Moto Guzzi Loop Frames - Lights & lenses

Auxiliary rear light bracket

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Thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle and Bruce Giller for providing me with this excellent pattern and pictures. Charlie originally got the idea for this bracket from the bracket on Pat Gilbraith's Ambassador that was created by Pat's late husband, Chuck Galbraith. The biggest difference between Charlie's and the original that Chuck made is that Chuck's was wider and mounted reflectors on either side of the license plate. Bruce crafted the lovely pattern.

Notes from Bruce:

I made Charlie's rear light bracket for my Eldo and here is a picture of it. It is made out of 10 gauge SS - easier to cut than I thought with a right angle grinder and a Zip blade. It is nice to have two more bright lights on the back especially when braking. When I've got stuff on the luggage rack, the light is sometimes hard to see.

You'll notice that I had to make a slight modification to the original design to clear the turn signals; made a 45 degree cut at both ends. So I revised the drawing of the bracket to include the cutoffs.

The lights used are J&P Cycles part no. 3200385 '63-'85 Harley FL style chrome die-cast turn signals.

Pattern for auxiliary rear light bracket for a loop frame Moto GuzziPattern for auxiliary rear light bracket for a loop frame Moto Guzzi

Alternitive pattern for auxiliary rear light bracket for a loop frame Moto Guzzi with cuts to clear turn signalsAlternitive pattern for auxiliary rear light bracket for a loop frame Moto Guzzi with cuts to clear turn signals

Wiring diagram for auxiliary rear lightsWiring diagram for auxiliary rear lights

Photo of bracket that Charlie Mullendor madePhoto of bracket that Charlie Mullendor made

Photo of bracket that Charlie Mullendor madePhoto of bracket that Charlie Mullendor made

Photo of bracket that Bruce Giller madePhoto of bracket that Bruce Giller made

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Dash light bulbs / indicator lights / idiot lights

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Only the Eldorado spare parts catalogs list these light bulbs as MG# 10744910: 12 volt, 3 watt light bulbs. But the specifications end there. You also need a light bulb that has a miniature bayonet base. Here are some part numbers and sources that should work for you. I prefer the #1891 to the #53 because it is about twice as bright (and closer to the original wattage specification).

• Sylvania or Philips #53 (14.4 volt x 0.12 amps = 1.728 watts)
• Sylvania or Philips #1891 (14 volt x 0.24 amps = 3.36 watts)
• McMaster-Carr item #1505K214 / trade #53 (14.4 volt x 0.12 amps = 1.728 watts)
• McMaster-Carr item #1505K93 / trade #1891 (14 volt x 0.24 amps = 3.36 watts)

Bulb style 53 - 1000 hour life ratingBulb style 53 - 1000 hour life rating

Bulb style 1891 - 500 hour life ratingBulb style 1891 - 500 hour life rating

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Fender reflectors

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Thanks to Charles Hamer for sending me this information.

Holden sells the red reflectors with the wide chrome trim.

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Headlight gasket replacement

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I extracted this information from Mark Etheridge off of the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!).

This is the gasket that fits between the headlight securing trim and the headlight itself. Just run down to your local hardware store and purchase a length of screen-door/screen-window vinyl spline. This is the piece that holds the screen in the sash's channel. Cut to length and you're done.

The perfect stuff for replacing your headlight gasketThe perfect stuff for replacing your headlight gasket

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Spot light brackets

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Before I donated a NOS pair of spot light brackets (MG# 13751340 and MG# 13751440) from my Dad's stash to John Schartz (to help build his new Ambassador after the old one was totalled during his 2007 wreck in New Mexico), I took ample photos and carefully created a pattern.

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Spot light replacement light bulbs

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Although I've not examined them in person, I believe that the stock spot lights required "BA20s" light bulbs (12V/60W light bulbs with a 20 mm base), which are quite difficult to come by in the U.S.

