Whats it all about ?????

Over 30 years of buying, breaking, building, cutting, welding, riding and selling greasy old mo'sickles. Bare bones bikes from the middle of nowhere!

Tuesday 31 May 2011

The Skinner Special comes home



The 1931 Triangle Skinner Special has been acquired by Burlen, owners of the SU Carburetter Company.

If you didn’t already know, SU stands for Skinners Union, a Ltd company formed by the brothers Herbert and Carl in 1910 shortly after they patented the idea behind the legendary ‘constant depression’ SU carburetter.

The Triangle Skinner Special is the direct descendent of a Supercharged Morris Minor SV used as a publicity vehicle by Morris to show that their new ‘£100 Morris’ could reach speeds of 100mph and a fuel consumption of 100mpg. The car attained the 100mph target at Brooklands over an officially timed mile. It was then gifted to the Skinner family and converted into a hill climb special by Peter Skinner, son of Carl, in the early thirties.

The car has a significant continuous history showing its journey from the hands of the Skinners, through the post War years and onto its present owners. Of particular note was when in the hands of Ted Lloyd-Jones (of Triangle Garage fame). He was responsible for rebuilding the chassis and bodywork to fit around the Hudson straight eight engine, and it is in this guise that it remains today.

More recently the special was owned and driven by Andrew Harding and it was by pure coincidence that he made contact with Mark Burnett, Managing Director for Burlen. Mark remarked, ‘We had used a picture of the car that we had in our history file for an advert which Andrew had seen and contacted me for a copy. We got talking and he mentioned that the special would be for sale soon. It was an opportunity we felt we couldn’t miss!’  When asked what intentions were with regards to the car, Mark answered, ‘...it’s a very special vehicle to us and this acquisition completes an eighty year cycle of ownership, back into the hands of the SU Carburetter Company.

Monday 30 May 2011

Sunday 29 May 2011

BRC Classic and Custom show Muir of Ord

Rode the Scout along with Tim on BlackBob, wet and windy day made brighter when BlackBob got the trophy for best chop







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Saturday 28 May 2011

There can only be one justifiable reason

To have a number plate rhis size fitted!!!!



MOT time ;oD
Another year of bare bones fun

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Thursday 26 May 2011

True

Had a bit of time in my hands thus afternoon, finished off the front wheel for the Indian. Manged to get the side throw to within 5 thou each way 8-)





Finished and fitted an old but sound 3.25x19 Firestone "ribbed for pleasure" balanced the whole lot while i was at it 8-)


Started to strip down an 18" Goldie hubbed back wheel. Borrani rim needs a bit of massage then laced up with 0.5" more offset using a new set of specially cut stainless spokes.




Friday 20 May 2011

Knitting

Lacing up a t140 hub to an ebay find 19" borrani rim, just need to true it up now













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Thursday 19 May 2011

The Engine Room

Recently i cleared out the old stock room in the shop, moved in my drill press and some hand tools. A week later i have my Chief motor built. Next in line is a wheel build ...... sometimes you get so much more done when you switch off the computer!


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Saturday 7 May 2011

Are motorcyclists the new caravanners???

Every day, from april through to october, i run from the Black Isle NW to Achnasheen. i've been doing the same run for the last 12 years, sometimes on a modern sportsbike, sometimes on a stripped down classic bobjob other times by car, jeep or lorry but always the same road.
Its a 50 mile stretch including a stop in Dingwall for fuel and whatever we need from the shops..... I love the road, always get a buzz, know where i can really push on and where to back off.... But recently ive noticed a real menace on MY road.
"Motorcyclists" usually in groups of three or more, always bunched together ( for safety???) and more often than not crawling along at 45-50 mph with a convoy of pissed off locals trailing along behind!
Yesterday morning it was a group of three, young guy up front on a Fireblade, older guy in the middle on a fully loaded Dragstar and a woman wobbling along behind on a little cruiser The lorry in front of me couldnt get by them, i couldnt pass h cos they were so bunched up and after 15 miles we had ourselves a convoy!!!
Funny thing was i overtook them on a long straight and carried on the final 10 miles at a steady er.... sensible speed, arrived at the shop, opened up, had a coffee an the three riders pulled up outside. They came into the cafe sat down and started bragging to each other about how fast they had been ridig and what a great road it was!!!!!
WTF!???!


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Tuesday 3 May 2011

Godspeed

The workmanship on this tank is incredible, follow the links through the how to by artist Otto Carter in Texas
Godspeed

Monday 2 May 2011

Bank Holiday Monday, working in the shop......

Brought BlackBob's carb and throttle up with me, gave it a clean and set up the cable so the return is a bit snappier 8o)


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