Next (personal) project - Moto Morini 3 1/2 Strada

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

My electronic flasher arrived this afternoon. I made a little extender for it's mounting clip to move it down about an inch.




Taking photos of the bodywork again, for another prospective painter. I buffed out the area under the 3 1/2 badge on one sidecover and I think it's about as close to the true original color as I'll get.



The right side of the tank doesn't look too bad other than the dent.


Not terribly rusty inside.


But, the left side had a bunch of pinholes that I had welded up. Decided it would be best to leave smoothing them out to the bodyman.



On to the seats. The original dual seat is apparently a bit of an odd-ball - when I contacted the original manufacturer (Nisa in Italy) about a replacement cover, they wanted to sell me one about 30 mm too short. They seem to have no record of longer ones being made, but this was definitely factory. Removed the tattered remains of the original cover.




Found this shrunken red piece of plastic, not sure of it's purpose.




The foam is pretty stuck to the pan. You can see the extra section added.




The pan is solid other than a small crack at the center hole.




Photos for Nisa, since they don't seem to believe me.












If they can't supply a cover of the proper length, then I'll have my local upholstery guy make a copy of the original.

Next up, the solo seat that canuck750 gave me. It could be used as-is, but the cover isn't quite right, so should be re-covered.




Drilled the heads off all of the pop rivets securing the cover.




After a bit of a fight, the cover came off. It was glued on, with thin foam over the original foam.






Lovely pink edge trim.




Nice solid pan.





And reusable foam.




Need to decide whether to have the pan powder coated and new cover installed, or not. To make it complete, I'd still need to source the aluminum trim, screws, nuts and washer that are missing. The cost of it all is probably more than a new (made by Nisa) seat. Need to sleep on it.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I dropped the seat pans off at my local powder coater for sandblasting last Thursday and picked them up today. The Sport pan is in very good condition with just a crack at one hole on the side. The dual-seat pan has the same crack in the same place, plus a little perforation at the left rear. Not too bad for their age.









My customer Mark (who owns three drum-brake 3 1/2 Sports), recently purchased an early Strada as well. It came with a spare later style tank in lovely red paint, and he's agreed to sell it to me. It will be a much better starting point than my original. There's one dent in the top, but otherwise it's solid and leak-free.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Had the seat pans repaired by my friend Curtis.












Dropped them off at the powder coater a bit over a week ago, picked them up today.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The (Sport) seat has been at the upholstery shop for a week now, I expect a call sometime next week that it's done. Nisa (original manufacturer of the seats) says my extended Turismo/Strada seat "isn't in their catalog" and that the cover would need to be custom-made. Weird, since they definitely made the original. I sent them the extension length they asked for (approx. 60 mm), but haven't heard back since. I may have the upholstery shop make one instead.

While I was away today, customer Mark dropped off the "new" tank. Looks good and solid, one shallow dent on the left rear of the top and small ding next to it. Inside has a good coating of "varnish" mixed with some rust. I'll probably clean it out with electrolysis.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Joe's Upholstery called yesterday to let me know they were done installing the seat cover, so I went and picked it up this morning. Looks great. Still needed the aluminum trim installed, so I did that this evening. The trim comes straight - no bends, and it takes a bit of effort to get it bent correctly.








Set it on the bike to see how it looks.






I dropped off the dual seat for them to do next - they'll make the cover this time. I ordered a stencil sticker to apply the name once it's done.

Stripped the tank down. As is most often the case, the emblems were stuck on with double-sided tape.






I hope to send the tank and the sidecovers off for paint sometime next week.

[Canuck750]

Seat looks real good Charlie!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Seat looks real good Charlie!

It should. It's cost me $100 more than what a reproduction (from the original manufacturer) would have.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The tank is "cooking" to remove the rust inside.

[Canuck750]

The tank is "cooking" to remove the rust inside.

I have never given that a try in a gas tank, what do you use for the anode and do you use washing soda mix d with water for the solution, is it positive to the anode and negative to the tank??

I have a couple tanks I should attempt this on.

