My Malaga 1200

[pf1]

Now don't be too critical (no do your worst) but I decided to have a go at this 1200 someone gave me as spares in Spain. It came with another part built bike I bought. I am doing no cosmetics whatsoever and using parts I have laying about. The only new stuff will be safety related. I was going to take it to the Willersley event but it's too late now. you could have witnessed me being stoned to death by the mob, Malcolm would have sold tickets (I'm joking Malcolm).
Anyway, I thought I would show you some of the things I discovered whist stripping it down
The first thing I found was that all the shims had been ground down below the minimum thickness resulting in massive valve clearances. Why they did that I don't know but the right hand exhaust shim had been battered down the valve stem and the top of the shim was missing.

 

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I decided to clean the tank out using Deox-C so I left it a couple of weeks and emptied it. Lots of you have had trouble with dirt in the tank affecting your bike's running. Maybe you should add another possible cause to the list, a dead rat. no idea how it got there with a locked cap on the tank.

 

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All of you experiencing handling problems would have nothing on this guy. I don't know how anyone can break so many things.

 

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More to come.

 

[sfcpiet]

Most All Laverdas out of Spain that I've come across were literally flogged to death. Bodging because no parts were available is one thing, but managing to destroy just about everything is another...

I once puchased a pair of run-down 500s from Spain, viewing to obtain some spares for my own bikes. In truth, there wasn't very much to salvage, barely enough to justify the very low purchase price.

piet

 

[TeddyG]

Good on you for resurrecting this bike- Paddy Ducati and DAM Classic Racing can help you w/ parts, along w/ Wolfgang in Canada. Venhill can make any cable or hydraulic line.

 

[Dellortoman]

Wow. I'm familiar with the term "rat bike" but finding an actual rat in it is really living up to the name.

 

[hooksey]

Good on you for resurrecting this bike- Paddy Ducati and DAM Classic Racing can help you w/ parts, along w/ Wolfgang in Canada. Venhill can make any cable or hydraulic line.

You must be on a healthy commission Teddy….?
Most on here been rnd Laverda’s long enuff to no where to shop and who to avoid

 

[pf1]

I will be buying as few parts as possible. I have lots of usable items in boxes, they just aren't very pretty.
Anyway moving on, this bike has had new crankcases at some time, must have cost a fair amount. This hasn't stopped them being attacked by the owner though.
The primary chain casing and crankcase bolt holes have been drilled to 8mm and even larger and the cases broken and filled with silicone at one point. One of the 8mm holes is at a crazy angle.
The oil pump has a chunk broken off it too.

 

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But even better than that, have you ever seen a primary chain with square rollers? I haven't until now.
I cant quite work out how it got like that, the tensioner slipper looks ok. The Jesus nut was finger tight so if I'm not mistaken the guy actually fitted the chain in that state. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Vince]

That's a museum piece. Start charging a fee to see that.

 

[piranha-bro2]

Fark me ... just ... fark!! I think the rat started in there as a fertilised eggy weg and went full term in the metal womb.

 

[sfcpiet]

That chain has been run with a slipper tensioner that had lost or worn completely through its rubber lining. Literally flogged to death...

piet

 

[pf1]

Yes, he must have put a new slipper tensioner in there with the old chain because it looks pretty good. He also managed to break the front brake master cylinder and the instrument clamp. The gears weren't changing properly either but I haven't had a chance to look at that yet. He did highlight the writing on the tyre sidewalls in white though so that's something.
The starter doesn't do anything at all when connect up, not a peep out of it, probably full of rats.
Here is the bike when I picked it up.

 

[pf1]

Here is the shim smashed down the valve stem. Must have been one hell of a noisy motor.

 

[Sir Sidney Ruffdiamond]

Oh dear - little shop of horrors but if you were gifted it then it’s a decent challenge - as for the rat - was it sniffing fuel and the guy just shut the cap and waited until it had offed itself but of course that never happened - keep the pics coming

 

[Tree Hugger]

Rat….. biofuel?

 

[mauricejota7604]

Hi Pat you find the best bikes to restore I can only say the mighty flying Kangaroo was an exception to the rule!!!!!!

 

[pf1]

This one will be better Maurice ha ha! That was my £10 restoration, this one is a £5 one. Believe it or not it has some good parts as well as bad but there will be no cosmetics, they cost too much and you can't see them when you are riding except in shop windows.

 

[pf1]

Well progress on the Malaga Mutant continues at a snails pace with expenditure as low as possible. So far rebuilt forks with new seals and broken springs replaced, new steering head bearings, brakes rebuilt with £30 Triumph 900 master cylinder up front and scrounged braided hoses, clocks made out of various bits I had laying around, Honda CB750 handlebars £29, 200mm Yamaha Koito headlamp £10, Chinese horns (LOUD AS HELL) £5, cheapo indicators and £7 Lucas relay,
So far the brakes have been the biggest expense but Ducatipaddy having a big Brembo sell off has helped reduce costs there. You can't beat his £10 petrol taps and half price clutch levers either.
I connected the loom up and all lights, switches etc work but squeezing everything into that headlamp shell took some doing.
The bike still looks like shit (as intended) but I must admit enjoying working on it and improvising instead of spending cash on cosmetics and originality.
Bled the front brakes this morning, was a bit of a struggle to remove the air but they are fine now.
Still lots to do on the cheap heap but I'm having fun and it would be scrapped if I didn't do this anyway.