Early sport

[Mepstein]

Great looking bike. I'm resisting the urge to modify the '74. I think I might have to pick up a later bike that needs some love to satisfy my urge to personalize a Morini.

I don't have the patience for a 15 year project. I'm shooting for 2 years to get both bikes done.

[norbert]

Dulcinea is build up from parts, I´ve never had a ´74 Strada, just the frame and the fork.
If I would have a complete Morini from 74 I would also choose another one to modify it

[hombre]

Nice one Norbert!
(I am after one of those drums too, if anybody has one lying about )

[Mepstein]

I wish I had extras for you guys but mine are spoken for. I did luck out, the owner of my shop liked the results of vapor blasted parts so much that he bought a machine for the shop. I did this set "in house" yesterday.

[norbert]

Wow !

[Mepstein]

I read on the internet that you can polish chrome (and remove light rust) with aluminum foil and water. Gave it a try and I'm very pleased with the results. It won't put chrome back on to the piece but certainly makes the most of what's there. What you see took 15 minutes.

[texaskitty]

That's 15 minutes well spent. Surface rust on chrome can often be cleaned off without too much work, making a remarkable improvement in appearance.

For what it's worth, I think those silencers might be early ones. The markings probably read as follows: SILENZIATORI BREVETTATI Lafranconi MANDELLO LARIO (COMO) DGM 110 42S

(although the 'S' on the end of mine possibly means 'sinistra' for 'left' and your right-side silencer could possibly have a 'D' on the end, 'destra' being the Italian word for 'right'.)

In 1989 I was in Italy and bought a pair of early 350 silencers - not as early as yours - and I was going somewhere on a train after buying them. There was a couple with a small child who was crying. I remember the child's mother seeing the
silencers' box, marked 'silenziatori' or 'marmitte' and saying that she wished she had something to quieten the kid.

[hombre]

Looking great! I'll give it a try too, I have some of those lying around

Nice one about the kid. They recently renewed loads of stuff at my house including boxes fitted to the windows which let fresh air in but keep the noise outside. A friend asked if he can put his children in there too!

[Mepstein]

That's 15 minutes well spent. Surface rust on chrome can often be cleaned off without too much work, making a remarkable improvement in appearance.

For what it's worth, I think those silencers might be early ones. The markings probably read as follows: SILENZIATORI BREVETTATI Lafranconi MANDELLO LARIO (COMO) DGM 110 42S

(although the 'S' on the end of mine possibly means 'sinistra' for 'left' and your right-side silencer could possibly have a 'D' on the end, 'destra' being the Italian word for 'right'.)

In 1989 I was in Italy and bought a pair of early 350 silencers - not as early as yours - and I was going somewhere on a train after buying them. There was a couple with a small child who was crying. I remember the child's mother seeing the
silencers' box, marked 'silenziatori' or 'marmitte' and saying that she wished she had something to quieten the kid.

All 4 of my silencers (both bikes) end in 42S.

[Papa Lazarou]

Aluminium polishing usually works pretty good-I don't use water, just wads of foil. It leaves a deposit of aluminium on the area, which looks (a bit) like chrome. An old trick but a good un.

[Mepstein]

Just noticed a little detail while cleaning up the silencers. The early bike's are only embossed on the outside. The 74's are embossed on both sides. At least I can tell them apart now.

[Mepstein]

Sneak peek from my painter.

[texaskitty]

Looking good. Are the stripes painted?

[Mepstein]

Looking good. Are the stripes painted?

Thanks and yes. The frame is single stage epoxy to make touch ups easy. The tanks are base coat, clear coat. I did have the painter keep the slightly narrower side panel stripes of the early bike.

[texaskitty]

I noticed that you had kept the black panels on the side covers the way they were, with tapered panels on one pair and larger, non-tapered panels on the other pair. You will be able to tell the two bikes apart.