Building a Benelli 650 Tornado

[canuck750]

I bought a 1974 Benelli 650S Tornado a couple years ago, its a 'little rough' and has some 'patina'













The engine was seized and needed new pistons, used cylinders, heads and crank shaft, new seals, gaskets and some case bearings,

It took a real effort of heat, pressure and pounding to get the pistons to break free from the rusted in cylinders

Its been completely stripped down to the last nut and bolt, powder coating and zinc platting is done, the wheels have been rebuilt with new stainless spokes, polished Borani rims and Pirelli Sport Demons.


Engine rebuilt,







laid it on its side and dropped the frame over the motor



Waiting for the chrome plating and the brake shoes to get the linings replaced.

Painting was done last year


About 500 more jobs to do before its rebuilt.



Detlef Bauer in Germany has been great providing everything I need to restore it. He has all the rubber bits, mufflers, headers, sprockets, wire harness, cables, specialty engine parts, switches, gauges etc.....

[Rick4003]

Looks really good Jim, another classic get a new chance in life [emoji4]

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[Antietam Classic Cycle]

 

[Huzo]

Freaking genius..

[canuck750]

The build quality of the Benelli is pretty impressive, take a look at the cylinder head mountings, there are a total of four thick steel plates, two per side that mount to the frame and the heads, Benelli weren't looking to save any weight when they designed this



Then there is a thick plate at the front, two bolts to the engine block and two to the frame



Around the back is a long bolt passing through the block and frame on each side and for good measure another bracket on each side of the rear of the block bolts top the frame, 4 bolts on top, two on the front, two on the sides and two on the back, overkill?



This is on rigid frame / engine unit, there are rubber isolators for the instruments, the handle bars, coils, regulator, rectifier, battery box, and the foot pegs have the porcupine ribs on them, keeping the twin cylinders rigid to the frame must have passed a lot of vibration along to the rider.

Some other peculiarities of the Benelli are the O rings for the head to cylinders

The engine has two oil filters, a standard cartridge type and mesh gauze one as well

The crank shaft is supported on five rollers and the transmission is equally well supported on massive bearings



Everything is very solid, even the head studs are thicker than most I have seen

Clutch hub bearings

Lovely cam followers

I certainly wouldn't claim the Tornado is as sleek as a Ducati 750 GT or a Guzzi V7 Sport of the same period but it certainly is built like a tank and it has a lot of fine components on it.

It's growing on me.

[Dave Swanson]

What a stroke of luck to have a parts source in Detlif!   I don't think Palo Alto Speedo can save your clocks! :)

[canuck750]

I don't think Palo Alto Speedo can save your clocks! :)

Damn, I was going to test their capabilities! 

Good thing I found some NOS ones over the years, this is how I usually end up finding a 'project bike' by first thinking I want one, start looking for parts then find the bike, ass-backwards I guess but it seems to be how my brain works.

[canuck750]

Spent a couple hours this morning fitting a few more bits, started with the swing arm axle, zinc plating made the axle too large so some careful polishing on the lathe with fine emery cloth until it just slides in past the bronze swing arm bushings, took about a half hour of removing very tiny amounts of plating



Then the swing arm could be fitted and suspended with a pair of old Koni shocks I had laying around, I am rebuilding the original Ceriani's need to find a hard chrome plating shop that will replate and grind the chrome shock shafts



The battery box is suspended on four rubber silent blocks





Same set up for the front coil bracket but two silent blocks up front

I will tackle the front end next, forks have been stripped, cleaned and lowers polished, new fork seals fitted ready to go back on.

This assembly part is the enjoyable stage of a build, the hours of cleaning, repairing, replacing and rebuilding each component is the hard work behind me.

