TRITON, at last!

[bossracer]

looks great! keep the pics coming.

[grandpaul]

Finally a significant milestone: The rolling chassis in the light of day!

[eddie lane]

looks great, so far, but what's up with the crusty inner fork tubes? can they not be refinished?

[grandpaul]

The fork stanchions will eventually be replaced. For now, they work fine and will be cold galvanized (sprayed on).

[grandpaul]

If Buchanan's did it right (and they ALWAYS have, in my experience), the chain alignment should be perfect-



Rear wheel at the fully forward position in the chain adjuster slots, still leaves a bit of clearance with the 110/90 Avon-

[grandpaul]

Installed the basic engine block in the frame and nipped it in place. Got anxious and decided to shoot a quick pic remembering that I never took a shot of the tank on the rolling mock-up; not too shabby!



Installed the new chain (cut 2 links from a 110 link chain) and sure enough, PERFECT alignment with just a tad of swingarm clearance at the starting point to allow for max chain wear. (no photo)

Turns out I'm going to use the fancier set of barrels after all; the other two cast alloy sets need the cases hogged out to fit the bigger spigots. I wasn't real thrilled about the thick polished fins and the overall shape of the barrels matching the profile of the head, but it's growing on me...

[grandpaul]

Catching up since the forum outage.

(4th of July)

What better way to spend a 4th of July than fitting up a set of Tarozzi adjustable rearsets to your Triton project?



(not finished with the shifter shaft, this one is just a mock-up)



I was later razzed for the "What better way to spend 4th of July" with this: Yeah, celebrating AMERICA'S independence by installing Italian footpegs on a British bike?

[grandpaul]

7/6

Installed new main gear bearing and nipped it in place with a new locktab washer (I had reservations about that used bearing)



Installed 5-speed cluster; fiddled and fussed 'till i realized I needed to retain the shouldered 4-speed shift fork spindle-



Outer cover installed easily using the 1st gear setup-



Installed timing pinions & oil pump-



Just noticed I need one of the two oil gallery sleeves for the timing cover...

[grandpaul]

7/7

Installed the shift pawl assembly and split clutch actuator rod with tiny bearing in between, slid the cover in place and installed a new clutch cable-



Installing the belt drive primary wasn't much more work than a standard chain drive, but took a litle extra time shimming the alternator rotor-



The belt seems a bit loose, but I can't twist it 90 degrees with my fingers at the center of either run, so should be okay.

Clutch lever is nice and buttery.

This project is finally picking up steam.

[grandpaul]

7/7

What a lot of fuss to get the pistons & cylinders installed!

-Cleaned up the piston crowns with a Dremel wire wheel
-Dug through ring assortment to locate stray top ring of the correct type & size
-Checked ring end gaps (all fine), installed rings
-Washed cylinders after honing
-Polished cam follower (tappet) stems to make sure they were totally free in the guide block bores
-Reamed one rod small end bushing to better fit piston pin
-Used allthread rod and large washers to draw pins into pistons
-Installed fiddly snap ring circlips
-Installed base gasket
-Set up ring compressor bands
-Gently lowered cylinders in place
-Realized the two original stud sleeves were not accomodated for on the M.A.P. cylinders, had to lift them up slightly to remove the sleeves, lowered back down
-Sorted 8 matching nuts and installed.



Now the top end is on hold 'till I locate the single missing alloy split lock keeper; oh, well, plenty of other stuff to do.

[grandpaul]

...and from yesterday-

Didn't do much today but mock-up to check fit / interference of various parts.

Oil tank is going to work great, 2-into-1 header is not.

These pipes with these rearsets might be great for long winter road trips to keep my feet warm, otherwise, a re-work is in order. maybe i'll check out the scrambler pipes after all...

I need to source 4 really small screws that hold the velocity stack necks onto the carbs, as well at some fine thread intakes, the pair I have are coarse thread.

Turns out the MAP cylinders take different head bolts, so I need to order a set of those as well.

I did manage to assemble the rockers to the rockerboxes, and do have 4 brand new correct corner bolts and all the little studs and nuts for those.

I'm going to have to fabricate a head steady bracket to interface with the Dresda bit, the cheesy bit of angle aluminum that came in the kit is absolute rubbish. It's about 1" too short, and will only allow fixing to ONE
head stud! I've got a design for two plates that will each hit 2 studs, and sandwich the main Dresda plate with 2 bolts.

[grandpaul]

It's timing time.

Set the crank at 38 degrees BTDC using the flywheel cutout tool-



Confirmed with the pointer on the alternator rotor mark-



Installed the unit per the instructions-



Also installed the Sparx regulator/rectifier-



Looks like I'm going to need to stand the primary cover off at least 1/4" to clear the hunky MAP primary...

