got a really cool email from alp sungurtekin yesterday. he was at bonneville last week racing his 1952 650cc pre-unit triumph thunderbird which he completed only 11 days ago, just in time to get to haul *** to the salt flats and race his machine, called “kursed.” as alp tells it, the machine is named for “all the s**t that kept happening while i was building it.”
![1952 triumph thunderbird land speed racer | alp concept design](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-225aacZ16FY/TlbFBMMVcMI/AAAAAAAAFc4/loibjXo6pME/s1200/1952_triumph-thunderbird_speed-racer_alp-concept-design.jpg) |
kursed at 2011 bonneville land speed record trials |
the frame is stock and alp moved the foot pegs to the rear a bit. it has an original (reconditioned by alp) triumph pre-war girder front end. it was raced with no fairing and has 100% steel oil and gas tanks.
![1952 triumph thunderbird pre-unit in progress | alp concept design 1952 triumph thunderbird pre-unit in progress | alp concept design](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5L_zg5chBWk/TlbAIE7HQbI/AAAAAAAAFck/aJWpa--prcI/s1200/kursed_in-progress_alp-concept-design.jpg) |
kursed in progress in alp’s los angeles shop |
alp’s girlfriend, jalika, sewed the seat pad by hand using genuine leather. alp tig welded the lightweight stainless pipes, fabbed the fender and much more. as with all of alp’s bikes, there is a lot of detail in the build but we’ll let the pictures do the talking from here.
![hand-sewn seat pad by jalika | alp concept design hand-sewn seat pad by jalika | alp concept design](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cEPY4bt-OQE/TlbE0sagMQI/AAAAAAAAFco/tPjeigwYz84/s1200/hand-sewn-seat-pad_jalika_alp-concept-design.jpg) |
jalika’s seat pad |
alp is very proud of jalika. everybody dug her stuff, including a seat she recently made from elk leather, and she has already had an order for another saddle. congratulations, miss.
![alp installing brakes after changing gears, sprockets and adjusting chain alp installing brakes after changing gears, sprockets and adjusting chain](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7YwF-Ow_TGU/TlbE8Yf6aPI/AAAAAAAAFc0/845uZSxBHSA/s1200/alp_installing-brakes-after-changing-gears.jpg) |
alp installing the brake after changing gears, sprockets and adjusting chains |
![alp prepares for a speed run alp prepares for a speed run](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1p786xpAaU/TlbFC0qD9eI/AAAAAAAAFc8/W_jg_OzfdfQ/s1200/alp-prepares-for-run.jpg) |
alp in line getting ready for another run |
![alp securing kursed to truck while talking about land speed racing with gentleman alp securing kursed to truck while talking about land speed racing with gentleman](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGRLEOypp5Y/TlbAC-lqOuI/AAAAAAAAFcY/NSVXPPrkzaw/s1200/alp-securing-kursed_bonneville2011.jpg) |
alp talking to about vintage land speed record (lsr) racing while securing kursed on a truck |
according to alp, many vintage bike and triumph enthusiasts visited his pit area where he made lots of friends and shared stories.
![alp getting shade at bonneville salt flats alp getting shade at bonneville salt flats](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8_r67qXWjQ/TlbAGMzkPyI/AAAAAAAAFcg/AGai9CnZ3P8/s1200/alp-getting-shade_bonneville2011.jpg) |
shade: a very valuable property |
![alp tightening rear of bike alp tightening rear of bike](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HYr7vkkQzIw/TlbAE7HXp8I/AAAAAAAAFcc/-oc2rhw667o/s1200/alp-tightening-rear_bonneville2011.jpg) |
more adjusting the rear after changing gears |
![tyler and alp tyler and alp](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ui1yZEDy-EI/TlbE6D1wN4I/AAAAAAAAFcw/ny5btsAt2CM/s1200/alp-and-tyler_bonneville-land-speed-racing.jpg) |
tyler from lowbrow was a great help to alp |
ultimately, kursed hit 113.275 miles per hour (182.298 kph). not bad for a 60 year old trump.
thanks for all the cool and exclusive photos and info, alp. may great success and trustworthy brotherhood follow your every build.
![pre-unit triumph thunderbird speed racer | alp concept design pre-unit triumph thunderbird speed racer | alp concept design](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k1vEhhtkS00/TlbE3eTncCI/AAAAAAAAFcs/b8WXyKr3NaM/s1200/triumph_land-speed-racer_alp-concept-design.jpg) |
sunset view of kursed before heading home |
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WFA….way cool dude!