Mecum Auction 2025 Las Vegas

Hi everyone. I’m new to this forum. I’m the one who won the 79 Jota at Mecums. This is a very nice well cared for bike. I’ve been looking for a good example and when I saw it on display had to bid on it.I’m a long time Laverda owner over the past 30 years. I’ve owned 2 74 750 SFCs and 1 3CL when I lived in San Francisco. Looking forward to participating in this forum with like minded enthusiasts
 
Congrats on buying the Jota that looks very nice. An aquaintance knows the seller and from what I've heard, it appears that the bike is solid.
Let us know what you think of it!
 
Hello Fellow Members
I have the Fuel tank on the bench to inspect the inside and it show paint bubbling by the left side pet cock, closer inspection
shows water damage inside and pin hole the tank, then I discovered it had been coated inside with KREEM FUEL TANK LINER,
I think this is the lowest quality tank liner there is on the market from my experience, Just my opinion.
2 things get a used clean tank and have it painted to match, have the current tank stripped and have my racing buddy who owns a
vintage fuel tank and radiator shop solder and leak test it, the down fall of that is rust is like cancer and will continue to eat the metal.
NEED
1000 CL FUEL TANK 1977 OR SO, NO RUST
3 DEL ORTO CAB GASKET KITS
AND INFO ON WHAT BATTERY IS REQUIRED FOR THIS MODEL LAVERDA, I LIKE AGM batterys as they keep a bike clean from vent tibe acid.
So far the restoration is progressing with help from you guys.
Thanks Jeff Tuttobene
 
Jeffrey Tuttobene said:
Hello Fellow Members
I have the Fuel tank on the bench to inspect the inside and it show paint bubbling by the left side pet cock, closer inspection
shows water damage inside and pin hole the tank, then I discovered it had been coated inside with KREEM FUEL TANK LINER,
I think this is the lowest quality tank liner there is on the market from my experience, Just my opinion.
2 things get a used clean tank and have it painted to match, have the current tank stripped and have my racing buddy who owns a
vintage fuel tank and radiator shop solder and leak test it, the down fall of that is rust is like cancer and will continue to eat the metal.
NEED
1000 CL FUEL TANK 1977 OR SO, NO RUST
3 DEL ORTO CAB GASKET KITS
AND INFO ON WHAT BATTERY IS REQUIRED FOR THIS MODEL LAVERDA, I LIKE AGM batterys as they keep a bike clean from vent tibe acid.
So far the restoration is progressing with help from you guys.
Thanks Jeff Tuttobene
Click to expand...
You may consider this company for a tank repair; they are almost local. The Website is very interesting and they have been around a long,long time.

orozcosautoservice.com

Gas Tank Repair for all makes & models foreign and domestic

Gas Tank Repair for all makes & models foreign and domestic at Orozco's Auto Service in Long Beach & Bellflower California
orozcosautoservice.com orozcosautoservice.com
 
The only liner I ever used was KREEM FUEL TANK LINER and it cured me for life using them, that was way worse than the rust.
 
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Put a request in the Wanted menu of this forum.

If you can't find a good used tank, could be worth cutting the bottom out of the tank, complete paint removal and go from there. i will never use a tank liner - even though it may outlast me.
 
Hey Mates
I may have found a NOS fuel tank for this bike, I will update this on Friday when I talk on the telephone with him.
I sent him an email with my parts list and he says he can help me with all of it. and he is in my 909 area code.
California where the weather is dry, My 1999 Harley Dyna has zero corrosion after 25 years of riding and storing it properly.
as my Hondas that are 50 years old. Never use fuel with Ethanol as that attracts the worst moisture that can be found as well as eating up
the aluminum carburetor body's. I am no fan of tank liners myself either, 100 octane no ethanol only.
Thank you for all your reply's and suggestions.
Jeff Tuttobene
 
Jeffrey Tuttobene said:
Hey Mates
I may have found a NOS fuel tank for this bike, I will update this on Friday when I talk on the telephone with him.
I sent him an email with my parts list and he says he can help me with all of it. and he is in my 909 area code.
California where the weather is dry, My 1999 Harley Dyna has zero corrosion after 25 years of riding and storing it properly.
as my Hondas that are 50 years old. Never use fuel with Ethanol as that attracts the worst moisture that can be found as well as eating up
the aluminum carburetor body's. I am no fan of tank liners myself either, 100 octane no ethanol only.
Thank you for all your reply's and suggestions.
Jeff Tuttobene
Click to expand...
Where do you buy 100 octane? Are you using 100LL from the airport?
 
Unless he is buying racing fuel which is available up to 110 octane here, he must be using 100LL aviation fuel which I sometime use. It never absorbs water or goes bad and can stay in the fuel tank for years and still be good. The highest octane pump gas you can get in California is 91 octane.

As for tank liners, not all are bad. If you have a bike with a fiberglass tank as I do (Norton Commando Fastback) you must use a tank liner. I don't remember the brand I used 25 years ago but it still is inside the tank and has not dissolved at all.

And another Laverda in Southern California is coming back to life. It was just Dave and me in Riverside County who is 70 miles away. Now in the state of California which has 39 million people, we maybe now have 10 Laverda's on the road.
 
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1200ts said:
Unless he is buying racing fuel which is available up to 110 octane here, he must be using 100LL aviation fuel which I sometime use. It never absorbs water or goes bad and can stay in the fuel tank for years and still be good. The highest octane pump gas you can get in California is 91 octane.

