Thread: Moto Guzzi factory film

Here's a 1956 film that starts and ends with some GP footage and
shows the manufacturing, inspection and assembly of parts for a
500 Moto Guzzi single engine.

Uomini e Motori ( Fabricazione Moto Guzzi )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpCyUebmU8A

cheers,
Michael

The Machine at 2:07 is a SIP HYDROPTIC B Jig Borer.

I have never seen a fluid bore mike like that before (6:19). Besides that, I have to say I would not want to be needle bearing guy, would drive me nuts.

JR

And the machines earlier on, had bacon slicers!

The bore mike was an air gage. The air pressure was measured by a manometer, which is
why you thought it was some kind of liquid being used.

I see said the blind man...... A blind man who has not had to work to those tolerances. Thanks!

JR

Thanks Michael, that was an interesting video........I did not know that split cap rods were run with needle rollers

Have fond memories of a Mk1 LeMans on which I had some fun.

regards

Brian

Hi Brian, I spent some time this afternoon helping a friend who bought my SP100 project.

Some of the single cylinder Guzz race engines used Hirth face-serrations and differentially-threaded bolts to hold the two sides together at the middle of the crank pins, the pins being integral with the flywheels. But that was with one-piece rods. Carcano didn't always follow the beaten path.

*****wrong -- I was thinking of the NSU racers which used the Hirth couplings, but Guzzi did use the differential-thread bolt to clamp the pin to the flywheels - sorry for the mixup - MM*****

I've got an assortment of Guzzi racer photos in

Index of /graphics/MotoGuzzi

there are some scans of factory line drawings of the internals of 1950's works single engines in there; "mg195xxxxx" file names.

cheers,
Michael

Two questions:

1. Is this a lapping procedure?....





2. What exactly is being ground here..the involute tooth face?....

"I did not know that split cap rods were run with needle rollers "

Sigh. Yep, usually with the big ends solid. Like my older bmws. That means
the crank has to be pressed up. The crankpins, needles, and rod ends form the
bearing assembly and the clearances are in the tenths.

Which means MY bike has to have its crank apart - just tore it down after a
failure. A bearing retainer screw dropped out, and jammed the oil pump
gear (driven from the front of the crank).

Locked the gear solid, stripped the teeth and blew it up. Total oil failure, by
the time I got the bike home from work it was in rough shape.

The single cylinder Moto Guzzis that were sold in Chicago when I was a kid there were called the Falcone (Falcon). They were popular and there were several dealers. The engines that I saw were 500cc with Del Orto carburetors. The engine featured open, hairpin valve springs and I recall that the large chrome flywheel was outside and ran backwards in relation to the wheels.

As far as I know, Moto Guzzi no longer builds singles but those were beautiful machines with lovely red enamel finish and gold pinstriiping.

[QUOTE=Bob E;1870344]Two questions:

1. Is this a lapping procedure?....

That's gear shaving. An improvement after hobbing, faster than grinding.



2. What exactly is being ground here..the involute tooth face?....

Looks like it, I never saw it done quite like that.

Speaking of lapping, is that what is being done to all the wrist pins loaded into slots between two plates at about 6:33?

Also, I made an edit above to correct an error about the use of the Hirth coupling on the singles.

cheers,
Michael

Originally Posted by Michael Moore

Speaking of lapping, is that what is being done to all the wrist pins loaded into slots between two plates at about 6:33?

Also, I made an edit above to correct an error about the use of the Hirth coupling on the singles.

cheers,
Michael

Yes, the wrist pins were being lapped to diameter and surface finish.

Cool video. It was "interesting" to see a jig borer used in a production setting, a first for me.

Originally Posted by Bob E

Two questions:

2. What exactly is being ground here..the involute tooth face?....

That looks a bit like Reishauer gear grinding, but I can't make out the machine.

Originally Posted by DaveE907

It was "interesting" to see a jig borer used in a production setting, a first for me.

Dave,

I am not so sure - I reckon "The Genovoise" is making a jig or fixture of some sort.

Originally Posted by pistonskirt

I did not know that split cap rods were run with needle rollers

Brian,

Hardly in the same league....but I recently repaired a 1980's Tecumseh 3hp 85cc on my post hole borer - "All Needle Bearings" says the label. The con rod is aluminium with removable cap, there are replacable hardened shells in the rod for the needles to run on. The shells include side faces and look to have been pressed from say 1mm steel. It might sound cheap, but I bet it was quite a feat to produce something so simple without any machining (that I could see).

Michael,

Really enjoyed the video and the first part brought back a lot of memories. Back in the 60s I owned two Norton internationals and a 58 Manx.

Rick

Rick, did you race your Manx? A friend let me race his Garden Gate Manx once, it was fun and quite a treat to get to ride an expensive bike like that.

The last 1950s works Guzzi singles are for me the pinnacle of the bikes of that period, even over the Guzzi V8. Ing. Carcano was one of those rare Renaissance designers who could do both engines and chassis, and he was very clever and innovative on top of that.

cheers,
Michael

Michael,

Never raced the Manx. Bought it for a buddy to race but the deal never panned out. I had wrecked my Norton 750 and traded the Manx to Bob Schantz at Sport Motors to cover the repairs and he tossed in a little Ducatti to sweeten the pot. About that time I got drafted and needed a car and traded the International and spares for a 59 Porsce 356. Bob Scanntz later opened Domiracer Inc in Cinti and sold the international to berliners in NJ. not sure who ended up with the Manx.

Wouldn't we all love to have some of our old bikes back ? Now my better half wonders why I collect what I do and hate to part with anything ----

Rick