VIC’S TERRIFIC TRIUMPH
It is said that familiarity breeds contempt, but who on earth could show an iota of contempt towards the builder of this miraculous machine. If you care to step back in time (October ’99 issue) you will in fact see much more of this gentleman’s work.
Vic Jefford was the proud owner and builder of the stunningly beautiful GSX trike featured in the pages of the aforesaid issue. The trike has now gone to new pastures and Vic’s attentions have been turned to two wheels.
It just so happened that a worse for wear Triumph 750 engine of 1956 vintage lay quite peacefully in his garage. Unfortunately for the motor it was unable to disguise itself or make a timely exit for the door before Mr. Jefford dragged it kicking and screaming into the workshop for a major stripdown. No stone, casing or bearing was left unturned in the following rebuild. The original T110 cases now provide comfort and a place to repose for a T140 crankshaft dressed in new main bearings. Mated to this were rebored T140 barrels and pistons and cylinder head sporting a lovely pair of gold plated rocker covers. The black wrinkle finish on the crankcases was a mischievous prank on Vic’s part, thinking that at some point in the future the engine is destined to end up on someone’s autojumble stall whereupon the new owner will have to go through hell and high water to remove it!
Vic’s original plan for carburation was to fit a pair of twin choke Weber’s but was changed at the last minute for the super-duper SU carb gleaned from the engine bay of some rusting old Austin. In terms of fuel consumption and the ease of operation of an SU, I would say that a wise decision had been made. Drive to the unbelievably massive rear wheel is via a Triumph close ratio slick shift gearbox and a belt drive system courtesy of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, namely from their much overrated Z440 model.
Vic machined the ‘moon disc’ type pulley covers from aluminium. The belt tensioner started life on a sugar beet harvester, as did the rear wheel drive shaft. Made from no less than EN14 mild steel, it is more than adequate to do its intended duties. To give an idea of the strength of the stuff, a 3.0 litre Ford Capri’s half shafts are made from the same material apart from carrying the number EN14A. The rear wheel is a10 x 15 Metro 6R4
magnesium kindly donated by Pete Stansfield of Yorkshire Rally Spares. It was given to Vic by way of a challenge along the lines of ‘If you can get that wheel to fit a bike then you can have it’, it did fit and he did get it.
The brake system nestling inside the wheel is a Lockheed separate system. Two separate braking systems within one wheel. It satisfies the DOT and is legal tender out on the Queen’s highway. The fluid is pumped to the calipers via a seriously modified pair of Suzuki rear master cylinders. The reservoirs machined by Vic himself and look so much better than any standard or even aftermarket item.
The absence of any sort of rear mudguard means that driving through field upon field of cowpats is a non-starter. Things weren’t always that way though, Vic tells me that at one stage a rear guard was incorporated into the frame; three days and an immense amount of swearing later it was junked in support of having a tidy looking rear end (!) and a wet back. A sore point in the Jefford residence because Vic’s partner Linn was in her own words ‘mortified’ at the decision to remove what appeared to be a perfectly excellent piece of engineering.
The frame.. Ah, that wonderful masterpiece of engineering was again Vic’s own design and construction. Internal lock stops prevent the heavy forks from damaging the tank and breaking any fingers in the process. Minimal rear swing arm is fitted with a Kawasaki ZX10 rear shocker with six-position ride height adjustment to give the rider some comfort and stability whilst battling with the humungous front end. Eagle eyed readers will note the complete lack of a side stand mount. That’s because its one of very few bikes that can stand on two wheels without the aid of a stand. The rear wheel keeps it balanced enough to do away with such frivolities.
The seat upholstered by the versatile Tony Archer provides more comfort, while Vic himself undertook all moulding of the welds on the frame. In fact there is very little on this bike that wasn’t designed and created by Vic. I’m not sure if that is an endearing compliment to the man’s ability or his reluctance to part with money. In the interests of my own safety I would suggest the former. A very well known company specialising in the production of pre formed stainless tubing took care of business in the front fork department. PCP of Malton, experts in all aspects of stainless steel were approached to supply the 47mm diameter tubes required for the front end, boasting a 5mm internal wall and very little in the way of unnecessary mountings, they more than compliment the rest of the bike’s carefully planned looks. A friend in Kirbymoorside put the odd
shaped fork yokes together courtesy of top class CNC equipment, working to Vic’s original drawings. I can’t help imaging them as some sort
of giant Neanderthals knuckledusters! Once again, PCP are responsible for supplying the preformed bends that go into
making up the very nominal exhaust system. What ailencers?
For the oil tank a cardboard template was made but leaked all over the carpet, so Vic had PCP construct a stainless one to his specifications. This one does keep oil to itself. On the third attempt Vic constructed a pair of handlebars that he actually thought suited the machine. A friendly piece of advice from a friend, Billy, was to manufacture an inverted clutch lever and internal throttle, advice that Vic readily admits to be of the Good Kind.As with the trike mentioned previously, Martin Stubbs was the man with the sufficient talent to lay on a good paint job. Something relatively basic that compliments the rest of the machine was ordered and it came back dressed in this guise. The fuel tank had in earlier times held a capacity of three gallons, after it had been attacked by the Stihl saw it then brimmed over at just over one gallon. Fortunately we are talking Triumph here and not GSXR1100 machinery so it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
An awful lot of careful thought and forward thinking has gone into the designing and building of Vic’s Triumph, from the early days of having the motor sat on a railway sleeper using a broom handle as front forks to the finishing touches of each hand crafted footrest. It shows too, with Vic and Linn completing the bike only hours before this years Rock and Blues Custom Show and taking the award for best of show. No mean feat when you consider that the majority of the engineering work on this bike was undertaken within a six-month period in a basic agricultural workshop. When Blue rang me to tell me that the award had been cast in his general direction, I was over the moon for him. I can’t explain why but it felt as if we had all won something…don’t ask ‘cause I just can’t tell you why. Something
along the lines of well deserved or ‘couldn’t have gone to a better
guy’.
As always there is a multitude of good people who deserve recognition for their help or hindrance. Will the following people stand up in line to receive their awards: Lovely Linn, PCP, Martin Stubbs, Steve at NB Coatings, Pete Stansfield, The T140 Shop in Newcastle for excellent service, Mattie for the polishing, Tony Archer for the upholstery, Billy, and yet again John and Iris without whom this project would have been a sight more difficult.
Well done, Mr Jefford.
Words & Pics: Blue
Pictures: Yoda www.bikerlifestyle.co.uk