Windshield for Police Convert...advice

[Vecchio Lupo]

Well, my 77 V1000 Convert that may or may not have been an L.A.P.D. traffic bike is very nearing completion. All the sheetmetal is at the painters getting into the Black and White Livery, Ive sourced the correct LE specific  side cases, decals, and lights, as well as fitted a bluetooth speaker into the old Motorola handlebar speaker housing so I can play Adam 12, Dragnet  and CHPs radio traffic out at cars and coffee. It will be fully functional and a joy to ride

Now....Im trying to find a windscreen, the Guzzi Museum Police Convert has an Italian OEM windscreen, I have one of those but the brackets are far too narrow for the widened LAPD bracket units. The photos of "In Service" bikes have a Code 3 windscreen (unavailable) or an H-D style unit, probably an H-D OEM unit but....I have been unable to get dimensions from National, Memphis Shades or H-D. They all say Model Specific.

My bracket width is 12" and Ive got 5" of Vertical holes to mount to. Of course I can use spacers so long as it's bigger....any suggestions fellows????

[Tom H]

My '70 Ambo mounts are 12.5" wide, didn't measure my '72 Eldo, but I'm sure the same. National Cycle HD is on both, but may be ever so slightly pulled in, maybe 1/8" if that. But not enough for a spacer on each bolt.

You could use this shield and maybe just run a spacer on each bolt. If you need concourse correct, not sure what you need for a shield and it's framework for the plastic.

But looking closer at your pic, it almost looks like the outside edge could be 12 1/4"??

Hope this helps a bit!
Tom

[Vecchio Lupo]

you are correct, from outside to outside is a touch over 12, so 12.25" is probably more accurate. Back in the day, departments fitted all kinds of screens, so there is really no standard so long as it looks period correct.

thanks

[Tom H]

If you need more measurements of the shield and mounting, I could do that if needed.

Somewhere, IIRR, there is a diagram of the national Cycle HD that shows all the measurements including the brackets. Not sure if that is still out there.

Tom

[80CX100]

Dave Richardson in Guzziology,in one of the chapters dealing with windshields & fairings;outlines problems with the windshields for the Convert,G5,police models etc.

He states it's not a matter of if but when the windshields will crack.

He goes into great detail,describing bracket design & improvements,his shop developed to solve the issue.

fwiw fyi

[bigbikerrick]

National cycle still makes the heavy duty beaded windshield which is what the police  loops used, I think. the bottom half was usually black. I think the same one, would look great on your Convert. It can be attached to your existing brackets, with a couple of spacers etc.
Please post photos of the whole bike. I love seeing what folks do with their converts.
Rick.

[John A]

It’s easy enough to make your own. I used to mock one up out of cardboard and take it to a local plastic and glass shop to have it cut and curved and drilled and that worked well . Then I made a form out of a barrel, smaller than a fifty gallon barrel so the curve was about right. I covered that with towels to make the ribs on the barrel flat. I uniformly heated the plastic so it would form. Getting the volume of heat is the key. If an area gets too hot, it can create what they call “markup”, little cloudy spots even the pro’s get sometimes. The best way I found without an oven is a constantly moving acetylene rosebud torch with a lovely assistant using a heat gun until it lays down on the barrel. The next hard part is locating and drilling the holes without cracking the plastic. A sharp drill bit will grab and crack the plastic so the best thing is a used step drill. Police shield’s are easy, no compound curves. I used an old shield to get an original pattern.its a bunch of work but sometimes you can’t find one to buy.

[testa_di_formaggio]

National Cycle provided what they called "standoffs" to mount their screens to Police Guzzi brackets. While many people bend the screens slightly to meet the mounts, (and seem to have no problems), the engineer at National I talked to, that told me about the brackets, said that bending or putting undo stress on the "hambone" as he called it, could lead to cracking the screen itself. The Hambone being the frame of the windshield. The standoffs locate between the hambone and the Guzzi bracket, bring the screen out some to the front, and taking up the gap. I used to have a box of them, I might be able to see if I can find them for a photo later today. I found two of the original standoffs on one of Code 3s I've accumulated, and had it copied in Stainless. Apparently, the Code 3 I had with the standoff, was from and Eldo, as I did not need the standoff to mount the Code 3 to the Guzzi brackets for my Police T3. It is used on my CHP Eldo with the Code 3. For some reason, the Nationals need the standoffs on the T3 brackets, as well as the Eldo brackets. 

