'67 Bonneville "refresh"

[grandpaul]

Has it been FIVE MONTHS since my last project? Wow, this retirement stuff is not bad...

This Bonnie was in my collection for the longest of all the other bikes that I still have, got in in 1987; anyway, I sold it last December and I'm freshening it up for the owner. I hadn't started it since September of 2008! Back then, I cleaned the carbs and flushed it out, I think I might have ridden it a few times around the neighborhood, then ran the gas out of the carbs.

So, when I went to take the carbs apart to clean them, they were already clean!

Oh well, I cleaned them up even more (dusty on the outside, slides dry-sooted from sitting). One fresh gallon can of Berryman's Chem Dip left to warm up in the sun, 30 minutes each carb (disassembled) soaking, thorough rinse and blast dry with compressed air, then installed all new fiber washers, and put them back together.

Took the opportunity to knock the dust off everything under the tank...

 

[grandpaul]

One problem that had been annoying me for the last year or so that I was still riding the bike regularly, was that it had a knocking sound that I was pretty sure was the alternator rotor loose on it's hub. I posted the video of how to check it here...https://www.triumphtalk.com/threads/diagnosing-knock-that-is-actually-failed-rotor.54874/

So, new Wassel rotor, $82 and well worth it!

Since I had the primary cover off, I went ahead and pulled out the clutch plates to clean them up. They where stuck together SLIGHTLY, which is to say that they came out in 2s and 3s with very little effort to pull them apart. They are EMGO plates which I consider to be HANDS DOWN the best, ESPECIALLY for the low price!

Swapped the shifter for a better one (off my race bike), as well as the kicker lever & pedal, and points cover (new ones).

 

[grandpaul]

Speaking of the clutch, I did make sure to have a glance at the clutch centre and the chainwheel to check for damaged grooves - centre was good, chainwheel is SLIGHTLY notchy but never gave me issues...

Nipped up the clutch springs till the bolts just came up to the surface of the adjusters.

I didn't get a photo of it, but I found a thin alloy sleeve that fit perfectly over the tip of the special clutch spring adjuster tool, I only had to trim 1/8" off one end to square it up nicely so that the tool no longer want to "walk off the job" when using it with just one hand. In other words, the sleeve butts up to the handle, and is about 1/4" longer than the tool, so it slips over the adjuster heads just right to still see how much farther to tighten (just leave the end coil showing, USUALLY). I used to have a heck of a time re-positioning the tool every half turn or sometimes every turn, no more!

 

[grandpaul]

The fork gaiters had begun to deteriorate way back in 2007, and I never bothered to change them...

That was not a hard chore. I simply let the air out of the front tire, disconnected the brake cable, removed the fork caps, and dropped the wheel assembly out by squeezing the tire to get past the fender bolts. That made it much easier to remove the fender. I took that opportunity to clean the forks, yanked off the perished gaiters, leaving one clamp on each fork, then simply slipped the new gaiters on right over the fork lowers. All the way up, clamp the top, then adjust/set the bottoms and clamp them up. Re-install fender, re-install wheel assy. $20 too easy.

I had robbed the '67 of it's battery a few years ago to replace the dead one in my race bike, and never bothered to replace it (it would have been deader than a doornail, anyway). $45 for a nice sealed unit.

 

[grandpaul]

It ain't a restoration, it's not a refurbishing, it's just a clean-up and make-run!

Still, nice to see it look clean under the seat for the first time in a decade...

...and under the tank, too!

 

[grandpaul]

Oh, yeah, I changed all the fluids and cleaned the spark plugs (I have some new N3Cs around here SOMEWHERE). Still need the kicker rubber, horn, and need to clean up the timing cover (10 minute job).

Now THAT'S the Bonnie I remember!

With my swollen ankle and right leg not ready for kick-starting yet, it took THREE KICKS (with my LEFT leg) to FINALLY start it! That's the most it has taken me in over TWENTY YEARS since I restored it. I'm sure once the leg is fully healed I can easily kick it over with ONE kick again.

 

[Rocky]

It's a great looking bike

 

[Qship]

Great lookin' Bonnie. Someone is a lucky guy to get it.

 

[Rocky]

Great lookin' Bonnie. Someone is a lucky guy to get it.

There's "something" about the classic Triumph profile that always makes me smile. I guess that's why I'm so taken with the the modern Bonneville line of bikes.

 

[Greyfell]

She is VERY presentable, now.

