CHOP PROJECT

The cats out of the bag, if you have a copy of GKM 18 you will have seen the first part of my Triumph chop feature, if you havent you should buy one (look right for links to GKM website and blog).
The original sad old thing was on Ebay in February this year and had to be bought, these things dont come cheap and although some said i'd got a bargain the parts that were usable without a lot of work were few and far between.
It as built back in the 70s in the States and had many period parts most of which have since been identified with help from good people like Mike Davis of Born Loser, Fury Springers, MPD finned primary, Hurst Airheart front brake, Starbust oil tank (i did find the makes name but forgotten it again), Paughco fuel tank and also it had a pair of Star (Lake) flat slide carbs along with many period clamps and fastners. The main reason it was so original is that it had been sat in a bar/restaurant somewhere in the US for many years before being imported to England in 1991. It had 2 UK owners but neither had done anything but dream so when it came to me it was pretty much as it had been built 35 odd years ago.
Bad parts, and there were plenty, the engine and box were seized soild, everything was covered in a good coat of rust, every rubber seal was knackered and the frame was bent...The engine had been drained of all fluids presumably due to it being in the bar and when the cases were removed was pretty rusty. The frame was the original '66 one modified with an J&D hardtail but i recon the headstock mods were only done by eye (and a partially blind one at that) so it went to local frame and tuning specialists JW Mc/s to be jigged straight. There was no sidestand mount or headsteady so i made some up along with a few other brackets and tabs and welded them on before it went for powdercoating.
As it sits now its painted, the engine is almost finished and is sitting in the frame, the wheels are done, lots of stuff re-chromed, "just" needs all the smaller things to finish that if you build bikes you will know take longer than everything else. But if you want to see it you will have to make sure you get issue 19.
The top photo is from the Ebay ad, it doesnt look much like this now.