Description
This motorcycle is Lot 75 to be auctioned by Bonhams at the Timed-Online January Sale, please see the Bonhams website for full details. The timed online auction runs between January 17th through January 27th, with lots closing from midday January 27th 2025.
Public Viewing:
Available 22nd January 2025 from 09:00 until 17:00, by appointment only at Bonhams Milton Keynes.
Lot 75
c. 1965 Triumph 100cc Tina/ T-10 'Truckster'
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. none visible
Engine no. none visible
Offered here is an exceptionally rare example of the Truckster, a commercial development of the Triumph Tina/ T10 scooter. "Learn to drive in minutes the AUTOMATIC way! No gears, no clutch: the Triumph T-10 automatic is always in the right gear automatically." Triumph's advertising certainly went out of its way to ensure we got the message about the Tina's ease of use. Introduced in 1962, the 'twist-'n-go' Tina was powered by a 100cc two-stroke engine and equipped with a variable ratio transmission that employed a 'V' belt and expanding pulley rather like that used by DAF. Renamed 'T-10' in 1965, the Tina remained in production until mid-1970, never having been the success its makers hoped for despite the admirable commuting credentials of a 40mph top speed and 100mpg fuel consumption.
This Triumph 'Truckster' is an extremely rare survivor, having been discovered earlier this year in a Bedfordshire barn where it had remained untouched for over 20 years (see images on file). Its rarity appealed to the dedicated owner, a professional mechanic, who embarked on a careful and sympathetic recommissioning of the vehicle. Works undertaken included the following:
Crafting and installing new wooden footboards
Renewing the rubber matting
Recovering the seat
Draining and replacing the fuel
Minor rewiring of the ignition switch
Welded repairs to the rear cargo platform
Following this work the little Triumph roared back to life and appears to run well (see running video), although further attention is required (it is difficult to start when cold). A sticker beneath the speedometer reads: 'AUTOCYCLE. Run by Enthusiasts for Enthusiasts, 50 CHURCH STREET, MOXLEY, STAFFS', which may be where the previous owner acquired it. The odometer reading is 233 miles, but otherwise the machine's history is unknown. Further research revealed only one other known example: at the Coventry Transport Museum, one of the UK's foremost collections of motor vehicles, which includes two world record-setting cars: Thrust SSC and Thrust 2. Museum volunteers were thrilled to learn about this newly discovered Tina Truckster (see email correspondence on file) and confirmed that the model is extremely rare (it is believed that only some 10 units were manufactured, with reportedly only four sold). Originally priced at £200, they were intended for local light deliveries but never gained popularity.
Converting the Tina into a Truckster involved cutting off the scooter's rear section just behind the control pedals and the mounting of the banking front section on a steel tube frame pivoting on the rear chassis, which housed the engine and drivetrain, an arrangement similar to that of the Ariel 3 (see below). A bearing system, complete with grease nipple, ensured smooth movement.
While the Coventry Transport Museum's example has a chassis number located on the underside of the steel tube, no such number has yet been found on this one; however, further cleaning may reveal it.
References to the Triumph Tina Truckster are scarce, though icenicam. org mentions it: "Another non-production creation was the George Wallis three-wheeler Tina Truckster with a tilting body, of which around twelve prototype models were built in 1967 as a concept development for the notorious BSA Ariel 3 of July 1970. The Ariel 3 also used Tina's design of trailing-link, rubber compression/ rebound, boneshaker front suspension."
In conclusion, this is a possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Triumph or scooter enthusiast to acquire a unique piece of British motoring history; ideal for restoration, it could serve as a Goodwood pit vehicle or be used for promotional purposes.
The machine is offered unregistered and without documentation, requiring further recommissioning or more extensive restoration, depending on the buyer's preference. It is sold as seen and comes with a useful selection of associated spares, many of which are new-old-stock, including:
Wheels and tyres
Headlamp/ control nacelles
Silencer
Drive belts
Brake shoes
Horns
Cylinder barrel
Cylinder heads
Seat cover
Con-rods
Headlamp (with broken lens)
Kickstarts
Other miscellaneous parts
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
