UK Coppa Italia recommision

[wavey_davey1]

Ok, so as per my recent "introduce yourself" post, I have bought a Coppa Italia imported from Japan by a dealer, described as a "barn find".

In this case I actually think it might have been in a barn! The date code on the tyres is 2007 and there's numerous signs around the bike of having been stored either in slightly damp conditions and/or UV damage though fundamentally in good condition? I suspect it might be a deceased estate purchase as there's a few expensive extras that came with it, but also signs of poor storage, we'll never know?

I'm no stranger to restorations (which is not how I see this project) having resurrected a T3 Cali, numerous 60s/70s Bonnevilles and Commandos etc, but never really had that much involvement with a spine frame over and above tank-off checklist type stuff. I see this one as requiring a bit more than that somehow!

 

First hurdle was getting the badly uv hardened paint film off without destroying the paint and decals underneath. So far it's working, albeit very slow process (combination of gentle heat gun and specialised solvent) but the tailpiece decals aren't clearcoated so will have to repair small areas or source new ones/get copies made, we'll see.

I wanted to clean it up a bit before any stripdown or startup, as much to give me some motivation as anything else. It's really filthy, even under the tank etc. Oddly though oils look clean as does brake fluid, and there's a small amount of what looks like reasonably fresh fuel in the tank, which I'll change out before powering up the pump etc.

 

I've sourced new oil, oil filter, fuel filter and just had 10 Picker relays arrive from Digikey in the states (2 days shipment time!) as it currently has the dreaded Tycos.

 

Will post a few updates as and when, (and steer specific questions into the technical forum) though this project is competing with my brother's BSA 250 charging issue and a few other bits and pieces, plus the demands of a 10 year old daughter, so it's not going to be a 2 weeks and ride off into the sunset thing.

 

 

 

 

[wavey_davey1]

but looking a bit better with a bit of a clean (still some paint film to go at but my finger nails are literally wearing down (an old credit card proved useless)

 

 

[mikev]

I really like the coppa italia color scheme

 

[Admin Jaap]

It's settled then... we ride old bikes. The first V11 barnfind is documented.

[wavey_davey1]

Ok first major challenge is already apparent. I was hoping an oil and filters change and tank drain would at least let me turn the bike over and do a compression check.

Seized twistgrip, which I presumed would be cable issues or possibly the tie rod fouling turns out to be a heavily corroded right hand throttle body!

I'm guessing rain or condensation (??) has gradually dripped off the tank onto the body and eventually seeped through a cracked inlet rubber? The bike leaning on the side stand meant the left side is fine.

I was able to get a look by pushing the airfilter tubes back and butterfly welded to venturi with corrosion. Soaking in WD-40 has allowed me to unseize it but it's a mess! 

Getting the throttle bodies off apparently means crabbing the frame! I can't imagine the butterfly spindle would seal even with fresh seals and a red loctited battle with the tie bars looks, but nothing to lose. There's a pair on German eBay at £300 ish as last resort. 

Also need to see if cylinder bore , rings etc have suffered, ho hum...

I'll add a photo from laptop, phone won't let me resize.

 

[wavey_davey1]

I've cleaned up the walls of the venturi on one side with some solvol just as an exploratory exercise, but can't do much without getting it off the bike. I've read the various threads on TB refurbs, so in no doubts about the challenges. The actual butterfly seems ok where it touches the walls, but I'm guessing the lower spindle will have suffered badly, as will the bush and seal area?

If I can split the TBs at least I only need to buy one, which is also available on German eBay.

 

Anyone know if you can drop the engine a few inches to get the TBs out without all the attendant crabbing parlaver?

 

Here's the photo still seized.

[docc]

Having removed the throttle body "assembly" from mySport, it is best performed with the frame "crabbed." Otherwise, one has to get one of the throttle bodies off the rack in situ. It can be done, but likely to double your vocabulary . . .

[activpop]

Pardon my ignorance@docc,  but what do you mean by crabbed?

