Mudguard shape (possibly with rolled ends) and stay positioning is identical to those on Tom Tyson's period photos of his newly purchased '66 TT (see "Original '66 TriCor TT" sub-page under "Specs" tab). They are also clearly polished. The parts manual lists T120TT and Western TR6C Trophy Special fenders as "aluminium". This makes perfect sense: they were off road competition bikes, a TT racer and a desert racer, and the weight saving in using alloy would have been of obvious benefit.

 

However, the brochures (which all share the same illustration and notes) state "White and Grenadier Red painted steel fenders". The T120R has "stainless steel" fenders, according to 1966 Replacement Parts Catalogue No. 4. Only the 6T, Eastern TR6C street scrambler and the TR6R have plain (presumably, painted steel) "fenders". The Trophy colours for 1966 were Pacific Blue and Alaskan White, so the only model (according to the parts catalogue) which would have had "Alaskan White and Grenadier Red painted steel fenders" would have been the 6T - the "Easy starting, economical, reliable" tourer. This strikes me as a little perverse - why would Triumph fit the same painted mudguards to their low-performance tourer and high-performance competition bike?

 

I'm inclined to believe the "White and Grenadier Red painted steel fenders" specification for the T120TT, replicated in various brochures, may have been an error. It conflicts with the information in the replacement parts catalogue (which tend to be more accurate than the marketing material). The specification appears to have been copied from the brochures into JR Nelson's "Bonnie" book, used as a definitive source by restorers for decades, and the result is now we have a number of East Coast TT Specials restored to "100% original" specification with 6T mudguards fitted. (I accept I may be wrong - but I'd like to see a period photo of a 1966 T120TT first.)

 

I am a little more inclined to believe that some East Coast 1965 TT Specials left the factory with painted mudguards. Gaylin claims that all apart from the first 50 (more likely 55, as that's the number produced in the first August 1964 batch) had painted 'guards, alloy front and steel rear. The TriCor brochure specifies painted alloy front and painted steel for the TT in 1965, silver with Pacific Blue stripes. The T120R in 1965 had painted steel mudguards (unlike in 1966, when the road bikes had stainless steel ones) so sharing a mudguard design between the road sports bike and the competition one would seem quite sensible - though the alloy front ones would have to be specifically made for the TT.

 

I have corresponded with a guy in the States on Facebook who has a restored 1965 TT Special he's owned from new, which has painted mudguards. He confirmed that it had been fitted with them when he bought it. I have not had the same confirmation from anyone regarding the '66 TT mudguards, and the only period photo I've seen of an East Coast TT Special (Tom Tyson's) shows it with alloy 'guards. So I'm a little sceptical, though prepared to be guided by the evidence.