Barn Find Triumph Bonneville Restoration 1975 T140 US Import Motorcycle Classic Scrambler Build | 01
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 มิ.ย. 2024
- Barn Find Triumph Bonneville Restoration 1975 T140 US Import Motorcycle Classic Scrambler Build | 01
Introducing my US imported Triumph Bonneville T140V. This is a barn find motorcycle I've imported from America with a view to restore it and maybe even modify it into my dream Classic Triumph Scrambler build project.
This Triumph Bonneville project is a 1975 bike, and being a T140V it has a 5-speed gearbox, and of course is an oil in frame (OIF) model. Although built in August 75 it is actually a '76 model, as at that time in the UK the registration letter for vehicles changed at the start of August. In keeping with its age the new registration number ends in a "P" which is the same as my CB750 café racer project.
It only took 4 weeks to get the bike registered, which included the 2 weeks to get a dating certificate from the Triumph Owners Club, of which I a now a member :) I used the same method as I have used previously.
I have explained this in an earlier video we have on the channel which you can watch here: • How To Fill In A V55/5...
I'm very fond of these Triumph motorcycles and have owned a few in the past, during the last few years ago I have imported two different one from the US, a '72 T120R 650, and a '79 T140E 750. The 650 was restored back to pretty standard condition despite it basically being rusty scrap. Whereas the 750 really only required some new parts for the carburettors, and recommissioning to be a good running bike. This time I am thinking about doing something a bit more interesting and making it a custom Triumph, kind of like a Restomod build.
Currently I am leaning towards doing it in a flat tracker style, or maybe a classic Triumph Scrambler, keeping it looking as period correct as possible but with a few modern improvements. I am leaning away from doing a Bonneville Cafe Racer build, as I'm still working on my CB750 Cafe Racer which you can see on the other playlist.
This particular 1975 Triumph Bonneville T140 I've imported is mostly complete, although in worse condition than I anticipated. It's always difficult buying a bike from overseas based on photos alone. I was hoping that I might be able to get it back up and running quite quickly, as a riding project, but having looked at the bike I now know I will need to give attention to everything.
It appears someone in the US had decided to do the usual custom job on this British bike basically turning it into a mild Chopper at some point in its life surprisingly this one hasn't got extended forks, they usually have a six inch extension or so. This was done to a lot of US bikes in the '80s and its really not my style. The pinup girl painted on the tank is an interesting touch though, unlike the sissy bar!
The bike was certainly pressure washed before being loaded into the shipping container before export, hopefully it hasn't offended but we decided to recreate its barn find look for this video as a bit of fun before doing any work on the bike.
For more helpful how-to guides and restoration project logs, visit our blog: www.spannerrash.com/
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Restore it back to its original state ❤❤❤❤❤
Great idea, but I'm not sure. It will certainly be in keeping with the Triumph Twin ethos whatever I do though, keep watching! :)
Definitely restore. Looking forward to the next instalments.....
I'm hoping progress is quicker than with the CB, but it depends what I find when I look inside. Hopefully the indside of the engine looks better than the inside of the tank :)
My brother had a 76 complete with hippy purple tank. He used to say that it had never had an issue all the time he owned it, which was probably for a few years in the early 80s. His had the US-spec bars as well.
If they are serviced there is no reason that these bikes can't go on for a long time. They just need a bit of love, or in this case a lot of love :)
Restoration for me, much prefer this to the cb750 cafe racer, will make a nice old bike for gentle cruises around your Yorkshire lanes. Good luck.
If it was a pre-OIF I would 100% agree with you. But I am not convinced the late '70s Bonnies have the same cachet as the earlier bikes, but they are still lovely. I like the gentle cruising idea, the CB does look good though, and I can't wait to have it running right, and painted, but it will never be a comfortable bike to ride.
Definitely restoration, as nearly all the parts are available. I own a 76 that I’ve owned since 81, the clocks are correct for 76 when marketed under the NVT (Norton Villiers Triumph ) banner. Looking forward to the future journey, the brush strokes in the mud and the verdant foliage gave your deception away 😉
I thought the symbol waas NVT, which caused me to think they may have been later, but I did check afterwards and you are right. I wonder why they were reset?
Really enjoyed your vlog cant beat a barn find had my first t140 38 yrs ago
Cheers. 38 years, and I bet it feels like only yesterday! :)
Looking forward to this. Don't care which path you take, but save that tank. The mural is perfection - cheezy kitschy and period-correct!
I know where you are coming from, but I do think that they aren't hand painted. I think there is some sort of a sticker or stencil with a bit of freestyle over the top. Which is why one is really flying the wrong way.
definitely in good enough condition for a resto, or styled like a trophy!
Yes there are some good parts, not sure what you mean by "like a trophy" the only real differences were carbs and tank colours.
Like how you draped the vegetation over the bike. It adds instant barn find authenticity. Look forward to its progress. 😅
Thanks, let's hope the bike looks authentic when I finish it :)
After reading a lot of comments about the thumbnail and people unsubscribing , glad to see someone has a sense of humour and in touch with reality .😀
I really do like the bike and would love to own and ride one again, best of luck 🤞🏻
Cheers. Don't give up on your dreams. Take care.
