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New ride: 1968 Moto Guzzi Stornello 160

By Erik van Dongen on May 13th, 2012

1968 Moto Guzzi Stornello 160Today I bought myself a new ride. It is a 1968 Moto Guzzi Stornello (Sparrow) 160 in original but technical sound condition.

As I have not had much time to work on my bikes due to work and study in the last year, and because all my bikes are in a non riding condition at the moment, I was on the lookout for a new ride. Just because I missed riding… It had to be cheap, ready to ride, economical on petrol and fun. And the little Guzzi is all that!

So here a picture of the new bike (click on it to see some more). As I bought this bike just to ride, I have no plans to do much work on it. So far I just intend to give it a full service and a thorough clean, a pair of new tyres, a mirror and maybe some new Moto Guzzi transfers on the tank. And I might try to make the seat look a bit better. I will post some more pictures when I am done. But first I have to pick it up at the sellers this evening!

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Merry Christmas and all the best for 2012

By Erik van Dongen on December 16th, 2011

Although I still have not been able to do any work on my Scott, or any of my other bikes or this website for that matter, I would still want to wish you all a

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2012!

I hope that next year my work and study will require al little less time so I can be in the workshop some more. And update this blog of course!

Cheers,
Erik

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Very quiet here…

By Erik van Dongen on September 2nd, 2011

When I started this blog I intended to post at least once a week. And I have done so for quite a while. But the last few months have been very quiet…

I have been on holiday twice, spend a lot of time on my caravan (blogpost coming) and had to completely re-install my Macbook which took much longer than I expected. And in between I am back at work where it is very busy as usual.
And all this while my redone Squirrel engine has not even been unpacked (sorry Richard…). I have not even had time or opportunity this season to do one single rally on a motorcyle or scooter! And that is a first for the last 15 years or so!

Hopefully all returns to normal soon as my Mac is now done and camping season is almost over. Ideas and subjects to write about enough, it is just a matter of finding time… So just keep on checking this blog for updates!

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Headwork

By Erik van Dongen on July 24th, 2011

The two separate waterdomes to fit my 486 blockToday I received an interesting email from Colin Heath…
With the 486 flathead cylinderblock that I bought of him came a set of non standard waterdomes. Those could be used to convert these early cylinderblocks that had an aircooled head to a watercooled version. The domes looked pretty professional and we suspected the domes to be one of the late Tom Wards developements but this might be wrong after all… I hereby quote his email.


This evening I was browsing through some back numbers of Yowl when I found an interesting snippet. It was in Volume 13 issue number 11 on page 247.

The series of articles is about riding a then “old” 1918 standard Scott in the reliability trials of the era during 1928 onward. The writer, William Lucas, is telling how he had ordered some updates from Hemmings of Liverpool and goes on to say:

“Also by the same firm an aluminium cylinder head was offered similar to the head used on the production Super Squirrel of that year (1928). It was held down to the (air cooled) cylinders by two holding down bolts instead of the locking rings round the centre core of the production Supers. This head was quite successful if great care was taken in drilling and tapping the cylinders precisely. When this was fitted a real improvement resulted.”

This description is very close to the aluminium dome conversion that I had “under my bench” until it was needed for further duty in The Netherlands earlier this year.
 
Colin Heath.

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Finally together again!

By Erik van Dongen on June 30th, 2011

Today was a big day in the rebuild of my Squirrel: the engine has finally returned home! I only had a quick look at it so far but it looks very promising!

After about 4 months all parts of my Scott are in one place again. So I “only” have to put it together now…
But, with all the work that needs to be done to the Rapido folding caravan before we go on holiday, this could take some time…

In between I have kind of given up the idea of using the Scott this riding season. At least that would give me the time I need to finish the job properly.

So to be continued!