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Spot lights for civilian turn signal brackets

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I extracted this information from Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle off of the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group. In Charlie's own words:

On my '69 Ambo with the factory "polizia" fairing, there was just enough room for the stock turn signal brackets to clear the bottom of the fairing and for the reproduction Harley FLH spots to avoid the crashbars at full steering lock.

Disclaimer: I've not used a Wixom fairing on any Loop, so the following is at best a guess based on photos of bikes so equipped.

Judging from photos of a Wixom equipped Eldo, it looks like that fairing can be used with the stock signal brackets (I'm sure many were outfitted that way "back in the day"). The issue then is if the spots will clear the fairing too.

Reproduction Harley Davidson FLH spot lights mounted on civilian turn signal brackets.Reproduction Harley Davidson FLH spot lights mounted on civilian turn signal brackets.

Close-up view of the mounting for the reproduction Harley Davidson FLH spot lights.Close-up view of the mounting for the reproduction Harley Davidson FLH spot lights.

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Tail light lens fading

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I extracted this information from Mark Etheridge of Moto Guzzi Classics off of the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!).

If your tail light lens is faded, you can restore the color by boiling it in red Rit dye.

1. Boil the dye (a concentrated amount).
2. Submerge the lens for a couple of minutes...carefully monitor the progress as you don't want to destroy the lens.

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Tail light lens replacement

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If your round tail light lens needs to be replaced, you may find it difficult to find a suitable replacement that looks close to original. I have seen New Old Stock (NOS) CEV tail light lenses go for upwards of USD $60.00 on ebay...too steep for a hunk of plastic in my opinion.

Fortunately, there is a very-close replacement that can be purchased at your local Wal-Mart. It is a "Universal Stop, Turn and Tail Light" that is manufactured by "Peterson Manufacturing Company". The model number is 428. The package comes complete with the entire light, but the lens itself is all you need (the lens part number is 420-15, if you can find it - Bob Taylor informed me the lenses are available at Northern Tool). It screws right on to your stock CEV tail light.

Peterson Manufacturing Company item number 428 - universal stud-mount stop, turn, & tail lightPeterson Manufacturing Company item number 428 - universal stud-mount stop, turn, & tail light

As an alternative, the manufacturer "Truck-lite" sells complete tail light assemblies and replacement lenses. Theirs are powder coated metal. Look for model number 80463R for the complete assembly or model number 99083R for the replacment lens. Thanks to Larry Pease for providing this information.

Truck-lite tail light model number 80463RTruck-lite tail light model number 80463R

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Tail light to tail light bracket gasket

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Here is a pattern I made for the rubber gasket that goes between the tail light and the tail light bracket. I used an old gasket (believed to be original) as my pattern. 1/8" thick rubber material works great. An old chunk of inner tube will do. This corresponds to MG# 12741725 or CEV part number 10447.

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Turn signal replacements / replicas

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Civilian Lucas turn signals

Not having the original Lucas turn signals and not wanting to purchase NOS or piece together a set of used signals, I purchased four Lucas replica turn signals from MG Cycle. The only problem with the replicas is that they have an 85 mm stem, which the originals never had. I set out to fix this problem. Here's what I did:

• I disassembled the turn signal, removing the stem entirely. The stem is just attached with a nut, so it's very easy to do.
• I enlarged the hole in each turn signal body to 1/2". Since the signal bodies are plastic, this was very quick and easy.
• I purchase four 12 mm x 1.75 mm x 40 mm bolts (this is the perfect length; any longer and the bolt won't fit inside the body of the turn signal). Using my drill press, I drilled a 3/16" hole through the middle of each one. The electrical wire will run through this hole.
• I placed one lock washer on the bolt and inserted the assembly from the inside to the outside of the turn signal body (so that the head of the bolt is on the inside of the turn signal body).
• I fastened one nut on the outside of the turn signal body and tightened the assembly.
• I reassembled the turn signal, feeding the electrical wire through my special bolt.
• I fastened the turn signal to the motorcycle, with a flat washer, lock washer, and nut.