Fancied turning one of these into a hardtail bobber for a while now. With this having a rough rear end it's perfect for it, I'll be watching whatever you decide. Good luck 👍
Cheers. Sounds like a plan, but I am a bit reluctant to go the hard tail route, but they do look fabulous.
Rustoration with some FT influence would be my suggestion. No profit in it tho but lots of fun.
I do like the idea of Rusteration, but I don't think I would get away with using an oily rag on the backend of this one. There are a lot of comments going for the FT, DS, Scrambler look, so it is in the lead at the moment :)
Save the artwork on the gas tank. Get it running and rideit. My Triumph Tr-6 is a 1965 . I have had my Triumph Tr-6 with a hard tail and magneto for the last 40 years.
The tank artwork keeps getting a positive vote, for me the jury is out. I can't remember riding a hard tail, must put it on my bucket list, but, how's your back after 40 years on a hardtail. Sounds pretty hardcore! :)
Funny. I was thinking it looked like a TV/movie art department version of a "bard find" with the weird vines and mud caked on strange places. Turns out I was right. I was in the middle of writing a comment about that when I got to the end. I picked up a 78 T140 a few months back. I hated it at first but now that I've gotten it tuned and running well it's growing on me. It's a fun bike to ride.
We couldn't resist the joke. At least we didn't push it down to the river and pretend to find it. These older Triumphs have a definite soul, I said that in the T120/CB750 video I did a couple of years ago.
Loving the end of the video. 😅
If I have any level of skill I would restore it.
Time and patience, when you find some, send it to me :)
Nice, dessert sled for my taste..
Seems a popular choice at the moment, and so much more comfortable than a hard tail! :)
As the 1975 is quite a rare bike because not many were made in that year. I'd be tempted to restore it back to how it would have looked in that year. Although I probably would not make it look like a new bike, just to what i'd call good condition for the year...
I think the frame numbers indicate 10,000 of the '76 model year, starting in August '75. I would suggest that makes it a little less than rare. But there will be fewer every year :(
@@SPANNERRASH of cause. The rare version was probably pre August 1975 with right hand gear lever. I read somewhere nothing was actually exported to the states in 1975, but maybe it was the 1975 model which wasn't exported.
That would make sense I think they only changed the gear change side to make sure they could get into the American market. Whenever I have found anything that I think is rare, when I check it is always the most common variety :)
Hi Spanner Rash, it's Andre in Canada again. Interesting new project. I have been commenting on the CB750 videos, since I am not a Honda guy and you've been a big help with a few tasks I had to do on my CB750 K0. I have an eclectic collection of about 80 bikes, mainly from the 1960's to the 80's. A few of them are British. One of my favourite bikes is my '72 Commando 750 Combat and this summer, I am also riding my '69 BSA A65 Lightning which I enjoy. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this Triumph. Personally, I would keep it closer to original rather than customizing it. I find that customization is something that can become a regret later on. Trends come and go, and at the moment, many are what I refer to as "cookie cutter" customs. The most common example is the bikes with a brown seat that looks like upholstered plywood, heat wrapped exhausts to hide the rust, rear subframe removed and the front fender deleted, making the forks flex. Look for an email from me. I will send you some pix of some of my bikes. 😉
Sounds like a great collection, and truly great words of wisdom. I glad you have go some value of the CB videos. I have fancied another Triumph for a while. I only have room for a very small collection :) 3 and sometimes even that seems too many! I am not intending to be too extreme and certainly don't intend to cut of the frame. Take care, I look forwards to the pix.
@@SPANNERRASH I sent a bunch of pix last night, but my e-mail is not always great at dealing with a lot of images. If you didn't get the email, let me know.
@@andreokazaki14 Thanks I will check it out!
Modify it will look great...
You can't go wrong with a Triumph twin, the nearly always look great!
Excellent, much as the bike is great, I really looking forward to the registration process! Been wrestling with the DVLA for over a year with an 1976 Honda CB550K ’without title’ imported bike from eBay.
If you join the VJMC club they can provide you with a dating certificate, just like the Triumph Owners Club did for me. I even think you can get a dating certificate from Honda, but I wouldn't know how. Good luck.
@@SPANNERRASH Evening, and thanks for the reply! Won’t bore you with the details but have the dating letter from the VJMC, the DVLA are the sticking point! I’ll watch with interest how you get through it and follow your lead. Keep up the good work with the channel!
@@yorkshirejoinery2869 Cheers! Definitely try ringing them, usually they are very helpful when you get them on the blower.
Make a street legal desert sled.
Sounds like fun. Maybe Dessert Sled might be more appropriate for me.... Only kidding :) Sounds like a great idea.
You should make it a hardtailed bobber!!!
Great idea, but I don't know if my back could take it.
@@SPANNERRASH fair enough haha can’t wait to see this build come together!
My vote for restoration maybe with some modernization underneath (electronic ignition, etc)
Maybe old school looks, with modern electrics. Sounds like a plan.
Restore the girl!!
