Ducati Cucciolo

[Charlie G]

My bike is based on A "Panama Jack" frame made by Huffy. Panama Jack made cruiser style bikes on the west coast til huffy bought them out. They are sturdier than most of your huffy cruiser's, with welded racks and thicker spokes etc. Notice the bottle opener on the front fork?

That bottle opener is reall nice. I need one of those!

cg

 

[Guest]

I *finally* got a reply from the eBay seller with the forks yesterday. Apparently he was in hospital last week and will post them this week. It'll be nice to get my hands on them and see if that fit well... then I can progress!

 

[tatu]

Here Pete , have a look at this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-BARN-FIND-CYCLEMASTER-last-taxed-1953-FRONT-SUSPENSION-moped-cyclemotor-/230849902610?_trksid=p4340.m1374&_trkparms=algo%3DPI.WATCH%26its%3DC%252BS%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D15%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D2375645722026083169

 

[Guest]

Really cool project Pete. How will you come by new seals and stuff for something so old and rare?

 

[Guest]

Here Pete , have a look at this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-BARN-FIND-CYCLEMASTER-last-taxed-1953-FRONT-SUSPENSION-moped-cyclemotor-/230849902610?_trksid=p4340.m1374&_trkparms=algo%3DPI.WATCH%26its%3DC%252BS%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D15%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D2375645722026083169

Wow and I thought my little Duc was covered in crud! That looks very complete though... you going to have a go at it? That could be quite rare and valuable with the right attention...

Really cool project Pete. How will you come by new seals and stuff for something so old and rare?

Thanks mate! Crankshaft bearings are ok and I have a source already, they're just not cheap. As for seals... well there's not much in the way of seals on there, but the one I know of is not so bad as there are modern replacements that will fit.

The one difficult (read probably expensive) bit is going to be the ignition coil I think, unless of course I can find info on how to re-wind it myself.

 

[Guest]

Quick update... that there's no update

The eBay seller with the forks *still* has not posted them and now hasn't even replied to my question from Thursday as to when they *will* be posted... that makes me mad!!!! Two weeks today since I won the auction and paid for them within an hour of the auction closing

Hopefully he'll do the right thing soon or I'm going to have to do the Paypal claim thing and start from scratch...

 

[tatu]

Wow and I thought my little Duc was covered in crud! That looks very complete though... you going to have a go at it? That could be quite rare and valuable with the right attention...


The one difficult (read probably expensive) bit is going to be the ignition coil I think, unless of course I can find info on how to re-wind it myself.

I flogged the one I had last year, it was a really nice one, I used to use it round the village in UK, that one had solid tyres that were available after the war, but ordinary forks. I'll post a picture when I get home.

The coil shouldn't be hard to rewind if it definately needs it even if it is potted.

 

[Guest]

Aaah cool, and yes a pic would be nice

Solid tyres hey? That'd make bumpy roads interesting!

The coil's not potted, so I don't think it would be too difficult, just a matter of noting how many turns I unwind and what diameter the wire is. The impedance is known so I can verify it once completed.

The difficult part will be winding it so it sits nicely under the flywheel and doesn't rub as there's not a lot of clearance there.

I measured it with my multimeter and it gave an open circuit reading, but I will definitely be double checking it before I start unwinding it.

 

[gs scott]

Pete,
What a great project, and coming along nicely. Very cool to see the insides of the little Duc one lunger. Found some possible inspiration for you....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ducati-Cucc...7894616?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item564ceea0d8

Scott

 

[Guest]

Thanks Scott! It's certainly fun and interesting doing something so old... it gets the brain juices working finding out all the appropriate information. The bicycle part is proving the most difficult.

That link is a very nicely restored version there! I have a look at eBay occasionally but haven't seen that one yet, very nice! The brakes are scary though being the old rod style brakes, but I love that front suspension.

I actually got my seat in the post yesterday but am still waiting for the forks, will post pic's of both when I get them and if the forks are the right size I'll get a final mock up done before dismantling the wheels.

 

[Guest]

Well after (im)patiently waiting for 2 1/2 weeks I got the forks today... unfortunately that means back to the drawing board as they are actually too short... bugger!

You can see that the rake is really quite good, but the fork leg length is far too short. The tyre rubs against the bottom of the steerer, and the tyre's flat... oh well, I'll keep hunting.

