Amazing Barn Find!!

[Sidecar Flip]

For the life of me, I don't know why a person woul install Mikcey Roonies when the Kehin CV is an all around better carburetor. The Kehin is easier to jet and because it's a constant velocity it will only feed the right amount of fuel at any given time and we all know that jerking the throttle slides on the Meriden bikes loaded them with too much fuel at one time.

 

[Toystoretom]

Because Mikuni has a pre engineered kit for the old Bonnies that works great and has been proven over about a 25 year period and Kehin has absolutely nothing? Which means you would have to make manifolds, experiment with different models, then you would have to spend countless hours jetting it.

Duh....

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Duh????

Because Mikuni has a pre engineered kit for the old Bonnies that works great and has been proven over about a 25 year period and Kehin has absolutely nothing? Which means you would have to make manifolds, experiment with different models, then you would have to spend countless hours jetting it.

Duh....

Tomo:

I just knew you'd have the right answer but I didn't expect the 'duh'. Got a rusty nail in your foot tonight?

You could always adapt a Webber twin throat if you were adventurous.

 

[Toystoretom]

Sorry about the Duh... Its that stupid car commercial.

How about Fuel injection?

 

[TonyMac]

Tomo,

Any chance of an update, of your bringing the Bonny back to life is coming along?

Curious Tony

 

[scot in exile]

That is neat. Looks like it will clean up pretty good once all the barn dust is washed off. I picked up a Bonneville this weekend also... but.. alas, it was of the Pontiac variety.. One of these days I'll pick up another one..

And Triumph makes money for each car sold as they own the Bonneville name

 

[Toystoretom]

I'll have to take some more recent pics. Basically what I've done so far is mostly making it road worthy..... new chain, new wiring harness, fixed the stock brakes, the carbs had some real issues but I've got those sorted out, repacked the wheel bearings, welded up some broken stuff and so on. It runs pretty good, shifts fine and is pretty powerful for what it is. The clutch is sticky but I haven't torn into the mechanical part of the engine yet so that will be addressed in time.

I've been collecting some Cafe racer BS for it. A major bit I'm going to use is a 4 leading shoe front brake from a '72 Suzuki GT 750 Water Buffalo. I found an 18" Excell shouldered Aluminum rim and also some chrome spokes to go with. I'm just about done building that and it is almost too cool to put on the bike.... it's awesome. I had to modify a right side lower disk brake fork tube (I found a spare to do this) and will have to put the GT 750 axle on a latheto fit it up to the Triumph forks. I found TWO double brakes levers (It don't hurt to have a spare ) with the balance bars and was able to find some used brake cables. I'll probably have some new cables built up with stainless housings or something equally as silly.

I also found a NOS Tomaselli alloy quick throttle from the seventies and its a gem. Add in some retro side covers, some Amal velocity stacks, a set of (ahem) somewhat expensive Marzochhi Reservoir shocks, some very flat Matchless handlebars (may go with some clipons if I can find something sweet).

I'm getting ready to buy some rearsets, some sweptback header pipes and some shorty reverse cone mufflers... all it takes is money.

I'd like to find a Lyta style alloy tank and of course some sort of gay racing seat so if you guys know of any tanks laying around let me know. Remember, it's an Oil in Frame bike. The seat is easy, any one of about ten different places make some cool ones.

Once I get everything collected I'll piece it together and fab up what I need to make things work. Then I'll tear it back down, paint the frame and other sheetmetal and then actually build it. None of this includes any kind of engine work yet. This is a long term project, as slow as I am in my old age it could take years

 

[Toystoretom]

I've gotta paint those cylinders... the camera really shows the rust...

 

[TonyMac]

Tomo, any chance of an update?

 

[Toystoretom]

I don't have much to update, this has gone onto the back burner for a bit.

I'll be going up to Baxter's Rally on the 16th and 17th of August and hope to score a few parts that I would like to get for it. I want to find a different exhaust, possibly a sweptback, Siamese, or TT setup, just something sexier than stock. I also wouldn't mind a Joe Hunt or ARD. There are some little BS things I need also. And some rearsets. I have found all of these things on the net and elsewhere but I like to support my local bike shop if I can.

I did narrow the 4 LS brake to fit the Triumph forks but I am having trouble with the front axle. I really should have it turned on a lathe and it would be really easy, but one of the machine shops I normally use has vanished (out of business), another guy I know that has a lathe passed away (so it will be awhile before he gets to it) and as of yet I just haven't found anyone who can do it. I just need to reduce the outside diameter of the axle to fit the Triumph lower axle clamps.... I could almost do it on a grinder, but I would like to have it exact so it doesn't work loose while the bike is being ridden. That would suck to have the front wheel come loose at 70 mph.

I did ride it for a few days back in June and it runs pretty good. It has a surprising amount of poop for an old pushrod motor. If I ever get it done it will be a fun toy.