Thanks
Jim

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I have never given that a try in a gas tank, what do you use for the anode and do you use washing soda mix d with water for the solution, is it positive to the anode and negative to the tank??

I have a couple tanks I should attempt this on.

Thanks
Jim

I'm sure there are better things to use, but the anode I'm using is just a length of 1/4" steel rod, bent to an "L" shape. Likewise with power supply - I use an 45 year old Craftsman battery charger set on 12 volts and 10 amps. 1/2 cup of washing soda to 5 gallons of water. Yes, positive to anode.

Slow process - I'm on the third day. The anode is still collecting "barnacles".

If the tank is just lightly rusted, no "varnish", I use milkstone remover instead. Quicker and does an excellent job. This one had a nice coating of varnish along with the rust.

[Canuck750]

I'm sure there are better things to use, but the anode I'm using is just a length of 1/4" steel rod, bent to an "L" shape. Likewise with power supply - I use an 45 year old Craftsman battery charger set on 12 volts and 10 amps. 1/2 cup of washing soda to 5 gallons of water. Yes, positive to anode.

Slow process - I'm on the third day. The anode is still collecting "barnacles".

Thanks Charlie, I have an ancient Sears battery charger / engine starter 5/3/2/225 amp - 6/12V beast I inherited from my father in law that should work out great for this.

Jim


If the tank is just lightly rusted, no "varnish", I use milkstone remover instead. Quicker and does an excellent job. This one had a nice coating of varnish along with the rust.

[SIR REAL ED]

I'm sure there are better things to use, but the anode I'm using is just a length of 1/4" steel rod, bent to an "L" shape. Likewise with power supply - I use an 45 year old Craftsman battery charger set on 12 volts and 10 amps. 1/2 cup of washing soda to 5 gallons of water. Yes, positive to anode.

Slow process - I'm on the third day. The anode is still collecting "barnacles".

If the tank is just lightly rusted, no "varnish", I use milkstone remover instead. Quicker and does an excellent job. This one had a nice coating of varnish along with the rust.

Same process use for lightly rusted tanks.  Except my battery charger is only 43 years old.

Do you plan to coat the inside of the tank after cleaning?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Same process use for lightly rusted tanks.  Except my battery charger is only 43 years old.

Do you plan to coat the inside of the tank after cleaning?

What I thought was "varnish" turned out to be what I suspect was Red Kote sealer. It wasn't applied to the entire inside, only in some areas. Weird. I think this tank may also have pinholes, just like the original, so I am coating it with Caswell. I didn't want to leave the Red Kote there and coat over it, so I've spent a lot of time removing it. I poured a gallon of MEK in the tank and let the vapors do the work. Eventually the Red Kote dissolved and I've flushed the tank again. Hoping to seal it this weekend and finally get it to the painter on Monday or Tuesday.

[SIR REAL ED]

What I thought was "varnish" turned out to be what I suspect was Red Kote sealer. It wasn't applied to the entire inside, only in some areas. Weird. I think this tank may also have pinholes, just like the original, so I am coating it with Caswell. I didn't want to leave the Red Kote there and coat over it, so I've spent a lot of time removing it. I poured a gallon of MEK in the tank and let the vapors do the work. Eventually the Red Kote dissolved and I've flushed the tank again. Hoping to seal it this weekend and finally get it to the painter on Monday or Tuesday.

sounds like a wise approach!  Coating over an existing coating sounds like a recipe for trouble.

Never get rid of an old battery charger.  I recently lent mine out to a friend for several months whose daughter needed a 12 volt power supply for a science project.  Worked like a champ for many weeks.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

What's going on here, looks like some sort of bloody massacre!  Nope, just sealing the inside of the tank with Caswell "Dragon's Blood". In the background are my new metal tank and sidecover badges, to replace the fragile plastic originals.




All done and excess draining. What a pain - I remember now why I try to avoid sealing a tank if at all possible.

