1967 Monza 250 restoration

[MC916]

I am in Derby, NY its a little south of Buffalo.

[MC916]

Does anyone have a recommendation for cleaning the aluminum cases of the engine. I plan to remove the side covers and buff them. It's the center two castings,jug and head that I want to clean without disassembling. The bike only has 2600 miles on it so I don't want to take it apart. I removed the rocker covers and it really looks nice inside. I have used Napa's Aluma bright on one side and it worked pretty well. I am wondering if there's something better out there for cleaning the engine.







The Aluma Bright made the bolts look even worse than before. But I have purchased a stainless steel bolt kit for the engine. The oil return tube also looks bad. I have a cadmium plating kit from East wood.




This looks good but I wonder how long it will last. I might end up getting it nickel plated or chrome plated.

[Jordan]

Does anyone have a recommendation for cleaning the aluminum cases of the engine. I plan to remove the side covers and buff them.

The side covers were brightly polished from the factory (possibly by electro-polishing), but the crankcases were unpolished, with a nicely contrasting matte finish.
I apply a steel wire hand brush to unpolished aluminium alloy, also steel wool and anything else that helps remove grime and get down to metal. If you avoid motor driven polishers you shouldn't do any damage.
The quality finish for polished surfaces is done by hand only. Buffing machines get a quick impressively shiny result, but generally damage raised features such as the Ducati logo. You can get a good result by using "wet and dry" abrasive paper with water, in successively finer grades, one grade step at a time. Each step removes the scratches left by the previous grade. Trying to save time by jumping a grade results in small but visible surface imperfections. When you get to the finest grade, the finish is close to good enough already, and just needs a final polish with soft cloth and a good quality metal polish.

[double diamond]

You might find that the engine side covers on your Ducati have been anodized. Anodizing was adopted by the factory on some late narrowcase engines and all the W/C models. Anodized cases will have a bright silver finish but not the mirror finish of polished aluminum. Before polishing with abrasives, try removing the dullness with steel wool, the finest grade you can get ("superfine" grade is usually easy to come by). I've gotten some good results with steel wool if the cases are not too oxidized. If you're not satisfied with the results, the cases can be polished, but the anodizing will have to be completely removed or you'll get an uneven finish. Matt

[MC916]

It's getting cold here in New York. Time to start taking the bike apart for restoration. I have been getting all the parts I can find and was lucky to get a nice set of shocks that had an old decal on it. So I was able to reproduce new ones on my vinyl printer.

[PhilR]

My first bike was a '67 Monza. Bought it for the princely sum of £60. As I recall the previous owner had repainted it in Green Dulux gloss. I repainted her blue (albeit brush applied). Not long after getting her the alternator came loose and spun on the crank. That's when I first met Vic Camp and Bert Furness who found a serviceable crank from under the bench and fitted it for me. I did a deal with them trading in a genuine Mach1 big valve head that I had picked up. They also fitted a 30mm Amal and I remember thinking the bike was a rocket ship after that. I will never forget seeing Bert attack the bottom end with the biggest copper hammer you can imagine to part the crank cases. His immortal words 'well its got to come apart' in response to me look of horror...
Non of this helps with you restoration (apart from remember to check the alternator nut is tight), but you photos bought back some happy memories and reminded me why I have been riding, racing and fixing Ducatis for 40 years!!!

[Thevin]

Does anyone have a recommendation for cleaning the aluminum cases of the engine. I plan to remove the side covers and buff them.

The side covers were brightly polished from the factory (possibly by electro-polishing), but the crankcases were unpolished, with a nicely contrasting matte finish.
I apply a steel wire hand brush to unpolished aluminium alloy, also steel wool and anything else that helps remove grime and get down to metal. If you avoid motor driven polishers you shouldn't do any damage.
The quality finish for polished surfaces is done by hand only. Buffing machines get a quick impressively shiny result, but generally damage raised features such as the Ducati logo. You can get a good result by using "wet and dry" abrasive paper with water, in successively finer grades, one grade step at a time. Each step removes the scratches left by the previous grade. Trying to save time by jumping a grade results in small but visible surface imperfections. When you get to the finest grade, the finish is close to good enough already, and just needs a final polish with soft cloth and a good quality metal polish.

I've had good luck after cleaning the crankcases, cylinder, cast part of head, using "CAST BLAST" spray. I spray it into a cup and using a paint brush, tooth brush and q-tip to apply the cast blast to the unpolished parts.

