LAPD metal saddlebag dimenions - help needed

[DodgeBoy]

Hi everyone,

there is something I would need the help of the community please. 
Like some guys here know I am in the middle of restoring a 72 Eldorado Police which has been customized back in the mid 90s after is was exported (re-imported? ) overseas/Germany. Unfortunatelly the previous owner decided to remove all the cool police gadgets and sold them to the shop that did some work on the bike back then.

I would love to see original style metal LAPD saddlebags on the bike but there is no chance to get hands on a pair here in Germany and I think its even hard for you guys there in the US.

Due to that I allready get in contact with an old local metal shop owner here who himself is a big fan of old bikes and the old CHIPS tv series  He would make me a pair of replicas as long as I can provide the dimensions, latches and the mount to him. I allready have the Corbin style latches here and I have a source for a police saddlebag mount.

Whats missing are the correct dimensions and thats where i would need your help. I will attach a technical drawing and hope that someone can provide some dimensions for me.

Thanks!

Edit: I dont know if I can enlarge the picture but I hope its readable...

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

https://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_saddlebags_-_lapd.html

Other than that, contact Mark @ Moto Guzzi Classics or Moe @ Cycle Garden.

[DodgeBoy]

https://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_saddlebags_-_lapd.html

Other than that, contact Mark @ Moto Guzzi Classics or Moe @ Cycle Garden.

Thanks Charlie but I allready know that page. It only provides the 3 outer dimensions though. I allready talked with Greg but he does not own these boxes anymore. I also wrote Moe month ago regarding that topic, but no answer and I think he wont take the time to measure all that dimensions for a non costumer.
Havent tried Mark though but i will - thanks.

It might sound silly but I wanted to try to get as close as possible with the repros.

[Tom H]

Latter today or tomorrow I could measure the ones I have. There were two different versions. They look about the same but one was made of much thinker sheet metal and at least the thicker ones I have were chrome plated. Not sure if that was stock or someone did it latter?

Tom

[DodgeBoy]

Latter today or tomorrow I could measure the ones I have. There were two different versions. They look about the same but one was made of much thinker sheet metal and at least the thicker ones I have were chrome plated. Not sure if that was stock or someone did it latter?

Tom

Hey Tom thank you very much for your help! You've got me stumped with that... All i know are the infos from Gregs site and the reference pictures from CG etc... But I dont think they were chrome plated originally? Some veteran here can answer this for sure. 

[testa_di_formaggio]

No chrome.

I've got a good suspicion that some departments had different metal bags. My CHP bags are ever so slightly slightly different than the bags that Greg calls LAPD on his site. The latches are different and the rear light mounting is different in that it has a vertical flange for mounting an additional small Guide brand marker or running light, below the big Dietz signals. I think the Guide lights were common on Harley shovelheads. Also, the mounting flange on the front of the bags on mine are pretty clean, whereas the one's on Greg's site look more industrial and brutal. I've never figured out what those front mounts were for. And as the bags were transferred from one bike to another as they were taken out of or put into service, there is probably differences due to when and where they were made. Perhaps the front mounts were for something they used to run on the earlier Harleys.

And BTW, I just saw you sent me an Email. I'm in a bit of a rush right now, (Maple syrup time here in Wisconsin, and the syrup cooker needs monitoring), so I am not able to read it. But if you're looking for the dimensions of my bags, no problem, I should have some free time out in the garage tomorrow. Be happy to help you out.

[DodgeBoy]

No chrome.

I've got a good suspicion that some departments had different metal bags. My CHP bags are ever so slightly slightly different than the bags that Greg calls LAPD on his site. The latches are different and the rear light mounting is different in that it has a vertical flange for mounting an additional small Guide brand marker or running light, below the big Dietz signals. I think the Guide lights were common on Harley shovelheads. Also, the mounting flange on the front of the bags on mine are pretty clean, whereas the one's on Greg's site look more industrial and brutal. I've never figured out what those front mounts were for. And as the bags were transferred from one bike to another as they were taken out of or put into service, there is probably differences due to when and where they were made. Perhaps the front mounts were for something they used to run on the earlier Harleys.

And BTW, I just saw you sent me an Email. I'm in a bit of a rush right now, (Maple syrup time here in Wisconsin, and the syrup cooker needs monitoring), so I am not able to read it. But if you're looking for the dimensions of my bags, no problem, I should have some free time out in the garage tomorrow. Be happy to help you out.