That's a thought :)
@@SPANNERRASH I am on with a 1980 triumph bonneville t14e
Loving every minute!!
I have a 73 I am making a desert sled type bike out of, could be an interesting project for you to do.
Desert sled does seem to be a popular option. I am a bit worried about burning my leg on those high pipes, but I will think about it.
Scrambler build for me
I'll keep you in mind! :)
Best of luck. Be great to get it back to original
Cheers.
Fully approve of you throwing shade at the insultingly fake "find it and restore it" channels that are frankly the bane of TH-cam 👍👍👍
I am glady you got it! There seems to be a lot of people with sense of humour failure out there, maybe they didn't watch until the end of the video. If that is the worse this bike has seen it has done well, and it is going to get some love now. Take care.
rubbed mud all over it for the thumbnail? ffs
Watch till the end, it will all make sense! :D
Don't forget the dust and the weeds! :)
no robins nest ?
In 1976 that motorcycle was$2,000. In 1977 price was $2,800. In 1979 Triumph special was $3,698 same as a HD Sportster.
Could be that if you keep your bikes long enough you can make a profit on them. I suspect that $2k dollars scales up quite a bit between '77 and 2024. I remember getting paid 21p an hour in the early '70s, it would have taken quite a few hours to earn a Bonnie :)
@@SPANNERRASH At $2 per hour min wage you work 1,000 hours to get the bike. At $8.00 min wage a1000 hrs is $8,000 . So how come a new Bonnie made in Thailand costs $10,000+? Your money had more buying power in the old days.
Just when l think my little collection of Brits and Beemers looks bad l see someone with something that looks worse. Makes me feel better.😂
Take a good look at the one I restored previously when I first built my workshop. In comparison this one just needs a wipe over :) It's great having more than one bike to spread the lover over, but how many is too many?
@@SPANNERRASH l have over a dozen vintage British motorcycles and BMW'S. I ride my Sportster every day as l don't have a car.The bikes are in storage covered up. Some are stuck from sitting. Nothing some Marvel Mystery Oil can't take care of. I just redid the front end of my Sportster ,new fork seals, brake pads,changed the fork oil and the brake fluid. Put on a new tire as well. My other motorcycle is my URAL side car outfit.2 motorcycles on the road 🛣️ are enough.
Acetone will remove the gunky tank liner
Thanks for the tip. Acetone keeps coming up and getting a good press. I've had a container of it for a few years and never opened it, yet! I have something else in mind for it, which you might see in a couple of videos time, I will look at using it in the tank as well.
@@SPANNERRASH I used a gallon or 3 on a T140 to get the old liner out. Citric acid is good and cheap as a final clean
Stock restoration! The NVT clocks are correct for 1976 model year.
Thanks. I looked up the clocks after making the vids, funny how we forget things. Strange that they have been reset, hopefully it does indicate that the engine had a good refresh only a few hundred miles ago, it might make my work easier.
@@SPANNERRASH So hard to know what has happened to these poor bikes over the years! I’ve been very blessed to find many bikes from the original owners or sons of the original owners!
Like I said, archaeology! Keeps us guessing, and making up stories :)
Resto Mod or Rusto Mod.
Don't ruin another cool bike by cafe-ing it
I don't think this one will be going the cafe route. I don't think my back is up to it :)
Drum braked motorcycles tolerate storage better than disc brake motorcycles.l replaced the front brake cable on my URAL in 30 seconds. Couldn't be easier.Master cylinders on disc braked motorcycle 🏍️ always have to be replaced or repaired.
It's the moisture that the brake fluid attracts. Over 30 or more years it causes so much corrosion, cables are much easier to deal with.
@@SPANNERRASH Plus if the brake shoes are stuck nothing a little tap from a 🔨 won't fix.
are you sure it didnt come out of the Irwell
I'm nearer to the Humber here. But the closest river is actually called the Gypsey Race, but it's a trickle really :)
Flat track it
This does seem a popular choice.
Do A............followed shortly after by B.
Ha. It;s C and D that start to get sketchy!
rustoration please
its got its own unique style..will standout!
I do like a good oily rag myself, but I do think this might have gone just a bit to far.
@@SPANNERRASH if you do restore it, can you keep the tank? its a work of art in its own right. tacky for some but for me its cool!
i mean keep the tank on the wall or somewhere where it can be seen..
We'll see, I'm really torn about the tank. Despite the look of the liner, I don't think it is too bad. The art work isn't actually that good, I think it must be a stencil or a sticker underneath because they do look very similar, and the left hand one is flying backwards which I can't imagine they would have done if it was painted from scratch.
Yep agreed.... with last comment.... rubbed crap on it.... nobody puts a bike of that caliber in a garage with that crap on it..... shame on you...
Hanging my head, now! But if you watch to the end of the video you should get the joke.
new to the channel just subscribed then I saw the end with the fake addition of mud and stuff and unsubscribed really no need for that :(
We were having a pop at all of the fake river find videos! Most people who take offence haven't watched until the end, but we hoped people would appreciate the sense of humour. Take care.
More click bait, another channel to block ck
Watch to the end of the vid and you'll get the joke. Enjoy!