1968 Triumph T100 Tiger 500 resto/mod project

[grandpaul]

Starting Date: 5/20/08

This is Ned's T100C, 500cc twin. Don't know for sure whether to call it a "Tiger", "Daytona", or "Trophy" as some references to the C model were for Daytona, a twin-carb, some references to the R model are Tiger, others are Trophy. What a mess, Triumph also used Tiger and Trophy on 650 models!

This bike has a single carb, and downswept "R" model pipes; the pipes are reputed to have been changed, unsure about the head. The serial numbers are both "C", and matching.

The tentative plan is a make-run, then total tear-down with mostly refurbishing the basic bike, lots of new OEM parts, some replacement refurbished parts, and some new aftermarket replacement parts.

The paint is a big bug-a-boo. Ned and I perused several T100s at the rallye we both attended last weekend and it was hard for him to nail down a color choice, as we looked at a 70 Jacaranda Purple model and a 69 (?) Green bike, then there is his bike (yet to confirm Blue & White as correct for '68), and he's seen a nice gloss black bike on a post here somewhere. You all know me, I'm all for originality; however, 95% of the rest of the world would have no problem with a glossy Black Triumph!

Here are a few of the "before" shots:

The bike had a sprung solo saddle on it, I sold it at the swap meet for $20. The Jerry Jeff Walker sticker on the rear fender will not be retained.

It will definitely get a powdercoated chassis & bracketry, electronic ignition, overhauled wheels & forks, engine totally overhauled down to the sludge trap, and new tires, battery, wiring harness, etc.

Ned wanted a fixed budget outlay schedule for 9 months, like a new baby.

 

[grcamna5]

Re: 1968 Triumph T100 resto/mod project

The paint on your tank doesn't look that bad..(in the pics) but he wants 'fresh' restore? on everything ?

 

[grandpaul]

Re: 1968 Triumph T100 resto/mod project

5/20/08

4 hours, including leisurely oil change, points cleaning, valve lash check, spark plug swap, fuel & oil tank flushing, crankcase draining (2 cups), carb overhaul, throttle cable replacement and airing up the tires.

Some of the local residents-

A bit more rust in this area than the relatively even amount on the rest of the bike-

It would have started on the 3rd kick, but I was letting my helper start it since he did the grunt work and I wanted him to have the pleasure of his first "make run"; he was kicking it from off the bike, as he has seen me do, but wasn't giving it enough wellie. On the first kick I gave it, it fired right up.

Oil came up within seconds, it was rough for a few minutes, but settled in okay. Lots of smoke from the Left side. It wouldn't idle at anything less than about 1,500 RPM, not unusual.

I took it for a spin down the road and back, it feels pretty decent, but the smoke didn't get any better. No knocking from the big ends, and the valves don't sound too bad. Brakes are kinda sorry, suspension is definitely sacked, and the tires feel floppy (also not unusual for the condition).

Cooling off; in the photo, you can't see the smoke rising from the layer of oil film that was burning off from the ride-

That's my spare seat in the photo, we installed the battery from my race bike for this gig.

I'll probably give it a once-over, swap the temporary throttle cable for a longer one, tighten the choke lever (it kept working it's way back "on"), and snug up the brakes, then take it out for a build-up to a highway blast across town and see how it responds though the twisties and varied conditions. It's always nice to be able to pre-ride a restoration candidate to uncover any handling issues and deal with them BEFORE the test-ride, rather than AFTER all the work is done.

 

[grandpaul]

Re: 1968 Triumph T100 resto/mod project

7/10/08

Little hummer popped to life on the first kick after hooking up the battery jumper.

Still smokes pretty significantly from the Left side, but that'll go away with the new parts and re-bore, valve job, etc.

It runs just fine out on the highway, cruises with traffic about 3/4 throttle, where I think it'll do the ton with a tail wind, after the overhaul.

It's gonna get down to bits now!

 

[teazer]

Re: 1968 Triumph T100 resto/mod project

It's a T100 ie Tiger 100. Triumph did also sell a T110 and in later years they kind of lost the nomenclature plot.

I realize that you are telling an old and long finished story, but just as a point of reference, I don't recall Triumph ever offering a Black tank unit T100.

But my Triumphs were never close to stock so that has never been an issue for me.

 

[grandpaul]

7/15/08

Teardown rolling right along, will ship all parts out to the subs by the weekend.

Body work off-

Oil tank, hoses, cables, misc.

Wiring, coils, more stuff...

