Topica Loopframe_Guzzi Archive
 

Subject: Re: My Loop takes its first roll

Author: Darrell Dick

Date: Mar 10, 2002, 5:31 AM

Post ID: 1709816817

Well, the grab bars are there mostly because I had them. I may put on a
pillion pad or bags. I figure the grab bars will help to hold on leather
bags. They help to put it on the centerstand too.

Darrell
On Sat, 9 Mar 2002 21:50:08 -0500 Robert Hawkes <haw-@frontiernet.net>
writes:
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Darrell,
Nice job. Why do you have grab bars on the back? Are you adding a
pillion
seat? Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: Darrell Dick <ddic-@juno.com>
To: <Loopfram-@topica.com>
Cc: <tammy_-@hotmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 8:28 PM
Subject: My Loop takes its first roll


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Well my project is really starting to shape up now. This week's
part
 infusion seems to have gotten it to the "real" bike stage. I had
the MG
 Cycle boys send me a set of petcocks and cables. Voila! no more
fuel
 leaks and the cables are the right length. Thanks, Rick and
Gordon. The
 bike lit up nice and runs steady. I think the the motor is going
to be
 sweet. Thanks, Brad Kopp. I should have done it before, but I
noticed the
 headstock was notchy, so I tore it down and washed the 30 year old
grease
 out of the bearings and re-lubed. Nice and smooth, now. I rode it
a few
 hundred yards too. It is a little too muddy around here to do
more.
 
Some background.. I bought the hulk of a '71 Ambo back a couple of
years
 ago. It was very rough and butt-ugly, but mostly there. After a
while I
 pulled the motor. When I lifted the heads, I found the cylinder
were in
 sad shape(serious chrome flaking) as well as the pistons (broken
rings).
 I found the sump was loose, so I decided to pull the lower end
down too.
 Well, now the rear main journal was slightly undersize. So I
started
 shopping for rebuild parts. I happened to connect with Brad Kopp
through
 this list who was breaking a V700. He said the motor was in good
shape so
 I bought it for much less than what a rebuild would have cost.
Turns out
 the V700 motor is in real nice shape. I bought another Ambo parts
donor a
 little while ago to replace some of the other worn or missing
stuff. It
 looks like Kev Graff is going to resurrect the remains of that
beast.
 
Well I just got the sheetmetal back from the painter and it looks
great.
 Since this bike is a real Frankenstein creation, I didn't feel
compelled
 to go for an restoration. Instead, I made it the way I wanted it.
It has
 BMW maroon metallic paint with silver accents. John Prusnek
supplied the
 decals (Thanks, John). I bought a Harley Shovelhead seat off Ebay
and
 added that to the mix. There was nothing left of the electrical
system so
 I rewired it my way. I built an aluminum switch panel and mounted
it on
 the handlebar clamps. I used automotive style switches, push-pull
for the
 lights and spots, push buttons for horn and dimmer. I put
everything on
 heavy duty automotive relays. I used the stainless steel Ford
tailight I
 was talking about recently. The horns are Fiaam look alikes from
the
 local tractor store. The mufflers are left overs from my BSA
Lightning.
 
I'm real happy with the way it turned out. As usual, I'll have
more
 invested in it than I anticipated, but I sure had a lot of fun. I
still
 have a lot more to do before it's road worthy. I need tires and
there is
 a lot of details to be sorted, but it's a bike now! Take a look,
http://communities.msn.com/GuzziParts/ambofirstpix.msnw?Page=Last
. The
 pictures aren't very good. When the weather is better, I'll do a
better
 job.

Thanks for listening!

Darrell Dick
Imlay City, MI

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