HELP WANTED T140 FRAME NUMBER

[ben urvan]

HI ALL
CAN ANYONE HELP ME WITH A TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE FRAME NUMBER
I FAIRLY SURE ITS A 1977 OR 78 FRAME AND ENGINE
BUT THE FRAME NUMBER STARTS WITH T140EEX
i have read that the E AND THE E ARE THE MONTH AND YEAR BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE X STANDS FOR
HOPEFULLY IT MEANS SOMETHING SPECIAL
ANY HELP MUCH APPRECIATED
BEN


I HAVE NOW INCLUDED A PICTURE OF THE BIKE
I AM ALSO HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING WHERE OR WHAT YEAR THE AIR FILTER BOXES ARE
VERY HARD TO FIND ANY OTHER SIMILAR YEAR BONNIE WITH SAME BOXES

[Bomber]

Here is what the airbox is from.. 1971 BSA A65L.

[rogerwilko]

Dimeadozen. Your not looking very hard?

[ben urvan]

thanks bomber.....that helps me heaps    never thought it might be a BSA part fitted i thought was triumph

AS TO FRAME NUMBER
AM I CORRECT TO SAY NUMBERS T140EEX
MEANS MODEL USA T140E ??
AND THE EX MEANS MAY 1978 ??
THEN FOLLOWED BY THE ACTUAL SERIAL NUMBERS ??
SORRY TO OTHERS BUT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING
BEN AUSTRALIA

[wetdog]

The first letter after model (t140e) indicates the month of manufacture as follows:-

A - January
B - February
C - March
D - April
E - May
G - June
H - July
J - August
K - September
N - October
P - November
X - December

The second letter indicates the season year of manufacture as follows :-

C - 1969
D - 1970
E - 1971
G - 1972
H - 1973
J - 1974
K - 1975
N - 1976
P - 1977
X - 1978
A - 1979
B - 1980
at some time in 78 the head changed to straight port and carbs changed also , i think with the crap choke arrange ment , also they had a large cover (plastic) which coverd the airbox held on with two springs

[L.A.B.]

at some time in 78 the head changed to straight port and carbs changed also,

Production of the 1978 T140"E"  (Emission model, primarily intended for the US market where new emission regulations had been introduced at the beginning of the year) with parallel inlet port cylinder head and Amal Mk2 carbs commenced around January 1978, however the factory also continued to manufacture T140V models until the end of the 1978 model "season" (around July/August 1978) .
   

 i think with the crap choke arrange ment , also they had a large cover (plastic) which coverd the airbox held on with two springs

Plastic outer cover panels were introduced on T140V and TR7RV for the 1978 season (and subsequently on the 1978 T140E models) note that '78 V, E and TR7 cover panels are different parts, as are the 1979 season cover panels.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Triumph/Brochures/1970/78BonnevilleUSA.pdf

[L.A.B.]

I AM ALSO HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING WHERE OR WHAT YEAR THE AIR FILTER BOXES ARE
VERY HARD TO FIND ANY OTHER SIMILAR YEAR BONNIE WITH SAME BOXES

That particular type of airbox was used on the early "high seat" OIF Triumph 650 models (as well as OIF BSAs) until mid-1972 season when the Triumph frames were modified (from serial number CG50414) to lower the seat height.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Triumph/Brochures/1970/71Models.pdf

Several other parts (including the airbox assembly) were also modified to fit the new lower seat frame. The 650 engine (cylinder barrels) are also slightly taller than the 750 (by one cylinder fin) which is why the airbox to carb inlet rubbers on your T140 do not appear to fit properly as that airbox assembly basically doesn't belong with the low seat frame and 750 engine.

The 4 gallon "UK and general export" petrol tank shown in your photo is also likely to have come off a slightly earlier 750 model (due to the rearward positioning of the petrol taps).

The original T140E head and carbs also appear to have been replaced with T140V parts at some point, unless it's a T140V engine in a T140E frame?             

[Bomber]

Crikey, they didn't make it easy did they!

[wetdog]

most took these air boxes off to let the engine breath better (they do seam to perform better with them off and pea shooter silencers ) , that maybe why they are hard to find now

[ben urvan]

THANK YOU TO EVERY ONE WHO HAS REPLIED

CORRECT ENGINE IS A T140V IN A T140E FRAME

AGAIN I APPRECIATE ANY REPLYS AND HELP GIVEN
GREAT FORUM TO GET SOME INFO

BEN