Help me identify my dads classic Triumph

[SamAdams]

So I’ll preclude this with a bit of info about my father. He’s 65 and loved triumphs for years. He ended up settling down in Oregon and lost the itch to ride. He was just diagnosed with cancer and I came home to spend time with him before I left for college (I’m in the Army Guard and has been spending time doing training and being with my wife). We were talking and he mentioned having a triumph under the house (kind of drive in basement that’s filled with old machinery). I’ve had an itch for a classic motorcycle to ride and decided to check it out. He thought it was a 500cc Triumph Trophy but I’m having trouble figuring it out. Any info you have on the motorcycle or opinions on possibility of restoring to rideable status would be amazing. Thank you!

 

[tridentt150v]

Just below the cast iron barrels stamped into the alloy of the cases and on the left hand side there is a serial number, tell us what that number is? BUT for security leave off the last two numbers. So T100 DU123XX as an example.

Also, to be sure to be sure....on the same side and just on front of the gas tank on the front frame downtube there is also a set of numbers....these should match the engine serial numbers but may not if there has been a motor swap.

 

[Rocky]

Just below the cast iron barrels stamped into the alloy of the cases and on the left hand side there is a serial number, tell us what that number is? BUT for security leave off the last two numbers. So T100 DU123XX as an example.

I agree, post the frame and engine numbers and we should be able to help you.
Very sorry to hear about your dad.
The bike looks pretty rough and it's going to take some time and money to get it going again.
I don't know anything about your experience or skills with old bikes, and I'm not trying to discourage you, but you may be facing a daunting task.
All the best to you and your dad, and good luck with the bike.

 

[grandpaul]

Sorry to hear your Dad can no longer ride; my parents hated bikes, so you had a better time of it than I did.

I think the serial number will read T100 H######

It's definitely a 500, and is a single carb model, so a Tiger.

Looks rough, but I've started with worse!

Also looks like it has headers or shorty TT pipes, plus tall handlebars.

They're great little bikes if you weigh 175 or less. Any more than that and it might not like highway speed for too many miles without straining.

1. clean the bike off nominally (use foamy engine degreaser and a hose)
2. Change the oil (drain plug on the oil tank, and the bottom of the engine). Gastrol GO! 4T 20w50 Do not round off the head of the engine drain plug.
3. flush and drain the gas tank (Evap-O-Rust from a hardware store), check that the taps can still flow, or change them.
4. Pull the carb and clean it out, soak in 1-gallon can of Berryman's Chem-Dip for 30 minutes in the sun. FLUSH WELL and blast dry with compressed air.
5. New battery 12V 4AH sealed on ebay for like $25
6. New spark plugs (might be NGK B8ES, but not positive)
7. Pull in the clutch lever and kick till it "slips through". This procedure "unlocks" the clutch plates and is NECESSARY!
If the clutch fails to unlock, you'll have to pull off the left engine cover and remove the 3 clutch screws, then pull out the plates and separate them with a thin screwdriver.
8. Drain the left side of the engine and pour 1/4 cup Castrol 10W30 or ATF back in.
9. Drain the transmission pug at the rear of the bottom of the engine (double nut), replace plug but remove the small nut, refill with Castrol Hypoy 89/90 till it just dribbles out the small nut.
10. Check the brakes and adjust as necessary.

That should see the bike start and run.

Get on with it!

 

[Rocky]

Great advice from GP as always. That should get the engine running
Unless you're only going to do loops around the neighbourhood for the fun of it, I highly recommend that you replace the tires and tubes before going out on the road.
Make sure the ground wires are clean and tight and check the light bulbs.
If you intend to keep the bike and ride it I would also get a repair manual specific to that model. Lots of great info in it to help you along.

 

[triumph david]

Looks like most of everything is there, keep us up to date with some pictures as you progress. Sorry to hear about your dad, hope things work out for you and your family.

 

[SamAdams]

Thank you so much! I personally have little experience with mechanic work but my father is a mechanic so I thought this could be something we do together. I appreciate the advice and I’ll pick up the stuff I need today (I’m just finishing up a make up drill for the guard). I’m excited to hopefully have my dads motorcycle running for him to see again.

 

[Rocky]

That would be very cool to get it running again just to see him smile at the sound.

 

[SamAdams]

Sorry to hear your Dad can no longer ride; my parents hated bikes, so you had a better time of it than I did.

I think the serial number will read T100 H######

It's definitely a 500, and is a single carb model, so a Tiger.

Looks rough, but I've started with worse!

Also looks like it has headers or shorty TT pipes, plus tall handlebars.

They're great little bikes if you weigh 175 or less. Any more than that and it might not like highway speed for too many miles without straining.

