1000S Rejuvenation

[Dave Swanson]

I made the trip to Southern Illinois to pick up a 1000S from EldoMike a few weeks ago.  You may remember Mike's thread titled Sparklehorse 1000S.   

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=96412.msg1525378#msg1525378

It's a nice solid unit with 15,000 miles.  It has been sitting in a garage for a number of years and needs TLC before hitting the road.

Here's Mike just after the deal was done. 



One of my first attempts at a selfie.  :)





I will document going through the bike and getting it roadworthy. 

[blackcat]

Dave, good luck with the bike. I've only had two issues with my 93, the Ducati voltage regulator and a seal on the final drive. I did add a set of Wirth  springs to address the front end dive, helped but didn't eliminate the problem.

Did you get the original headlight and the black plastic shroud to cover the clocks?

[Dave Swanson]

Did you get the original headlight and the black plastic shroud to cover the clocks?

I think the headlight shell might be original.  The missing plastic instrument shroud will be one of the most difficult pieces to find.  Other difficult bits to find will be a correct tail light and turn signals. 

[blackcat]

I think the headlight shell might be original.  The missing plastic instrument shroud will be one of the most difficult pieces to find.  Other difficult bits to find will be a correct tail light and turn signals.

The original USA headlight is smaller in diameter than the Lemans I headlight and the trim is chrome.  The turn signals are still being reproduced and they are available from Stein-Dinse.

https://www.stein-dinse.biz/Moto-Guzzi/Lighting/Turn-light-Moto-Guzzi/Indicator-for-front-right-or-rear-left-chrome-1000-S-Cali-3::9027.html

Don't remember what the lense looks like, but the bracket is correct. 

https://www.stein-dinse.biz/Moto-Guzzi/Lighting/Backlights/Rear-tail-light-T3-California-chrome-with-holder::139934.html

[Dave Swanson]

Thanks much for that info!  That will make finding the turn signals easy!

The first order of business was to drain the tank.  I could hear gas sloshing around and knew it must have been in there for at least 5 years.  This task was made a bit more complicated because there were no keys with the bike.


I carefully removed the pin that retains the seat lock so that I could remove the seat and then the tank.   With the tank off the bike you can access the small bolts that retain the locking cover over the gas cap.    I pumped 3 gallons of bad gas out and was relieved to find that it hadn't started turning to shellac.  I was fully expecting some rust in the tank, but surprise number 2 was a nice rust free tank!  How do you spell relief!!

[Dave Swanson]

It's always fun to begin a project like this with some simple tasks that provide immediate reward.

I had asked Mike to leave the bike untouched.  Cosmetics were what you would expect from a bike that had been in dry storage for at least 9 years.



This is the tank after about an hour or two of rubbing with a very fine rubbing compound followed by a coat of wax.

[Dave Swanson]

The instrument panel is made from polished stainless.



I removed the clocks and sent them to Palo Alto Speedometer Service for refurb.  A quick polish of the panel, and cleaning of the idiot lights results in almost instant gratification.

[canuck750]

Nice job polishing up the tank, looks great.

[Dave Swanson]

The 1000S has been put on the side burner while I finish up getting my 1978 XLCH road worthy.  It has been sitting for the last 25 years in a pole barn.  It was in decent shape but needed to be gone through top to bottom before riding it.   After this bike is finished I am giving it to my son and daughter in law.  My DIL has a serious itch to learn how to ride.  Once the space on my lift is clear I will roll the 1000S on. 

[jas67]

Congrats on the 1000S -- one of my favorite Guzzis!

[mcdammitt]

Please no Harleys,
 It makes my butt numbbbbbb.......... ....

[Dave Swanson]

Let the games begin!

[canuck750]

 

[Dave Swanson]

I received the instruments back from Palo Alto Speedometer Inc.  They did an excellent job!

Before



After

[canuck750]

Very impressive!

[Dave Swanson]

Very impressive!

Expensive, but worth it!   

[Turin]

Such a fantastic machine. I'm going to have to check out Palo Alto. Those look great.

[usedtobefast]

Just FYI, I live < 20 minutes from Palo Alto Speedo ... so if anyone ever needs someone to run by there for them, just let me know. 

[guzzinka]

And they even took 2 tenths of a mile off the odo for you! 

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Deff will be watching this one.. 

Thanks for taking the time to post pics, please keep them coming! 

[Dave Swanson]

I pulled the rear wheel off to give it a thorough inspection and clean up before mounting the new rubber.

The aluminum Akront rims were in good shape, but cruddy.