[canuck750]

Electrical components are same as on the Tonti Guzzi, Bosch diode board, regulator, starter solenoid, even the rotor and stator are the same





Same coils but mounted up high and in front of the engine

I started to empty one box so I just continued putting on parts as they came out, no particular order but the bolt box is getting a little lighter

[Turin]

That is going to be sweet! The green and black looks outstanding.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Yes! Love this build! Keep it rolling Canuck

[canuck750]

A couple more pieces migrated out of the plastic bins onto the bike frame,

Vapour blasted the original CEV fuse box (same one as on the Guzzi V7 Sport), cleaned the original rubber breather hoses with acetone, they still look good after 44 years, tool tray cleaned up fine and shows no trace of the rusted mess it was

I found some black metal cable straps on Ebay that look like the original ones that came on the bike




Need tp pick up some 16mm stainless steel hose clamps, this chrome plated cable guide fits onto the valve cover retaining bolt, I ceramic coated the exhaust header collaes

I got these new rubber plugs that hold a pin on the side covers


centre stand and lower chain cover



Horn attaches to the frame up front



Carb intake manifolds have a cross over tube (like a Laverda SF1)



Funky repro hedge hog foot pegs



Seat pivot pin was saved and zinc plated, put the lift handle back on

[Turin]

Wow. I do not have the patience to attempt a restoration like this. Impressive.

[canuck750]

Fitting the triple clamps, I lost or all the balls were never in the headstock when I the bike. I bought 60 new steel balls, greased the lower race and fitted the balls,





Top race



Top race nut



Then the upper triple with the headlight ears and their rubber gaskets, the fork legs and then the bar clamps



Fitted the gauge mount with new rubber grommets and replated fasteners



Speedometer was a new one (or nearly new) I got from Ebay







Refitted the cleaned up idiot lights

I need to make new coloured inserts for the idiot light bodies

I have two used tachometers, both have the silent blocks worn out or missing and the bezels are scraped up

[canuck750]

I made this gauge holding tool years ago to repair Eldorado gauges, same diameter Veglia gauge, the holder keeps the gauge tight so the bezel can be peeled off



Slowly work a fine crew driver blade around the bezel prying it up



Then pry the bezel and glass off



The silent blocks are shot, I screwed in some machine screws with locklite and lock nits, then cut the heads off




I had a spare Eldorado bezel to replace the dented one off the Tornado

Clamp the gauge with the new bezel cleaned up glass and rubber then tap the bezel back down



Looks like this, just needs the chrome painted black



These sections of rubber hose will act like the silent block studs

Painted the bezel, this will be a close enough match to the speedo



Just need to clean the paint flash off the glass once the paint dries over night

[canuck750]

I fitted the starter motor drive train



The new gasket set I got is not the best, the starter cover gasket just does not fit, crap pattern parts



A local gasket manufacturer gave me a big scrap of gasket paper today



Grease the mating surface



pressed the cover onto the paper



Then use hollow punches to cut out the holes and scissors to trim the gasket

Holding it in place with blots and nuts until I mount the cover

[Rick4003]

I fitted the starter motor drive train



The new gasket set I got is not the best, the starter cover gasket just does not fit, crap pattern parts



A local gasket manufacturer gave me a big scrap of gasket paper today



Grease the mating surface



pressed the cover onto the paper



Then use hollow punches to cut out the holes and scissors to trim the gasket



Holding it in place with blots and nuts until I mount the cover

Looks good everything!

The non matching gasket, could that be due to a long shelf life. It might have shrunk from dehydration, often seen with old paper gaskets?

Anyway the new gasket looks good and the grease trick is neat, I have to remember that [emoji4]

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[canuck750]

The non matching gasket, could that be due to a long shelf life. It might have shrunk from dehydration, often seen with old paper gaskets?

I hadn't thought of that, makes sense, so much for buying 40+ year old paper gaskets in the future. The shop I got the gasket paper is all computer controlled scan and cut operation. Getting a one off gasket made is possible but the set up time means that getting at least ten made starts to make sense cost wise. I got a tour of the operation and I was amazed at the cleanliness and the size of the flat bed cutting tables they have, they were churning out thick metal/fibre gaskets for some very large flanges, probably oil field related.

[Rick4003]

I hadn't thought of that, makes sense, so much for buying 40+ year old paper gaskets in the future. The shop I got the gasket paper is all computer controlled scan and cut operation. Getting a one off gasket made is possible but the set up time means that getting at least ten made starts to make sense cost wise. I got a tour of the operation and I was amazed at the cleanliness and the size of the flat bed cutting tables they have, they were churning out thick metal/fibre gaskets for some very large flanges, probably oil field related.