Here's the NOS seat I got too, this seems to be ok and it has a real nice "new" leather smell to it also:

I was really looking forward to starting to dismantle the wheels, but that will have to wait again now until I find another set of forks.

 

[landshark]

You could use the new forks and the old forks and make a springer front end?

 

[tatu]

Those brown set look cocked to me, here's summat you might like to consider, let me know if you want some help with them.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-H...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item1c2b3e21e2

Or..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-B...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item416c0e3f1b

Have a look at his other items maybe some period correct bits you'd like.

 

[jeffasaurus2]

Fantastic build! I love everything about this. As for the saddle, I'm not sure how tight of a budget you're looking to keep but a Brooks Leather saddle would be a perfect fit. They go for a pretty penny, but once they're broken in they're the most comfortable available.

 

[Guest]

You could use the new forks and the old forks and make a springer front end?

I'd give that some serious thought except the original set I got with the frame have got a big crease at the top of the left leg and they don't look structurally sound to me, so I wouldn't trust them at all.

Might still be worth thinking about if I find another cheap set and all else fails...

Those brown set look cocked to me, here's summat you might like to consider, let me know if you want some help with them.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-H...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item1c2b3e21e2

Or..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-B...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item416c0e3f1b

Have a look at his other items maybe some period correct bits you'd like.

The brown set are actually quite good believe it or not, quite solid and straight. The black set have had the royal richard and I'm not trusting them with anything...

Those two links are for 26" wheels unfortunately, and that's the catch with some of this stuff. The British bicycles back then typically had 26" wheels, but the Aussie ones typically had 28" wheels, and that's the drama I'm finding... everything's for 26" or 27" wheels...

Thanks for the links though, I will look further at their other bits and pieces... I haven't searched eBay UK for a while but it might be worth a shot.

There are some nice (but expensive) girder/springer style forks available in your neck of the woods designed specifically for motorised bicycles, but again they're for 26" wheels which doesn't help me much...

Fantastic build! I love everything about this. As for the saddle, I'm not sure how tight of a budget you're looking to keep but a Brooks Leather saddle would be a perfect fit. They go for a pretty penny, but once they're broken in they're the most comfortable available.

Thanks mate! I'd love to get a Brooks by all reports, but the $$$ are just too much. The one I got is a Roland and appears to be very similar.

This isn't going to get a huge amount of km's on it, but I'm certainly going to get it all in tip top restored and running condition so it will be ridable.

 

[rustybronco]

Luke.... use the force... section the forks...

 

[Charlie G]

Pete,

Had you considered having them lengthened somehow?

cg

 

[Guest]

Luke.... use the force... section the forks...

Hmmmm... and go over to the dark side? Hahaha

Nah not those black ones, they just feel like dodgy pieces of crap to me... they're only not in the bin so I can use them for mock ups.

I also realised that they've been front-ended at some point as the top of the forks don't run true to the steerer tube, so I wouldn't even want to chop the legs off and re-use the steerer...

Pete,

Had you considered having them lengthened somehow?

cg

I hadn't thought of that Charlie, but I'd think that would put a rather large dint in my finances to get done reliably and safely... but could be a last resort option I guess...

I did get an email reply to a mailing list I'm on and someone thinks they may have a suitable pair lying around that they're going to measure today... ray:

 

[Tim Tom]

Hey Pete you wanna laugh?

Check out what this guy is asking for his Puppy Duc on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ducati-Cucciolo-puppy-/170924008245?forcev4exp=true




I'll give you a hit. It's MINT Katana money...

 

[Guest]

Hey Pete you wanna laugh?

Check out what this guy is asking for his Puppy Duc on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ducati-Cucciolo-puppy-/170924008245?forcev4exp=true




I'll give you a hit. It's MINT Katana money...

Wow

I've seen some silly prices on some Cucciolo stuff on the 'net but that takes the cake! Mind you, NOS with the original crate etc.? Man that thing's awesome and belongs in a museum!

Mind you, that does reinforce how valuable mine would be I think... I seem to recall "Cucciolo" being stamped on the top of my carb and I'm pretty sure it's made in Italy...

And yes, definitely mint Katana money there!

I had a lead on some forks last week but that seems to have dried up again so I'm still on the hunt... man this is frustrating!