Morgy
My Tritons we're early ones, ie nowhere near the amount of bling! the have now days
My slimline with Thunderbird 6t alternator engine, Triumph 4 speed box ,magneto. A big old 5 gallon alloy petrol tank.
The bling Tickle headlamp brackets! One stamping for both sides so you could only have Tickle facing out on one side! Tickle clipons. Amal alloy levers, quick action Docherty throttle. Chrome throttle cable splitter, alloy tank strap with holes & ludicrous chrome buckle strap with rusty split pins. Amal chopped monoblocs with trumpets, Sweptback down pipes with Goldie silencers, huge shit alloy exhaust fins, alloy mudguards. Dunstall rearsets. Alloy oil tank, short roadholders, twin leading shoe brake. Dunlop alloy rims.
As good as most on the road & pretty much derigour at the time.
That all changed with 9 stud heads. Finned rocker boxes,turned rocker box caps but then you needed all the bling.
My engine was quick . When I stripped it down it had some bling haha! Big port head & big valves by Dudley Ward. Sumerton cams, lightened timing wheels. Powermax pistons. I ran it on 4 star & it could take some kicking. Compression was in the mid elevens. It used to leap from the lights. Lol, low weight & a hand whos span could not always feather the shit Triumph clutch. Christ it was heavy with racing springs. Stall or accelerate into the car in front. The noise was amazing & 56 in first! I was more than a bit in awe, more slightly afraid. In the wet I was just scared & prayed for a smooth run. I used to get it out of first as soon as possible & let it trundle in third & fourth. I have fond memories of that bike.
Of course no one would build a bike now without a 9 stud & bling.
I did change one thing quickly & that was the Triangular race rubber it came on !! It was a nightmare round town on them.
All the best Chris