Well, this project is turning into a road show, and I doubt it is over yet. Current project road map:
Yes, the project and basically I now reside in my parents' garage in Rochester, MN. With functional workspace, ample free time, a small pile of cash (bye bye BMW), a cat for company, and a beer fridge, I have been making headway, despite one minor impediment:
Yes, the bone I broke last winter didn't heal quite right, and thanks to a recent surgery I am now the proud owner of some titanium bits and pieces...and an temporarily immobilized lefthand...
So, what have I been up to?
Well, I realized that I am getting to a point where decisions are going to effect the riding experience, and I want to get this dialed before I dig further into cosmetics. this realization in mind, my sights are set on making this the v50 run. Once I can drive it, I am then going to tune the riding experience. As I said in one of the very first posts in this write up, I used to race mountain bikes, and through this, I have decent sense of how to find, tailor, and perfect the riding experience. With that dialed I will then return to the final finishing. This seems correct right? A paint job needs to reflect the soul of a bike, and I won't be able to fully get to know the little Guzzi's soul riding it.
Towards those strategic ends:
The first task I targeted upon getting the project moving again was to replaced the starter with a gear redux unit. Thank you to all who chimed in with advice on that topic. It proved a cheap, weight saving, direct bolt on solution.
Next, I set to work cleaning up some of the work I did earlier this year on the shift linkage solution I had devised to support the rear sets. The tubing I had welded into the lower frame rail to hold the linkage bearing need to be trimmed back. It started at this length:
And with a dremel tool and a file I slowly trimmed it back and cleaned things up:
To this:
A linkage arm, which I have friend machining for me, will ultimately sit in the recess the trimming created on the far side of the frame rail from the arm seem in the following pic:
Should be a pretty sexy setup once all is done and said.
With that done and the shift arm on order, I turned my attention to the hand controls. I since I saw dale do it in his post I have been dying to remove up the bar clap mounts from the upper triple tree for years, and despite disavowing cosmetic work, I allowed myself this.
From this:
to this
to this
This was absurdly satisfying. I am planning to fill the holes partially, and to take advantage of the threads remaining on the bottom side to attach a gauge bracket that reaches out and up from below the tripple tree. More on that in upcoming weeks.
I also picked up a Tommaselli and immediately put a brushed finish on it:
Without electronics the handle bar controls cant be finished, so I set my sites on the electronics next.
Here is the under seat layout I am planning for the electronics:
Of the electronics will be elevated up off of the seat pan with aluminum spacers another friend is turning for me. Adjacent to the row of electronics will be a Li battery composed of these:
I love that they are neon green.
Everything should tuck under the seat there nicely:
Now it is wiring harness time....
I thoroughly enjoy making sense out of chaos and this:
will provide ample opportunity for that.
From now until my next post I will be sorting the electronics. If you are reading this and you have suggestions on where to buy the wire I will need and the connectors I will need I could use some direction. I am especially worried about finding the blade connectors that work with the plastic housings of the factory wiring harness. These guys (note the little tab to secure it in the plastic plug is bent in the wrong direction):