Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Matchless in name....


It was bound to happen at some point.  With my years long thirst for classic motorcycles it was inevitable that I would one day get my hands on a Matchless twin.   They are beautiful, different and fewer in numbers than my beloved Triumphs and fairly uncommon to own these days (at least on these shores).

It was also inevitable and a following of tradition that that bike be in as many pieces as humanly possible.   I am however, getting ahead of myself.



Before I delve into the heart of this story, I need to put the spotlight onto my 1973 TR7V.    I haven't really spoken too much about this bike as it is point of shame for me.  What makes it a point of shame exactly?   The fact that it was bought in the summer of 2007 and still hasn't been ridden or finished yet.  There has been work done,  lots and lots of it in fact.  Engine rebuild, powder coating, gathering of parts.  I have so many new or new near parts that I can't remember how much of what I picked up 9 years ago is still there.  

I think for me the biggest problem was I kept changing my my mind about what I wanted.  With the explosion of the custom movement in the last decade,  The desire to create my own machine often took hold of me.   One could easily get lost on Bike Exif or Pipeburn being inspired by the various creations from around the globe.   The Creative side of me was longing for a canvas to express myself with.  Then there is the other side.  The traditional side,  the side that is angered by a good original bike being chopped for the purposes of said creative expression.  Do I express myself or do I make it 'Right'?   In the end, I decided on a path of compromise, involving change but not irreversible change.   This has been the journey of the bike for the last 9 years.   Do I want these pipes?  This headlight?  These forks?  etc.

Back around Christmas I decided to do two things.  One was watch the entire series of Happy Days from beginning to end (more on that in a future post,  Everything ties together.) The second was to finish the Triumph.   I was on track, purchased loads of parts from Walridge and Ebay and was all set to go. I told myself that at least one of my projects deserved completion.  I was all set to wrap it all up with a stock bow, when I found myself wanting this:

Not the actual Fonz bike, but a reasonable Facsimile.


The Fonz's Triumph.  Should I give the TR7V a Fonz flavour?  Then the wheels were turning again.

You may be asking at this point,  how the hell does any of this lead to a pile of Matchless parts?

Hang on, we are nearly there.

Being February, I decided to look around locally for any cool bits and pieces that might look good on the Triumph.  I like to follow the 'Market' and see what people throw up for sale and what they want for it.   A vague ad for 'Matchless Parts' with a couple of poor mobile phone pics caught my attention immediately.    The photos had an ominous feel to them, looking as though these forlorn parts were left in a barn, lost to time.  

I knew I shouldn't call and actually did resist for a couple days, but curiosity got the better of me.  Did I need another project?  Of course not,  however I could use some parts to sell to supplement my income during the lean months.  

I gave in and called the number in the ad and spoke to Dave, the owner.  He didn't seem to know exactly what he had, more or less a couple frames and engines and pile of other parts.  He was 3 hours away which didn't deter me as I had the time on my hands.  

My father came with me for this one, which is nice as we get to spend some time together.  At nearly 80 years of age I am blessed that he is physically still able to be a part of these proceedings.  I sometimes wonder if I keep doing this because I enjoy the journey;  The reflection on the drive there, the excitement of what the quest may hold.  There is also the joy of interesting, like minded people, visiting new places and seeing interesting things.  

We were greeted by the owner's father, a very eclectic fellow and Vintage Indian owner.  He had a very interesting barn/shed/machine shop.  One of his items on display was a steam engine he had built from scrap lying around and a vintage St Laurent boat engine from the 1920's  that he was restoring.  While we waited for Dave, his father took me up to the loft where everything was stored.

After a brief assessment of what I could see, I knew that the asking price was too high but that somewhere under all the rust and dirt there was a diamond waiting to shine.  I threw out a fair number that I could live with and a deal was struck.  We lowered everything down and into the car, which was full to the brim. 

On the way home I thought about the TR7 and felt a little guilty,  I told myself that it would roll this spring more or less as Meriden intended.  I looked in the rear view mirror and took in my new acquisition.

But what exactly had I bought?   

More on that next post.























Thursday, February 18, 2016

Updates and more updates...


Ah, the Throes of February;  Generally for me the low point of the year.  I only get a couple days of work a week,  the weather is poor and my garage unheated.

I am very pleased to say that this year has been far less trying;  With the low Canadian dollar, selling of parts has gone better than usual (unfortunately not so much for buying) and the weather?

This was taken a week and a half ago..


Unfortunately the weather hasn't quite held to this high standard, but the reprieve was more than welcome.   That quick blast through the country side with Katie has me smiling, even as I write this.

I will never be able to say enough about how wonderful these bikes are.  I can't think of anything else on the road with the level of style, performance, reliability and fun for the money.  While I choose to remain mostly stock, the custom possibilities for modern Triumphs are seemingly limitless.


