750 S3 - the recommisioning

[Moz]

 

[canuck750]

Starting to empty out the plastic bins

New stainless steel cap nuts



Fit the breather hose bracket



I found most of the original hoses at various suppliers from both sides of the Atlantic



I had the steel brake lines cad plated along with the small hose brackets, rebuilt caliper and resurfaced rotor finish off the rear end



I think this hose goes here, forgot to take pictures of this area before I stripped the brake hoses, If I have this routed incorrectly please send me a picture of the correct location



The rear master cylinder bore was heavily pitted so I opted for a new rear unit



I spent a few minutes polishing the original side covers, I will remove the emblems and grills and compound, touch up and polish the paint, I think they will come out looking pretty good

[Kentktk]

Spectacular work, very impressive as always!

[canuck750]

Spectacular work, very impressive as always!

Thank you, I appreciate that,

this S3 should be good for another 40+ years and will hopefully accumulate many, many more miles.

Cheers

Jim

[balvenie]

Just noticed

       Ikon Suspension
Assembled in Australia
 

[canuck750]

Got a few things done today, soda blasted the rotor and stator, they both cleaned up real nice, brushed fresh oil on the rotor shaft to 'wet' the seal



This old oil filter wrench works great for holding the rotor while I tighten the rotor bolt



I saved the original horns, just cleaned them and gave them a coat of Tremclad black and some fresh fasteners, the original crash bars polished up real nice and I cad plated the big frame bolts, On the V7 Sport these bolts and the footrest hanger bolts are chrome plated, as they years went buy Moto Guzzi  cad plated these parts to cut costs



The chrome plating shop called Friday, parts are finally done and should arrive early this week so I can get the headlight ears and clip-ons installed and then finish the front wheel assembly

[smdl]

Amazing.  Love watching this. 

How are you at replacing clutches on Stelvios?      Neve mind.  As you were...

Shaun

[canuck750]

Amazing.  Love watching this. 

How are you are replacing clutches on Stelvios?      Neve mind.  As you were...

Shaun

I looked over your Stelvio pictures and the various tips (warnings?) on dropping the transmission, daunting job. Old bikes always have glitches to sort, they fall out of tune, etc.. modern bikes, they work great until they break. My R1150RT has been pretty reliable in the past 10 years but on two occasions when it 'broke' it was a major hit and beyond my capability, damn computers, sensors et all.

[smdl]

Well, let's hope this one isn't beyond my abilities.

Getting back to your world, don't you need to update your signature with another entry?   

Cheers,
Shaun

[canuck750]

Well, let's hope this one isn't beyond my abilities.

Getting back to your world, don't you need to update your signature with another entry?   

Cheers,
Shaun

I got a phone call this evening, the new baby has been loaded and is on its way from the west coast over the mountains to me, it may be here on Thursday, stay tuned....

Meanwhile back in the garage..... a nice bog box of shiny bits fresh from Alberta Plating in Calgary arrived today. These guys do fantastic chrome plating, they are careful to not loose anything and let me know in advance of any issues



I sanded the pits and gouges out of the alternator cover and polished it up to pretty decent shape, not overdone but decent

[canuck750]

The cat dragged this home last night, not quite sure what to make of it all, looks decent enough, I need to do some homework, was bought as a 750S, but there are a lot of odd things about it, like the Nieman steering lock that I thought would only be on the 750 S3 and latter, the early type V7 Sport swan necks, a T3 or S3 rear drive, paint is shiny but the stripe pattern is wrong, has Konis on the back, repop mufflers, reop lucas type signals and a 850T headlight, Good news is lots of receipts for engine work, Giladornis etc. It won't take much to return it to correct stock and the frame has to be repainted! It has a strange tail light that I have never seen before on any Guzzi. Switch gear is all off something else and the idiot light bezel has directional indicators, cool. The brembo calipers are newer replacements. And for some reason it has chrome rims and not the correct Borranis.

If only it could talk, I wish I knew its history.

At least the frame is tamped VK1 and the engine serial number appears to be right for a 750S. Bike was imported into Canada from Germany many years ago

[canuck750]

Back to the S3, a bunch of finickey stuff going back together

Fitted the headlight brackets, had to turn down the hard rubber caps on the lathe, fitted them over a section of delrin and then shaved of a few thousands, fitted the replated clip-ons and then set the top triple clamp



Dropped washers over the top of the fork cap studs, then new rubbers into the instrument base



Attached the shift pedal, replated bolt and cap nut





New brake hoses





Steering damper rod and replated bottom bracket



I have a couple of broken switches, made one good one out of two, replaced the hard and cracked outer vinyl sheath



And a new master cylinder, the switch and the throttle





Attached the carbs and throttle cables



One fork leg had a stripped caliper mount







Test fitted the rebuilt calipers

[markyboy]

Wow Jim !

Nice catch that 750S....

It needs some work but's a real one.

Greetings
Mark

[canuck750]

Wow Jim !

Nice catch that 750S....

It needs some work but's a real one.

