamped sheet metal intake manifold. Don't know if that is a original piece or one off.


Here is Gene Smiths bike from the Travelers article. The Q Filter on his bike did not have the Q stamping. I exchanged a couple emails with Gene recently after he found the Show & Go site. He's still living in SoCal and still has this bike!


From an unknown bike show years ago this survivor is the real deal. By the length and details I'm betting that's a set of Travelers on the front. Same fork brace as the one on Gene's bike too.