Putting together a special is never easy, but add in the complication of being in a different country and speaking a different language from the one used where the bits came from and things get ‘interesting’. Reader Eric Gallardo explains.

This project started when one of my very good mates, Michel Ballester, gave me a Norton slimline frame. Michel has been an enthusiastic Vincent owner for the best part of the last 40 years and is currently completing a 17-year restoration of EV3 – the Egli Vincent tested by US magazine Cycle World back in June 1968 – but that’s another story.
This slimline frame languished in his workshop for a decade or so and Michel was kind enough to present me with this wonderful gift. At this time I was busy rebuilding my T110 engined Triton and keeping my 1968 Commando, 1955 S7 Sunbeam and girlfriend’s 1964 Tiger 100 on the road so I wasn’t in the mood for building another bike. Anyway, I found a place in my tiny shed to store the frame, for future use. A couple of years later, the Triton was going strong and the other bikes as well, so it was time to take my frae out and dust off the spider webs then ask myself what I was going to do with it. The answer was fairly obviously ‘a café racer’ but what type?
I wasn’t sure what type of power unit I wanted. A parallel twin engine wasn’t on my list, I wanted something different from my Triton and Commando. A big single was an attractive thought so I looked for a Gold Star or a Venom engine, though they are thin on the ground. Next avenue to try was Neville Evans who sent me a brochure of his Manxman engine but my enthusiasm was promptly calmed down by the figure at the bottom of the brochure. So what else?
While I was looking at my collection of old British Bike magazines – now sadly defunct – I rediscovered the Mighty Triton featured on the cover of the January 1988 issue and it became clear that what I needed was a big Triumph/BSA triple engine to fill my empty frame.

By chance I heard of 1972 T150V engine for sale from a dentist in Toulouse, about 200 miles from Bordeaux and at a good price too. So I purchased it, complete with a Grimeca 4LS brake and a pair of Marzocchi forks. This engine turned to be a very low mileage unit, with standard crankshaft but, inexplicably, the pistons were missing and one cylinder sleeve was broken, probably after the barrels having been dropped.
All other major components appeared to be in excellent condition so I ordered new bearings and seals for the rebuild. The work didn’t take long and I felt that using new ‘old stock’ genuine pistons, black diamond valves, valve springs and various bits from Trevor at LP Williams, heavy duty pushrods and mushroom tappets from Norman Hyde and racing clutch plate and copper rocker box gaskets from Triple Cycles would give me the best possible base for reliability.
The Norton Featherbed frame can take a fairly substantial engine so fitting the triple unit in was a relatively straight forward job. I replaced the T150 barrel studs with the later, T160, so it is now possible to remove the head with the engine still in its frame if it ever needs it. The carb gantry also needed a slight modification as the actuating arm fouled the left upper frame tube. I cut it out and rewelded it in a more central position. Anyway I find this to be in a better position now, compared to the original design, where the cable pull for the three carbs is from the far left side of the gantry.
I wasn’t happy with the Marzocchi forks and instead fitted a brand new pair of short Roadholder forks from the extensive spares stock of my friend Michel Ballester. The forks were modified using Commando internals, progressive springs and a damper kit, because the extra weight of the T150 engine forced the front mudguard against the front down tubes at the slightest touch of the brake lever. The modifications prevent this now.
At the rear is a Triumph wheel which was sourced at an auto jumble, along with the Dominator petrol tank. Both mudguards are Norton – Commando front, Atlas rear. The seat is a modified Atlas one and the exhaust system, designed by myself, was made by a craftman who used to do plumbing and fittings for huge wine tanks for wine merchants and chateaux in Saint Emilion. A very nice job he did of it too. I had the minimal silencer made by Unity Equipe to fit the 2in pipe and it sounds great.
The oil tank was home made, in alloy and proved to be the most difficult part of the whole project because of the lack of space. I removed all unwanted brackets from the frame and made new ones that my friend, Stephane Plunian, was happy to weld on for me. He is far more skilled at welding than I am and did a very neat job for me.
I’ve made my own wiring harness using a Boyer Bransden ignition kit and a power box also from Boyer. The bike ran without a battery but night riding, in the city, with the main lights on is almost impossible as the engine cuts out at each traffic light. This is because of low alternator output at tickover but I plan to fit a three phase system in the future as the output would be much more powerful from lower revs. A halogen pilot bulb would a cheaper solution though.


Both Grimeca and Triumph conical hubs were laced to chromed rims with stainless spokes supplied by Alf Hagon. The front rim is by Radaelli and the rear one an original Dunlop. It was the first time I’d tried to build my own wheels and I found this to be not as difficult as suggested, but very time consuming for a novice. My wheels are not 100 per cent true but good enough. It’s a job I’ll not be afraid to tackle again. All of the paintwork on the Triton was done by Michel who, as a car body repairer is experienced in this area and I’m more than happy with it.
The moment of truth came when I started the bike for the first time in November 2001, three and a half years after I bought the engine. I’d like to say it was perfect but the first year of riding was been plagued by a mysterious misfire above 4000rpm. After many attempts to cure this problem - which I thought to be carburettor related – I found at last that one of the high tension leads was the culprit. Thanks for this problem solving must go to the excellent website Triples On Line. This site is dedicated to Trident and Rocket 3 machines and I highly recommend it to any triple owner.
Today, after 6500 miles, my Tripleton is well sorted out and a delight to ride. I’ve won a couple of trophies at the Club Triton France rallies in 2002 and 2003 with it. I would like to thank my two mates Michel and Stephane here as I wouldn’t have completed this project without their help.