As for tank liners, not all are bad. If you have a bike with a fiberglass tank as I do (Norton Commando Fastback) you must use a tank liner. I don't remember the brand I used 25 years ago but it still is inside the tank and has not dissolved at all.

And another Laverda in Southern California is coming back to life. It was just Dave and me in Riverside County who is 70 miles away. Now in the state of California which has 39 million people, we maybe now have 10 Laverda's on the road.
Click to expand...
Laverdas in Southern California are becoming common as...
The Indian tribe 'Torres Martinez' has racing fuels up to 110 octane at the pump at their Red Earth Casino down Hwy86 near the Salton Sea, not cheap. My Laverdas run so much better on the ethanol-free gasoline available in Idaho, instantly noticeable when switching back to California swill.
 
I’m a hard core anti ethanol bike owner, since my ownership says of my Moto Guzzi V11 Sport which had a nylon tank made by Acerbis. Which suffered badly with expansion swelling, paint perking, etc. just ask Ducati on the huge class action lawsuit they lost with various models of that era. I’ve also got a Norton Commando,,,Amal carbs don’t do well with 10% ethanol!!

Anyways, up until July 2023, 0% ethanol was easy to find here in Canada., the feds banned it and it’s been tricky since then here. Using my trusty $5 testing kit I’ve determined there’s an ethanol shortage in this country and some of the ‘little’ guys are having trouble sourcing it. I live 9 miles from the U.S. border where on Wa. State it’s available 1/4 miles from the crossing.
It should be noted that octane ratings run different octane ‘numbers’ in North America compared to most other regions. ROM versus RON.

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-forum/271834-ron-vs-octane-us-vs-europe-differences-explained.html
 
Steve G. said:
I’m a hard core anti ethanol bike owner, since my ownership says of my Moto Guzzi V11 Sport which had a nylon tank made by Acerbis. Which suffered badly with expansion swelling, paint perking, etc. just ask Ducati on the huge class action lawsuit they lost with various models of that era. I’ve also got a Norton Commando,,,Amal carbs don’t do well with 10% ethanol!!

Anyways, up until July 2023, 0% ethanol was easy to find here in Canada., the feds banned it and it’s been tricky since then here. Using my trusty $5 testing kit I’ve determined there’s an ethanol shortage in this country and some of the ‘little’ guys are having trouble sourcing it. I live 9 miles from the U.S. border where on Wa. State it’s available 1/4 miles from the crossing.
It should be noted that octane ratings run different octane ‘numbers’ in North America compared to most other regions. ROM versus RON.

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-forum/271834-ron-vs-octane-us-vs-europe-differences-explained.html
Click to expand...
Good news for vintage moto owners in California, NOT. Governor Gavin Nuscum and his disciples have approved the increase of ethanol in fuels, all gasoline will be 15% ethanol by the end of Feb this year. I hope Trumpy can put an end to this nonsense. Ethanol comes from crop production and a huge portion of the US is experiencing drought. Oil/gasoline comes out of the ground all year round if you let it, drought or no drought.
 
78jotadave said:
Good news for vintage moto owners in California, NOT. Governor Gavin Nuscum and his disciples have approved the increase of ethanol in fuels, all gasoline will be 15% ethanol by the end of Feb this year. I hope Trumpy can put an end to this nonsense. Ethanol comes from crop production and a huge portion of the US is experiencing drought. Oil/gasoline comes out of the ground all year round if you let it, drought or no drought.
Click to expand...
I truly feel bad for the residents there who lean ‘away’ from the current ‘trends’ there. I simply don’t understand how such an incredible place can destroy itself.
 
78jotadave said:
Good news for vintage moto owners in California, NOT. Governor Gavin Nuscum and his disciples have approved the increase of ethanol in fuels, all gasoline will be 15% ethanol by the end of Feb this year. I hope Trumpy can put an end to this nonsense. Ethanol comes from crop production and a huge portion of the US is experiencing drought. Oil/gasoline comes out of the ground all year round if you let it, drought or no drought.
Click to expand...
Make Gas Great Again!
 
78jotadave said:
Good news for vintage moto owners in California, NOT. Governor Gavin Nuscum and his disciples have approved the increase of ethanol in fuels, all gasoline will be 15% ethanol by the end of Feb this year. I hope Trumpy can put an end to this nonsense. Ethanol comes from crop production and a huge portion of the US is experiencing drought. Oil/gasoline comes out of the ground all year round if you let it, drought or no drought.
Click to expand...
Would it be possible to leave the partisan politics out of this forum? Surely there are other places on the internet where one can express these opinions if that is necessary. These are people from all over the world here, of many different viewpoints, united by our love for our Laverda motorcycles. Can we concentrate on that instead of regional politics?
 
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I intend racing the Inzane 650 Formula at this year’s pre-TT classic races, which was successfully campaigned by Ian Calvert’s team running 15% ethanol fuel. Ian’s only proviso is I use the same fuel, which I have agreed. Therefore, it’s not all bad as far as I am concerned. However, I must admit that all our fuel in the IOM is still ethanol free, which is probably better for my older Laverdas.
 
The main problem is not so much running, but when bikes (or any other petrol engined equipment) sit for some time, as ethanol can hold a lot of water? That and some plastic and rubber type products do not tolerate it.
 
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