One of the best things of bike building for me is when all the shiny, newly
painted and polished bits come together ready for assembly. My frame etc.
came back from the powder coaters first which was handy this meant I could
start assembly, and first thing to go in was the engine. I always find the
easiest way to scratch a newly painted surface is to lift an engine into a
frame, so when I can I lift the frame over the engine, all with the help of
my lovely assistant, Trout. A light Triumph frame is easy to position while
a few bolts a dropped in place, then the whole thing can be tipped up and
placed on blocks ready to accept everything else.
I decided to paint the guards and tank etc. with whatever paint I
had in the shed, I had bought a large tin of silver base coat for another
job and also a tin of gloss black, I spotted a bit of orange so that became
the colour scheme, all I needed to buy was a tin of thinners and some
masking tape, sorted, a cheaper than normal paint job. After I had put up
plastic drop sheets around in the shed to make a temporary spray booth I set
to work and soon had everything ready to go on the bike, I won't count the
hours of priming, sanding and other stuff needed to finish the job. Now I
had shiny paintwork and a shed with every surface covered in a fine layer of
paint dust, bugger more cleaning!
As the bike had been built up before stripping for paint it soon
went back together again, all the big parts were in place in no time then
all the small fiddly bits had to be done, I had bought a black box
rectifier/reg from the states so this was bolted under the seat on an alloy
plate which would act as a heat sink, then once the other electric items
were in place I could start the wiring. I also fitted a Boyer ignition which
is probably the best for old Triumphs, rattily old advance retards and
points, no thanks. I also like old bikes as there are no indicators to wire
up, so a loom was concocted to join all the boxes together and after fitting
a battery I had a spark, hoorah!
Many hours were spent just tidying little items up, routing cables,
bleeding the front brake, running wires inside the handlebars, finding nuts
and bolts (where do they go?) fitting the chain then deciding I had better
make some attempt at making a chain guard, fitting a set of new tyres and
tubes, skinned knuckles, balance the carbs, adjust cables first duh! Have a
beer, have a coffee have a cake, fill with oil, fill with petrol, don't
forget the primary and gearbox, bugger where's that petrol leaking from? OK
retighten the fuel hose, tickle the carbs, Quaint, turn on the ignition
switch, kick kick, pop bang roar, yes I should have opened the shed door
first, cough!
Off down the road and it felt very nice, the neighbours peek, out
yes missus it's a Triumph, don't you know load pipes save lives ha ha, up
and down the road, everything feels right, I do a few miles and head back
into the shed for the once over, a couple of little things to sort but I am
happy, another project under the belt.
So that's my story on this build, enclosed the photos of the finished bike,
now I need summer. (And another project!)
Laters Jon
painted and polished bits come together ready for assembly. My frame etc.
came back from the powder coaters first which was handy this meant I could
start assembly, and first thing to go in was the engine. I always find the
easiest way to scratch a newly painted surface is to lift an engine into a
frame, so when I can I lift the frame over the engine, all with the help of
my lovely assistant, Trout. A light Triumph frame is easy to position while
a few bolts a dropped in place, then the whole thing can be tipped up and
placed on blocks ready to accept everything else.
I decided to paint the guards and tank etc. with whatever paint I
had in the shed, I had bought a large tin of silver base coat for another
job and also a tin of gloss black, I spotted a bit of orange so that became
the colour scheme, all I needed to buy was a tin of thinners and some
masking tape, sorted, a cheaper than normal paint job. After I had put up
plastic drop sheets around in the shed to make a temporary spray booth I set
to work and soon had everything ready to go on the bike, I won't count the
hours of priming, sanding and other stuff needed to finish the job. Now I
had shiny paintwork and a shed with every surface covered in a fine layer of
paint dust, bugger more cleaning!
As the bike had been built up before stripping for paint it soon
went back together again, all the big parts were in place in no time then
all the small fiddly bits had to be done, I had bought a black box
rectifier/reg from the states so this was bolted under the seat on an alloy
plate which would act as a heat sink, then once the other electric items
were in place I could start the wiring. I also fitted a Boyer ignition which
is probably the best for old Triumphs, rattily old advance retards and
points, no thanks. I also like old bikes as there are no indicators to wire
up, so a loom was concocted to join all the boxes together and after fitting
a battery I had a spark, hoorah!
Many hours were spent just tidying little items up, routing cables,
bleeding the front brake, running wires inside the handlebars, finding nuts
and bolts (where do they go?) fitting the chain then deciding I had better
make some attempt at making a chain guard, fitting a set of new tyres and
tubes, skinned knuckles, balance the carbs, adjust cables first duh! Have a
beer, have a coffee have a cake, fill with oil, fill with petrol, don't
forget the primary and gearbox, bugger where's that petrol leaking from? OK
retighten the fuel hose, tickle the carbs, Quaint, turn on the ignition
switch, kick kick, pop bang roar, yes I should have opened the shed door
first, cough!
Off down the road and it felt very nice, the neighbours peek, out
yes missus it's a Triumph, don't you know load pipes save lives ha ha, up
and down the road, everything feels right, I do a few miles and head back
into the shed for the once over, a couple of little things to sort but I am
happy, another project under the belt.
So that's my story on this build, enclosed the photos of the finished bike,
now I need summer. (And another project!)
Laters Jon
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