 

[triumph david]

Very nice looking bike, love that color fits the bike perfectly.

 

[keystiger]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done job -- gorgeous bike --

 

[CarlS]

A beautiful bike,

 

[grandpaul]

Forgot to mention I also replaced the primary chaincase cover, it had old chrome that was badly pitted. I got a real nice original alloy cover with the "patina" that matched the bike perfectly. It had a TINY crack from the typical brake pedal ding, I just dressed it up and JB Welded it.

 

[Greyfell]

Forgot to mention I also replaced the primary chaincase cover, it had old chrome that was badly pitted. I got a real nice original alloy cover with the "patina" that matched the bike perfectly. It had a TINY crack from the typical brake pedal ding, I just dressed it up and JB Welded it.

Would that be the cover on the left side or the right? Please forgive my "ignorance," but I came to bikes long after the change to electric starts and shift pedals on the left.
I am sure the new owner will appreciate the bike a lot, but I doubt anyone can appreciate it as much as you did.

 

[grandpaul]

Would that be the cover on the left side or the right? Please forgive my "ignorance," but I came to bikes long after the change to electric starts and shift pedals on the left.
I am sure the new owner will appreciate the bike a lot, but I doubt anyone can appreciate it as much as you did.

Left side - primary / clutch cover.

You can't see the crack from the outside, it was just BARELY evident even from the inside, but the tiny dimple easily made it's way back with a slight tap of a screwdriver handle. I dressed up the inside face and used clear JB Weld, just about 2 drops of each of the 2 components.

 

[Twin Pots]

Hi GP, lovely bike, absolutely the twin sister of my 67. Speaking of which I decided to fit new parts to the 4ca ignition system simply as a service precaution. New "Lucas" 12v coils, a pair of new actual original Lucas points and two new "Lucas" mini condensers. Note of caution, these new "Lucas" 4ca condensers are slightly larger than the original. Had to use the old nuts just to get them to fit but I digress as usual. My question regards my exhaust camshaft. When I came to refit the advance retard (12 deg) I realized there was no peg, key, pin or whatever was supposed to be there to locate the a/r unit on the taper which has a cut out on the a/r for this reason. My question to you GP is what is supposed to be there in the end of the cam? I have found bugger all information on this item. Is it a replaceable pin/lug/key. There is no sign there was ever anything there. Guessing it was damaged prior to the last rebuild. I did refit the a/r by feel. There was one spot that just felt correct so fingers crossed. I now have points etc back in place. At TDC the cam mark does line up with the heel of the points so I'm hoping you will confirm this sounds ok. Just waiting on a special timing disc to complete the operation. As the bike ran fine before I just hope it is worth the hassle and cost. As I ride the bike a lot I am determined to keep the bike 100% reliable. In a perverse way I am pleased it still has the original 4ca system the way it came from Triumph. So many have them ripped out and replaced with the later 6ca or an electrickery unit. I realize the 4ca are a pain to set correctly so any hints gratefully accepted. The a/r unit is stamped with 12 deg. My understanding is I set the points to just opening at 38 BTDC with the a/r held in the advance position (made a small washer to lock it advanced). Last question I promise. I see that the original T120R exhaust cam in the parts book is E5407 which I believe has been superseded by the LF Harris made 70-9989 and that they are the same profile. Is this correct and can I use the same cam followers I already have? Once again many thanks GP. Of course this question also goes out to anyone who has experience of the same issue. Never know what horrors you may find when stripping these old bikes.

 

[grandpaul]

Hi GP, lovely bike, absolutely the twin sister of my 67.

Thanx!

... what is supposed to be there in the end of the cam?

There was originally a tiny pin. I can tell you that the few I have removed were a royal pain to break off, in order to allow the EI rotor to fully seat. Take a flashlight or smartphone light and have a look, you should see the remains of the pin, or it's socket.

... can I use the same cam followers I already have?

Using mixed cams and followers is discouraged, as if there was any uneven wear previously, it will accelerate when mismatched.

 

[Twin Pots]

Thanks GP. From your description I gather the pin is located (or should be) in the back shoulder of the cam rather than in the taper as would be the case with a Woodruff key. I may be able to spot where it was now I know what I am looking for. As long as I can locate the advance unit close to the correct position I should be ok as its held on the taper not the pin. I'm guessing the advance unit has come loose at some stage and rotated shearing the pin off as there is no sign of the pin now. Thanks for your swift reply, very helpful.