 

[grandpaul]

7/15/08

Missing parts: the upper spring retainers that double as the anchorage for the tops of the rubber fork gaiters-

Mismatched parts: the two bolts that retain the cam follower guide blocks in the cylinder base have been replaced with a grub in the front and a screw in the back-

Bunch 'O bits-

Engine out of frame-

 

[grandpaul]

7/15/08 (disassembly day is always a long one)

Wheels removed-

Little lump-

We'll have the forks off and swingarm removed in a while, then start on the engine in the morning.

 

[grandpaul]

7/15/08

Forks are done, now just the engine remains.

 

[grandpaul]

7/16/08

Top end - No surprises up here, other than it's evident it's been burning oil for some time.

Piston crowns on the left, cylinder head on the right, inverted-

 

[grandpaul]

7/16/08

Timing chest looked so-so, not too clean, not too dirty

Gearbox was a bit dirtier (typical). Nothing worn out or trashed

I hate seeing gobbed-on RTV sealer in classic bike engines, it's just wrong.

 

[grandpaul]

7/16/08

Once inside the Primary, the situation turned a bit uglier! Ned, you aren't supposed to run CREAM in the primary, it should be OIL!!!

Typical underside-

 

[grandpaul]

7/16/08

Okay, some wierd stuff happening now.

The transmission mainshaft is bent, so the main clutch basket wobbles; the shaft will need to be replaced (a photo won't show anything till I get the shaft out of the tranny). Clutch friction plates are worn, as expected (again, a photo can't show it).

One rod (right side) was bushed on the small end, the other is plain; I recommend re-bushing both, as the one bushing was spinning in it's bore causing misalignment of the oil hole and was likely to start trashing itself pretty soon (You can already see evidence of overheating in baked-on oil stains). Wierd thing, this isn't the cylinder that was smoking.

Not as wierd, but will be addressed, is the cylinder condition. Pistons are at .040 already, but the cylinders should clean up at .060. Option is to start over with a new jug at standard bore, or as close as we can source. Another option is a big bore kit ("Baby Bonnie"?).

The worst of the two cylinders is obviously the Left, which was smoking.

Left piston is obviously more scuffed than the right.

All in all, no major surprises so far.

 

[grandpaul]

7/22/08

Use of the blue-tipped wrench resulted in the clutch hub popping off easily with the hub puller tool; primary removed-

Drive sprocket needs replacing-

Tranny cluster removed-

 

[grandpaul]

7/22/08

Too bad the Bonnies don't use this easy to remove/install cluster setup-

No drama splitting the cases and slipping out the crank.

Case halves cleaned up a bit-

Getting close to the hump...

 

[grandpaul]

Kinda sorry I missed taking a few photos here...

My process to remove bearings from the cases:

Wait 'till wyfe leaves the house, then pre-heat oven to 250 with exhaust fan on, kitchen door open, and room deodorizer spray handy.

Pop cases in the oven for 15 minutes.

Immediately take cases out to kitchen (wooden) porch and drop them onto deck from about 18" up. Bearings should fall right out of cases.

Quickly spray deodorizer and get back to shop before she pulls back into driveway.

What smell? I don't smell anything!

 

[grandpaul]

7/22/08

Crank has a stamping of .030, not sure whether that's the timing side main journal, or the rod journals, although I believe rod journal cutting would be indicated on the flywheel.

Anyway, the journals look okay-

Looks like the face of the crank cheek was skimmed after sealing up the sludge trap plug. Hell of a way to balance a crank...

You can just make out the outline of the plug, and it looks like they missed with the peen punch (it's supposed to be on the thread joint, to stop it from turning)

We'll be ordering new rod bearing shells for sure-

 

[grandpaul]

7/22/08

Bucket 'O parts #1 (engine)-

Bucket 'O parts #2 (cycle parts)-

Covers on their way to be polished-

 

[grandpaul]

8/21/08

Out to powdercoater this morning-

Frame, swingarm, yokes, fork legs and rear brake arm

 

[grandpaul]

8/21/08

Over the hump! Disassembly complete, and new parts arriving...

Tires (I'll keep the front for one of my projects and the other one for this project), ignition, gaskets, seals, o-rings, decals, seat, misc. hardware, rubber bits, tank chrome strip, fork tubes, bushings, gaiters & seals, patent plate & gear indicator plate, cables, main bush & main roller, rod bushings & shells, front axle, gas cap, wiring harness, brake shoes, battery, sprockets, clutch plates & springs, grips, tab washers, spark plugs & wires w/ caps, sludge tube, primary chain tensioner, front wheel knave plate, gas tank rubber pads, air filter assy, and other miscellaneous bits & bobs.

Now the fun begins.