Materials used:

• Four Lucas replica turn signals
• Four 12 mm x 1.75 mm x 40 mm bolts
• Eight 12 mm x 1.75 mm nuts
• Eight 12 mm lock washers
• Four 12 mm flat washers

Now completed, the turn signals look very close to the originals.

Note: I've since had some trouble with the screws loosening that secure the bulb sockets to the body of the turn signal. The bulb is grounded through these screws, so it has caused some headaches. As a fix, I did the following:

• I used blue loctite to secure the screws in place.
• I ran a separate ground wire from the metal socket (using a small nut and bolt) to a solid ground on the bike.

Note: I also had trouble with the contact point on the pigtail. The contact was mounted in some sort of hard rubber, and the spring behind it - combined with the heat from the bulb and the vibration from the motorcycle - slowly pushed the contact through the rubber and away from the bulb...until contact was broken or intermittant. This even buggered up the contact point on the light bulb. For a fix, I replaced all of the rubber-type discs with hard-fiber discs that came packaged with single contact pigtails (local auto parts store purchase). I only needed to purchase two pigtails because each pigtail came packages with two discs - enough for all four turn signals.

Original hard rubber discOriginal hard rubber disc

Replacement hard fiber discReplacement hard fiber disc

Follow-up: I have completed two of the above described "conversions" (eight turn signals total) and I don't intend to ever do another. Here's why...

• The conversion takes a long time to do (several hours once all the little things are accomplished).
• Once completed, I'm still left with poor quality plastic turn signals that are not designed to withstand the vibrations and abuse that motorcycle quality turn signals should be able to endure. No matter how careful a person is, the plastic bodies and lenses will crack and the entire mess will disintegrate (and heaven-forbid you accidentally bump a turn signal as you are walking around the bike in your garage). These turn signals are nice to look at, but are no good in any long term real-life use.

Strong recommendation: If you really want the original Lucas look, source some original Lucas turn signals and be done with it.

Police Dietz turn signals

Barjan

I saw these at a truck stop near the 2007 Virginia Rally when Roger led a group of us on a great ride. Thanks to Tom Halchuk (also on the ride) for confirming the manufacturer when I returned to Tampa, Florida.

Barjan has chrome-plated zinc die-case 4" diameter turn signals.

• Order 049-3436110 (single contact) or 049-3436210 (double contact) for the red and amber lenses.
• Order 049-6437112 (double contact) for the single-sided red lens.

Grote Industries

Grote Industries has chromed-plated zinc die-cast 4" diameter turn signals in standard and thin formats.

Standard

• Order 56000 (single contact) or 53000 (double contact) for the red and amber lenses.
• Order 56032 (single contact) or 53032 (double contact) for the single-sided red lens.

Thin

• Order 55290 (single contact) for the red and amber lenses.
• Order 50652 (double contact) for the single-sided red lens.

Peterson Manufacturing Company

Peterson Manufacturing Company has a limited selection of chrome-plated zinc die-cast 4" diameter turn signals.

• Order 337 (single contact) or 337-2 (double contact) for the red and amber lenses.

Truck-lite / Signal-Stat

I extracted some of this information from John Chicoine off of the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!).

Signal-Stat has chome-plated zinc die-cast 4" diameter turn sigals.

• Order 3861 (single contact) for the red and amber lenses.
• Order 3763 (double contact) for the single-sided red lens.

Truck-Lite is the manufacturer of Signal-Stat products. Jack Young Company carries them, (617) 782-1250. Any NAPA auto parts store is a distributor for Signal Stat products. If they don't have the one you need on the shelf, they ought to be able to order it for you. If you don't have a Napa close by, call the Truck-Lite customer service department and give the rep your zip code - they'll find the closest one for you; (800) 562-5012 or (716) 661-1162.

As for price, the last time I checked (Mar 17, 2006) you could expect to pay just under USD $35.00 per turn signal.

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