Ned's 68 T100C Tiger; total restoration project - GrandPaul

[Lowboyjim]

This is Ned's T100C, 500cc twin. Don't know for sure whether to call it a "Tiger", "Daytona", or "Trophy" as some references to the C model were for Daytona, a twin-carb, some references to the R model are Tiger, others are Trophy. What a mess, Triumph also used Tiger and Trophy on 650 models!

This bike has a single carb, and downswept "R" model pipes; the pipes are reputed to have been changed, unsure about the head. The serial numbers are both "C", and matching.

The tentative plan is a make-run, then total tear-down with mostly refurbishing the basic bike, lots of new OEM parts, some replacement refurbished parts, and some new aftermarket replacement parts.

The paint is a big bug-a-boo. Ned and I perused several T100s at the rallye we both attended last weekend and it was hard for him to nail down a color choice, as we looked at a 70 Jacaranda Purple model and a 69 (?) Green bike, then there is his bike (yet to confirm Blue & White as correct for '68), and he's seen a nice gloss black bike on a post here somewhere. You all know me, I'm all for originality; however, 95% of the rest of the world would have no problem with a glossy Black Triumph!

Here are a few of the "before" shots:

The bike had a sprung solo saddle on it, I sold it at the swap meet for $20. The Jerry Jeff Walker sticker on the rear fender will not be retained.

It has a little thermal reset circuit breaker instead of a fuse, (just opposite the rectifier) labeled "Short Stop". I like that gizmo.

It will definitely get a powdercoated chassis & bracketry, electronic ignition, overhauled wheels & forks, engine totally overhauled down to the sludge trap, and new tires, battery, wiring harness, etc.

Ned wants this project to be scheduled so that the progress can track a fixed outlay budget over about 9 months, so don't look for "after" photos 'till next year.

4 hours, including leisurely oil change, points cleaning, valve lash check, spark plug swap, fuel & oil tank flushing, crankcase draining (2 cups), carb overhaul, throttle cable replacement and airing up the tires.

Some of the local residents-

A bit more rust in this area than the relatively even amount on the rest of the bike-

It would have started on the 3rd kick, but I was letting my helper start it since he did the grunt work and I wanted him to have the pleasure of his first "make run"; he was kicking it from off the bike, as he has seen me do, but wasn't giving it enough wellie. On the first kick I gave it, it fired right up.

Oil came up within seconds, it was rough for a few minutes, but settled in okay. Lots of smoke from the Left side. It wouldn't idle at anything less than about 1,500 RPM, not unusual.

I took it for a spin down the road and back, it feels pretty decent, but the smoke didn't get any better. No knocking from the big ends, and the valves don't sound too bad. Brakes are kinda sorry, suspension is definitely sacked, and the tires feel floppy (also not unusual for the condition).

Cooling off; in the photo, you can't see the smoke rising from the layer of oil film that was burning off from the ride-

That's my spare seat in the photo, we installed the battery from my race bike for this gig.

I'll probably give it a once-over, swap the temporary throttle cable for a longer one, tighten the choke lever (it kept working it's way back "on"), and snug up the brakes, then take it out for a build-up to a highway blast across town and see how it responds though the twisties and varied conditions. It's always nice to be able to pre-ride a restoration candidate to uncover any handling issues and deal with them BEFORE the test-ride AFTER all the work is done.

As far as model designation, this one's a lu-lu. Blue & White tank, single carb, downswept pipes, '67 & earlier style front brake, a mild bitsa, to say the least.

According to the serial numbers (matching) it's a '68 T100C. SHOULD be single carb & upswept scrambler pipes. Whether it should be called a "Tiger" or "Trophy" seems to be the muddle of the day. I believe it should have the one-year-only '68 style TLS front brake with the straight actuator arms, and the owner offered that it HAD the scrambler pipes. The color is not likly to be original, and he likes the big fins on the exhaust clamps.

http://s15.zetaboards.com/Triumph_Motorbike_Di/topic/78388/1/

that tank may be a replacement or left over from 67 according to the book triumph in America by David Gaylin and Linsey Brooke . I have noticed on a lot of triumphs colors were different for different countrys . Example 59 bonniville in Canada was blue and pearl grey--jim

 

[CarlS]

that tank may be a replacement or left over from 67 according to the book triumph in America by David Gaylin and Linsey Brooke . I have noticed on a lot of triumphs colors were different for different countrys . Example 59 bonniville in Canada was blue and pearl grey--jim

You are absolutely correct. To further complicasate things, there were differences in the models shipped to the east coast of the US vs. the west coast.

 

[Rudie]

If the early posts of this thread are to be used as a reference, some additional information:-

yet to confirm Blue & White as correct for '68

tank may be a replacement or left over from 67 according to the book triumph in America

Carl started the thread around forty years after the bike was built. His images are two-dimensional of a 3-dimensional curved object, lit solely by the sun about directly overhead, the images likely made by one bunch of electronics(?), certainly rendered by a completely different bunch of electronics.

'67-on, any C-range tank fits any C-range bike (although US-market tanks are a pain over Lucas coils). Absent the bike's original owner to state why the tank's colour scheme doesn't conform to the bike's 'year', why aren't the colours simply from rattle-cans twenty years ago? Or by a friendly sprayer using standard car colours? Even if the colours date from when the bike was new, it's well-known (although I don't remember it being mentioned in TIA) both US importers supported dealers with colour changes if a sale depended on it - i.e. if a prospective owner wanted a '68 in '67 colours, if a new and undamaged '67 tank wasn't available, the bike's original tank would be resprayed at the importer's expense.

Don't know for sure whether to call it a "Tiger", "Daytona", or "Trophy"

In the US, a '68 T100C was a "Tiger Competition" -
http://classicbike.biz/Triumph/Brochures/1960s/68Models.pdf, http://classicbike.biz/Triumph/Brochures/1960s/68TriumphBrochure2.pdf,
http://classicbike.biz/Triumph/Brochures/1960s/68TriumphBrochureAllModels.pdf

whether it's an "east coast" or "west coast" US model.

All three brochures show both JoMo's and TriCor's contact details.

However, it appears to have been common for individual dealers to modify bikes for local tastes and desires (something else not mentioned in TIA) before putting them on sale. This might be one reason for a given bike to differ from 'catalogue specification' in any year.

some references to the C model were for Daytona,

These would be mistakes. '67-'70, Daytona was "T100R" in the US and "T100T" everywhere else ("UK & General Export"); the T100R has several differences (tank, handlebars, wheels, rear tyre, rear lamp) from the T100T. '71-'74, Daytona was T100R in all markets, although the different tanks and handlebars remained.

All pre-'67 models were single-carb., the sportier versions of which were Tiger 100 (500) or Tiger 90 (350). '67, the Daytonas (T100R and T) were originally going to be called "Tiger Daytona"; '67-on, they were the only twin-carb. 500's.

some references to the R model are Tiger, others are Trophy. What a mess,

You can thank the US importers for much of the mess, if not all of it. Certainly before the unit 650's from '63, Meriden was clear, a Tiger was the 'sportier' version of a road bike, Trophy was an off-road version:-

. "Tiger" was coined originally by Edward Turner after he was put in charge of the newly-formed Triumph Engineering Company in 1936. To help cashflow while he developed what became the Speed Twin, he restyled the inherited 250, 350 and 500 singles, calling them "Tiger 70", "Tiger 80" and "Tiger 90" respectively; pre-WW2, the US market wasn't important to Triumph, the models were road bikes, the numbers referenced their top speeds. A year after the Speed Twin was first marketed, its 'sportier' "Tiger 100" version replaced the "Tiger 90".

. Post-WW2, the 'sportier' version of the 650 Thunderbird - again a road bike - was the Tiger 110, which remained in the pre-unit range even after the twin-carb. T120 Bonneville was introduced for '59. When the C-range replaced the pre-unit 500's, there was still a Speed Twin and a Tiger 100, and Tiger 90 was revived '63-'68 for the sportier version of the 350.

. Otoh, "Trophy" celebrated Triumph's contiguous 1948-51 wins in the International Six Days Trial; as this was/is essentially a long-distance timed "trial" mainly over unsurfaced roads and tracks, a Trophy was initially a more-off-road-orientated version of a pre-unit twin.

. After the 500 pre-units were superseded by the C-range, an off-road version - initially TR5AC - didn't reappear 'til '61, this became T100SC from '63 and T100C during '66, remaining in the range 'til '71. These were all US-only versions and their various combinations of "Tiger" and/or "Trophy" names in any given year were decided by the US importer(s).

. However, '63-on, Meriden does add to the confusion by calling most - but not all - single-carb. 650's "Trophy":-

.. off-road US-market TR6C was "Trophy" '63-'72;

.. on-road US-market TR6R was "Trophy" '63-'68 then "Tiger" '69-'73, remaining "Tiger" when superseded by the TR7RV;

.. on-road UK & General Export TR6 was "Trophy" '63-'70;

.. single-carb. Thunderbird was also available in all markets '63-'66.

The primary difference between the various 650 "Trophys" is the fuel tanks - TR6C have the same (small) size as the Bonneville, TR6R is a similar shape but about a gallon larger, (UK&GE) TR6 is about half-a-gallon larger again but a different shape. When the 650's became oif, corresponding T120R/TR6C and TR6R tanks, and a new UK&GE tank, were available initially.

Ned's T100C
has
downswept "R" model pipes; the pipes are reputed to have been changed, unsure about the head.

Essentially, a 500 head is a 500 head, single or twin carb(s). attached by the appropriate manifold(s). Pre-'67 head is only interchangeable with '67-on head if the pistons are changed also - pre-'67 has squish bands, '67-on doesn't. Early '67 T100C's (and T100S's?) used up pre-'67 head castings; parts books claim different valve guide material for T100C's and slightly different inlet valve sizes for Daytonas vs. T100C and T100S; half-a-century later, what you find in a given engine is what you find.

Because all C-range engines are the same physical size externally, any C-range pipe should bolt on any C-range bike, bar manufacturing cock-ups.

earlier style front brake,
believe it should have the one-year-only '68 style TLS

7" SLS is correct for a '68 T100C, there wasn't a 7" version of the '68-only TLS, the SLS continued to be fitted to T100C's 'til part-way through '69.

 

[CarlS]

Excellent post. Thank you very much.