My own Moto Guzzi project

........with an idea as to how it's going to look and not a clip on in sight !

Something Different

I called in to see my friend Stan, mechanic and Mot man, the other day and didn't even initially notice the little Puch when walking into his workshop. I'm not sure what is was there for though would guess a mot. I asked whether it was a young lad that owned it,but apparently it's a chap in his 50's. It's got a big bore kit fitted taking it to 70cc .
   The other two pics are of Stan's race replica's that he builds and has outings on at Mallory Park and Brands Hatch.
   He also has a Wes Cooley GS 1000 based replica.

Moto Guzzi project

I'd spent quite a bit of time digging out the caked on semi solidified old oil from the fins and crevices of the crankcase / gearbox casing etc of  local man Mark's T3 /Leman project. You can only do so much with a screwdriver,industrial strength degreaser and petrol when the time came to get the items off to the professionals.
  Just over two weeks later I have got all the parts back looking probably better than new. Before the blasting there were also a number of broken fins and general alloy repairs that also had to be done.

Shame that it also highlights the corrosion.
Worst effected are both r/covers and a small amount under the gearbox

 

Frenchay Flower Show.........

...........is not just about flowers with Classic / Vintage Cars and Bikes on display too. It's been running for 65 years - probably just the flowers and vegetables originally I guess ? I've lived in Bristol for 25 years and have never actually been.
   Photo's courtesy of my friend Joe

Renault 750 - rear engined apparently with the radiator behind the seats

Basic to say the least,but I guess it was never likely to have leather seats
and a walnut dash

Norton International

 Joe's dad has a friend,Christophe,in France who collects motorcycles amongst other things. Once I get round to scanning a lot of old photographs,of Christophe's friends collection, that Joe brought over I'll post those up of vintage/classics (mostly French) that I for one have never seen before.
   For now here's his Norton International in place on the revolving plinth that he made.
  Christophe's friend has a vineyard and is a big Norton fan,hence the wine.

Moto Guzzi 1000S / Triumph Tiger XCX

Andy, from the near Penzance,Cornwall couriered his 1000S up to me a few weeks back because it wasn't running very well at all - out on the road it was holding back around 3.5 to 4,000rpm and  a general engine roughness below that,amongst a few other issues. It turned out that the points cam had seized solid so the automatic advance wasn't working and after a couple of days I had the Guzzi running quite sweetly.
   A couple of weeks later he came and picked up the Guzzi and rode it home,letting me know later how well it was running.
   Over the weeks and a few chats he'd mentioned that he had a Cali III which he was thinking of selling to make room for another more modern bike,but didn't know what to buy.  
   Anyway,now the Cali has gone and been replaced by a Triumph Tiger which was taking some getting used to with it's different power characteristics.
   He says "the 1000S is staying because the Triumph can't compete on the character and exhaust note"............and more people want to chat about the Guzzi than the Triumph !

Bicester Heritage -The 6th Sunday Brunch Scramble

A date to add to your calendar for this year is Sunday 20th September. It's already the 6th time that this event has been held and I've not been to one,only hearing about it last year from Adam of Italian Motor magazine - see his blogspot posting for 2014 for plenty of pics.
  Weather permitting it looks to to be a great day out with plenty of Vintage and Classic Bikes,Cars and Aeroplanes in a great setting of a 348 acre former RAF Bomber Command base. 
  From here in Bristol there are some pretty good roads via Tetbury and Cirencester into Oxfordshire and Bicester is close to the M40 making for easy access from more Northerly routes.
   According to the limited information currently on the Bicester Heritage website it is open from 9am until 2pm
   One pic lifted from Adam's blog from the event last year