Re: 1973 Triumph
So I pulled that frame out of the barn and scoped the thing out. I maybe should have put this in the tracker/scrambler/something section, because I'm finding out it's a lot far from stock, and I'm liking that... I knew the frame had been modified, but I didn't know the full extent of it. After dusting it off and talking to the amazing friend who gave(!) it to me, it seems the frame was modified by a guy he knew, about 20 years ago, then it sat in the same spot in this barn for 15 years. The guy who owned it gave it to my friend, and my friend just gave it to me. We have the 750cc engine case with matching numbers, too, so that's a plus when we try to register it, right?
I guess I'll start at the front of the frame. The original owner had the trees chrome plated, but they have some pitting and rust now, so I may refin those. The neck of the frame has had some extra steel welded to it, possibly to add rigidity, but more likely for aesthetics. I don't mind it- looks custom, and I didn't have to do it. The center stand mounts have been cut off, as have the tank mounts (I'll probably fabricate some to put a stock, or older, tank back on). And the seat bar area has been shortened. He also put a stainless steel fender thing on the back- I'll keep that. This is my first heavy project, ever, and I have only had my first bike for about a month, so please excuse me if my terminology is incorrect.
I have the frame in my garage now, and I plan on stripping off all the paint. This red paint is chipping off a lot anyways, and we want to get the bike assembled and built the way we want it before we do the painting, in case we should decide to weld or cut anything else after it's together. Now, I have a lot of experience stripping and painting guitars, and I'd found that the easiest way to remove an epoxy type paint like this, is to use a heat gun and a scraper. Has anyone tried that on a frame? Id it particularly difficult? Or should I just go get some aircraft stripper and not waste any time?
I'll fill you in on my little burbling brain, as far as this project goes. I guess this model contained the oil right inside the frame (see the cap on top?), and so the completed bike will have no visible oil tank. This is good- streamlined. We are going to mount everything we can, hidden, under the seat. Anything that doesn't need to be on the bike, won't be there. Anything that needs to be on the bike, will be as small as possible. I've been looking at a lot of scramblers and trackers, and I really
REALLY like the look of the Jack Pine Hammarhead, particularly the basic black on black on black color scheme (though mine will have a brown seat and brown grips) and things like the exhaust pipes looking like they were borrowed from under the sink (though mine will probably be wrapped), and the hidden turn signals inside the seat.
I absolutely love the desert sled look, but I don't know if I plan to actually be hitting the desert. I almost want this to look like an early dirt bike but on street tires. But you never know, I may end up going in the most completely insane opposite direction from here, after I get going. I am planning on going out to the desert pretty soon, with a friend, to ride a few of his vintage scramblers (he actually owns the two sitting in the background of this video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unaRkye1OBk
I may fall in love with that ride and end up making this thing the dirtiest desert sled you ever saw... Who knows?
