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[Twolanerider]

My brother in law and his dad bought this at an auction today.  It's a 58.  Neither of them ride (or ride much) and it will live in my shop so I'm stoked they got it!  Anyone who knows how to spell S t e v e M c Q u e e n knows that these bikes are cool.  

Back in the late 70s I had one or one and a half or so of these bikes.  Went through things pretty quickly then and honestly don't remember much about it other than that it behaved like any other Brit bike I had early on.  You had to carry tools and not be afraid to use them.

Anyone here know more about them?  Particular problem areas or necessary changes for reliability?

This one sputters and tries to start but won't run.  Was told it hadn't been run in "two or three years."  Of course that could as easily be eight or ten as these things go.

At least in the engine pic he sent I don't see a coil so it might be old enough to be a mag bike.  In either case going to look for an electronic conversion kit for the ignition.  They want to get it running so (hopefully) a fun winter project will be here soon!

[Twolanerider]

Blurry cell phone pic.  But, hey, it's red!  After it gets running someone I know is going to ride this little bitch (and in his head he'll be Steve McQueen!).

[FUZZNUTS]

No idea on the TR6.............................But it's a sweet winter project........................I'll be looking forward to your progress reports though. Good luck Don.......................Fuzz

[GregKhougaz]

Nice!   

[Bubba]

Duel stright pipes I like it already.    

[spydglide]

  (kinda like my ole single carbed BSA.  Lots of weak points, but lotsa 'soul' too.  har.  spyder

[Twolanerider]

CVO-itis has weird tentacles.  Years ago would have been satisfied just to keep something like this running without having to keep a cup beneath it for recycling.  Now have discovered belt drive conversion kits and brake upgrades and many other things.   And it's not even my bike!!

[Paul1]

I have a '69 TR6 that I have pretty much rebuilt, had similar problems to what you are saying with the electrical system, you will find the coils tight up against the frame tucked up under the tank, there is a main earthing terminal behind the battery under the seat, check this out first that it is not corroding & you have a good earth. A lot of people put Boyer electronic ignitions on which are pretty straightforward to fit. Also check connections at the rectifier at the front of the bike. Unfortunately don't get to ride mine that much after getting the CVO. 

[Widows Son]

As we all know, this is the recycle age where ol' styles get reinvented with a modern twist. Your  question came hot on the heels of an article I read:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/642/11384/Motorcycle-Article/2012-Triumph-T100-Steve-McQueen-Edition.aspx

Supposed to be only 1100 of them available. Good luck on the restoration - I envy your project.

[Twolanerider]

I have a '69 TR6 that I have pretty much rebuilt, had similar problems to what you are saying with the electrical system, you will find the coils tight up against the frame tucked up under the tank, there is a main earthing terminal behind the battery under the seat, check this out first that it is not corroding & you have a good earth. A lot of people put Boyer electronic ignitions on which are pretty straightforward to fit. Also check connections at the rectifier at the front of the bike. Unfortunately don't get to ride mine that much after getting the CVO. 

Thank you Paul.  Only an hour ago ran in to a couple of articles on the Boyer electronic ignition system.  One of them even had a Youtube link to to my ear sounded someone from the north doing the install.

Tracking down and cleaning up the grounds and other primary connections will be a first chore.  Thanks for the heads up on important locations.  Bike is supposed to be brought here tomorrow morning.  Hope it's not a mouse eaten mess in person.

[Paul1]

Thank you Paul.  Only an hour ago ran in to a couple of articles on the Boyer electronic ignition system.  One of them even had a Youtube link to to my ear sounded someone from the north doing the install.

Tracking down and cleaning up the grounds and other primary connections will be a first chore.  Thanks for the heads up on important locations.  Bike is supposed to be brought here tomorrow morning.  Hope it's not a mouse eaten mess in person.

That guy is good, forget his name but he is from the North East, got some very good you tube links on all sorts of old triumph related things, well worth a look. Also look at the following http://www.triumphrat.net/ it is a US based site but loads of info, when I was doing my resto I got lots of help & advice.

Good luck with it, Paul. 

[Twolanerider]

That guy is good, forget his name but he is from the North East, got some very good you tube links on all sorts of old triumph related things, well worth a look. Also look at the following http://www.triumphrat.net/ it is a US based site but loads of info, when I was doing my resto I got lots of help & advice.

Good luck with it, Paul. 

Thanks again Paul.  That's a site I'd not yet discovered.  Did discover more links from that same guy doing the Boyer install.  Amusing and helpful at the same time.  Could drink beer and watch and listen to him work.  Actually, come to think of it, that's what I did .

[Twolanerider]

Oh yeah, it's here now too.  Brother in law and his dad dropped it off this morning.  It's a well ridden old bike that doesn't give the first impression of being any worse than just well used though.  Not all beat up.

Last tag on it dates to 1984.  So no telling how long since it's actually been run.  Tires dry rotted but they hold air for a couple hours.  Bike came with a couple new tires.  No reason to put them on yet though.  Cool red and black striped seat.  Cracked through down each side but eventually it'll have to get recovered in its original pattern.  It's a cool seat.  No broken brake or other cables (though the front brake cable is frayed). 

All the brakes at least function.  Though my left foot would have have a hell of a time remembering where that rear brake is while it was yelling at my right foot to "shift you idiot, shift!"  Harness isn't mouse eaten but someone has been in to it before.  So it will get some TLC and careful reconnaisance before being trusted too far. 

Unfortunately it looks like it was stopped being ridden when someone couldn't get it running a bunch of years ago.  Found a note in it saying had changed points then mag and "a few other things" but still can't get it to run.  It'll fire and spit a bit.  But that's all.  Given the time since anything has moved well on it will have to count on starting at the tank and carb and working downhill until it's all been refreshed.  Then will try to kick it over again and see what happens.

Brother in law is more patient than I.  Me, I'd already have a parts order done.  First thing he's ordering is a Triumph t-shirt.  Then he'll get around to parts "sometime later."  It's going to such having this thing here to mess with at someone else's desire .

[Buy early]

Twolane, if you haven't checked in with Gatornapper yet, he's a big time Triumph resto guy. Check his intro thread here:

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=63103.0;all

And his Triumph restoration thread here:

http://www.triumphrat.net/classic-vintage-and-veteran/131945-72-bonnie-from-finding-to-buying-to-fixing-up-to-riding.html

Think he would be another good resource for you.

[Twolanerider]

Thank you Mark.  Hadn't seen that.  There are so many of them I almost never read the intro posts so had no clue that gent was Triumph guru he so obviously is.