1. clean the bike off nominally (use foamy engine degreaser and a hose)
2. Change the oil (drain plug on the oil tank, and the bottom of the engine). Gastrol GO! 4T 20w50 Do not round off the head of the engine drain plug.
3. flush and drain the gas tank (Evap-O-Rust from a hardware store), check that the taps can still flow, or change them.
4. Pull the carb and clean it out, soak in 1-gallon can of Berryman's Chem-Dip for 30 minutes in the sun. FLUSH WELL and blast dry with compressed air.
5. New battery 12V 4AH sealed on ebay for like $25
6. New spark plugs (might be NGK B8ES, but not positive)
7. Pull in the clutch lever and kick till it "slips through". This procedure "unlocks" the clutch plates and is NECESSARY!
If the clutch fails to unlock, you'll have to pull off the left engine cover and remove the 3 clutch screws, then pull out the plates and separate them with a thin screwdriver.
8. Drain the left side of the engine and pour 1/4 cup Castrol 10W30 or ATF back in.
9. Drain the transmission pug at the rear of the bottom of the engine (double nut), replace plug but remove the small nut, refill with Castrol Hypoy 89/90 till it just dribbles out the small nut.
10. Check the brakes and adjust as necessary.

That should see the bike start and run.

Get on with it!

I’m having trouble identifying what battery to purchase. Any recommendations?

 

[grandpaul]

NEPTUNE YTX4L-BS 12V 4AH RECHARGEABLE BATTERY , SNAPPER WALK BEHIND LAWN MOWER 763979884315 | eBay

 

[SamAdams]

I apologize for the delay. Getting my dad to treatment and managing that has been difficult and we just now made it up to his house. I took more pictures of the motorcycle as well as the numbers. Those numbers being:
Ad07882 T100C they are matching.

 

[SamAdams]

I apologize for the delay. Getting my dad to treatment and managing that has been difficult and we just now made it up to his house. I took more pictures of the motorcycle as well as the numbers. Those numbers being:
Ad07882 T100C they are matching.View attachment 42783View attachment 42784View attachment 42785View attachment 42787View attachment 42788View attachment 42789View attachment 42790View attachment 42784View attachment 42785

 

[grandpaul]

1970 Triumph T100C, would have had scrambler pipes upswept on the left side.

A diamond in the rough...

Here is a restored one, just like new. Color is "Jacaranda Purple".

I think that is the sun's glare on the seat top, it is supposed to be black.

 

[Rudie]

Ad07882 T100C they are matching.

1970 Triumph T100C,

The "Triumph T100C" is correct, the Model Year is wrong - it's '69 - some 1100 T100's were built in January 1969 incorrectly-stamped "AD" instead of the correct "AC".

For further clarification, note that '70 Model Year Triumph twins use the same number sequence as '69 - begun in October 1968 at 00100 or 00101 (depending who you read) - and the first '70 Model Year T100 was KD27866 built in September 1969, so one having a number starting with a zero cannot be a '70.

A '69 T100C would look very similar to the picture posted by "grandpaul" except the colours would be Lincoln Green and Silver. Similar to the Jacaranda Purple in the picture, Lincoln Green was also a Candy Apple colour, made up of a translucent Green-tinted lacquer over a Silver 'ground coat' (Candy Apple's term). Once the tank was sprayed all-over Silver, a broad stripe was masked either side of the tank's top seam before the Green lacquer was sprayed; so, when the masking was removed, a broad Silver stripe was visible either side of the seam.

 

[triumph david]

Sam, you have a good bike to restore seems it is unmolested, that's a big plus! Keep us up to date with your project.

 

[grandpaul]

The "Triumph T100C" is correct, the Model Year is wrong - it's '69 - some 1100 T100's were built in January 1969 incorrectly-stamped "AD" instead of the correct "AC".

For further clarification, note that '70 Model Year Triumph twins use the same number sequence as '69 - begun in October 1968 at 00100 or 00101 (depending who you read) - and the first '70 Model Year T100 was KD27866 built in September 1969, so one having a number starting with a zero cannot be a '70.

A '69 T100C would look very similar to the picture posted by "grandpaul" except the colours would be Lincoln Green and Silver. Similar to the Jacaranda Purple in the picture, Lincoln Green was also a Candy Apple colour, made up of a translucent Green-tinted lacquer over a Silver 'ground coat' (Candy Apple's term). Once the tank was sprayed all-over Silver, a broad stripe was masked either side of the tank's top seam before the Green lacquer was sprayed; so, when the masking was removed, a broad Silver stripe was visible either side of the seam.

I've dealt 98% with 650s and 750s, only had my hands on 2 or 3 500s in the 30+ years that I've messed with Triumphs, so am not nearly up on the details as you, my friend!

Very good stuff to know.

 

[tridentt150v]

Those numbers - while the background triumph stamp looks unmolested and correct - don't look right???, they are just too crooked and sloped. I think you may have a set of 'new' cases that have been stamped by the owner, not the factory. It could be that the number is the same as original, but I have doubts that the factory did them. This would mean that the original cases were damaged and discarded, but I am guessing this part.

The frame numbers look original.

 

[grandpaul]

Those numbers - while the background triumph stamp looks unmolested and correct - don't look right???, they are just too crooked and sloped.

I've seen MANY Triumphs stamped with slanted stampings like that.

 

[tridentt150v]

Ok, will accede to your experience grandpaul….but I've never seen it on any Triumph [and I've seen a few as well].

 

[triumph david]

My T140 is stamped like that.