After a couple of hours rubbing out the rims with Autosol, and going over the stainless spokes with 0000 steel wool yielded a good result.



A new Akront sticker to replace the old.  Also a pleasant surprise - the rear wheel was still very true.

[Dave Swanson]

The uber rare front fender is in perfect condition.  It polished up nicely.

[canuck750]

Looking real good Dave,  do you use a polishing wheel and compound to get the stainless steel fender to shine up so nice?
If so what colour of polishing stick do you use?
I have tried red and white and can't get my stainless steel parts to shine up as nice.
Thanks

Jim

[Dave Swanson]

Jim, I was able to polish the fender by hand with Autosol.  It wasn't much of a challenge as it was in great condition.   If it needed a session with a polishing wheel I wouldn't trust my own skills with such a rare piece.  I would send it out to Elite Polishing.  Steve Langston is a wizard at the polishing wheel!

[canuck750]

Jim, I was able to polish the fender by hand with Autosol.  It wasn't much of a challenge as it was in great condition.   If it needed a session with a polishing wheel I wouldn't trust my own skills with such a rare piece.  I would send it out to Elite Polishing.  Steve Langston is a wizard at the polishing wheel!

Thanks Dave

I will try the Autosol on the Benelli rear fender and see if I can get it to shine up, it's quite dull and against the new chrome is shows its age. Kinda how these thing go isn't it, you get one part to look great and then it forces the quality of the rest of the build up a notch.

[Huzo]

I'm constantly in awe of you guys who restore these great bikes. I think I must be made of different stuff, I doubt my ability to dedicate myself sufficiently.
It looks like your bike will be spectacular upon completion without that "just restored" look. I reckon it'll look like it's been owned by you from new and always kept beautifully.
Sort of like "patina without the crap and faded paint" look.
Cannot wait to see the result....

[Dave Swanson]

I reckon it'll look like it's been owned by you from new and always kept beautifully.
Sort of like "patina without the crap and faded paint" look.

Huzo,   Since it will be a rider, and more of a rejuvenation rather than a restoration, that is exactly the look I will be striving for with this one. 

[Huzo]

Huzo,   Since it will be a rider, and more of a rejuvenation rather than a restoration, that is exactly the look I will be striving for with this one.

Canuck 750's Mk 1 resto was just beyond my comprehension, but yours is a little closer to what I hope I could do.
I have a dead original running Mk 2 that needs a touch up like your 1000 S.
I am inspired by your results.
  x 50

[canuck750]

Huzo,   Since it will be a rider, and more of a rejuvenation rather than a restoration, that is exactly the look I will be striving for with this one.

This 1000S is in too nice of shape and too new to warrant a restoration, that would only lower the value, careful detailing and cleaning is going to give this bike an amazing transformation.

There are so many products out there to restore paint, plastic, aluminum and even chrome that with enough elbow grease an old bike can look great again.

[Dave Swanson]

A bit of good luck and the power of Facebook has resulted in scratching off 2 of the 4 parts needed for this project! 

Due to what appears to have been a left  low side at one time a number of things were damaged.
 
     The left footpeg bracket was broken and had a fairly sloppy weld repair, although I am sure it wasn't an easy weld job.  The brackets are made from cast aluminum and quite brittle.  If the bike is dropped you can count on snapping one off. 

     The turn signals were missing.  This ended up being the easy part as Stein Dense still carries the exact units! Thanks blackcat!

     The rear brake light housing was replaced with an earlier style.  I have found that the 1000S is one of the few bikes made to use this style brake light, of course! 

     The black plastic instrument shroud is missing.  This is so rare I may have to resort to having a 3D copy made.

     The headlight is not correct.  Although the bucket looks like it could be correct and has the right terminals most 1000S' I have seen have a smaller headlight.

The footpeg weld job was below average, and the geometry of the bracket after welding was not correct.   I started looking for a replacement bracket immediately, but knew it would be a tall task!  The 1000S does not share this bracket with any other model that I know of.  The Lemans of the same time frame is close, but no cigar.  I had resigned myself to cutting the old weld out, and having it re-welded, but I knew it probably would not result in a bracket I would be happy with. 



What a proper 1000S taillight should look like


What a proper 1000S instrument shroud and headlight should look like. 


The happy news is, I was contacted by a Guzzi enthusiast in Europe that had a set of footpeg brackets and proper taillight.  Tracking info states the package has been released by US Customs.  I will post pictures upon receipt. 

2 of the unobtanium parts are off the list!!