Thank you as well for your help. Yes, i wrote you an e-mail regarding that topic ;-)
For the front mounting flange on the boxes: I saw pictures where they are mounted on the Honda CB's and there are additional mounting straps from the rear guard fixed right on that flange.

[Tom H]

I measured my Light bag for most of the dimensions. The Light bag no longer has the front tabs so I measured the Heavy bag for them. The rear tab has different holes for the Heavy and Light.

BTW: these bags do not hold very much. In the open side, a few pair of pants and shirts and a pair of gauntlet style gloves. On a side note, the open will will hold a 9 or 10 pack of cold ones topped with a 5lb (or was it 8lb) bag of ice. Latches wouldn't latch, so a bungie wrapped around the box kept the lid closed.

Hope this helps,
Tom

[DodgeBoy]

Tom, thank you very very much! That will help a lot! I think i will wait for testa di formaggios infos as well and then create one drawing with cross references from both sources. That will be defenitely enough for me having a good feeling with the end result then

And yes i know these boxes are kind of small but i like that they are not too bulky on the bike. I will make me a cardboard dummy to see If its okay for me.

Thanks again

[Cam3512]

I have original metal bags (and radio box) on my ‘71 Ambo.  If I was having a set fabbed up, I’d go a little taller for some more room. 

[DodgeBoy]

Stunning bike,  I love it!
If you have time to validate Toms data I would appreciate it! But since Tom's overall dimensions are the exact same as from Greg Benders site I assume the basic dimensions are pretty much the same on all known batches right?

Would the latches originally be painted? I saw blank ones as well as black oversprayed ones.

For making them boxes bigger.... Like i said i will try a cardboard dummy... But yes i totally see your points guys... They really seem to be very small.... Hm...

[Cam3512]

I also scored a B&M friction siren and all the necessary bits - lever, cable, etc. a few years ago.  As well as an NOS rear fender (in primer) that’s notched for the siren spline.  One of these days I’ll have the fender painted and striped and mount the siren.  The original bracket is still on the frame.  FWIW, I can’t imagine any motor cop successfully pursuing anyone in a car on the drum brake 750, but the Cool Factor is definitely there! 

[DodgeBoy]

I also scored a B&M friction siren and all the necessary bits - lever, cable, etc. a few years ago.  As well as an NOS rear fender (in primer) that’s notched for the siren spline.  One of these days I’ll have the fender painted and striped and mount the siren.  The original bracket is still on the frame.  FWIW, I can’t imagine any motor cop successfully pursuing anyone in a car on the drum brake 750, but the Cool Factor is definitely there! 

I did not know that there was a special fender for police bikes?

My dad was a motorcycle cop here in Germany when he was in my age. From what i know motorcycles were never intended for pursuing other vehicles but offer better options to maneuver through traffic jams and can be used more versatile in general.

[Cam3512]

The police didn’t like the friction sirens because you had to be moving to activate it.  So they ditched them for electric.  Many ended up in a scrap heap.  B&M still exists as a mom n pop company in CA.  I sent mine out to them for restoration.  They still have (had) a pile of NOS parts.  Good luck finding one for less than $2,500. today.  Crazy.

[DodgeBoy]

Thanks for the pics showing the fender. Did not know that before!
I know the B&M siren and watched the web with picclick since Aug. 2022 and there were 3 B&M friction sirens sold for avg. 400 USD unrestored though.

I only have that link left in my history but the other ones (one the old modell as well and one the 1970ish model all went for about the same price - all unrestored of course.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/225344084209?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=707-127634-2357-0&ssspo=yDTaPxuvQRC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=5p3kGfXUS7S&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Anyway it would not be allowed for me in Germany to even install one on the bike. 

[Vecchio Lupo]

very cool Ambo Patrol Motor. I am in the middle of a Convert re commissioning to Police trim. IM not sure what department I will "tribute/replica, I was New Orleans Police Department and there are a couple pictures of Eldorado's, but that's it. I hate to just default LAPD like everyone else but they are the best known customers of Convert Police Specials. I like your Radio, all I can find is the Motorola speaker and the separate volume squelch PA head unit. I suppose it doesn't really matter since PA function is all that really works anyway.

great to see these old motors out there.

[smdl]

I agree that the original bags are small.  I wanted the basic look, but with more useful capacity, so I had a set fabricated out of aluminum by a guy who made ADV bags.  I think they came out really well.





Cheers,
Shaun

[Tom H]

Those look very nice

Tom