Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Steve McQueen Desert Rider

Came across this documentary yesterday on Prime video , what a treat! No doubt some have seen it before however if you haven't or would like to see it again Prime has it on their list. I remember reading Cycle World back in my teens Bud Ekins name would show up often in print associated with desert runs something a young enthusiast in southern Ontario could only dream of. I now have a much greater appreciation of Steve McQueen's abilities and enthusiasm for the sport.

I am in the process of building a desert racer from a 1965 Bonneville that came from the Dallas Texas area.

Now that I can do pictures again.

What year is that? That's an old Monoblock carb but the primary cover is later. Not just the eyebrow but there is no round cover to expose the timing marks. 500cc.

It is a 1965 Bonneville, but someone put a 68 single carb head on it. It is a true T120 first sold in Bombay India so it has the British tank not the American tank. Somehow it made it's way to Dallas Texas then to Lafayette Indiana. I found it sitting in a gentleman's living room. It had been there since 1983. I am getting ready to get back into it. The project stalled when Chris had his accident. If you have Facebook here is a little page I did on it.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2222518467807809

T120? That's a 650 Bonneville, It looked to me like the front engine mount was 2 metal plates not a cast part of the crankcase. Now that I look closer I see it isn't. That primary cover confused me too since it looked like the later T120 cover. ( used on 650 and 750 cc bikes) Quite a bit later than 65. Then you have the monoblock carb, That is early. Timing on the 65 is a little harder than the later unit construction bikes. You will need a degree wheel for the cam shaft, and a crank plunger or small socket and drill bit to get the piston at TDC then zero the degree wheel. Then turn the engine to 32º BTDC so you can set the points fully advanced. Then you have to repeat the whole process for the set of points. ( no need to do anything with the degree wheel ) but you have to turn the engine for the other cylinder.

That sounds about right. I have a whole new tool box full of specialty tools and Whitworth wrenches since I started this project. I am learning a lot. Not sure how I want to put it back together. The whole back to original thing does not appeal to me. Since it has a desert racer background from a weekend warrior I am thinking of heading that direction. It was fun taking it apart. i mean he was using anything he could find to keep it running. Thank God for the World Wide Web.

You won't need Witworth on that bike. They used standard SAE stuff on that. Only specialty tools you will need is the timing plunger and degree wheel unless you want to take the engine apart. If that has the later model crankcase and crank shaft to go with that primary cover timing is a piece of cake. The later bikes had 2 holes drilled in the crank, TDC and firing position.

The year is close, but if that Triumph has only one carb it's a TR6 Trophy.

" One thing that never changed however, was that a TR6 always had one carburetor & a Bonneville always had two. Pre-unit TR6s were known as "Trophy", but after the unit-construction machines arrived in 1963 & the Triumph Tiger T110 disappeared, the street version of the TR6 became known as the TR6 Tiger & the street-scramblers with high pipes were called TR6 Trophy."

You are correct except that the heads are interchangeable and many guys put single carb heads on dual carb engines for ease of tuning. The crankcase number and vin is the best indicator.

You are correct concerning the VIN. It would be interesting to know if they match, most likely do, never the less it's Billy made a great find.

I've never heard of someone turning a Bonnie into a TR6, usually the reverse if done at all. Bare with me I'm old, but I seem to remember the TR6 was quicker than a Bonnie in a street race, the Bonnie dominated on the turnpike.

When I first saw Billy's bike it brought back great memories of my frat house from 1970. Parked was a stable that included my Bonnie, a TR6, a Daytona 500 and a Trident. We had great times, of course we did, you could drink beer in Kansas at 18.

I have a Daytona that has a single carb head on it that was put on before I got it. I also have a Bonnie with a single carb head on it, also put on before I got it. I have done it too, no carb sync or balance to do. I have some twin carb bikes too. The TR6 was quicker and my favorite bike was a TR6C, the C stood for competition and had a hotter cam. I still have it but it needs to be rebuilt now for the5th time since I have had it. Great find for sure.

I have a book, triumph motorcycles from 1950 to 1988. By Steve Wilson. It has all the details of what in on the old bike factory specs, specials and so on. Parts list, rebuild info.

Someone gave me the book years ago and I am not planning to do any restorations.
Is this something that any of you can use? If so, it is free, less the shipping.

I have all that info but thanks.