Oh, yes, note to anyone installing Dresda Triton engine adapter plates - install the transmission drain plug assembly before placing the engine in the cradle. The right side plate sits immediately below the drain/level plug location! You'll also have to crop the level plug about 1/4" to get it in and out of there for checking the tranny lube level.

[grandpaul]

Took a pair of OEM manifolds and chopped the ends of the flanges off-



Turned them down in the lathe-



Ready for the MkII carb spigots!



The lip sits perfectly in the inner recess of the rubber spigot with the clamp compressing it nicely. I did have to cut a V-notch in each one to clear the balance tubes.

[grandpaul]

Mounted the dual coil just ahead of the head, using the lower lip of the Dresda head steady plate; that completes the electronic ignition system-



I had this combo switch set aside for my '63 T-Bird street tracker, but that project is so far off I figured this was a better project to employ it on-



I had considered using an old style horn/dipper, then decided against it. It's hard to find decent quality classic electrical bits, it seems.

Speaking of which, I've sunk to a new low, using the cheesy tail lights that 90% of the world uses-



...mounted to what used to be a front fender. I dug around and found this one that matched the circuimference of the rear wheel; used a Triumph top fender strap and it fit perfectly.

[grandpaul]

Fabbed up a simple electrical panel that hides under the gas tank, every circuit fused in a 6-fuse box with a 30 amp main breaker (auto reset), and horn relay-



Let there be light!





Other than integrating some brake light switches, the electrics are done.

[carbster09]

I just bought a nice 74 Commando with period Dunstall bits. I has what I think is a Dunstall tank with a long reach to the bars. Also Dunstall rear sets and a single seat unit. For go power, i believe they are S2 cams and a Mukuni carb. It seems a nice old bike with some decent "patina" in a red/orange color. I will leave it and ride. Oh of course fit some good brakes first.

carbster

[grandpaul]

The brakes on a street Commando can be made as good as they need to be for what it can dish out.

There is a sleeving down process for the front disc that makes if perform like a modern unit. all you need to do is drill the disc for heat and gas dissipation, and install some good quality pads.

The rear brake can be improved with new shoes and proper fitment by continuously knocking down the high spots till you get an even contact patch the length of the shoes.

Make sure your swingarm doesn't allow the rear tire to wobble side-to-side perceptibly. If it does, 99% chance it's NOT the swingarm bushings; rather, it is a worn out spindle tube where it pivots. There is a fix-in-place clamp-on kit to cure that.

If you have niggly oil leaks, I can send you one of my reed valve breather kits to do away with MOST oil leaks forever.

[Bikenut]

GP -

I tip my hat to you, sir

[grandpaul]

Very little I can do 'till my friend gets home and I can get back on his lathe, so just a few more details done...

Got in oil tank fittings and cables, plus other miscellaeous stuff-



Cockpit complete!



Managed to adapt the classic Triumph steering damper knob setup, it was almost plug & play, just had to locate a little spacer for the tension plate fixing bolt.

Oil tank is mounted, but I didn't get a shot of that.

I really need to get on the lathe, I'm forced to actually fabricate a single alloy split lock keeper for the titanium valve spring collet; one came up missing and it simply can't be replaced without buying an entire new collet & keeper set. Also, I still need to turn down the front hubs 1/4" on each side and get the front wheel mounted. Fork stiction problems all pointed to that and are now cured.

[grandpaul]

Thanx to one and all for the positive comments, this one has been a long time coming 'till it recently picked up speed.

Just got in my little AGM battery and fabbed up a simple suspended tray that fits perfectly behind the engine, in between the rear pair of engine mounting plates.



I made it from part of a security alarm panel enclosure; basically just had to chop off 2 sides excess, fold up one corner and drill two holes to use the same monuting holes that the regulator/rectifier uses (just off 1/2" from having perfect alignment with the two pre-drilled holes in the plates). It is a bit of a fiddle to get the battery in and out, but shouldn't have to do that for quite some time.

I really like how the oil tank came out; it's a first-year Commando center mount "square" 'Jerry can' type. I simply re-shaped the upper mounting tab to curl back to an existing featherbed frame tab, then welded on two lower tabs that a pair of strap clamps catch on either side down low. 3-point mounting, at least 1/4" clearance to any adjacent structures, and the pickup/drain at almost the lowest spot on the tank.



Lastly, the slightly cheesy keywitch mount. I was wondering how I could make the Manx seat cut-out work for more than just crotch ventilation, then I figured...



(never mind the red tape, it's only temporary)

[grim reapers sidekick]

Looking nice mate , but as for a triumph unit ! ! ! go find a J.A. Prestwitch ( jap engine ) and put one of them in ! and WHEEEEEEEE ! there you go ! ha ha ha ! i have got a pic of one somewhere , if i can find it i'll post it up ! it really does look good !

