Topica Loopframe_Guzzi Archive


Subject: Guzzis Galore

Author: Darrell Dick

Date: Apr 20, 2002, 7:18 PM

Post ID: 1710104800


As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I was in the final stages of the 2 year
rebuild of my Ambo/V700 project. It was shaping up nicely and I was well
pleased with the results. Well my brother shows up one day and says I've
finally decided I want to buy one of your bikes. OK, I say which one?
That red one over there, that's exactly what I want. Well, I don't really
want to sell that one. Let me see if I can find you another. OK, but that
red one is the one I want.

So I start to look for another loopframe. I happen across an Internet ad
with a local address for a '75 Guzzi. I call and say I want to know
something about the Guzzi and he says which one? Oh, how many do you
have? A few. I'll be right over.

Next thing I know, I've just bought 3 more Guzzis. A '72 Ambo, basically
good condition with decent original paint and Wixom bags. A '73 LAPD
Eldo, beat up and dingy, but apparently low miles and mostly there. And a
'76 1000 Convert, all there and butt ugly, but I been wantin' one of them
too. I passed on the 850T, I already got one and this one was ROUGH. He
had a V65C too, but I guess I am a Big Twin kind of guy.

Once I got 'em home, the loops look even better. Both turn freely and the
Ambo seems to have decent compression too. So today, I was determined to
make the Ambo run. I tore into the jacked up electrical system. I
stripped out pretty much all of at least one PO's improvements. I pulled
the carbs and cleaned them, filed the points and set them, changed the
oil, put in a battery, fiddled with the wiring some more and VOILA, it
runs!!! Sure it needs some more work, but it is running pretty well. I'm
gonna treat it to some new points, torque the heads and readjust the
valves, drop the pan and clean it out. It needs a couple of spokes in the
front wheel and a new tire on the rear. Say, does anyone have a set of
"square" battery covers to spare? Both of the new loopframes are missing
them. Please let me know if you do. Looks like both my brother and I will
be riding loops this summer. I guess I will let him have the red bike and
I will work with the newcomers.

The LAPD will be a more longterm project. Hopefully, I can do a fairly
proper restoration on it. The Convert will probably become a true utility
machine, but it needs some attention too.

Ian, for your records the Ambo is #23959 built in May '71 the Eldo #55201
built in October '72. Anybody running a Convert registry? Didn't think
so.

I guy can't have too many Guzzis.

Darrell Dick
Imlay City, MI

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