A couple of finished projects thanks to the new workshop

A very comprehensive re-commission including in tank service all new fluids oil and coolant, new shock and linkage bearings and a rear hub service it now runs and rides fantastically as it always did! The Abba stand with lifting arms is hell on jets for lifting both wheels on a single sided swinger.

And the Harris Bonnie with all the correct parts.😁 This is how it looks now with the old exhausts. I managed to persuade the MOT man to do it with non standard pipes. Bit Snowflaky but I don't want to run the motor with the NOS pipes. 😁

 

My first Triumph was a 50 something 5t with small bearing white metal bolt up (3 piece) crank. I had the old conrods white metalled and machined and spent many hours scraping the bearings with a bearing scraper to get the right tolerance. Later I was able to source a much newer light one-piece crank and got bearings to fit the later crank into the early case. Back then parts were cheap, but I think that there is more stuff available and probably machined to closer tolerances.

 

Hi Teazer, long time no speak. I've looked into a bearing to fit the big bearing crank to the early case. They used to be available in the USA but alas no longer. There's an industrial size available in the UK but it's too narrow and wouldn't be strong enough. Big bearing cases would be the best option but they a hard to find, and I wouldn't really be building my motor.😁

 

These are the small bearing cases.

 

This was the first iteration of mine. Changed barrels, pipes (that set were stolen) and a bunch of other stuff. The buyer hit a car with it and said the motor was faster than his mate's 650's so he stuffed into a featherbed frame. Always a good place for a Triumph motor to play.

 

Before

After.
I never want to mess with another one of those. Clever mix of great designs and awful cost cutting ideas. Lots of replacement parts made in India that almost fit.

 

Unfortunately they are now worth bruggerall. But the parts prices are stratospheric. Not a good environment for many more to be rescued.

I have a Moto Morini 3 1/2, it's 10 years older and it will buy and sell the bonnie on performance. It's light and agile, will cruise at 90 all day without blowing up. Doesn't leak any oil and doesn't vibrate itself to bits every time you ride it.😁 (Still love the Bonnie though)🤣

 

Back to the Triton, I've ordered the new rods and -20 shells and the new ground bolts to reassemble the crank. The early cranks have to be dissembled to clean the sludge traps. I'll be booking into Precision Engine in Inverness for the regrind on their Prince machine.

 

Nice building. Love the doors.
Is it cedar?
They mill all kinds of stuff across the road from me including stacked log such as yours.

 

Thanks, it's slow grown Norwegian Spruce. The factory is in Lithuania. Delivered via Birmingham and is now situated in the Highlands of Scotland.🤣

 

Parts starting to arrive for the motor build.😁

 

Starting to think about reassembly of the crank (you need to take it apart to clean the sludge traps) prior to taking it to the grinder.

No idea what this screw is for. It's not mentioned in the '45 to '55 manual.

 

Oh it closes the oil way. Obvious really.🤪

 

I've decided to go for a new L F Harris barrel and pistons. The old one is on +40 which is as far as you can go on an 8 stud and it's pretty toasty. There are plenty of ropey looking used ones about but by the time you've paid for a bore and hone you're up there with the cost of new anyway.

 

Here are the journals after grinding.

If you look carefully through the wax you'll notice the all important radii on the cheeks has been maintained and the oil pockets have been reinstated. This is ground to -20 on the 350/500 journal size. We're doing custom now.😎

 

I needed the pulley to set up the shim for clamping the drive side roller bearing so I've ordered this. Bob Newby Racing 4 plate dry clutch primary belt kit. I ordered it directly from Bob who's done some extra machining for my crankshaft. Top bloke! I believe they have US distributers.
This is stock photo, mine has a nose that goes through the 'ole in the crank case.

 

Just got to get the drive side bearing radius and the spline polished to make the roller bearing and pully a good hand push fit. The trials of fitting new parts to 70 year old ones.😁