All told it was a good year for riding,  She turned over at 29,000 on my sister's birthday back in December.   If you have read previous posts, I have explained the connection so I won't go into it here.   She passed away at 29 years of age and to see that number on Katie's Odometer on that day  I know she is still with us.



Very little was required maintenance wise this year apart from an oil change, new rear spoke, new rear inner tube and rear disc.   These are all items that are par for the course, especially when you commute daily as I do.  This spring she will be getting progressive fork springs (something I bought years ago, misplaced and have found again) fresh oil all around and fresh brake fluid.

I also need to consider some new rear shocks, at the moment I am leaning toward a set of Hagons.

Some high grade cleaning products to enhance and preserve the black engine casings and frame are also on the list.   I've been doing research, primarily on the Triumph Rat forum and some Harley forums.  The general consensus is that this stuff is best:

http://www.s100.com/s100_eb.htm

I believe I can get it locally and will post the results once I have given it a go in a couple months.

Onto the VW!

With the help of my very good friend, (who is wary of Online media so no names or photos used) we have acheived an astounding amount work:

Here is the current state of affairs:



Here is a quick breakdown of the work (off the top of my head)

- New Floor welded in
-New heater Channels welded it
- Various patch panels applied 
-New front clip welded in
-4 cleaned and repainted wheels
-New tie rods 
-New front shocks installed


My friend will be taking the car to his property to finish the welding work in the spring.  I have all the parts required to finish the work including a brand new wiring harness.  I hope to be driving in primer at least by September!  I am thankful to some great people on The Samba forum and for the holiday sales (with free shipping) from CIP.ca.  


Next entry we will cover some new exciting projects and new rust removal techniques.  

Stay Tuned! 
















Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Farewell Daisy


* This entry was written and intended for publication in September of 2015.





I feel like a bastard today.

A deep sadness culminated this morning when I unloaded pieces of Daisy at the scrapyard.
Laying among discarded barbecues and beer caps,  I told myself she deserved much, much better.

Perhaps I should start with an introduction before I reach a Farewell.

I first saw Daisy in 1995 in all her faded almond green splendor.   She humbly sat, still bearing her English plates at the back of the driveway.  A 1969 Morris Minor imported in the early 1980's by my sister's best friend's Mother (did you follow all that?).

Daisy had been an integral part of the family fabric for years, both abroad and here in Canada.  Taking the girls to school, getting groceries,  a true member of the family.   As we know though, sometimes family members become ill and even worse, pass on.

I hadn't thought of her in quite a few years,  until I received a pop up message on Facebook from the owner.  She was selling her home and wanted my thoughts on what to do with her oldest friend.

She had been offered a paltry sum for Daisy, scrap value essentially which seemed a touch out of order.   I made arrangements to come by and visit, not sure what would await me in the backyard.

Sadly it was far worse than I remembered, the sills were rotted and the car couldn't be moved safely.



The only option I could offer was sell her for scrap or cut her up and salvage the valuable parts for sale.  The owner agreed and my father and I began a months long process (on weekends a couple of hours at a time) of cutting, (bleeding) salvaging and responding to ads posted for parts.

As Daisy became smaller and smaller each week, I felt worse and worse.  That sinking feeling that I was destroying something special, I even found myself apologizing to her aloud as I took angle grinder to her quivering frame.

When the rust was settled, I did sell on the engine, front grill, windows and several other bits with others remaining to be posted on Ebay.

As I stood in the scrapyard, unloading those pieces that no longer served purpose,  "Come Together" by the Beatles blasted from a stereo in the main building.  The irony wasn't lost on me as she was sent off to a song that very well could have played on her stereo when it was first turned on.

It seemed to me that another piece of history was dissapearing at my hand.  The fact that I couldn't have saved her, regardless of space and time constraints didn't seem to matter.  This cut deeper.  It was the active participation of destroying a small part of world that I recognized, that I knew and loved.  A simpler way of life or as I prefer to see it, a more honest life.

Daisy was built by men and women, real people earning a proper wage, feeding a western economy that has all but faded.  That meant something and it still should mean something, but it just doesn't seem to anymore.  She had tremendous charm and character, something else direly lacking from our modern roads (and world frankly).

The thought of melting her remains so she could become a tawdry, poorly made Chinese barbecue that someone will buy at Walmart horrifies me.

Those that know me, truly know me, might understand my obsession with all things old and wonderful.  Even then, there is a perception that I am a hoarder (despite my constant selling of goods).  It is an incredibly difficult thing to quantify;  There is no easy explanantion to the uninitiated.  I have said 'This is an important bike because....(fill in blank)'  more times than I can count to blank stares.

  If any one of them felt as I did when I let Daisy go, they would never ask me why again.  They would understand what it's like to let a little piece of magic slip away from our modern world.



Not the real Daisy, but exactly as she would have looked in her full splendour.