Greetings
Mark

Thanks Mark,

The more I look the more it needs!

[markyboy]

If it becomes to much, just send it over to me :-)

[canuck750]

If it becomes to much, just send it over to me :-)

Well I am trying to pry another 750 S3 out of a guys garage here in town, same black / orange paint scheme, has not turned a wheel in 15 years. Its like buses, need one and nothing shows up, get one and two more come by.

[smdl]

Jim, are you trying to corner the market?     Hope your wife doesn't join WG!   

Cheers,
Shaun

[canuck750]

Jim, are you trying to corner the market?     Hope your wife doesn't join WG!   

Cheers,
Shaun

I may have to delete this post

Spent a couple hours trying to centre the front wheel, had to machine the wheel spacer and fit a shim to the axle and then shim the calipers, don't know why the calipers were so far out but its all correct now.




I fitted a new front stainless steel fender, the original one had some dents that were just to deep to work out, replated the fender brackets



Its starting to look like a bike again, about 2/3 the way through

[BELISA8@BIGPOND.COM]

Jim,
Just followed through your rebuild story.  What a great record. I am rebuilding a second V7 Sport and found your story really inspirational.

It's going to be a spectacular machine again!

Bill

[canuck750]

Jim,
Just followed through your rebuild story.  What a great record. I am rebuilding a second V7 Sport and found your story really inspirational.

It's going to be a spectacular machine again!

Bill

Thanks Bill,

We must share the same disease that causes this inexplicable love for 40 year old beautiful Italian motorcycles. Many on this self help forum suffer the same symptoms. Not naming names but each of you with a terminal case of Guzzi-itis know of whom I speak.

But what's not to love about perfection?

Post some pics of your Sports we would all love to see them.

Cheers

Jim

[jbell]

Great photo and story line, Jim.  Will definitely be referencing it as I get into my (G5) engine and tranny.  But where the HELL is the Blue Tool Store??

[canuck750]

Great photo and story line, Jim.  Will definitely be referencing it as I get into my (G5) engine and tranny.  But where the HELL is the Blue Tool Store??

Official FORD Guzzi blue, across the street from the Pink tool store

[canuck750]

I emptied one more box of greasy and dirty parts, the original starter, kickstand and clutch perch



Degreased and bead blasted the steel and cast parts



Washed everything down with acetone and then powder coated everything satin black with my DIY powder kit



It all cleaned up real nice, the starter fields and brush plate are in great condition

Reassembled the starter with some fresh washers and nuts, a little grease here and there



I found some recess head stubby bolts in place of the battered originals



I had the side stand spring cad plated and powder coated the head of the pivot bolt



I use a sprung washer here



Starter and side stand back home where they belong



The original clutch perch was masked off with high heat tape and powder coated it, cleaned the thumb wheel adjuster, spring and ball bearing



The adjuster turns nice and ball locks it one notch at a time. Original clutch lever with  new bolts



Washed up the instrument rubber covers with acetone and then soap and water

and cleaned the back and gear opening of the gauges with brake cleaner



Polished up the thumb wheel nuts



And mounted the gauges, I fitted a NOS idiot light bezel, the original was just too rough to my liking



I took apart the light switches and cleaned and lubricated them, fed them through the clips-ons, nice detail on Guzzi's part to hide the wiring in the bars just like the Japanese did in the 60's, then installed new PVC sheathing





All of the switches are moving nicely, hopefully they all work.

[Cam3512]

Clearly, you better sell me this S3 to finance your disease...

Cam

[canuck750]

Clearly, you better sell me this S3 to finance your disease...

Cam

Me? I'm not addicted to Guzzi's, not a bit, sell it you say!, I won't be an enabler for anyone else's addiction 

Cheers

Jim

[NCAmother]

all your posts are great Canuck, it's really cool to see all the little parts being restored or rebuilt

[canuck750]

all your posts are great Canuck, it's really cool to see all the little parts being restored or rebuilt

Thanks for that

My Wife has another word for it ... obsessive compulsive.

Jim

[nick949]

Jim,
if I ever thought about riding my 750s out to Edmonton just to say hello, Ive changed my mind. When Im riding it, I think its perfect. When I see yours it looks like a barn find, prime for your tender (if a bit fanatical) attentions.

Better stay away.

Nick

[canuck750]

I would love to host you, ride out any time, my shop is always open

Cheers

Jim

[canuck750]

A couple more small bits and pieces find their way back onto the S3

Tach cable, oiled the cables and then fitted them



And the speedo cable







These replacement idle screw springs are too long, I found that on my Eldo the idle screw would not turn in far enough due to the length of the spring, I cut two coils off them and then I get full adjustment of the screw





I follow Gregory Benders advice to static sync the carbs using a piece of bronze welding rod as a guide to set the slides equally



K & N filters back on



I lost the bushing for the brake pedal so I needed to turned a new one from Delrin rod



First the outer diameter is turned down



Then the inside diameter with a drill bit followed by a reamer





And its done, fitted on the frame, rod connected and brake pedal set screw fitted