I am restoring a 1976 Convert and want the paintwork to be as close as possible to original. I have got a good colour match but need to know the thickness and distance apart of the original stripes on the tank, panniers, spoilers and side panels.
Many Thanks
James
James2012-12-25 11:06:56
This has been covered before somewhere here, but this is the picture I put up then, from the original sales brochure.
Should give you an idea.
If you want a full scan of the whole brochure with pics of the Convert from all angles please PM me with your email address.
When I was doing mine the general concensus was, it changed from bike to bike without any definite single pattern.
Yeh some times the double top lines are just above the Moto-Guzzi badge
“As in the brochure” would seem a nice thing to be able to point out.Be interested in your renovation experience.Trying to decide how ‘original’ to keep my T3 Cali police model.All the bestSteve
Thanks for your input folks, if anybody has an original unmolested Convert I would much appreciate, if they could give me some measurements of stripe thickness and spacing on tank, panniers, spoilers and side panels.
Regards
JamesJames2012-12-25 11:07:32
Oh come on not even Guzzi can answer that one bud they were applied by hand so look at the pics and go for it… there is a very good supplier of tape on e-bay. remember to peel the top clear plastic off once applied. the sizes are standard 1 thro 10 mm
I’ve got an '81 Convert with original paintwork (none original panniers though) I plan to take pictures and measurements of the paintwork on tank and sidepanels soon and I’ll forward those to you when I do.
Thanks folks, especially Normski, you did a great job with photographs and dimensions, much appreciated!!! James2013-01-24 20:00:45
Hi James, I am restoring a 77 Convert, but only the panniers have original decals remainder repainted so not so reliable. I have taken measurements from the nearest return on the centre groove, along the sloping faces. So going down 58mm to first 3mm line and 67 to next 12mm line. Going upwards from other groove return, 5mm to base of “MOTO GUZZI” which is 15mm tall by 148 long, then 27mm to 5mm line, 81mm to 3mm line and 99mm to next 3mm line. I will try and send a photo if I can find your E-mail. I intend to repaint mine red as I did not really like the light blue, how about yours? I would be interested to know if you have encountered any problems. Best wishesMartin
This is getting far too scary peeps it is getting like some of the Brit bike marques. To be honest if you look at the decals they are a standard pinstripe. Guzzi tended not to buy one off items.
I found the pinstripe on e-bay with the 3mm and the other thin and thick stripe is a standard item.
As long as you remember to peel the backing under and apply the pinstripe THEN remove the very thin clear plastic over the top. Once you do that then clear coat over it, the result is as per OEM, Guzzi did not, to my knowlege, paint the pinstripes the ones on the bikes will come off with a hairdryer on a high setting.
The other thing to note is in the pic from the brichure that Convert has badges under the crease line SOME have tanks with badges above that crease line.
I believe later ones also had the tank with the flap on as per the G5 Good old Guzzi…
I’ve seen three original unmolested Converts (including my own) in my time, all built in 1978-9, all three with widely differing pinstriping. I think you’re on a hiding to nothing trying to come up with a factory standard. As well as the original sales brochure I have road tests from the same era, all the bikes in the pictures have different pinstripes… Bikeralw2013-02-13 14:02:29
Totally agree if you trawl the internet sites that have pics of these bikes you will see:-
Different colour matches
Differing tank badge positions
Matching and not so matching badge-pinstripe combinations
Differing tank filler flaps
The pinstripes applied differently as well
Having looked at a fair few V1000’s converts and G5’s as well as other bikes from the 70-80’2 era the differences are so multiple there IS no standard.
One advantage of that is the nut and bolt counters cannot be EVER entirely sure …HURRRRAAAAHHHHHHH
When I bought mine it had a tank with a flap, which i didn’t like. I had a chrome cap tank full of dings which I laboriously filled sanded and repainted. I looked at a picture of the pattern of stripes I liked best and stuck mine on by eye - looks OK to me! You can get over obcessed in counting rivets and for what purpose? You’ll probably drop your keys on it and scratch it the first time you ride it anyway!
heres a few to look at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/86182814@N02/8093655151/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacquesmounnezergues/5714932713/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30416042@N06/3491858443/
Thanks everybody, “oldconvert” thanks for the photos and info, and “rapheal glynn” for the links. I have been riding bikes year round for 39 years, and owned dozens through the years. I currently have 3 Guzzis, a Honda and a Yamaha, but my mates Convert was the best fun ever. I just had to get one for myself. Can’t wait until its built up and on the road.
Well buddy with that sort of track record AND the other Guzzis you should know that there is NO definitive answer… I do like to see a nicely put together bike tho’ I have to admit Al’s Convert is a real nice example …dammit!
By the way the '76 Convert had the chrome tank flap of which there were 2 different ones fitted one flipped up with the hinge at the handle bar end the other one Luigi fitted the opposite way… only a da Luigi he know why Later ones had the tank with the flap on …
Also my org tank (It was a 76 convert when made but had got a 5 speed box on it when I bought it) had the “Moto-GUZZI” Tank badges above the crease line unlike the “brochure” pic of the blue one above.
Dunno if the factory did one run then swapped I have seen all the combinations, good thing it tho’ whatever YOU do WILL be rightguzzibear2013-02-14 18:52:05
guzzibear, my 1980 T3 has the badge above the crease line and the locking tank flap as does my Spada, I didn’t know about the chromed cap hinges being different on some bikes, that will be constant development and improvement then!!
Development and improvement hmmmm more like
“Ay Luigi whatta we gotta in a da parts bin ay?”
The chrome caps on the early convert were not lockable, Me I would put a lockable one on or the Hinged flap one especially if you are ever likely to use a tank bag the chrome caps are a nightmare for a tank bag.
I remember when I had first refurbished my V1000 and went to the first Guzzi Rally over 23 yrs ago now.
Having experienced The Norton Owners Club some yrs earlier and their
“That bolt is the wrong one there type thing”
It was pleasing to find out that, for Guzzi, there almost is NOT a standard “type” as they “Improve and develop” on what seems to me a daily basis.