[Canuck750]

I hate applying tank sealer as well, only use them if I must

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I hate applying tank sealer as well, only use them if I must

I get to do it again soon - the Pantah tank has pinholes. Oh joy! One of the things that made the Morini tank a bit of a PITA is that the filler neck is offset to the right on the tank, and the neck extends down into the tank pretty far, so seeing what's been covered is difficult. I think it would have helped if the tank and sealer were both about 10 degrees warmer. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The painter sent me some progress photos today. Tank and side covers are in the white base coat, he'll tape off the pinstripes, lay on the red and then clear over it all. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Latest photos from the painter. He plans to sand and buff it tomorrow. 

[SIR REAL ED]

Latest photos from the painter. He plans to sand and buff it tomorrow. 

parts look fantastic!

very impressive paint booth!!

[Canuck750]

Nice work!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Nice work!

As a bonus: 1. fast - one week from when I dropped the tank off, 2. "cheap" - quoted me $500 for the job.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Slogged through the rain/snow mix  to Hagerstown this afternoon and picked up my freshly painted parts at Psychobilly Customs. Dave did an excellent job. Cleared a space in my (home) office for them and set one each of the new metal badges in place to see how they look.





 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

A customer's V7 Sport had me totally frustrated, so I decided to work on something else. The Morini needs some time put in, especially if it's going to be "finished" in time for Classic Motorcycle Day. Cut off a section of breather hose (clear), slipped in a labyrinth and clamped it into place.




Couldn't stand it any longer, had to hang the sidecovers on to see how they looked.






The new metal badges have threaded studs instead of failure prone prongs like the flimsy plastic originals.




I bought a pack of tiny (M3-.50) flanged nuts to secure them.




Instead of metal against new paint, I decided to cover the back of them with felt. The felt has adhesive on the side against the badge.






I didn't want to cut the studs, so instead slipped some tiny hose I once bought by mistake over them.




Moving on to the tank, same felt covering the back of the badge, but the studs needed to be trimmed about 1/8" shorter.




Not a perfect fit, but the felt makes it much better. The badges are super hard and will not bend easily.




Installed the gas cap...




...and petcocks. No leaky electrovalve on the main feed, both manual.




Installed the front mounting bushings...




...and the chrome trim along the bottom. It's just car door edge trim, but duplicates the original very well. Three tabs on the underside of the tank hold it in place.




Bodywork and seat on for a test fit.




Looking like it's finished, but there's still a few things to do yet.




But, I'm happy to have made some progress.

[Canuck750]

Looks great Charlie, that is one super clean Morini  Hard to believe its the same bike you started with.

Where did you find metal badges?

I like that the metal badges have the threaded tabs, I have the cheap plastic stick on versions, the plastic tank emblems I have just dont want to stay onto my tank, one end is always pulling away.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Looks great Charlie, that is one super clean Morini  Hard to believe its the same bike you started with.

Where did you find metal badges?

I like that the metal badges have the threaded tabs, I have the cheap plastic stick on versions, the plastic tank emblems I have just dont want to stay onto my tank, one end is always pulling away.

Bought on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125103078772 & https://www.ebay.com/itm/353853229153

A lot of $$ when shipping is included, but they look so much better than the originals did. Startgomma may sell the same ones, but I can't be sure.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Applied the clear vinyl decals that John Appleby made for me to match the originals. This one isn't quite correct with the new-style petcock...




...but this one is. 

[Canuck750]

Bought on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125103078772 & https://www.ebay.com/itm/353853229153

A lot of $$ when shipping is included, but they look so much better than the originals did. Startgomma may sell the same ones, but I can't be sure.

Thanks Charlie for the link, your right about the price, ouch! I have bought from that seller before, I think I will take a close look at mine and see if I really need to replace them, ....on the maybe category. I bought a new set of headers last night so thats really bumped up the spent column.

The decals you had made up for you look great, I really like those small details that replicate the original as built condition, very few people go to that level of detail, well done!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Outside in the sun this afternoon.

[czakky82]

  I’d like to hear your ride report. These are on a short list of “bucket list” bikes.