Ducati Updates

In the past few months, work on my old rusty Ducati has been few and far between.  It's not that I've lost interest in it, I've just been riding my bikes that actually work. 

But all has not been lost in that time.  I've decided to make the bike look like a proper 1965 Ducati 350 should look.  I have the complete bodywork for a 1966, with its squared-off tank, fenders and headlamp but it just wasn't right.  The '65 350 Sebring shared its bodywork with the 160 Monza Junior and that was the only year the Sebring had the rounded tank.  Being that it was a one-year-only deal, I think it would only be right to make it look correct.  Besides, the 1966 bodywork is really ugly and the proper 1965 bodywork is much better-looking.

So that meant finding this bodywork.  Scouring Ebay for weeks turned up nothing.  Scouring other parts of the Internet also turned up nothing.  Clearly, this was not going to be easy.

But then, by chance, the right tank popped up on Ebay.  After an intense bidding war that resulted in me overpaying by quite a lot, the tank I needed was mine.  It's not an actual Sebring tank but an older Monza Junior tank that has black painted over chrome.  The chrome stripes were not only incorrectly lined up (famous Italian build quality) but were quite rusty.  Thankfully, the rust was only on the surface and was gone after an hour or so of rubbing with aluminum foil and steel wool. 

The rest of the tank is in good shape, too.  The inside is very clean and there only minor imperfections on the outside.  The gas cap is also in good condition, thereby saving me money. 

I think it was a good purchase but it leaves with a decision to make.  See, I like the chrome, even if it's dull and slightly pitted.  Since the bike will never be a concourse restoration, I'd like to leave the tank as it sits, making the bike look like a survivor instead of a 100-point resto.  But the other half of me wants to paint it and make it look new.  Fortunately, I have a million other decisions to make regarding the bike so paint choice isn't pressing at the moment.

Also new in the past few months is a bunch of stuff for the cylinder head.  After I took it apart, I got a good look at the valve seats and they were knackered, to borrow a phrase.  It seems years of sitting while being exposed to the elements caused the seats to corrode.  Who knew?

Anyway, I don't have the knowledge nor equipment to deal with installing new valve seats, so the head went off to a machine shop.  From the machine shop, more bad news rolled in.  It seems the valves were cracked and the guides were severely worn.  The rocker arms were hitting the valves off-center and causing the valves to open on an angle, wiping out the guides.  Lovely.  I ordered new valves, guides and seats and they, too, went to the machine shop. 

After a few weeks of work, I should be picking the head up this weekend.  With the cylinder head sorted, I can finish boring the cylinder liner to fit the new 76.6mm piston and then bolt the engine back together.  All I need now for the powertrain are steel and fiber plates for the clutch, a point and condenser and a spark plug.  Once the engine is finished, I can move on to the wheels, tires, brakes, suspension and bodywork.

In all, my rusty Ducati is coming along and my goal of it being roadworthy before the December 21, 2012 apocalypse is within sight.