TDF
 

[Vecchio Lupo]

National Cycle provided what they called "standoffs" to mount their screens to Police Guzzi brackets. While many people bend the screens slightly to meet the mounts, (and seem to have no problems), the engineer at National I talked to, that told me about the brackets, said that bending or putting undo stress on the "hambone" as he called it, could lead to cracking the screen itself. The Hambone being the frame of the windshield. The standoffs locate between the hambone and the Guzzi bracket, bring the screen out some to the front, and taking up the gap. I used to have a box of them, I might be able to see if I can find them for a photo later today. I found two of the original standoffs on one of Code 3s I've accumulated, and had it copied in Stainless. Apparently, the Code 3 I had with the standoff, was from and Eldo, as I did not need the standoff to mount the Code 3 to the Guzzi brackets for my Police T3. It is used on my CHP Eldo with the Code 3. For some reason, the Nationals need the standoffs on the T3 brackets, as well as the Eldo brackets. 

TDF

Buon Giorno Cheese Head, grazie per la informazione. I just ordered a heavy duty beaded windshield and mounting kit. I'll ask about the stand offs from national. Where did you find a Code 3??? great score. I have the stock G5/Convert brackets and the LAPD/CHP specific brackets that are about an inch or so wider. I had an 1972 Eldo, I know this because of the speedo and Siren tab, I was too stupid to keep it. Now I can't afford one. I found an awesome Siren PA system that goes in the radio box with handlebar mounted controls. I am retired New Orleans Police, but never in the Motors.  The Old Timers said we had a couple Guzzi motors for a few minutes in the early 70s, but Ive never seen a photo.

[Vecchio Lupo]

thank you to everyone who offered advice and experience...Im on my path now, so no turning back.

Great tip on making your own screen.

[testa_di_formaggio]

Ciao Sig. Old Wolf. My CHP Eldo came with a Code 3 on it. You find a couple photos of it in Greg Field's Moto Guzzi Big Twins. There is also a picture of my T3 in it as well. I was mistaken in my earlier post, that Eldo does NOT have the standoffs. I should have said that the National Cycle screens were supposed to use the standoffs on Eldos or T3s/Converts, the Code 3 screens do not need them for any of the Guzzi applications. I picked up two more Code 3s over time, I have one on a T3 Police black and white, and the other is for spare. I doubt that you'll be able to get the standoffs from National Cycle, or any of their distributors, the engineer I spoke with back in the late 90's, said he hadn't seen any in years. That's why I had them re popped. Of curiosity, it is apparent that your LAPD specific brackets look wider, but what is their thickness? If they are thicker than the stock Convert items, it may not work with the standoffs. I cannot say, as my T3, when I had a National on it, used the Guzzi supplied T3 Police brackets and the standoffs. Here are what they look like, if you are interested in them, email the guys at MG Cycle. info@mgcycle.com








TdF     

[Vecchio Lupo]

Ciao Sig. Old Wolf. My CHP Eldo came with a Code 3 on it. You find a couple photos of it in Greg Field's Moto Guzzi Big Twins. There is also a picture of my T3 in it as well. I was mistaken in my earlier post, that Eldo does NOT have the standoffs. I should have said that the National Cycle screens were supposed to use the standoffs on Eldos or T3s/Converts, the Code 3 screens do not need them for any of the Guzzi applications. I picked up two more Code 3s over time, I have one on a T3 Police black and white, and the other is for spare. I doubt that you'll be able to get the standoffs from National Cycle, or any of their distributors, the engineer I spoke with back in the late 90's, said he hadn't seen any in years. That's why I had them re popped. Of curiosity, it is apparent that your LAPD specific brackets look wider, but what is their thickness? If they are thicker than the stock Convert items, it may not work with the standoffs. I cannot say, as my T3, when I had a National on it, used the Guzzi supplied T3 Police brackets and the standoffs. Here are what they look like, if you are interested in them, email the guys at MG Cycle. info@mgcycle.com





this post is actually a lot of help, those stand offs are exactly (best I can tell in pics) like the standoffs in the National mounting kit I purchased with the windscreen. I will wait for delivery and see what Ive got. BTW Im way Jealous that you found some Code 3 screens. they look a little strange but I think season 1 of CHPs had those on the Kawasaki KZ 1000P that Jon and Pinch ride.Very 1970s, my favorite era




TdF   

[Tom H]

Not a T series, but a Ambo pictured as well as Eldo. National Cycle HD.

No spacers or extender brackets.





Tom

[testa_di_formaggio]

Excellent!