1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

The 3 1/2 forum
Post Reply
Db7gtgrigio
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Dec 2015 09:01
Location: Sydney, Australia

1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by Db7gtgrigio »

Would these be the same as what would have originally been fitted to a 1974 Double Drum Sport?

Looking to get a pair to get my bike to original and a nice chap in Belgium has a pair, just not sure if 78 and 74 would have been the same.....
texaskitty
Posts: 89
Joined: 17 Jan 2016 06:37
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by texaskitty »

The 74 Sport recently listed on ebay for sale in Queensland; look at the pics on ebay (still there a few minutes ago). There are a couple of very good pics of the shocks; they are originals. They are the same as on my 75 model. They are only missing the rubber cap on the top.

I don't know if 78 shocks are the same.
Db7gtgrigio
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Dec 2015 09:01
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by Db7gtgrigio »

texaskitty wrote:The 74 Sport recently listed on ebay for sale in Queensland; look at the pics on ebay (still there a few minutes ago). There are a couple of very good pics of the shocks; they are originals. They are the same as on my 75 model. They are only missing the rubber cap on the top.

I don't know if 78 shocks are the same.
can you post the item number, I cant find it just doing a google search......
texaskitty
Posts: 89
Joined: 17 Jan 2016 06:37
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by texaskitty »

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MOTO-MORINI- ... true&rt=nc

This should get you there; when the ebay page comes up, scroll down a bit and you should see the main pic of the bike; click on that pic and the other pics should appear.
Db7gtgrigio
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Dec 2015 09:01
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by Db7gtgrigio »

texaskitty wrote:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MOTO-MORINI- ... true&rt=nc

This should get you there; when the ebay page comes up, scroll down a bit and you should see the main pic of the bike; click on that pic and the other pics should appear.
Thanks, got it. the bike sold very very quickly - a friend of mine contacts seller to make an offer only a few hours after listed and it was sold. I told him not to fk around and to just press buy it now, price was not outrageous for a very original early sport. But he was being tight.......

train spotting comments:
Missing Sport badge from triple clamp
Mufflers black (might be lafranconi Competizione?????)
Has the rare original steering damper
handlebar choke lever very crudely fitted
horrible cable tacho conversion
LH switch block looks like from later model( not sure though...)
Tyres look period!!!!!

My Sport 5168 has the instruments with the metal needles. looks like very late 74 build.

otherwise extremely original and unmolested, even down to the footpegs and levers (although any rider will need to change that.
probably a couple of grand AUD would get it really nice and rideable. A nice early Sport went for $15k in Melbourne earlier this year, NLM are looking for UKP $7750 for one, so AUD15k looks to be about market price.....

The shocks look just like the ones being sold in Holland, think I shall take them.
Db7gtgrigio
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Dec 2015 09:01
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by Db7gtgrigio »

texaskitty wrote:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MOTO-MORINI- ... true&rt=nc

This should get you there; when the ebay page comes up, scroll down a bit and you should see the main pic of the bike; click on that pic and the other pics should appear.
Thanks, got it. the bike sold very very quickly - a friend of mine contacts seller to make an offer only a few hours after listed and it was sold. I told him not to fk around and to just press buy it now, price was not outrageous for a very original early sport. But he was being tight.......

train spotting comments:
Missing Sport badge from triple clamp
Mufflers black (might be lafranconi Competizione?????)
Has the rare original steering damper
handlebar choke lever very crudely fitted
horrible cable tacho conversion
LH switch block looks like from later model( not sure though...)
Tyres look period!!!!!

My Sport 5168 has the instruments with the metal needles. looks like very late 74 build.

otherwise extremely original and unmolested, even down to the footpegs and levers (although any rider will need to change that.
probably a couple of grand AUD would get it really nice and rideable. A nice early Sport went for $15k in Melbourne earlier this year, MLM are looking for UKP $7750 for one, so AUD15k looks to be about market price.....

