Gordon, Thanks for writing. I did see the MG CYcle parts page and sent your shop an e-mail earlier today asking lots of questions. Anyway, you refer to photos - I don't see any. Anyway thanks again for weighing in on this topic; and I didn't even know there was a medium sized hole available in the torpedos. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon Kline <eds-h-@eishome.com> To: <Loopfram-@topica.com> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 11:10 PM Subject: Re: ANYONE HAVE AMBO MUFFLERS FOR SALE?
Hey Guys, reading the list tonight, thought I'd chime in on your muffler discussion. I'm familiar with the dilemma. I've got two loop frames
(V700
and Eldorado) and both of them are wearing old big hole mufflers, and due
to
age and rust, both of them actually have more holes in them than the big hole at the rear. But, because I too like the bigger sound and the
classic
good looks of a torpedo, I continue to use them regardless of their
somewhat
battered appearance. Both of my loop frames have a distinct patina so
they
fit right in. As you know, the reproduction torpedo mufflers have a
medium
sized hole, which is in between the old "big hole" and the old "small
hole"
or "pea-shooter" of days past. This is a bit of a drag for the typical American who has the luxury of choosing how loud he wants his Guzzi to be, but I think it's better to have a mid-size hole than if they were reproducing them with the small hole! But they are still quiet by our standards, and to my knowledge no one has tried to drill them out or otherwise open them up, probably because they're not cheap and you'd hate
to
screw them up. But it's tempting. We (MG Cycle, pardon me, I'm writing from home) do have an alternative in the Italian Mistral muffler line,
which
is a polished stainless steel muffler in their "classic" shape, which is something of a torpedo shape that at least pays homage to the shape of the original mufflers. You can see the basic shape in the second set of
you thought the torpedo replicas were too expensive, you'd better be
sitting
down when you see the price of these. But, they are louder, but I've
never
heard them called too loud, and because they're made especially for the loopframes, they do still utilize the crossover that goes between the mufflers in front of the rear wheel. As you know, you can source any of
the
Mistral mufflers from Agostini and probably save a few bucks over what you can get them for here in the states, but we import them and stock them anyways, figuring some people would rather deal with vendors here in the states for various reasons. There are doubtless other options as well,
but
this is one that I know about and I didn't see mentioned, so I thought I'd toss it out for thought. My next loop frame project will probably be wearing a set of these Mistrals because I don't have any more "big holes"
to
put on.
Pardon the commercial nature of my post. Anyone besides me gonna have a loop frame at the 4th annual Cajun Swamp Scooters Rally in Louisiana this coming weekend? Wife and I are taking the V700 down in the van, and
buying
another old Tonti frame in New Orleans on the way home. I've never been
to
that rally before, but I hear they have good food.
Gordon
----- Original Message ----- From: <3haw-@bluefrog.biz> To: <Loopfram-@topica.com> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 8:37 PM Subject: Re: ANYONE HAVE AMBO MUFFLERS FOR SALE?
OK Charlie, and Andy and Mark What I really want is torpedos with the large opening but always trying
to
keep costs as low as possible without making my Ambo into a rat bike. Anyway, I do want something that will fit well and sound good. I am
getting
tired of my after market mufflers that still look good but I have
repaired
the port side so much that it is on it's last legs. And they are, and always have been, too loud, especially on long trips,which I am happy to
say
I am taking more of since the Ambo and I are getting along much better
these
days. I did consider the Whitney reverse cones awhile ago but I guess I forgot about them. Will look into them again as they look good on your
bike
(nice site by the way!) and are inexpensive. Thanks again Charlie, Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: Charlie Mullendore <li-@loopframe.com> To: <Loopfram-@topica.com> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 6:23 PM Subject: RE: ANYONE HAVE AMBO MUFFLERS FOR SALE?
Hi Bob, What he said! What exactly are you hoping to find? Stock/repros or
just
something that will fit well and sound good?
As we've discussed before my personal choice was a pair of the JC Whitney (EMGO) "Extra-long Reverse-cone Megaphone Mufflers (item # AGE017566B) now $63 ea., but $49.49 ea. when I bought mine. They're a little longer than the ones Andy mentioned. Fit well, good quality, sound good too. Pics in my "Parts" album at: http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/amboman4 To mount them all I had to do was use one reducer, shorten the
mounting
bracket and bend a little offset into it. Easy!
Most of the stock style repro "torpedos" I've seen have the small European outlet and are too quiet for my tastes. The repro Lafranconi Frankfurters (slashbacks) look nicer and probably sound better as
well.
If I remember correctly either style will cost around $375/pr.
Most of the MACS I've seen leave me unimpressed with the quality for
the
$. EPCO makes some very nice stainless steel repros of both styles,
cost
is approx. $475/pr. including crossover and clamps last I looked. Several Loopers have mentioned poor muffler to headpipe fit with
these.
I got really lucky and scored a pair of good used "torpedos" at the Italian Moto-Fest for $30. Good chrome and solid, but with a nasty
acid
stain on one, scratches and a few small dings on the other. They'll
look
good on "Freebie" though.
Like Andy, I have a set of stock mufflers which are in pretty rough shape. The chrome is ... what chrome? And the crossover spigots have been welded back on by some chicken crapping apparently. Ruff! Cheers,
Charlie
Bob- unless ya really have an affinity for the torpedoes, j.c. whitney
has
some really excellent dunstall re-pops for about $50.00 ea. they have a removable, re-packable baffle, and really look/sound nice! we just ordered a set for the '70 ambo. i do have 2 sets of stock mufflers, but they
are
not in nice condition. andy ----- Original Message ----- From: <3haw-@bluefrog.biz> To: <Loopfram-@topica.com> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 8:57 AM Subject: ANYONE HAVE AMBO MUFFLERS FOR SALE?
I'll buy new ones if I have to from MG Cycle but anyone have good mufflers