Part 5
The story so far is my Ascot is being built by Joe at Jack Lilley's.
Steve goes to France to pick up the Ascot kit from Mecatwin. He
sends me pictures of the build, which is great. I respond.
Early
Build Pictures
S-Mon 05-03-2001 23:14
We have started work on your bike and if I remember I will take a
picture later this week to show you your bike "in bits".
S-Wed 07-03-2001 1:55
Sorry about the quality of picture, but it was a real rush tonight.
Of course,
I was very happy to start getting the pictures of the Legend that is to become
an Ascot. Up until then everything had been talking about it, now the action
had begun.
A-Wed 07-03-2001 21:34
Pictures are great - you've really got into this technology stuff,
haven't you?!? There's a mention about you in the
Hinckley-Triumph-digest
a few years back when you first got e-mail and a website, saying how you
were on a rapid learning-curve! Obviously, you've come a long way, as
have we all, in a short time.
If you can spare a few minutes at each stage of the bikes
progression, a picture record would be a great thing to have.
S-Thu 08-03-2001 19:09
I will try to take the pictures as we progress and when you
come over I'll introduce you Joe who is building your bike.
S-Fri 09-03-2001 18:16
Once Joe starts pulling the engine
apart I'll take some more pictures for you.
A-Sat 10-03-2001 18:11
Looking forward to them; and, indeed, meeting you all, especially
Joe, now that he's the midwife for the baby, so to speak!
If we document it's building with pictures, I can make a folder for
them in the Yahoo! list sites or even my own site (and you yours once
you get control of it again). Must attract others for such a special
edition.
S-Tue 20-03-2001 0:11
Hope these come through OK.
A-Tue 20-03-2001 6:25
I really appreciate these pictures. If you can keep them coming,
especially on the changed parts and accessories, I will make them into a
great album on the build.
S-Wed 21-03-2001 22:24
Before I could get down to the Service dept, Joe had fitted the
pistons and cams.
A-Fri 23-03-2001 7:33
I really do appreciate these pictures. Makes the waiting so
interesting as well as exciting. What I'd like to have is pictures of
the things that are changes on the stock parts, as they go on. You've
mostly been doing this .... like the forks and the Ohlins (any news?)
and the build of the kit on the rear frame.
A Chinese colleague commented that he'd never heard of a dealer
providing such excellent service by sending pictures. When he saw the
workshop photos he thought he was looking at a hospital operating
theatre. Most local workshops are cramped, jammed full of parts and
bits. They even do servicing in the street!
Steve
collects Ascot Kit from France
S-Sat 17-03-2001 18:30
Oh, I go to France next Friday to collect your kit, I will try to remember to take the digicam so you can where it all comes from.
Quite a trip. Leave home 3.00am to catch the Eurotunnel train at
5.21am then blast down 100kms South of Paris, collect the kits and
then straight back home. With luck I should be home before midnight.
Someone said "another day off". Right!
A-Sat 17-03-2001 23:48
Good luck with the trip to France - some day (and a half)! How many
other for Ascots have you got?
A-Fri 23-03-2001 7:33
Hope the trip to France goes OK and you enjoy the riding, early start
or not. Have a good weekend!
S-Sat 24-03-2001 20:48
Made it home OK.
Enjoy the pictures.
700.1 mile round trip.
Left 3.00am got home 10.50pm and of course they were not ready
for me so had to hang around for 4.5 hours whilst they got everything
together.
A-Sun 25-03-2001 20:35
You must've been knackered. Typical French, not being ready on time!
Thanks for the pictures (again). They had the same effect on me as a
kid seeing his birthday present all wrapped up. I wanted to see what was
inside! Patience will tell, no doubt.
S-Mon 26-03-2001 18:26
I should have known really. The first time there they were 2 hours
late!
I'll take some more pictures as we progress.
Build
Pictures
S-Thu 29-03-2001 23:09
Enjoy.
S-Thu 29-03-2001 23:10
Enjoy some more.
S-Thu 29-03-2001 23:12
Hope they all arrived and are OK for you.
My
Response to the Build Pictures
This
below is my considered response to the great set of photos Steve had just sent
me.
A-Fri 30-03-2001 1:17
More than all right. Brilliant. Thank you very much. You're right,
what a very pretty bike!
Particular plus points are:
- the Beringer disc
- the fork protectors, essential for the small stones here
- the tyres look great and should, if Pirelli's claims are right for
them shift the typhoon rain well
- the Ohlins shock
- the oil cooler, as you say fits in so well
- the centre-stand making it look good compared to the other two on
side-stands
Again, overall what a superb looking bike. It'll be the envy of
everyone, here in HK and on the e-mail lists. Must go
to bed. It's nearly 2.00 a.m. but I couldn't go to bed without looking thru all
the pics, could I?
Thanks again for superb service.
I
wrote to the Triumph lists in Yahoo! as well.
A-Fri 30/03/2001 09:03
You're all in for a treat! I've shared
the pictures Steve Lilley has sent me. My Ascot is now finished. Joe,
the mechanic who built it, even took it out for a run today and says
everything seems fine.
Only second thought I've had is to revert to a plain Triumph tank badge,
instead of the T-bird gate.
I'm really pleased the way the oil cooler worked out, using the one from
the S3. Only the hoses had to be made specially.
Steve reckons this bike will get over 100 bhp at the rear wheel when
it's run in.
The 3 into 3 exhausts and flat slide carbs will be added later (after
testing / registration!!).
Thinking of adding the National Cycle small fly screen with black
support. Should fit the looks OK?
Can't wait. Like a small boy waiting for his birthday!
Enjoy with me.
S-Fri 30-03-2001 21:24
I'll be interested to hear the reaction of the lists to your bike. We
gain as much satisfaction in building them and not having to cut
corners.
Continue
.... 
