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t ingermanson

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Thought I'd pump up the postings on the Triton board as it's felt a bit neglected and everyone loves/hates a Triton!

This project really started circa 1999, when the campervan I was traveling around New Zealand with broke down in Dunedin. As the timing belt broke, we coasted into the only garage in town open on a Sunday. The mechanic was an older fellow named Sandy, who helped us out greatly. While waiting for our campervan to get fixed, we (my better half, Jen, and I) struck up a conversation with a friend of Sandy's named Martin, who happened by the shop. We both were very much into Honda K4s at some point in our lives, so we got along great. Longer story short-ish, we ended up hitting it off with Martin, who we've visited several times more in NZ over the years and hosted at our place in California.

Upon parting for the first time, I mentioned to Martin if he ever stumbled across a Dominator for sale, to let me know, and I might just buy it and ship it back to the states, as the exchange rate was very much in our favor at the time. About six months later, Martin called with the news that something had turned up in Chch that I might be interested in and I phoned. Sure enough, a Model 88 was for sale and with shipping (the fellow had "mates on the dock") it came to $1500US. Deal.

It showed up in a crate much smaller than I imagined any portion of any motorcycle could fit in and I took it home. Opened it up and it was mostly there. Sort of. '53 Bolt up frame, iron head Model 7 motor, most of a gearbox, a couple of mismatched wheels, a shell of a mag, a few Lucas rotors, a heavily dented primary case, some rusty forks, and an ice cream bin, half full of bolts. It was my first Norton.

Fast forward ions, and I finally forced the time to start work on it, after years of friends asking about the Norton in the box. I had owned and rebuilt many Hondas and BMWs, but the Norton was intimidating.

To start, I took my dusty prize to Raber's in San Jose and it quickly became clear what I was up against. It also became clear that Bob Raber was a Triumph guy, so I decided to swim with the current a tiny bit and build it into a Triton, instead of trying to turn that iron head turd into something it was not. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but it really was jumping into the deep end.

By trade, I am a metal fabricator; self employed with a shop at home. I am not a machinist, but I can get along ok with manual machines. Patience is my super power.

The bike was "finished" in 2014-2015-ish, with what I thought would be a dry build, ride it for a few months, and do a quick rebuild working the bugs out. Yea right...

To follow are some pics I took as I was building it the first time. Some details managed to survive to this day, others were changed. Overall the bike has been quite reliable, after a couple major bugs were worked out.

Please enjoy and feel free to knock me about as needed.
 
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The frame had been raced. To what extent, I had no idea, but the proof was there of a good hard run. the bolt-up subframe was pretty heavily bent, however, the front was remarkably straight and true. there were some "repairs" that had been done that were not great, so I set about making all those right first.

The swingarm was pretty twisted as well, so I figured I'd make a new Seeley-style one to easily take a 120 tire.
 
DSC04194.JPG


Redrilling the pivot on the frame web to install a top hat washer to regain any flatness to the swingarm pivot. Hours of string lines, measurement, dial indicators, and head scratching for a 15 second operation.

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Fitting on my 1000 pound table for a new subframe.

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New swingarm. I went for broke and tried to build it to use tapered roller bearings with a spacer between. It worked. With everything as cinched down as anyone should go, the swingarm falls on the pivot as if you dropped it. No bind, no wiggle. Way over-engineered, but I took it apart after 6-7 years to get everything painted, and it feels as good as the day I built it. Whew...

DSC04172.JPG


Might as well make some clip ons too.
 
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One of the things that spurred my action on this project was my giving up of road bicycling. I am in the business of making custom bicycles under the Black Cat Bicycles banner, and road riding has been a huge part of my life, but I had gone to the Emergency Room 4 times in five years, each with increasing drama and injuries, so I decided to hang up that helmet for good, or until I move somewhere where cyclists aren't treated as an inconvenience, to be battered for fun.

Road bicycles have never had great brakes, until disc brakes came around. I had gotten so used to brakes that really work with one finger that I just can't go back to "planning ahead", especially with the aggressive driving these days on the tiny roads where I live and ride. I had also gotten quite good at Honda forks over the years, so I added forks from a GL1000 and brakes from a mid-90s Ducati. Milled up some adapters, and we're off to the races!

Viewer Discretion Advised. Or, A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted.


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Anyone who's been sucked into one these projects knows how many small projects there are, just to bolt stuff together. It's limitless.

Things are starting to come together though!

Viewer Discretion Advised. Or, A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted.
 