The shocks look just like the ones being sold in Holland, think I shall take them.
texaskitty
Posts: 89
Joined: 17 Jan 2016 06:37
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by texaskitty »

The ebay bike is mostly quite original. Original paint, I would say. I am pretty sure that the factory did not fit the Sport badge until the disc brake Sport. The black mufflers could be special ones, or the originals painted. Handlebar choke set-up and cable-driven tacho could be rectified. The left-hand switch block looks original - it's the same as mine, a tinny 70's Italian item. It looks to have original clips/jubilee clips (?) holding the air filter bellows to the carbs. The headlamp is not original: see the rivets around the headlamp's mounting point. The original CEV headlamps do not have these rivets. I am guessing that the US importer chose, or might have been required to, change the headlamps. See the 2 bikes in Mepstein's thread; they have the same headlamp as the ebay bike. (I reckon the Queensland vendor imported the bike from the US.) The bike is missing the original chromed brackets that go over the rubber headlamp mounts. The spokes on the ebay bike: looking at the rust on them, I wonder if they were originally painted, rather than zinc/cadmium plating? Tyres definitely are not new ones, but the bikes originally came with a ribbed Pirelli on the front and most likely a Pirelli on the back. The ebay bike has the original Orlandi sticker on the steering damper.

I see lots of pics of bikes (this one included) where the electrical wiring from the pick-up on the left end of the camshaft is wrongly placed. It should go from the pick-up to then follow the curve of the left (outside) casing, around to the top/rear of the left front engine mount; then inside the top flange of that mount (so that you cannot see the wiring), out the front end of the engine mount, then up the left front frame tube. If the wiring is not 'correctly' placed like this it looks extremely untidy, to put it mildly. It's a very easy thing to get right.

I wonder who sold the $15K bike here in Melbourne and who bought it.
George 350
Posts: 450
Joined: 16 Jun 2007 09:43
Location: Northampton

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by George 350 »

Does this all mean that the double drum Sport has now officially entered rivet counter territory?
George
350 sport 1978, 350 Strada 1978
650 Norton 1967, 650 Kawasaki 1977 and 650 Enfield 2019
park3164
Posts: 38
Joined: 03 Jun 2014 13:34
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by park3164 »

Re different shocks used - I have an article on Marzocchi shock rebuilds from an ancient Morini club mag that came with my bike's paperwork. It mentions 2 types of Marzocchis for the early bikes, with differing hex nuts on the top of the damper body ie the 2 rebuildable types (EURO 73 and Euro 74). Mine of course were the 3rd and later type with the permanent flange at the top that had to be machined off to allow the damper to be pulled apart. FYI the seals kit I got was from Damien at Bevel rubber and from memory were the ones used for 750cc Ducati Marzos. If you find a dodgy pair Chris, and want the rebuild article, just let me know
Cheers,
Fiona (1986 K2)
Db7gtgrigio
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Dec 2015 09:01
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by Db7gtgrigio »

George 350 wrote:Does this all mean that the double drum Sport has now officially entered rivet counter territory?
yep it'll be Greenframe prices soon buy while you can!!!!
Db7gtgrigio
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Dec 2015 09:01
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: 1978 Morini 3 1/2 Strada Marzocchi Shocks

Post by Db7gtgrigio »

texaskitty wrote:The ebay bike is mostly quite original. Original paint, I would say. I am pretty sure that the factory did not fit the Sport badge until the disc brake Sport. The black mufflers could be special ones, or the originals painted. Handlebar choke set-up and cable-driven tacho could be rectified. The left-hand switch block looks original - it's the same as mine, a tinny 70's Italian item. It looks to have original clips/jubilee clips (?) holding the air filter bellows to the carbs. The headlamp is not original: see the rivets around the headlamp's mounting point. The original CEV headlamps do not have these rivets. I am guessing that the US importer chose, or might have been required to, change the headlamps. See the 2 bikes in Mepstein's thread; they have the same headlamp as the ebay bike. (I reckon the Queensland vendor imported the bike from the US.) The bike is missing the original chromed brackets that go over the rubber headlamp mounts. The spokes on the ebay bike: looking at the rust on them, I wonder if they were originally painted, rather than zinc/cadmium plating? Tyres definitely are not new ones, but the bikes originally came with a ribbed Pirelli on the front and most likely a Pirelli on the back. The ebay bike has the original Orlandi sticker on the steering damper.

I see lots of pics of bikes (this one included) where the electrical wiring from the pick-up on the left end of the camshaft is wrongly placed. It should go from the pick-up to then follow the curve of the left (outside) casing, around to the top/rear of the left front engine mount; then inside the top flange of that mount (so that you cannot see the wiring), out the front end of the engine mount, then up the left front frame tube. If the wiring is not 'correctly' placed like this it looks extremely untidy, to put it mildly. It's a very easy thing to get right.

I wonder who sold the $15K bike here in Melbourne and who bought it.
the Melbourne bike was on ebay, it had a strange Tricolour Italian Flag paint job but waS OTHERWISE QUITE NICELY RESTORED.It was around Feb or March 2016 IIRC
Post Reply