More Guzzi Chronicles…

I have just returned from the USA, a trip that included a visit to the Barber Motorcycle Museum, and the 10th anniversary Vintage festival held at the Motorsport park. This is my second visit to Barber, and it just gets better every time, although it is in danger of becoming a victim of its own success. With so much nowgoing on around the park, it is impossible to get to see it all in just three days.

1970 Ambassador

The swap meet is massive, and there are bargains to be found, if you take your time, and have done your research. One such bargain came back to Georgia with us in the back of the truck, as I managed to do a deal on this 1970 Moto Guzzi Ambassador, that has had an 850 upgrade kit fitted.

Down Georgia Way

The bike rides great, smooth gear change, but does need a little work to tidy it up. Right now we are working on getting the bike shipped over here to the UK, but there really is no hurry.

Moto Guzzi Ambassador

The Guzzi Chronicles, cont…

Once again the Guzzi Ambo is all back together following on from having the heads reworked, and the valves and guides replaced, and once back together the old girl fired right on up, perfect. This bike has now had a full top end rebuild in the year I have owned it, having previously done the the barrels and pistons with the Gillardoni kits that are for sale. And now the heads.

The bike sounds great too, no nasty noises, it ticks over like a good watch. It is a great bike, and I wish I could keep it, but that seems unlikely right now, as I recently lost my job, so it may have to go as I need the funds. this hardly seems fair after all the work I have put into the thing, but then life sometimes just isn’t fair.

Moto Guzzi Ambassador V750

Guzzi Head

Moto Guzzi Ambo

The Guzzi Chronicles cont…

Headwork.

I mentioned a while back that I had an issue with the exhaust thread on one of my Guzzi heads,  and so with a repair in mind I ordered up a threaded insert to fix the problem, well that was way back in July, and as of today there is still no sign of it turning up! So instead a couple of months back I set too looking for a good used head to use instead, and lucky for me, one of the Guzzi guys in the US, had one he would send, for just the price of the postage, and he did.

So I pulled the heads from the bike and sent them off to be cleaned, and took the time while they were away to order new valves and guides, these duly arrived, so I took the whole lot to a local engineer to have the guides fitted. Of course in this modern age nothing you buy as a replacement part fits any more, and such was the case with the new valve guides, they were too large, and the engineers had to take three thou off them to make them fit. But finally I got them back, the seats had been cut too, so it just took a little light grinding in, to get them right, and after a leak test all was good, and they are now ready to be re fitted this weekend.

Rebuilt Heads

New Valves

Good Threads

The Guzzi Chronicles …

Once again the Guzzi finds itself in bits, this time the heads are off again, and are away to have new valve guides fitted. A year has slipped by since I bought the Guzzi, and I am still finding things that need attention.  A year, wow where did that go, the Guzzi has been fun over the last year, fun, but frustrating too.

One of the problems I have had since owning the bike has been the right hand exhaust lock nut thread on the head, some time in the past, the nut has come loose and damaged the threads. So one of the Guzzi guys in the US sent me a head with good threads, but as I was unsure of the valves I have decided to do the valves and guides on both heads at the same time.

Now I have only done a little over 600 miles I guess, since fitting the new barrels and pistons, so I was a little surprised to see the amount of carbon build up on the new pistons for such a short amount of use. Also their was damage to the head gasket on the right hand side too. A split at the oil way, and on both sides some damage to the main copper seal?

Head Gasket

Carbon

Left Hand Side

The Guzzi Chronicles…

One of the things I have decided to do this winter is to refurbish the heads on my Guzzi Ambo, So I have bought new valves and guides ready to pull the heads apart, this should then finish the top end on my bike, as I have already done the cylinders and pistons, etc.

Guzzi Head #1

Guzzi Head #2

Guzzi Head #3

All Quiet In The Shires…

I have been laid up now for three weeks, since my trip into hospital, so as such I have not done anything motorcycle related, which I find frustrating. The weather is what you expect this time of year, wet, windy, and getting cold. But mixed in with that are some real nice chilly sunny days, days like today when you would like to get out for a ride, and get some pictures of what remains of the autumn colours.