View attachment 84567

One of the things that spurred my action on this project was my giving up of road bicycling. I am in the business of making custom bicycles under the Black Cat Bicycles banner, and road riding has been a huge part of my life, but I had gone to the Emergency Room 4 times in five years, each with increasing drama and injuries, so I decided to hang up that helmet for good, or until I move somewhere where cyclists aren't treated as an inconvenience, to be battered for fun.

Road bicycles have never had great brakes, until disc brakes came around. I had gotten so used to brakes that really work with one finger that I just can't go back to "planning ahead", especially with the aggressive driving these days on the tiny roads where I live and ride. I had also gotten quite good at Honda forks over the years, so I added forks from a GL1000 and brakes from a mid-90s Ducati. Milled up some adapters, and we're off to the races!

View attachment 84570

View attachment 84569

View attachment 84568

Anyone who's been sucked into one these projects knows how many small projects there are, just to bolt stuff together. It's limitless.

Things are starting to come together though!

View attachment 84566

You've done a Great job, deserves a triple motor in there :)
 
DSC04227.JPG


A fancier version of a trouser gusset. The round cut out dissipates forces better than the hard corner. My '53 didn't come with a gusset, but they quickly got them. I took that as a sign that Doug Hele would've wanted one, and that I should add one.

DSC04233.JPG


Steering stop brazed under the head tube. Bolts thread in and adjust where you want the forks to stop. The GL1000 yokes have less offset, which I'm quite pleased with the results of, so need a firm stop, so the tank doesn't end up as a creased mess. The decreased fork offset, 18" wheels, and relatively fat rubber, will turn some off. That's fine. The road around here, while tight and twisty, are also pretty recently paved logging roads. The Redwood trees have a very shallow root system and buckle the pavement, so a quick handling bike with loads of fork offset to steer as quick as you can think, will put you off the road and in an ambulance. Designing with rake, offset, steering angle, center of gravity and weight distribution are things I do for a living. I chose exactly what I wanted, and got what I asked for. Sometimes it can be a bit to muscle around, but I'll trade that for getting shot across the road before I knew what happened in this circumstance.

IMG_3664.JPG


Always more brackets...
 
The motor the first time around...
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Nothing special here.
T120 small bearing cases
One piece crank balanced at 80 degrees
3134 cams
Head job with new Kibblewhite valves and guides
MAP 4140 rods
9:1, +.060"
Joe Hunt Magneto
Nothing blasted, Timing cover polished 'cuz duh...

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Little breather box to blank off the dynamo. Could be better situated on the timing cover, but the ones with the tach drive are hard to find. I'd feel bad about carving it up. The 3/4" hose routes up into the drive side down tube at the head stock, above the top tube. I've also plumbed in the normal cam breather into the same tube and made a plug at the bottom, so it can be drained on the side stand. It's vented near the rocker box. Better than a catch can thus far. Tidier too.
 
This one had me pinched for quite some time. Literally.

My oil tank.
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After getting the rings sealed and things worked in, I decided it was time to start giving it some stick, but after a short run at higher rpms, there would be oil coating the back half of me and my bike, including the tire. Couldn't figure it out until I really sat and thought about it. It was something to do with the oil tank, for sure. I pulled the tank thinking that it just wasn't breathing right, but all the plumbing seemed right. I could blow air into the return and air would come out the breather just fine, but something wasn't right.

I took a leap of faith and cut out the breather tube.

DSC07022.JPG


This was the condition of the tube inside the tank. The tube had been pinched when it was cut and wouldn't breathe enough at high rpms and was absolutely spewing out the cap, wet sumping the motor, pushing oil out of every orifice, and oiling the rings and glazing the bores.

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Made a new little vent tower out of stainless and all has been well since. Such vindication is so sweet for a dummy like myself who rarely tastes it.
 
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Dancing with the devil
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Completed tach mount. Used a Smiths magnetic from a Cub.

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Headlight mount. The GL1000 forks have some threaded bosses for a hydraulic splitter that I used for the light mounts. I made the top yoke out of aluminum, so I just made some matching mounts.

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Some more brazing:

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Looks really nice, good lines.

Almost a shame to pain the frame! Not tempted to clear coat it ?

My only critique would be a question mark over those meggas, I would be surprised if they’re ideal for overall performance.
 
Almost a shame to pain the frame! Not tempted to clear coat it ?
No. The rust always creeps in. Also, brazing is my job. I get plenty of it at work. I don't need to look at it elsewhere.

