triumphs

[beesa]

hi everybody
can anyone please give me some help, I have been asked to help a friend refurbish a triumph motorbike, I have very little information about the bike as it has spent many years up on the east coast of south africa and has had the frame modified in a very rough and ready way. The only identifcation I can make is the bike's engine number  which is H20809, I believe that makes the model a 1961 vintage it is 500cc capacity and is a 'unit' construction, can anyone come up with further details on the information above, secondly I have been given another challenge!! in the form of a box of bits, a triumph motor bike again, and again the only identifying information I have is the engine number which is HG60917 and that it is a T120 5speed and I believe that the capacity is 650cc and again unit construction        can anyone in the forum give me any history on these two 'old ladies' and can I still get parts, is it possible to refurbish them, are workshop manuals and parts lists available and anything else I should know would be greatfully received.  
what I should also add is this refurbishment project is happening (hopefully) in south africa these bikes are with me in sa so I would also like to know if it's possible to get parts shipped out to sa
thanking everyone in anticipation

regards mick

[Rex]

Those identifications sound right.
Both good bikes, and spares are readily available, as are manuals.
If you can do basic mechanics, neither should really be a problem (local mods and years of abuse aside) to renovate.

[henry_norton]

Looks like your T120 is a July 1972 model. I've had parts sent to Europe from the UK for my Triumphs so I can't see any reason you can't get some bits sent a bit further. HN

[VintageBike]

If you need any spares for your Triumphs, let me know what you are after (drop me an email)  and I should be able to help.

Cheers

Nigel Wynne
www.vintagebike.co.uk

[beesa]

thanks to Rex,Henry Norton & Nigel Wynne for info

regards beesa

[beesa]

can anyone give me more information on "oil in the frame" triumphs, when did they come into production, workshop manual, are they available and any other useful stuff thanks

beesa

[Rex]

1971, Haynes do one. Handle very well, but ugly as sin.
Loved in the US, laughed at in the UK.
Most reliable Trumpet I ever owned.........

[beesa]

hey Rex
this pile of bits (I do mean pile of bits in the most literal sense at the mo its just half a dozen full boxes) with an engine number 'HG60917' T120 5spd the build date has been put at july 1972 would this be an 'oil in frame' model from the factory? is the Haynes manual comprehensive enough for a complete beginner (no real in depth knowledge of Trumpets only what I remember from 40 years ago!) and as I asked before the spares are readily available, can you give me any good addresses  :-[of suppliers who might ship overseas

thanks beesa

[Rex]

Date sounds right (mine was GG- a June 72)
This was OIF, and I find Haynes to be adequate all-rounders, but I'm sure the factory manual (or even the Kim White CD) would be better.
Spares are probably the most available of any classic (beats Jap-crap by a mile), and for spares suppliers you need to Google it.
IME spares suppliers ship world-wide now, but there may be someone close to you.

[L.A.B.]

Some good Triumph parts suppliers:

http://www.lencraigandsons.co.uk/

http://www.tms-motorcycles.co.uk/

http://www.tri-corengland.com/index.html

http://www.btinternet.com/~hawkshaw.motorcycles/

I do not personally recommend the Haynes Unit Bonneville manual, as much of the information in it is only relevant to the pre-OIF models. Significant changes were made to the later T120 & T140 models, however the Haynes leaves out a lot of important information relevant to the later models, which can leave owners somewhat puzzled when they find their bike is different to what is in the Haynes book.  

I do suggest you get a copy of the factory manual that covers the actual production year of the bike, and these are sometimes available from the parts suppliers, or from specialist motorcycle technical book suppliers, such as:

http://www.brucemain-smith.com/

http://www.andover-norton.co.uk/JRP/jrabout.htm

And I would suggest that you also get a copy of the correct model parts book as well?  

[henry_norton]

Yeah, it's definitely worthwhile getting the relevant parts book. For detailed descriptions and general information the books below are pretty handy although even these have some conflicting information. Also be warned, none paint a particularly good picture of the early oil in frame bikes.

Triumph Bonneville by Steve WilsonTriumph Motorcycle Restoration Guide by David GaylinBonnie by J R NelsonTriumph Twin Restoration by Roy Bacon

[beesa]

sorry to labour the point and it sounds like I'm a real 'thicko' ahh can I ask (again) about the 1961 500cc unit construction machine, engine number H20809
is there an identification number/letter series eg TR something and what would you suggest as the most comprehensive workshop manual to buy/use, simple questions  ok but I'm a bit of a 'KISS' person and just want to make a good job of the refurbishment for a close friend, I do have reasonable workshop skills but have not worked on triumphs before
thanks in anticipation to all you fellow bikers
beesa  

[L.A.B.]

As it is a 1961 (unit) then it is going to be either a 5TA 'Speed Twin' or T100 'Tiger 100' model?

There ought to be an engine prefix that would identify it (either 5TA or T100)?

Here are some 1960 models that would be similar to the 1961 model

Speed Twin:
 http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Triumph%20Bikes/pages/Triumph-Speed-Twin-60.htm

1960 Tiger 100:
http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Bike%20Directories/Triumph%20Bikes/pages/Triumph-Tiger-100SS-60.htm

The information given previously about spare parts and manual suppliers would still apply, I think.




  

[Rex]

[is there an identification number/letter series eg TR something

There should be (never seen one that hasn't) a prefix to the engine number to identify the model.
If you did have TR as a prefix, you've got a TR5A/C Trophy, on of the rarest Triumphs ever, and potentially worth big money. A one-year-only 1961  bike, and the first ever Triumph unit competition bike as ridden by Triumph works riders.
Production numbers seem to vary between 300-691 depending on who says it.
Does it have the "distributor" engine still?

[beesa]

hi guys thanks for the response, I have found the engine number prefix "5TA" then the H20809 so that makes the original bike a 'Speed Twin" is that correct? and yes there is a distributor behind the engine barrels on the right hand side
another question please, there are three wires coming out the bottom of the engine, seems to be located between gearbox and clutch housing these I assume to be from the alternator, they would go to the rectifier/regulator unit hey can anyone tell me which terminals the wires connect to, I assume two would be the ac input to the rectifier but the third I don't know, but there again am I correct about two being the rectifier ac input?
again is there a "best' workshop manual for this model  triumph, I just don't want to buy one and find I could have got better when I'm so far away from the UK
thanks and cheers everyone I'll be waiting!!