You wonder????

[Huzo]

It's going to take me a long time to be able to use this forum properly. I'm looking at your comment following my question about how hard it is to attempt something of that magnitude. To me I can't imagine bringing something like that back to life, regardless of cost. I just thought the poor bloke had to learn a painful lesson about how not to treat his bike then expect some magic to be performed. I didn't think I'd suggested that I had a mate who could do it for five grand anywhere. How is my response seen as trolling ? And if so, what makes it dull and unimaginative?

[pauldaytona]

This bike is best put back together and put on ebay as barn find, and sell for gold.

[Murray]

Jeez Pete, it's a bit sad, do you think the poor guy genuinely thought he could have his bike repaired ? Is the Guzzi relatively simple to work on, how long does it take to get that far in?

To put it in perspective I recently had the top end done done on the 1100 sport mainly due to a pice of the carb slide entering a cylinder, if you hear a bad noise turn it off fortunately the motor was at idle at the time. We obviously did both cylinders as the bike had about 140 000kms, for new rings, cam followers, valves, K line guides associated machining, a few new carb parts and a bloke that knows what he is doing ran about 3k.

[pete roper]

Good. All youse blokes who reckon its easily salvageable send me your email addresses and I'll give them to him. You can then explain why a crank 40g out of balance with compromised rods and timing gear blew itself up after your rebuild that was so much cheaper than the bloke who knows nothing in Bungendore.

I'll be happy to oblige.

Pete

[Kev m]

It's going to take me a long time to be able to use this forum properly. I'm looking at your comment following my question about how hard it is to attempt something of that magnitude. To me I can't imagine bringing something like that back to life, regardless of cost. I just thought the poor bloke had to learn a painful lesson about how not to treat his bike then expect some magic to be performed. I didn't think I'd suggested that I had a mate who could do it for five grand anywhere. How is my response seen as trolling ? And if so, what makes it dull and unimaginative?

Pete's been trolled enough that he sometimes just assumes the worst...

But put a couple of pints in him and he becomes a warm and fuzzy teddy bear or maybe that's a warm and fuzzy koala (wait, no he was already the koala all teeth and claws).

[John A]

Any machine that far deteriorated cannot be repaired to a roadworthy standard and be economically pleasing to both parties. Just my opinion but I've seen it many times, and unless the thing is rare or has emotional attachment that is the truth. I've had customers get mad at me when I gave a truthful estimate on such a project . More times than not the shop that takes it on will end up owning it when the customer abandons it unless it's paid for up front.

[Dean Rose]

Did I miss a link to other pictures of the actual bike?
I can only see a crankshaft with some surface rust and pan with sludge.

The rebuild cost (engine) is moderate compared to a beveldrive Ducati of the same era.
At least most parts are available for Moto Guzzi's.
Part of the enjoyment of old bikes is working on them yourself, if you can not or will not learn how to do so you either get some contemporary plastic bike or pay someone to do it for you on the old model.
The pictures posted look nothing out of the usual, sludge washes off, rust can be removed, worn parts can be replaced as can various castings like a transmission case.
Are people that afraid in this modern world, I hope not.

Pete, Sell it to this Kiwi genius, apparently he is more qualified at Moto Guzzi repair than you are. 

Dean

[Tom]

I'm waiting for someone to tell you that you don't know what you're talking about. 

[pete mcgee]

A sad death by idiotic neglect.
Where was it stored?
I'm in the middle of a resurection of a 1977 R100RS that hasnt run since 1993, stored as it was last ridden, no rust in the engine, even the oils were fairly clear. Anything rubber is toast.
I much prefer working on Guzzi's, you need a special tool to go for a dump on beemers.
Pete, keep smiling.
Cheers

[Penderic]

Available in shop colours.
 

[cruzziguzzi]

"You wonder????"

Far too often and too frequently out loud, according to my wife.

Todd.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I much prefer working on Guzzi's, you need a special tool to go for a dump on beemers.

  True, true..

[Tom]

Ouch!

[pete roper]

Nice resto. I personally don't like *Over* restorations and no early '70's Guzzi ever left the factory looking like that but that isn't relevant to the argument.

As I said very early on if it didn't have matching numbers I would throw it in the skip.

It does have matching numbers so it has a certain 'Value' because of that. That's all though.

I also stated that it was a terrible shame but that it isn't economically viable for it to be restored. Not that it couldn't be.

Why are there no pictures of the entire bike? Because I made it very clear to the owner that I had ZERO interest in doing a full cosmetic restoration. That isn't my business. It isn't what I do. I said I would strip and assess the motive unit. Going beyond the motor was futile.

Yes. You could start off with a crankcase and frame and a rusty fork staunchion and build a *Genuine* LeMans out of it. But it would be something *You* would do. Not something you pay someone to do, unless you have REALLY deep pockets.

There are plenty of people who would take this sort of shitty disaster. I'm not one of them and nor am I willing to lie to the customer or raise his hopes as to the resurrection of his piece of flogged out crap can be done cheaply. I have more than enough work sorting out the problems supplied by the factory and other 'Workshops' with the modern bikes to want to sign myself up to this sort of bottomless pit of anger and disappointment.

The end.

Pete

[Penderic]

Do you fix bikes too? All righty then!

I have a hunred dollars and a dream. Errr.... can you help me? 




 

[molly]

There's a chap near me that restores Buggati's. You basically supply him with a pile of scrap and a blank cheque and wait 5 years for him to ring. Not sure many guzzi owners are up for that kind of deal.