V700 and V750 cylinder options and recent costs

[benebob]

After a long hiatus to get the bad taste of owning a V7ii special clear up(yeah it really did take 3 years or so and a sea of mouthwash to move on).  I picked up a 67 V700  major project bike in the spring but then it poured and I picked up two project Triumphs which I went thru first.  This V700 is pretty rough.  Last inspected in 76 and as i add up the incidentals I think it may be more of a parts bike then a restoration project so I have been keeping my eye out for ideally another v700 project or an early v750 as I do prefer the look of the speedo only dash.  Anyways as I figure things out I wanted to get a more clear idea of what my options would be and what kind of costs I would be looking at as far as the cylinders goes.  From all the searching I've done it appears Gilardoni is done and all the stock has sold out for the V700 and V750.  I'm assuming that leaves sleeving at a place like LA Sleeve or Nik. lining as the only option or is there someone else making cylinders? Has anyone done sleeving or nik. recently and can give an idea on current costs for either or both? It also seems that new pistons for the 700 and 750 are fairly tough to come by and the ones I have seen are pretty pricey (though that may be just because I'm used to Redditich Enfield bits being cheaper then chips).  Still haven't pulled the head on the v700 but may get to it tomorrow to have a look at what exactly I have to work with and I did find a later 750 with the dual gauge dash that still has its chrome linings but it also has floorboards so I'm not so sure on going for a look as it is a distance and I prefer pegs.  Cheers

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Yes, sleeving or "Nikasil" replating are the only options. I did two V700s ( a customer's and my own) using these new-old-stock piston assemblies: https://www.ebay.com/itm/365775501003 and had the cylinders replated by Millennium: https://millennium-technologies.com/all-inclusive-cylinder-repair/

Your original pistons may be reusable, measure them carefully and compare to the specs. in the factory manual.
https://www.thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/workshop_manual_700.pdf New rings are available:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175671336189

[benebob]

Thanks Charlie, do they bill guzzis as standard twins (or two singles) or do they bill 'em as  a  combo v twin?  Very big price difference.  Have never had barrels coated.  I do plan on ridding the bike a fair amount of miles a year so would prefer to start fresh on heat cycles. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thanks Charlie, do they bill guzzis as standard twins (or two singles) or do they bill 'em as  a  combo v twin?  Very big price difference.  Have never had barrels coated.  I do plan on ridding the bike a fair amount of miles a year so would prefer to start fresh on heat cycles.

IIRC, they bill Guzzis as two singles, but it's been about five years since I sent them cylinders to replate, so I could be mistaken. Might be best to ask them.

[turboguzzi]

id try @ cycle garden too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5CbmdqVtM

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

id try @ cycle garden too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5CbmdqVtM

Cycle Garden only supplies "big bore" kits as far as I know. I would not recommend using big bore kits on a V700.

[benebob]

Yeah no desire to go big bore as If I wanna go fast and unreliable I can alway take the - interceptor out.

Got the head and one barrel off the v700 today and it was pretty much as expected. Definitely ridden while eating chrome before it was parked back in 76. Have bits of shine in the intake tube even.

Now my gut is telling me she is a parts bike but my heart isn’t convinced just yet but realistically I see a 7k build without labor minimum so the gut needs to sweet talk my heart.

I did see you have a sp1000 customer bike on your website Charlie. I am assuming since you left your website development staff go that was from 15 years or so ago right and not a recent add that is available?  Getting my feet wet so to speak reviving that might allow me to play the long game with the v700 and save it from becoming a parts bike.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Yeah no desire to go big bore as If I wanna go fast and unreliable I can alway take the - interceptor out.

Got the head and one barrel off the v700 today and it was pretty much as expected. Definitely ridden while eating chrome before it was parked back in 76. Have bits of shine in the intake tube even.

Now my gut is telling me she is a parts bike but my heart isn’t convinced just yet but realistically I see a 7k build without labor minimum so the gut needs to sweet talk my heart.

I did see you have a sp1000 customer bike on your website Charlie. I am assuming since you left your website development staff go that was from 15 years or so ago right and not a recent add that is available?  Getting my feet wet so to speak reviving that might allow me to play the long game with the v700 and save it from becoming a parts bike.

Yeah, my website hasn't been updated in a long time - the simple, easy to use program that the host provided was eliminated, and I'm too cheap to pay someone to do it for me.  That SP was sold long ago. I post a lot of photos on my Facebook page instead. https://www.facebook.com/AntietamClassicCycle

This is the V700 rebuild I did for a customer:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/98421140@N05/albums/72157686020881904/

[benebob]

Yeah that’s what I figured plus fb is cheap and easy to do updates vs even a simple website program. Thought it was worth an ask. Nice to know there is an “expert” within a couple hour drive. Will continue on the tear down and see what everything looks like but all signs point towards being a full rebuild that just doesn’t make sense in her condition

[guzziart]

id try @ cycle garden too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5CbmdqVtM

Yikes, stuff has gotten expensive.  I thought $800 was expensive for an exchange set of cyl, forged pistons, gapped rings & gaskets!  In retrospect it was a bargain.

[benebob]

Yikes, stuff has gotten expensive.  I thought $800 was expensive for an exchange set of cyl, forged pistons, gapped rings & gaskets!  In retrospect it was a bargain.

Plus you gotta add an insane amount for tariffs you may or may not be charged if you are ordering from across the pond.  Just had an order for Enfield bits show up from England (about $160 or so with the conversion rate).  DHL hit me up for $96 in tariffs and there was no customs sheet when it was delivered (so of course I couldn't see where they got their rate nor determine if they calculated things in as the proper category (Customs Dept site says auto parts from England are taxed at 20 percent, however if it is an antique vehicle the rate is 2.5 percent so where they came up with 60-65 percent is beyond me.  Deliver driver told me import paperwork is now removed by customs.  I have "help with a federal agency" requests out to my rep and both Senators to find out why I paid $90 more than the feds tell me I should.  :) 

[Moparnut72]

The V7 850 I bought a couple of months ago had a $1,100 shipping cost. I don't remember what the shipping costs were in the past but I think somewhere around $800/$850. The dealership told me there was a $300 tariff on the bike so I assume it is buried in the shipping. It wasn't broken out anywhere. If the Supreme Court eventually rules these tariffs are illegal how can we file a claim when we have no paperwork indicating how much of a tariff was paid? I am probably all wet but it seems to me to be the case.
kk

[guzziart]

The V7 850 I bought a couple of months ago had a $1,100 shipping cost. I don't remember what the shipping costs were in the past but I think somewhere around $800/$850. The dealership told me there was a $300 tariff on the bike so I assume it is buried in the shipping. It wasn't broken out anywhere. If the Supreme Court eventually rules these tariffs are illegal how can we file a claim when we have no paperwork indicating how much of a tariff was paid? I am probably all wet but it seems to me to be the case.
kk

Yeah, that's what the local MG dealer here told me.  Rather than rewrite the list prices for the bikes bc of tariffs, they elected to bury it in with freight.  Good luck getting reimbursed if tariffs are ruled out.  And, the freight figure you mentioned is the same as what the dealer told me.  Freight on a v85 in March 2024 was $800.