1958 Triumph 6T Thunderbird, 650cc. Registration number 205 ...

Estimate

£4,000 - £5,000

1958 Triumph 6T Thunderbird, 650cc. Registration number 205 TME. Frame number 019963. Engine number 6T 020599.
Sold with the V5C, V5, dating certificates and photographs.
1958 was a very good year for Triumph Motorcycles. On the road race circuit, Triumph twins were finally beating BSA Gold Stars, with an overall victory for the 650 twin at the last Thruxton 500-miler. To capture the American market, the 6T Thunderbird used a variant of the earlier Speed Twin's parallel twin engine, bored out from 500 cc to 650 cc to give the added horsepower American customers demanded. From 1960, the Thunderbird acquired Turner's rear fairing nicknamed the 'bathtub' on account of its shape. This unpopular feature, dropped quickly in the USA market, remained in ever-abbreviated forms for the home market until disappearing altogether for the final year of production.
TME is basically a one owner machine, being bought by James Campbell of Kilmarnock in November 1958, very soon afterwards the engine failed and was replaced by the unit now fitted. It remained with him until our vendor bought it from his son in 2017. There are receipts on file from the mid 1990's and several photographs. In later life it underwent an colour change.
Our vendor has stripped the bike down and restored most parts, including getting the tin ware repainted in the original peacock blue over ivory. The restoration has stalled due to ill health and it is now being sold needing reassembly.