lemans

And here is a first start of bike, a few months ago;

Thank you all for your comments.

And that's all folks.... Bike has passed technical inspection without any problems, now it's ready for the road....and, I hope, many many miles... A couple of pictures of before:

The last thing left for me to do is bug spoiler. Old one was peeled, broken and it needs to be completly redone... After repairing and patching looked like this: For this piece I will not bother friend who paint the bike, I'll paint it myself. Washed, a coat of plastic primer: Plastic filler...all grinded and ready for paint:

I like vinyl and I collect it...only, I have two small children so I have to move all my LP's from living room..some to my workshop and big parts are in boxes in the attic...over the years I have accumulated a few thousand pieces... It's funny...a lot of my friends says (now...sorry...it's a little problem to say all in good english, to make sense, but I will try...) that my place look vintage...and that I'm young in years but old in soul...

The next thing was the seat... I have not bought a new base, I have used the old one, and with a help from my friend, did what I wanted to do; single-seater in retro style. Old base cut out, ready for renovation: With the help of wire brush, mounted on angle grinder I remove the rust and old paint: For primer I used zinc spray: Mounting on the frame: Sponge sanded and prepared for upholstery: Last check before upholstering: And after two weeks of waiting, the seat is done.

No, not by myself. A friend of mine do it.

Rear tail light was following action; old original light visually was no longer fit, holder for a new tail light I use from Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone. Final look: Work in progress: for a new tail light I also made a new bracket using aluminium:

Old instrument panel we no longer fit into this look so I decided to make a new: I used aluminum plate 5mm thick, from a paper I made template and started to cut: Covers for watches I bought.. Search for an angle of bending and determine the mounting holes:

Following on the schedule was reparations brake calipers and brake cylinders; also, I buy metal brake hoses: Old brake pistons were rusty...I have changed brake fluid every two years, but the years have made their job...

Finally on wheels:

Rear fork and rear drive assembly: The next thing I had to do was completely new electrical installation: And new set of tyres, to put the bike on his legs...

So...after buying everything I need, we continued with working on the engine assembly. All the little things I gave to galvanizing. And....ready for next stage...

Yes...I did notice...Hammer is a very useful tool...there's an old saying: "if something does not go take a stronger hammer" After sandblasting the frame and other parts it's time for powder coating: after 3 days, phone ring "frame is done..." In the meantime, the engine was disassembled and we made the diagnosis and parts list what to buy...new pistons with piston rings, all bearings and oil seals in and around the engine, main bearings, big end bearings, timing chain, push rods, tappets and a new cluch... The gearbox is also taken to peaces; replaced all bearings and oil seals...

Next in line was the frame and the rest of the parts. I was thinking should I paint the frame or use powder coating...I went to a friend of mine to see how his powder coating turn out and then make a choice...definitely, powder coating.. Sandblasting parts:

Yes, I will show the whole process of what I was doing. For the whole restoration I need two years. I could do it faster, but I spent a lot of money that I did not have to end immediately...how much money I have, that's how much I worked on bike. And also, I have another bike that I was using in this period.

Next thing I did was disassembly and inspection of engine. I had a professional help of my friend, I was not dared to do it myself...sorry for not having a detailed pictures of engine in parts, but my hands was all full of oil and I didn't have my camera with me... Here is some pictures of this stage: Cylinder heads had to be completely rebuild...so; new valves, new springs, valve guide, valve seats...Old exhaust valves have almost 1mm shift within the valve guide, so they destroyed the valve seats... After measuring cylinders, we concluded that there are fine, in tolerance, and that nikasil is ok.

Now I asked myself "with what to start first?". Here in Croatia we have a Moto Guzzi parts dealer, but for me, prices are too high and delivery time is insane...I have couple frends in Germany, so I decide to find and buy everything that I will need from German dealer. They have almost everything on stock and prices are ok for me. So, on my worktable first was final drive; inside was a very funny story..one of the bold was loose and make a nice damage. Furthermore, traces of wear are visible everywhere: I need to replace main gear set: I think that this is maximum of how this should be worn out... On the rear end I have some more problems...one of the screw lost his head and it almost make a disaster: After I saw all these damage, there was nothing else to do but buy a whole new inside of end drive... Here is picture of this job done:

Thank you. Here is how it all goes.... Workshop full of Guzzi:

No...the same like on the fuel tank... @GuzziMoto The bike was tired...i made 100,000 km, owner before me some 50,000 and I don't know how many miles make the first owner...The bike was having problem with engine start, oil was leaking from breather, clutch was at the end and so and so.... I will put more pictures soon....work in progress...

Hello, I would like to introduce you to my Moto Guzzi Le Mans 1000... In the last two years I have generally renewed it and is now again ready to run.. Before rebuild: I own the bike for a 8 years and made with this bike around 100.000 km. Don't know how many km a previous owner made...I am very satisfied with the bike, but the time has come to put little more love and money in the bike. Bike after rebuild: