Little Monte goes to Vegas

[montmil]

Some time ago, a co-worker buddy, who has a serious addiction to collecting motorcycles, came home with a purchase from the annual Las Vegas MidAmerica Motorcycle Auction. John M and his wife, Elizabeth, have hit the Vegas auction every year since Jesus Christ was a seaman apprentice. In the process, he has acquired a large collection ranging from Ariel to Vincent.

This latest acquisition was a 1959 Triumph Model 21. A 350cc twin with that is often referred to as "a bathtub". I asked John about the rather obscure Triumph. He said that Liz wanted it so they bought it. He also said he was having trouble getting it to start.

After visiting with him at his home, I discovered John was thinking the nacelle-mounted lighting switch was also the ignition. Not so. Fortunately, I had a couple OEM Lucas ignition keys in my shop. Little more than a Spam can key, the Mod 21 fired right up when the ignition was in the "ON" position. From that day on, Liz referred to the Triumph as "Little Monte".

Well, "Little Monte" is on the block, along with several other bikes from John's collection, during the upcoming auction in Las Vegas 12-14 january 2012. I'm just wondering how much money I'll fetch when the gavel knocks down.

http://midamericaauctions.com

[Lucky_Lou]

Great condition, one sold here at auction for £4.5k the other day ($7k ish) my cousin Peter has one he is rebuilding at the moment lucky lad its parked behind his Sunbeam S7.
Lou

[nhmaf]

Wow! I must admit that I've never seen one of those models in person before!  Is that whole rear fender "cowling" a single piece of hand-hammered aluminum?

Odd-looking, but still graceful in its own way!

Good luck Monte, I hope you fetch a tidy sum.   Hopefully it won't give your wife ideas about auctioning YOU off on one of those "bachelor sales" things for charities - some of those little old ladies have alot of cash saved up in those purses...

[Lucky_Lou]

I note it has a pre 1975 UK plate on it ML denotes Manchester/Merseyside (Liverpool) registration area...... front plates on bikes were not required after then due to the number of pedestrians severely injured by them, (ouch)
Lou

[montmil]

Auction results not yet posted, but soon. I hope.

nhMike, the cowling was made by early attempts of molding plastic; not fiberglass as we know it now, but kinda similar. With the deep valanced front fender and the aft enclosure, the sales pitch was to keep the rider clean and free of splashed muck. Some riders thought it to be quite feminine in looks.

First one I ever saw was in Dallas as a group of motorcycles was following our family car. I thought then it was the most magnificent motorcycle I had ever seen. As the group rolled past us, this twelve-year-old was hanging out the window with his eyes bugged out... a female motorcyclist. Oh, joy!

Monte

[nhmaf]

I could certainly see where it would help to reduce, but not eliminate, the muck - though I'd be even more loathe to have to clean up under that cowling thing after 1000 miles of wet riding.

[montmil]

1959 Triumph Model 21

$5,500.00 . . . with MY key!

[davidpdx]

Here is a link to all of the prices paid for bikes I can't afford.

http://www.midamericaauctions.com/auction-items/?tyf=motorcycle&orderdropdown=PriceDescending&aid=854&type=motorcycle&myear=&make=&lotnumber=&submit=Filter