My New Corsaro...

Singles built before the Lambertini era
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

Is missing its ignition key. I understand it's one of those universal 5mm nail type things, but so far searching has produced adverts for keys with varied lengths quoted. I suspect some of the sellers might be a bit slack with their measuring.

Can someone please tell me if they are all the same length or does the Morini Corsaro need a specific length?
Also, when operating the ignition switch do you turn the key or just push it in?

My bike is the points inside the flywheel version and so far I haven't found any sparks. I'm also still struggling to get my head round the wiring-it doesn't seem as obvious to me as the V twin bikes-the functions and positions of the headlamp switch in particular and the connections in the headlamp on that small connector board in the lower half of the lamp shell have me foxed. I keep deciding it's positive earth and then back to negative again. I even thought for a while the ignition was battery powered rather than the usual flywheel magneto. I think I'm over that one now though.
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

Looks like a key may be on its way from Germany now. Thanks to Tom F for knowing how to search ebay properly :)
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

It lives! While I wait for the key to arrive I've disconnected the ignition switch and got sparks after cleaning the points a little. I stripped and cleaned the carb as a matter of course and apart from a little debris from the tank rust it was pretty good. No gummed up jets or passageways. So it seemed a good time to rig up a dummy tank and hey presto, a couple of kicks later the bike lives again.
The fuel tank needs a patch or two welding on then lining. The tyres and tubes are ordered, a battery can be borrowed to test the electrics but the headlight works already!
I hope registration goes smoothly as I can't wait to try this little gem out. :)
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

A further update as I know you are all waiting with bated breath. My key arrived from Germany today and works fine. It's actually for a Puch of some sort but it fits and was much cheaper than the others from USA and Italy.
I got a few more hours in the garage yesterday and have now checked over the rear end of the bike and frame. No spindles seized and no real problems apart from lack of damping and a bust up rear hub! The hub/cush drive had been badly bodged in the past and the studs replaced with bolts and nuts following some serious internal damage to the alloy of the hub. I bodged it a bit more and a bit better and it's sound enough for the short term. New tyre and tube fitted.

If you happen to have a good, sound usable rear hub or wheel to spare I'd like to hear from you! Already got a search on ebay and see the nice bargain basement Hannover bike wrecker has one at around £150. It can stay there a while longer yet.
Something else I'd like to change is the carburettor. It's off a different bike and has a float chamber at an angle to suit a downdraught carb. Not many degrees but it looks odd and can't be an ideal sealing situation for the float needle. I will of course have a valuable carb to spare then for your sporty Italian lightweight of another marque.
Another breakthrough was finding out how (genuinely) helpful HMRC are when you make enquiries about declaring NOVA on a vehicle for which there is no history or proof of when and how it got here. It turns out that they then declare such a bike a 'barn find!' Which has doubled the value overnight. There is a department that deals with barn finds and I just need a slightly different form from them. So if you have a similar case don't hesitate to speak to them about it. They seem to be efficient, helpful and internet savvy. DVLA on the other hand especially when applying for an age related number, are more like dealing with Acorn Antiques.
My final exciting update is thanks to the wonderful MRC and its dating service (not that kind) I now know my bike is a 1962 product.
If you can wait a week or so while I go away to bike shows and maybe do a days paid work, I will further update the progress report and hopefully tell you of my first ride (on a private test track) somewhere local.
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
simonnorthroad
Posts: 388
Joined: 16 May 2017 10:57
Location: Bath, UK

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by simonnorthroad »

Im awaiting NOVA certs for the Norton I inherited, and the Morini frame I got from Pete of this parish in Ross-On-Wye. A week and counting, so far I have found the Nova Mob (also a baffling William Burroughs novel) in Dover pretty good before now
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

Been playing with the Corsaro again today. The kickstart spring broke! Ahh well, I was looking for excuses to get stuck into it. Just need to get the bed blocker Can Am off the bench to save my back.
My NOVA application was signed for yesterday so it has arrived there at least. Under the circumstances I don't expect it to go through first time or without further questioning. We shall see!
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

Forgot to update all my followers on here. Both of you will be pleased to hear that my NOVA application went straight through at the first attempt! I was surprised to say the least, as I had absolutely no documents or invoice of any kind and no proof of when it was imported into UK. All I had to go on was the second-hand story of it being brought over more than 20 years ago and then stored. This according to HMRC classifies it as a 'barn-find' and we all know how that multiplies the value and sheer desirability of any old crock. This is obviously the reason HMRC now have a 'barn find' department. It's true-I didn't make that up!

