Recently Finished Build

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Dec 28, 2008
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Almost 3 years in process (I'm slow). Fresh or new everything, but all to OE specs with proper fitting, balancing and fastening (polished stainless). Runs like a dream, a real sweetheart to ride.
Recently Finished Build
Recently Finished Build
 
Mother McCree! What an absolute beauty. I trust you fattened the carbs up a bit so the header pipes don't lose all their plating...
 
Mother McCree! What an absolute beauty. I trust you fattened the carbs up a bit so the header pipes don't lose all their plating...

Many thanks Fast Eddie and GP for your comments, I apologize for my camera's inability to get to detail level; I'm pleased that your imaginations have filled in the blanks.

I see the bluing as a fact of British motorcycle life; no bluing brings phrases to my mind such as "trailer queen", "museum piece", "show bike"; headers are plentiful and not real expensive. The engine has a 250 miles on it to date so I'm not using the main jet a lot; I have begun to pin the throttle for very short periods while under load in 3rd and 4th gear and, generally, have been keeping my speed under 50 with frequent gear changes and load settings. The engine is still tight and doesn't, yet, like to rev above 5K; it will let me know when it is ready for more revs. The carb is a Premier with a #19 idle, a 106 needle jet and a 4 ring needle with clip in position 3. Once the engine loosens up I may re-think the jetting.
 
Great bike.
Pre OIF Triumphs really are good looking bikes.
Agreed with you about the exhausts, I actually like to see them blue.
sam
 
Nothing against blue pipes, check my Avatar - almost the same shade as the tank!

I sorted the jetting kinda late, and decided the color was a nice touch.
 
As part of the story on the work I did on this motorcycle: I purchased the TR6R from a person that I have known, did the paint work on two other of my projects, and done some drinking with (when I was a drinking man). He acquired the machine from it's original owner and had purchased a number of parts from me to get it running. he told me that it appeared seized, but found evidence of a rodent nest in one of the cylinders, cleared the nest, said he rode it, and told me that I could ride it until I wanted to go through the running gear. I should have asked him to start the bike when he delivered it from Maryland, but I wanted to check everything before it was started, to be sure that the fluids and adjustments were proper.

About two weeks past when I got the time to do the checks. The first thing I did was attempt to clear the clutch, but after several attempts the clutch just wouldn't let go; I began wondering if he ever did ride it While I was kicking it through I heard noises from the engine that just didn't sound right, so I removed the plugs in order to spin it faster; the noise was coming from the lower end and I thought it prudent to pull the barrel and have a look, see attached photos:

Recently Finished Build
Recently Finished Build

The "clearances" could be measured with a carpenter's tape! I ended up buying a viable crank, new rods and first over pistons along with installing new cam bushings, oil pump, yada, yada, yada. I did get a healthy refund from the seller which covered the parts, I replaced the entire primary drive and in the transmission I needed 1 gear pair, and the main shaft, I replaced the bearings, seals, etc. The motorcycle is a real sweetheart now, even through I still wonder why it was so misrepresented by a person that I knew personally; he got crossed off my Christmas list, as you may imagine...

Best
 
Yes but that crank had the rare Parkerized journals...:)

You could be right. I had the crank on a bench and placed my M-2 .50 and my anti tank bazooka next to it for cleaning; they may have become intimate while I was elsewhere...

I measured the journals and found that they had actually grown about .040" in diameter, and the rods looked like they might clean up and be round enough for light duty despite the loose cap nuts it ran with last, but I couldn't find any under size shell inserts; the Chevy "Blue Flame" straight 6 has shells that have the correct under size, but the width is too broad; I do have an 80 grit floor sander that would have made short work of the difference, but was concerned that I might remove too much material from the rods. I knew that I could re-temper the crank by putting in on my charcoal grill and connect the output of the vacuum cleaner to raise the heat, then quench it in the waste oil I have way too much of. I also considered just getting standard inserts and lapping them to the journals, but, like a drunken sailor, I foolishly spend my booze money on new parts. I named the replacement crankshaft "Johnny Walker Blue" in honor of the old crank and money I spent.

I tried to use the old crank as a paper weight, but it still leaks oil, ain't that English, and ruined a bunch of bearer bonds that I was planning to take to Grand Cayman; got my hands dirty every time...

I still have this fine piece, and if you're one of those individuals that rebuilds light bulbs and Reynolds chain you can have it for shipping and packing costs...

Best (most of the time).
 
I live next the sea. Ill ask around if anyone needs a boat anchor...
 
I may have a brand new spare set of shells, but they are 285 miles away in my old garage at the moment...
 
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