Vin

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote= Nick ...
" Just strip and paint the fenders and side cover, "

____ Most everything-else that Nick has stated in his post -(second-one on 1st.page), I either fully-agree or am neutral with,, BUT if that paint-work on your Monza is still factory-stock, THEN I couldn't disagree more about stripping all theat paint off ! _ As it looks very-GOOD for original-paint,, and as is/so, should not be replaced any time soon ! _ Please keep the paint as it is, (and let OTHERS with at-least 50%-less as good-condition factory-paint be the ones who bother to try to refurbish the paint back to stock.



" take off that stock carb, "

____ The stock 24mm D.carb actually works quite well enough, (at-least compared to a SSI model).
__ However if an Amal-carb is chosen for replacement, a 26 or 27mm from most any Brit.bike should be pretty-much a straight-forward bolt-on afair (without much of any need for rejetting troubles).



" And remember, patina is where it's at! It's the one thing you can't buy and that gives you and your bike street cred! "

____ INDEED ! _ Which is exactly WHY that far better than average surviving factory paint-work should be LEFT-ALONE ! - (Except perhaps for a light coat of GOOD clear-coating, [after thorough dirt-film removal].)


Duke-Cheers,
-Bob

[DewCatTea-Bob]

____ Sorry I didn't take-notice of this thread-post sooner ! _ I was in the hospital when it was first posted (and haven't since gotten back up to speed).
The only reason I happen to bother with getting into this thread now, is cuz I was curious to see what had inspired fellow-member Thevin to bother himself to place a post, (as he had become a man of few words here).




[quote= MC916 ...
" I thought I had a shifting problem but after reading about it on this forum I found some good information on shifting technique that makes it work perfect. "

____ That must've been MY shifting-method advice, (as I've not seen any such advice given by anyone-else) !?



" When I down shift the shifter dose not alway come back and reset itself for the next down shift. "

____ This is a common-problem once the shift-box's internal parts become somewhat worn-out. _ A sure-fix would be a stronger return-spring, but you can help it do it's job by learning to lightly tap the toe-lever with your foot/toes between each downshift !



" Up shifting is alway good. I have read about the adjustment for the shifter and I understand how it works. "

____ It's best that the return-spring issue is set to work with THAT bias, as ya don't prefer to have-to lightly tap the heel-lever between upshifts during forward speed-shifting !
If the internals of the shifting-mechanism are-not too badly worn, then it's still possible to set the eccentric-head adjustment-screw so that gear-shifting will reset for BOTH up-shifting AND down-shifting.



" The only big issue I have is the Lighting.
My problem is I have never had a Ducati single before and do not know anyone who has one so I have no frame of reference. "

____ The stock lighting is as good as any Italian 6v.lighting of the period.



" Should I accept more form this old system? "

____ You probably can expect more from it (than you've been getting).
The non-USA version had 25 or 30 watt 'bulbs', while (by 1966) the U.S. got (brighter !)US.made 35/25-watt 'sealed-beams'.
However the stock system can handle more, as you can replace the stock sealed-beam -(#4020) with a 45/35-watt version -(#4065 ?), which makes lots more light than a modern flashlight !



" One of the screws is missing on the rectifier.
I will paint it when I take the bike apart over the winter. I do not have a fuse cover. "

____ While I actually admire how those current-regulators work, I often removed those HEAVY units and replaced them with just a couple of power-diodes (to BETTER do the job of keeping the battery charged) ! - (Ask for details if interested.)


Duke-Cheers,
Bob

[MC916]

Hi Bob,
Thank you for any input. I am glad to hear you are getting better.

I wish the frame looked as good I person as it does in the pictures but it is not that good. I bought the bike from a guy in Ohio but he bought it as part of a collection form Florida. The salt air down there has made any chrome disappear and any cad plated parts are heavily rusted. Most bolt heads are almost a size smaller than they were originaly. So the paint on the frame is quite ruff. I have all the equipment to sand blast and paint so it will be an easy job to do. I have an old 1972 honda CB175 that is all original paint and when cleaned up you would think it was a few year old restoration. I wish this bike was in the same condition.

Here in New York we are required to run the headlight all the time. I would like to see your mod for the charging system.

I think I will be changing it over to a 12v system so I can have as bright a headlight as I can. I want to use the bike to drive to work and I leave most of the time before sun rise. I want to give all the sleepy workers who have not had there coffee yet every chance to see me.

I am not sure if I have a two coil or four coil alt yet but I did get a four coil from eBay. I did not get the fly wheel form eBay that matched it (lost the bid). If I do have a two coil alt will my fly wheel be different than a four coil? I am also looking at the kits out there for all new components. Would you recommend any one in particular?