Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Vintage Royal Enfield => Topic started by: carlo on February 04, 2009, 09:07:39 pm

Title: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on February 04, 2009, 09:07:39 pm
Hi all. I've owned two Royal Enfields, a 1966 Interceptor, and a 1959 Tomahawk, for many years.
Followed the story of Indian built Enfields ever since I first learned there was a factory in Madras building 1954 Bullets for the Indian Army.
Things have turned out well. I've even bought a few parts to use on my twins.

Here's a picture of my Indian Enfield.

(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/caponerd/indianenfield1.jpg)

I'm on a public computer, and don't have any of my Interceptor uploaded to my photobucket account, but here's an interesting Enfield picture I was sent by a guy who used to race them in Southern California.
He was a pit crew member for Jimmy Enz, who ran Enfields at Bonneville (his bikes were acquired by Don Sliger when he passed away, and Don set several long-standing records on them)
Yes, the bike behind Jimmy's Enfield is that Indian.  Cooper Motors was loosely associated with Sammy Peirce who sponsored Mr. Munro (they didn't mention that in the movie). I think this was Munro's first of many trips to Bonneville. The highlights of his Bonneville career are compressed into one trip in the movie.

(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/caponerd/Enzgirls.jpg)
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on February 04, 2009, 09:14:40 pm
Oh dear. I forgot how big that picture is. Sorry.

Here's a couple more from my photobucket account.
These are of the guy who sent me that Bonneville picture from his racing days in Southern California.
He was sponsored by Cooper Motors, the West Coast RE distributor.

Bletz, if you're on this forum, hi!

(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/caponerd/Original-back.jpg)

(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/caponerd/REMatchless.jpg)
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on February 04, 2009, 09:19:15 pm
It appears that the edit link is broken. Sorry about that incorrect picture.

Here's the one I meant to link to.

(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/caponerd/RoyalEnfield.jpg)
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: Vince on February 05, 2009, 01:11:02 am
     Too cool for words. great stuff!
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: Cabo Cruz on February 05, 2009, 01:15:47 am
Carlo, welcome... I join Vince by echoing his remarks: "Too cool for words. great stuff!"
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: Anon on February 05, 2009, 01:53:23 am
Wow, those are great photos, and what a nice looking bike!  Is the Tomahawk one of the 500 twins, or one of the 700 twins?

Eamon
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on February 05, 2009, 03:05:23 am
Thanks for the kind words folks.

Yes, the Tomahawk was a 500 twin. I have the original engine, but it needs new main bearings.

In it's original form, the 1959 Tomahawk had no corresponding Royal Enfield model. As near as I can tell the cycle parts (wheels, mudguards, stays, casquette fork crown etc.) were identical to the 1959 Constellation. The only difference I can see from looking at the parts that originally came with my bike and pictures of 1959 Connies, was that it had a late type 500 twin engine, and a different seat.
It currently has the Meteor style front fender with an Indian chrome tip on it (NOS Apache part from Domi-Racer), and a Meteor rear fender with a later Interceptor stay on it to match the longer Interceptor swingarm that's on it, as well as the early type Interceptor seat, and of course the engine. I guess there isn't much of the original bike except the frame and title presently.
I'm planning to eventually get the 500 twin engine put back together and in the bike. I've always been intrigued by this engine with it's oversquare bore/stroke of 71mm x 64.5 (which is the same as the  old Triumph T100 Daytona)
I notice that this site lists various alloy fenders and stays for sale. I'm pretty sure that they've got something that would pass for the original Constellation types. I still have the original rear fender stay, but the bike was missing the front fender, and the rear had been hacksawed.
I was so anxious to get it on the road when I first got it, that I just stuck whatever I had available onto it. It ended up so nice looking that I haven't had a lot of incentive to correct it.
Ready availability of new parts that match the originals make the project more appealing.
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on February 05, 2009, 04:30:08 pm
Found an old shot of my Interceptor.
This bike was a basket case when I got it, with virtually nothing but the engine, frame and wheels.
In those days, there were few resources for parts and information, so I put it together with whatever I could find that worked on it. Most of the stuff is from other models of Enfield, except the aftermarket fenders, and the headlamp ears (off a Honda 350)

(http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/gallery/1661_05_02_09_8_25_46.jpg)
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: Cabo Cruz on February 05, 2009, 05:02:02 pm
Very cool looking, Interceptor, Gator!

(Carlo, I could not help but call you Gator following the word Interceptor.)

 ;D
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on February 05, 2009, 05:29:03 pm
Yeh, my avatar.

That's Albert.




Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: REpozer on February 05, 2009, 09:32:41 pm
Beautiful work !! Carlo
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: pknopp on March 22, 2009, 11:18:15 pm
 Very cool pics. I'm glad I decided to check out what was new. Thanks for posting them.
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: yogi bear on March 25, 2009, 01:21:31 pm
Dear Carlo
I am glad to hear that you like me are new to the Enfield forum,
all though I have been on it for a few months I still consider myself
fai ;Drly new.    The reason for this reply is that I cannot get your photos
up on the forum so  i cannot get to see them,is it therefore possible for
you to email them to me,my address is  hill0096@yahoo.co.uk    .
I have been riding motorcycles for45 years and i am still riding them
i am now on my fourth Enfield which is a 350 classic de-lux a nice
little bike.  Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours in Enfields
James Hill  {yogi bear} ; ;D
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: bob bezin on March 25, 2009, 10:26:24 pm
pogo and albert have always been my heros.
Title: Re: Longtime Enfield owner, new member to the Enfield forums
Post by: carlo on March 29, 2009, 03:14:16 am
email sent. Sorry it took so long to see your reply

Dear Carlo
I am glad to hear that you like me are new to the Enfield forum,
all though I have been on it for a few months I still consider myself
fai ;Drly new.    The reason for this reply is that I cannot get your photos
up on the forum so  i cannot get to see them,is it therefore possible for
you to email them to me,my address is  hill0096@yahoo.co.uk    .
I have been riding motorcycles for45 years and i am still riding them
i am now on my fourth Enfield which is a 350 classic de-lux a nice
little bike.  Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours in Enfields
James Hill  {yogi bear} ; ;D