[grandpaul]

This is a true "scratch" build. The most expensive part on the bike (for me), other than the frame & swingarm, was the engine adapter plates.

Almost all the rest is leftover parts from my years of collecting various bikes, mostly Triumph Bonnevilles, and then from the untimely passing of my friend, Malcolm, whose nephew bequeathed me the hot-rod parts.

Otherwise, it would be a near-stock engine which I already had all the parts for. The Suzuki front end came off a bike that was given to me in exchange for labor on a Yamaha SR500 street tracker build.

I don't recall posting this photo - it's a Matchless G15 chassis, with extended forks and a Triumph TR6SS 650 engine. It was going to be as close as I could get to a Triton with what I had on hand, I was going to call it a "MatchUmph" or "TriumphLess"; I ended up using the rear hub on the Triton build.

[TheSaint]

Almost all the rest is leftover parts from my years of collecting various bikes

In the best Triton tradition.

[grandpaul]

My friend got back, and called me to come on in anytime and get back on the lathe and mill; it took me almost 7 minutes to drive the 5 miles to his house!

First order was to trim the shoulders on the front brake plates to fit the wheel between the forks without binding them up; his Bridgeport may be old, but it sure produces accurate cuts-



Next came the single alloy split keeper. I found a nice alloy lug that was just big enough to chuck up in the lathe and went to it-



Yes, I know I could have set up the angle traverse and cut the bevel using straight cuts across the length of the stock; this was easier, and it's soft alloy. Calculating the angle and setting it up properly would have taken me an hour, this took 2 minutes.

A big plus was that the length of the pattern keeper I was copying was exactly the length of the bit's width. One cut to the final thickness was all it took. I simply held the pattern bit up to one of the lathe jaw's face and aligned the tool with it.

Step 1 complete.



Next, over to the band saw and a quick cut right down the middle produced two potential donors. I cut the shoulder off the first one and took some measurements-



The slightest of accidents with a belt grinder trashed the better half, so it was on to the other half-



Not perfect, but it's secure (of course my camera decided it was all done, so apologies for the cruddy phone photo)-

[grandpaul]

I hope these pistons don't see the light of day for a LONG time (except on occasion through the spark plug hole, of course)-



It's too hard to make out from this photo (autofocus kept focusing on the outer edge of the fins), there is right near 3/16" gap with the second-thinnest silicone o-rings atop the pushrod tubes; should squash in place nicely-



A little anti-sieze on the M.A.P. stainless stud threads-

[grandpaul]

Cleaned up the rocker shaft ends, slipped the o-ring tool on, then the o-ring, a squirt of oil, then tapped the shafts home easily-



Hmmmmm... I think I'm capable of turning out a better-centered "tophat" spacer than whoever is making these for M.A.P...



In this shot, you can just see the tophat spacer underneath the wierd allen fastener that screws onto the center head stud; all special M.A.P. stuff. You can also see the secondary breather system tapped on the left exhaust rocker inspection cap and blowing through a one-way reed valve like the ones I make for the Norton Commando-

[grandpaul]

Most of the oil lines are done, notice the cartridge type oil filter just to the right of the return line (black tube w/ alloy cap)-



Simple clips to steady the carbs (one each)-



Coming along nicely now that the top end is done-



Oil cooler up front is mounted with the supply line connected, just lacks the return. I've got a design for a head steady cleat that I need to fabricate tomorrow...

[grandpaul]

The punchlist is getting pretty short now...

Got the oil cooler & oil lines finished. Path is: oil tank to engine main pump inlet, (through engine circuits) scavenge pump outlet to oil filter inlet (cartridge outer surface), to filter outlet (from inner core), to oil cooler, back to oil tank return connection with feed line to rockerboxes. Depending on the performance and flow, I might have to go to a high volume aftermarket oil pump.



Engine looks pretty decent, I still need to tack on the patent plate-



Finally, it looks like a bike...



Not much left to get to the start-up point; main thing I'm missing is petcock nipple fittings, and I need to re-orient the kickstart shaft to engage at a higher angle so I can get in a decent kick. Sucker has mighty good compression!

[grandpaul]

It's been a pretty one-sided project up 'till now; I finally turned things around (literally), relocated the rearsets to coexist with the kickstarter, pipes, and linkages, and snapped a quick pic of the primary side of the bike-

[grandpaul]

Okay, now you can see the details better in good light.

Still not running, but very close (this evening).

Some people say the unit engine looks "lost" inside the featherbed frame, like there's too much empty space; I disagree, I think it looks nicely proportional.





This is pretty much it, except for patent plate, muffler mount tabs and maybe a screen on the timing window.