Fuel tank done

Go ahead, say it, it is freaking awesome looking isn't?!!
The logo is an automotive grade decal from Harper's. The pinstriping is 3M automotive tape as recommended by Greg Bender (see "This old tractor" site)

Custom throttle cables, VM28 Mikuni rebuild, fenders back on

Not to give away the ending but I discovered that some of the oil passages on one of the heads required more cleaning. So I scrapped the idea of top end assembly and first start this weekend. Bummer.
I was however able to finish:
- headlight bucket de-rust, priming and painting
- rear fender and electrical pre-assembly
- Mikuni VM28 re-assembly
- custom made throttle cables
Here is the end result, with the tank and the seat gently dry-fitter for effect :-)

Engine bottom end rebuild and marriage to the frame

Ms Elly just gained several hundred pounds but she looks terrific!

I received the missing parts from Harper Guzzi, including the brand new half bearings. All squared off, the pistons are exactly the same weight, the connecting rods are within 1g from one another, off they go back into the crankcase.
Then I finally put the transmission on and sure enough I forgot the clutch rod plunger so I had to do it again. Sigh. All well what ends well. I dry fit the top end and realized that it makes the engine assembly too heavy for the upcoming "marriage" back to the frame so I took them off. This is after I was actually contempt to wait another week with the engine sitting on the workbench since since it was the end of a long day and the workweek was looming. Thanks to my wife however, aka my very own tool girl, we did put the engine back on the frame. It was her idea, she knew it meant a lot to me to make progress. What a gal! My wife. The bike too I guess.
But I digress, I then put the new lower cylinder gaskets on, the o-rings on the short studs and dry fit the cylinders again (see photo). This is mostly so I can keep dust from going into the crankcase and on the pistons that I carefully coated with assembly oil.
I then fill up the engine oil and gave it some hand cranks to make sure we start priming the pump and we keep the crankshaft covered in oil. She is in good shape to sit and wait for more progress this weekend. Next, carb rebuild and custom lower throttle cables. Stay tuned.

Dry fitting, a preview of things to come

As I was working on disassembling, checking and cleaning the brakes, I decided to dry fit the body panels and to install the new police handlebar. I think it looks fantastic, what do you think?

BTW: That is not the paint, that is the primer you are looking at. I will probably do a two tone metallic blue and white.

Time for some body work

The fuel tank is looking better now that is all stripped to the metal and that I have removed a ton of rust and paint from it but it has 40 years worth of dings and dents. It will take several rounds of lightly applied filler and sanding to bring it back to life but it will live another day. The good news is that the original petcocks are in good shape, they just need disassemble and cleaning.
The fenders looked pretty good once primed but there are a few spots that need more work so I am spot sanding them and going back until they are perfect. Hopefully I can post the final product soon.

Clutch back on the engine

Special thanks to Patrick H. from Norcal Guzzisti who patiently waited two weeks for me to finish the job to get his clutch centering tool back! I am telling you, Guzzisti are some of the nicest most enjoyable people you will ever meet.

Police handlebar

Straight from Mandello Del Lario (Italy), how cool is that? Meanwhile the parts needed for bottom end and top end rebuild are painfully in back order. Sigh. I guess body work and clutch is next while I wait for them.