So, I have things to do on all three bikes when I feel better, and able to do it. my R80st has been with me now for five or six years, I forget which, but it was bought as a project back on an October day, and dragged back here in the back of my van.  Right now it needs a couple of pushrod seals changing, this will be the second time I have done these since the bike has been in my ownership. But I might wait to do this until the new year.

My R80st

BMW R80st

My Moto Guzzi Ambassador also needs a little work right now, and I shall put this one at the front of the que. I am waiting on a couple of parts to arrive right now,  one being a used cylinder head for the right hand side, as the one fitted has lost the exhaust threads, so the exhaust is glued in place! it has been working Ok, but it is a job that I have wanted to do for a while.  So I am debating on whether to do the valves and guides on both heads at the same time? I shall see when the replacement head gets here.

I also have some new springs on order to fit in the distributor, the small springs that go on the throw out weights, this should be a fun fiddly little job. I also want to change the front brake shoes, as they scream loudly when applied, working better than a horn, and surprising all around.

Moto Guzzi 750

And of course my Norton project.

I still have a long list of jobs to do on this bike, and a long list of parts to find also.  But I have the wheels sitting here with new tyres fitted, so as soon as I am able to go and get it from the metal basher, I should at last have it up on two wheels. I can then set to with fitting the motor, and gearbox, and maybe even getting it all wired up. While I look around for the other main parts I need to get it somewhere towards being finished. I do however have a fairly long list of parts that I now need to concentrate on finding.

Chain cases, clutch assembly, headlight, switches, mudguards, stays, magneto, dynamo, carburettor brakes, both front and back, Now this may not seem a lot, but there are some tricky parts to find in there.  I also have some smaller parts that need making up on the lathe, steering stops, plunger caps, etc. I also want to get my oil and petrol tanks in to be painted, I have thought long and hard over this one, as there are so many different styles of paint on these bikes that have been done over the years. But I have scoured the internet for ideas, and I think I will go for something like one of these…

Norton Paint

Norton Paint

Saturday Morning…

Blue sky, open road, and a Classic Moto Guzzi.

Open Road, Blue Sky

Life don’t get much sweeter!

Berkshire Triumph..

I took a ride out on my Guzzi Ambo over to the Berkshire Triumph show, hosted by the local TOMCC, the sun disregarded the broadcast severe weather warning of torrential rain and flash floods, and instead beat down on us under blue sky’s all day. I do however think the weather warnings played a part in holding some of the people back, as numbers were down on last year.

Triumph Bobber

The Guzzi ran better than it ever has in my ownership, the clutch was almost smooth and not grabbing in first, and even though it got quite hot in the local Saturday traffic, I had no oil leaks from the motor. That just leaves the small weeping leak from the back of the gearbox to sort out at a later date.

Vintage Kawasaki W650

If you would like to see more pictures from the show, there is a slideshow here…  http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p62847141/slideshow

Guzzi in the Spring Sunshine…

Just a short bimble on my Guzzi…
Just to warm it up so I could change the oils, and find the stripped threads left by a previous owner, that now need sorting out. Luckily they were only on a level screw, and not a drain plug.

Spring Sunshine

Cooling Down by the Kennet

At the Kennet and Avon Canal

I now have a new oil leak, after curing all the others, this time from the distributer, I guess there is an oil seal or o-ring at the base where it goes into the block, although it does look like it is coming from above the distributor stand? we shall see.

The Guzzi Chronicles, Cont…

Well after a day spent rebuilding my Guzzi Ambassador chasing the oil leak that has plagued me from day one, and finding more than I bargained for when I opened it all up as you can see below…

cause of oil leak on left hand cylinder…

Blown head gasket

And signs of problems on right hand cylinder…

Damaged bore

So I pulled it all apart and fitted new Gilardoni kits, and had it all buttoned up and running yesterday, so today I thought I would give it a ride out to my local MAG ( motorcycle action group) show, on a bitterly freezing cold Easter Sunday… BRrrrrrrr!

Honda CB250 Cafe

Harley Panhead Bobber

After a fun but cold day it was soon time to head for home, the Guzzi ran pretty good, just a little popping from the exhaust to sort out, but overall I am happy
with how it ran, and to top off a fun weekend, my bike won “Best European” in the show too.

More pictures here….  http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p384160536/slideshow

Best European Winner.