When Edward Turner took over as chief designer and managing director at Triumph in 1935 he set about rationalising an existing range of machines. His immediate objective was to eliminate the unprofitable machines and re-style the 250, 350 and 500 overhead-valve and side-valve singles. His main constraint was the advent of the new model year, or, specifically, the Olympia show. The timing was such that he was forced to compromise, to the extent that the 1936 model range became a sort of hybrid link, comprising what was, essentially, the previous Val Page designed bikes but now incorporating some of the design elements he planned for the fully overhauled 1937 range.

This inevitably leads to a great deal of confusion when establishing the correct specification for this model year. The parts book itself has appendices at each model for those parts that were introduced for that year, as against those that were carried over from the previous year. Broadly speaking, styling elements of the Tigers 70, 80 and 90 were introduced, including the names themselves, but the bikes were basically the previous models with a facelift. He had, however achieved his main objective, which was to get a Tiger 90 in its new silver colour and slimmer looking petrol tank, albeit with the heavy chassis of the 5/5, on to the cover of the show catalogues and magazines. In reality, buyers would have to wait another year for the magic Turner treatment to be applied to all models in the range.

All this makes restoring a '36 model extremely complicated as it is a confusing mix of the previous and subsequent machines. It can be done though and I know of one or two coming together. The last vestiges of the mid-thirties range lasted into 1937 with various parts from the old range finding their way on to the new models and I have found quite substantial 1936 parts (mudguards and primaries) as well as many detail components, on a late '37 model. It is possible that the new designs weren't complete when the brochure art was being prepared so precise specifications up to early 1938 just don't seem to be possible. It also seems likely that with the advent of the twin, at least some of the single cylinder models became much slower to sell and therefore incorporated some earlier parts. Particularly with the company publicity machine saying the twin was the future, the single was all over.

From early 1938 on, machine specifications seem to have settled down into a fairly organised schedule and the changes that appeared in 1939 are well-documented in Harry Woolridges excellent book: 'Triumph Speed Twin', published by Haynes of Yeovil.