Further news is that I now have replacement hub, carb, kickstart spring and sundry other stuff either in captivity here or on the way here. Proof that even if nobody replies to these posts enough of the right people do read it and search their stashes of rare unobtanium. :)

Thank you! One and all!
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Vitesse
Posts: 218
Joined: 05 Jan 2019 13:42
Location: Barnacle
Location: Crowcombe

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Vitesse »

Impressive progress. It seems to have leap-frogged the bed blocking Can-Am (just said as proof that I am paying attention).
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

See-I knew I had two followers! The bed blocker Can Am wheel is now back here with a new 21" rim and a reground brake drum. So Wednesday onwards progress will be resumed (more NATO green paint etc) then the Can Am will be rolling on its own tyres again and the bench will be free for the Corsaro. I need to get into the primary cover to do that spring and check which of the two types of oil pump I need to order. Excitement for sure. Still no further with the DVLA bit. :roll:
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Vitesse
Posts: 218
Joined: 05 Jan 2019 13:42
Location: Barnacle
Location: Crowcombe

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Vitesse »

As the Can-Am will originally have had a 19" rim and Avon Roadrunner or Dunlop TT100 (legendary off road tyres!) how are you sorting the steering geometry out to allow for 21" rim and knobblies?

I am, of course, expecting details of meticulous calculations and millimetric accuracy.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

Yes, after meticulous calculations and stuff I decided they are near enough for a Government contract.
In practice though a 21" tyre has a very similar rolling radius as a 19". Not a lot of people know that. Well, quite a few do but most just assume that a 21" tyre will be 2" taller. I did, but I don't anymore.
Anyway, the wheel is back here now ready for some warmer weather so I can apply the NATO green anti-radar paint. No speed trap worries for this old soldier.
Today I have been servicing my trail bike and starting the work on the Corsaro so no Can Am progress yet.
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

-now needs an oil pump. As predicted by those in the know I need to order a new oil pump. Not as the body is crumbling but because the pump was frozen solid and the drive gear teeth were stripped!
No rust on the spindles but the mazac seems to have grown and squeezed the spindles so they couldn't turn.
Something else for the shopping list.
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Vitesse
Posts: 218
Joined: 05 Jan 2019 13:42
Location: Barnacle
Location: Crowcombe

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Vitesse »

Steve Brown wrote: 30 Mar 2022 18:21 In practice though a 21" tyre has a very similar rolling radius as a 19". Not a lot of people know that. Well, quite a few do but most just assume that a 21" tyre will be 2" taller. I did, but I don't anymore.
Okay, I'm going to bite. I'm not seeing this. Assuming similar tyres (let's say old fashioned 3.00 for argument sake) we have a radius of 22" vs 24"". Now 2" is quite a big difference (cue joke re wife etc) especially with respect to steering geometry. It will change the trail and by moving the contact point surely affect the effective rake also? The front end will also be higher so your sidestand might not touch!
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

I'm sorry, it's just magic. Smoke and mirrors and all that.
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: My New Corsaro...

Post by Steve Brown »

Good news! DVLA passed my V5c application at first attempt :) so thanks are due to Arthur F and also the nice folk in the DVLA and HM Customs barn find dept. Top peeps, one and all.
Nice age related number issued and I'll get the plate ordered soon. More pressing at the moment is stripping the engine, mainly to clean it out as there is a fair amount of sludge and I want to know where the oil pump drive gear teeth went. :shock: Obviously new bearings and seals while I'm in there too.
Just ordered a new pump body from B&B in Italy and a set of gaskets, found out I don't have a flywheel puller that fits so I had to order that too. If I had a puller the crankcases would be apart already. The flywheel and the primary drive pinion are stopping any more progress for now.
Any of you with Corsaro experience know how the pinion should be removed? It's resisting all I've tried so far!
More movement to follow now I'm home again for a couple of weeks and fully retired too-then about the time I get the pump I'll be off on my travels again. Don't worry though-this bike will be on the roads before this summer is out! :)
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
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