[docc]

4 minutes ago, activpop said:

Pardon my ignorance@docc,  but what do you mean by crabbed?

"Crabbing" the SpineFrame may well be an early P.Roper-ism . . .

Chocking the front of the bike whilst loosening the front engine mounts and releasing the rear mounts to hoist the rear of the SpinFrame up off the chassis:

 

[DucatiGuzziIndian]

Wavey Dave, how many k's on the bike?

Those tires look fine! your worrying about nothing... ;-) JK of course.

Reminds me of a saying: "I love hard work, I can watch it for hours!"

Good luck with this,.... fingers crossed that it's not too bad.

 

[gstallons]

I was able to do both of mine by removing the throttle body to cylinder head air boot bolts and removing everything. It was not fun but I got it out and back in .

[gstallons]

On 8/23/2024 at 5:20 AM, wavey_davey1 said:

I've cleaned up the walls of the venturi on one side with some solvol just as an exploratory exercise, but can't do much without getting it off the bike. I've read the various threads on TB refurbs, so in no doubts about the challenges. The actual butterfly seems ok where it touches the walls, but I'm guessing the lower spindle will have suffered badly, as will the bush and seal area?

If I can split the TBs at least I only need to buy one, which is also available on German eBay.

 

Anyone know if you can drop the engine a few inches to get the TBs out without all the attendant crabbing parlaver?

 

Here's the photo still seized.

If I were you , I'd get another TB assy. and make sure it is in good shape. I would consider having the injectors reconditioned . There are plenty of good shops . I use RC Fuel Injector service in Torrance , Ca. Good people and the print off a flow chart of the readings. 

[wavey_davey1]

3 hours ago, gstallons said:

I was able to do both of mine by removing the throttle body to cylinder head air boot bolts and removing everything. It was not fun but I got it out and back in .

Do you mean you were able to remove the TBs as a pair? I'm assuming you mean the inlet manifold fasteners?

I'm pretty much resigned to sourcing at least one replacement TB but getting them off the bike is the first step obviously!

 

Removing inlet manifold would also allow a better view of top end on the cylinder possibly? I tried poking a small camera in plug hole but not really revealing.

 

Thanks to everyone for suggestions etc so far.

 

[wavey_davey1]

13 hours ago, DucatiGuzziIndian said:

Wavey Dave, how many k's on the bike?

Those tires look fine! your worrying about nothing... ;-) JK of course.

Reminds me of a saying: "I love hard work, I can watch it for hours!"

Good luck with this,.... fingers crossed that it's not too bad.

 

About 37000 Kms or 23000 ish miles so not huge but was used back in the day?

There's what I'd call localised corrosion on areas like some of the frame joints where water could have pooled but mostly it's in good condition with the rubber component deterioration pointing at UV damage more than anything. However paint is unfaded (maybe a bit on the pork chops) but none on the silencers for example which I know can fade? This bike's history seems full of contradictions!

[Lucky Phil]

On 8/23/2024 at 7:52 PM, wavey_davey1 said:

Ok first major challenge is already apparent. I was hoping an oil and filters change and tank drain would at least let me turn the bike over and do a compression check.

Seized twistgrip, which I presumed would be cable issues or possibly the tie rod fouling turns out to be a heavily corroded right hand throttle body!

I'm guessing rain or condensation (??) has gradually dripped off the tank onto the body and eventually seeped through a cracked inlet rubber? The bike leaning on the side stand meant the left side is fine.

I was able to get a look by pushing the airfilter tubes back and butterfly welded to venturi with corrosion. Soaking in WD-40 has allowed me to unseize it but it's a mess! 

Getting the throttle bodies off apparently means crabbing the frame! I can't imagine the butterfly spindle would seal even with fresh seals and a red loctited battle with the tie bars looks, but nothing to lose. There's a pair on German eBay at £300 ish as last resort. 

Also need to see if cylinder bore , rings etc have suffered, ho hum...

I'll add a photo from laptop, phone won't let me resize.

 

Rebuild is pretty straight forward and cheap to do.

Phil