It all starts on one of those days when you’re wandering around the garage, looking at all the odds and ends of past projects. You know, a front rim here, a back rim over there, fenders in the rafters. Then you start thinking about that old motor you have sitting in the corner. In my case, it was a 1974 750 Triumph motor that was salvaged from the California desert 12 months ago. I knew the motor ran because before I removed it from the original frame, I replaced the carbs and ignition and, miraculously, after 15 years in the desert, it coughed to life and fell into that cacophonic sound of an old British twin. What to do with this machine was the question. Do I restore it to its former glory or do I build a flat tracker? No, that would be way to simple for my evil mind and, thanks to the corrupting minds of a few friends (thanks Bandit), I have decided to build a lean, mean, stretched rigid.
As I said at the beginning, I already have the rims and brake system (it was all powdercoated black for an earlier project), and the fenders are hanging in the rafters. Out of this jumble of strange parts shall arise my new bike. It will be low, it will be slim, it will be everything a rigid should be. With the help of my wife and friends, you will get to see it transform from this pile of parts to a bare-bones chopper.
Triumph 750 motor before disassembly.
First things first. Yes, I know the motor runs, but for this project that isn’t good enough. So off came the head so I could clean up the ports and remove any sharp edges on the valve reliefs of the pistons. Once this was finished it was time to dig into the primary side. Good thing I did, since the complete clutch pack came out as one welded-together assembly. It seems that with all her sitting in the desert, the oil had turned to a cosmolin-type substance and made it completely impossible to separate the driven plates from the clutch plates. I hit the parts books again to order a new clutch. While I’m at it, I’ll just have to order that Joe Hunt Magneto.
By this time my wife is really starting to scratch her head, wondering just what the hell I’m up to. I am in the garage till all hours of the morning, strange boxes are appearing at the door and cryptic phone calls are coming in from parts suppliers. (Hint here guys: Don’t ever let your wife know your parts suppliers on a first-name basis.) My wife gave me one of those looks that said I’d better come clean, so I informed her of my plans. Bad move. It’s not that she’s pissed; she says that she wants one too. The last thing I heard as she left was: “Shit, here we go again.” I took that as approval and just went on about getting this bike built. I’m sure before it’s finished we will touch on the wife aspect again, so let’s get back to the bike.
While I was waiting for the clutch system to be delivered, Hackasaw in Tennessee was going crazy with his Sawzall and welder. I would call him late at night to hear him in this crazy voice telling me about his latest antics with my chassis. With grinding wheels and maniacal laughter in the background, he starts rattling off: Cut the whole front of the frame off, going to arch the backbone on this baby like a stallion’s neck, something about a 45- degree rake. Shit, at this point I didn’t know what it was going to look like except that it would be long. I heard whispers from some of his employees that he was cutting and welding like Van Gogh on crack. I will have to wait a few more weeks to see what the maniac comes up with but I am sure it will be radical. I will say it takes a hell of a bike builder to be able to interpret over the phone and e-mails what you are trying to get built and then be able to do exactly what you are asking. I don’t know how he does it, but it’s like he picks the thoughts right out of my head and the sparks start flying. I just hope that soon, out of that dust will appear my rolling chassis — completed — so I can start the sheet metal work and get on with the actual assembly.
Frame as originally purchased. Before that crazy Hackasaw got ahold of it.
Hackasaw on the Left, with the chassis before final welding.
Ride Free
-Oldwolv
On to Part 2……..
