T160 Barn find- literally!!!

After many months here is an update, I have been steadily buying parts mainly for anything that is beyond restoration or simply more cost effective.
I have drained all the oils, it had wet sumped of course so most came out of the primary side. I have checked the gauze filters in the sump and oil tank filter and no signs of debris, metal or anything at all really, clean as you like..
Valve clearances all in tolerance, had the carbs cleaned and refurbed with new parts, gaskets, but not the needles as they looked spot on. The whole idea is still to be as original as possible and only replace parts if completely unserviceable. I had the tank painted in the correct colour scheme, inside the tank was flushed and again the painter was suprised how good it was inside.
So my plan before stripping it right down was to see if it would run, fat chance were my thoughts and so many people thought this is not the way to go and advised me to strip the engine regardless. What happened next?????
Collective thoughts, what’s your money on?
Steve..


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Carbs fitted with new manifold rubbers, new oil lines, new fuel pipe and new plugs leads and caps.
I rigged up a dummy fuel supply, but first fill with fresh oil and kick the bike over until it was all through the system and returned to the oil tank, so far so good..all the electrics seemed to work but a bit intermittent but we seemed to have some sort of spark albeit weak. I didn’t do a compression test but it had some compression. So fuel turned on and tickled the carbs to flood them I turned on the ignition and kept my fingers crossed. After a few kicks nothing doing, checked plugs, dry as a bone, plugs in and more carb tickling to flood it through.. kick some more and nothing doing, lots of petrol leaking from tank rig…..
More tomorrow


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To the few who are following this, I appreciate the interest, so I’ll keep it brief..a quick call to a mate who rudely reminded me the errors of my ways with Amal type carbs and having not played with these carbs for 20 odd years I was immediately taken back to an old T140 I owned and the basics came flooding back..
‘Open the throttle full, boot it over a few times ignition off, flood the fuckers again, turn it on, plenty of gas and it’ll go’…Away we go, 1st kick, signs of life, 2 nearly but wrong stroke, pffff, 3 and she lights up, quickly dies but hey I’m getting really excited, flood again and let’s go, and I think miraculously it literally roars into life, open carbs gasping for fuel and air, only downpipes fitted, it was seriously alive and kicking!! I’m absolutely delighted that it all really sounds ok and I have started it a number of times since. It gives me great pride that at least what was languishing in a barn for 30 odd years still has a chance to be resurrected back to being the last Meriden hope of a superbike that was just too late, yep I’m rambling and loving it..the beauty of motorcycles eh !!

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Great to hear she's running - TOP motivation to get cracking with the rest of it.

Hats off to you. It looks such a mess, I would probably have broken it for parts. Well done for saving it.
 
The joy of bikes indeed! : thumb2 just the cosmetics now! :augie

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Really not a fan of old bikes, apart form Trident or Rocket 3s, no idea why but they just tick the boxes for me......What a brilliant find
 
Flappytabs said:
Paul did you ever hear John Youngs Son of Sam? It made your ears bleed but ayecaramba it sounded good
Click to expand...

Yes I did Andy

He started it up at the Peterborough Show and it was parked next to a building

It physically rattled the glass to the point I thought it was going to fall out of the frame :D
 
Always loved those. I had to decide between a 1976 T160 and a 1978 Honda CB750F2 in 1982 when I graduated from my Superdream. The T160 is so pretty. The Honda was more money and i went for the Honda :blast. Still it was reliable and took me at 21 on my first foreign jaunts :)
 
Thanks all for the positive comments, it would be nice if I could upload a few videos of the bike, it seems you can’t upload video unless someone knows how?
Probably for the next few weeks I am going to strip it down fully but the engine in one heavy thing, that will be the hard part even with spare hands..
Or I could just refurb the swing arm and yolks and leave the frame for now, all the rusty bits are generally hidden by the tank, seat and side panels, obviously sort out the wheels and brakes etc but I’m not 100% sure yet.
My head tells me to strip it completely and it will obviously take a lot longer but finished article will be pukka.
What do you all think, full or partial??
Just looking at the pics here I think I know the answer, best get cracking
Tank sorted tho
Thoughts on a postcard*
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It's too far gone to leave so a ground up restoration is what I would do

OK T160's are £8k

Decent T160's fetch £10k

Really nice T160's are £12 to £14k

It all depends on what it owes you as to how much you are prepared to spend?
 
Good to know it's a runner.I reckon a full rebuild seeing that you have the ability to do it because you will always know that even though the rusty bits are mostly hidden you will obviously know they are there.But,your bike and so your choice.Good luck whichever way you go for :beerjug:

Kimbo
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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