I think it was Charlie that came up with a tip on misting the gaskets with a water spray for getting them back to the right size. Seemed to work well.


Sounds like an interesting place to visit your local gasket shop. Would love to see how they cut it all using cnc.

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[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I think it was Charlie that came up with a tip on misting the gaskets with a water spray for getting them back to the right size. Seemed to work well.

Yes. I just use a spray bottle and mist any shrunken gaskets prior to installation.

[canuck750]

Yes. I just use a spray bottle and mist any shrunken gaskets prior to installation.

Thanks for this, I will have to give it a try, I have other old paper gaskets that no longer fit the engine side covers.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thanks for this, I will have to give it a try, I have other old paper gaskets that no longer fit the engine side covers.

The gaskets usually shrink again as they dry, so you pretty much have to spray and install very soon afterwards.

[canuck750]

Two gauges back in place



Installed the new clutch discs and springs, I had the spring carriers and nuts zinc plated

Installed the starter chain cover and the rotor and stator

And then test fitted the left side outer cover, just because I wanted to see something shiny and pretty go back on for now, I love the Benelli logo with the proud lion


If anyone knows where I can find an original side stand for this bike please send me a PM.

[Dave Swanson]

Love that Benelli badge!!

[canuck750]

This special oil feed blot arrived in the mail on Friday from Detlef Burian, he has been a saviour providing missing special parts

I have found a lot of parts form this seller on Ebay, santo_di_motocicli, real good service, he is sending me a pair of NOS passenger footrest rubbers and has provide lots of little parts

I had the exhaust supports chrome plated and the badly rusted foot rest brackets cad plated

I picked up the chrome plating on Saturday, the plating shop in Calgary Alberta does real nice work!

Rear sub frame back on

I need to fit rubber washers between the tail light mount and the fender

After seeing David Swanson's nicely polished rear fender from his 1000S restoration I think I need to give this fender another go.

[canuck750]

The Tornado came with just one signal light and it unfortunately it was damaged. CEV made these cast aluminum signal light bodies and they are quite hard to find but Harley Davidson / Aermacchi used them on a couple models and I have been able to gather up a set buying a couple at a time as they have come up on Ebay. The flange that surounds the base of the plastic lens is very thin and several were split, I managed to get four but they are pretty beat up.


Before polishing I use a random orbital foam backed sander with 280 grit, and slowly sand out the damage as much as possible while keeping the minimum thickness of the flange intact.



Rouge polishing compound a sisal polishing wheel finishing with a soft wheel and then a light hand polish with Autosol



lamp holders clean up in the vapour blast cabinet

Nice and bright



Installed the tail light on the rear lamp holder



I looked up stainless steel polishing on Google and bought a stick of green polishing compound, repolished the rear fender, spent a half hour on it, much better but still not a chrome like shine

[Dave Swanson]

Wow,  it is really coming together nicely.  A very ambitious project to say the least!

[canuck750]

Some initial progress today

Front fender and brake plate supports installed



new rear foot rest rubbers came in the mail today



Assembled the brake plates with relined and arced brake shoes



Then I went rummaging in bins for the steering damper, notthing, dug into another lot of boxes marked Morini and there it was another box of Benelli parts, there was the steering stabilizer, the headlight and one more zip lock bag with a strange part all by itself, carefully cleaned and tucked away by the idiot hat took this bike apart a year + ago ...

I knew in an instant what it is...

And I know what it means....


The engine comes out tomorrow and gets stripped all apart, this part in a miss marked bin alone in a zip lock is the shift dog that fits onto the main cluster

I took this motor apart over a year ago and I thought I had left the two transmission shafts with their gears intact, untouched .... obviously not. I had tested the shifting, it worked fine or so I thought, kinda heartbreaking but so it goes..... we learn by our mistakes 

Now to strip the top end and lift the motor out of the frame and strip it down.

Maybe practice will make perfect.

[Rick4003]

That is a bummer! Hope you get it back together with no missing parts this time.
I hate it when you get everything bolted back together and you find that one missing part! Did the same on the Alfa engine [emoji51]

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[canuck750]

I was able to strip the entire top half of the motor in the frame


Now to spend another afternoon putting it all back together, not that big a deal in the great scheme of things