I agree on the megas. I'm going through options now. Advice? I had some Dunstall Decibles that I sold a couple years ago that I now regret not trying.

The new 750 motor has the 9989 exhaust cam, and the 3134 intake. Also, it's now a 750, so I'm interested in what's going to change and what's going to stay the same as when it was a 650. The carbs are supposed to run unchanged which is hard to believe, but maybe the exhaust will also be unchanged?
 
No. The rust always creeps in. Also, brazing is my job. I get plenty of it at work. I don't need to look at it elsewhere.

I agree on the megas. I'm going through options now. Advice? I had some Dunstall Decibles that I sold a couple years ago that I now regret not trying.

The new 750 motor has the 9989 exhaust cam, and the 3134 intake. Also, it's now a 750, so I'm interested in what's going to change and what's going to stay the same as when it was a 650. The carbs are supposed to run unchanged which is hard to believe, but maybe the exhaust will also be unchanged?
Goldie cans, with the proper internals, work very well on Triumphs and are in fact Dave Degens personal preference.


Commando style peashooters are also a good starting point. You may have to research to buy the correct ones for your downpipes.

Being longer, and straight through, but without any megaphone, makes them very good on Triumphs, I run them on my T140.

I’m a bit out of touch with cam numbers, but isn’t a 9989 a 3134 profile?

The 3134 is a great cam for the road.

‘Half race’ cams (as they’re commonly known) are a 3134 based profile with a bit more lift. Which suits a sportier use and also a bigger engine.

The ‘full race’ or Spitfire profile give best results between 5,000-7,000rpm. It still functions perfectly below that, just with a little less oomph. It makes for a very lively and fun engine IF that’s what you want.

If you want a more all round engine and don’t intend to spend too much time in the 5-7k range, then I’d stick with the 3134s. E3134s are what Degens fits to road Tritons by choice.
 
Dancing with the devil... (and all the other stuff posted to this point)
I must say, I dare not compare my skillset and product to you in any way except to say your stuff is of the absolute highest caliber.

Every detail you've posted shows it.

That is a mighty fine Triton, and it would take some world-famous, life-long Triton / custom builder to fault anything on it. The name Dave Degens was referred to, it would have to be of that kind.

Never mind the paint, or lack of it...

(AWFULLY nice indeed)
 
Goldie cans, with the proper internals, work very well on Triumphs and are in fact Dave Degens personal preference.


Commando style peashooters are also a good starting point. You may have to research to buy the correct ones for your downpipes.

Being longer, and straight through, but without any megaphone, makes them very good on Triumphs, I run them on my T140.

I’m a bit out of touch with cam numbers, but isn’t a 9989 a 3134 profile?

The 3134 is a great cam for the road.

‘Half race’ cams (as they’re commonly known) are a 3134 based profile with a bit more lift. Which suits a sportier use and also a bigger engine.

The ‘full race’ or Spitfire profile give best results between 5,000-7,000rpm. It still functions perfectly below that, just with a little less oomph. It makes for a very lively and fun engine IF that’s what you want.

If you want a more all round engine and don’t intend to spend too much time in the 5-7k range, then I’d stick with the 3134s. E3134s are what Degens fits to road Tritons by choice.
Yes. The 9989 is the "half race" 3134 cam. Supposedly works well with a std 3134 on the intake. I'm about to find out. And yes, there are very few straight stretches where I live, so 5-7k is an exotic land where I seldom find myself. 90% of the riding is 3000-4500.

The pipes were made by Ben at Rayson's, who's father owned and operated Unity Equipe before his passing, and they're what he recommended. They look and sound the part! I'd like to try some more things, including some Goldies, but it's so much money to "faff around" with it (to quote the bike's mother tongue). There's good pull and seemingly good power, so I'm not in a rush, but I do kick myself for not trying the gutted Decibels.

I must say, I dare not compare my skillset and product to you in any way except to say your stuff is of the absolute highest caliber.

(AWFULLY nice indeed)

Thanks, Paul. It's been a fun project, and the outcome has been the funnest bike I've ever owned/ridden. They have an inherent charisma that goes a long way toward glossing over some of my mediocre machining and fabricating.
Never mind the paint, or lack of it...

The bike's already been dismantled, powdered, painted and plated. The gearbox needed a major re-do as the leaks had just gotten too much and there were some shifting issues. While fussing with that, I found the engine's drive side case had cracked through the main bearing bore, necessitating a(nother) full rebuild. There was a lot of very loud cursing for a good few minutes. Ahh, life...
 
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