748ie Replica

Geo7863

This is my Next project...although I have started on it already I still have a TT1 F1 to finish this year.....before the summer hopefully!

I originally Started with an 851 S3 frame which I bought years ago....with no idea how to make the tank. Luckily I managed to locate one of the originals and bought it for an arm and a leg. I had started to modify the S3 frame with a view to turning it into a Tricolore type with the integral coolant pipe and then I found a Tric' frame in Japan.....'cheap as chips'... as they say.

I have a few spare Paso M1R's so that's them sorted kind of. Then I found a set of Mag Yokes for the M1R's, and a Scotts/Ohlins radial steering damper (as the original had an early model of that type...don't know if its Scotts or Ohlins though')

Then I found a beat up old Tricolore with that lovely early braced swingarm, and the race 'zorsts.... and an Engine! (although I am toying with the idea of fitting a 748 R engine... I have plenty of time to decide which I will use)

I have a Marvic front wheel, looking for a rear now. I have the original Front and rear brake calipers. The seat unit is just a Modified TT1 F1 unit, and I have a TT2 and F1 set of fairings which I will have to splice together somehow.

Looking forward to being able to work on it more than I am now :-)

roen

i've got a set of mag. marvics for sale. came from my 1992 851. dont know if it's the size you're looking for?

nine16

I have a magnesium Marvic corse rear for the 3 bolt disc. It has the magnesium sprocket hub but not the disc.

Geo7863

roen wrotei've got a set of mag. marvics for sale. came from my 1992 851. dont know if it's the size you're looking for?

Do you have any photo's I have a set of 888 Marvic mags on my TT1 F1 Project, so yours should be the same, Thanks.

Geo7863

nine16 wroteI have a magnesium Marvic corse rear for the 3 bolt disc. It has the magnesium sprocket hub but not the disc.

Thanks but not the right type... I want the early Streamline model wheel. :-)

wgsvintage

The wheels on the 748 look to me like 16" and 18", correct? Do you know their widths, or are you going to use 17's?
Bill

Geo7863

wgsvintage wroteThe wheels on the 748 look to me like 16" and 18", correct? Do you know their widths, or are you going to use 17's? Bill

They look like it yes, But I will either go 17" at both end.. I already have a new 17" Marvic Front, or maybe even an 18" rear...however I do not know what this would do to handling... (and I am not going to race this bike at all) and I do not know the availability of 18" tyres here in CZ. I have seen 18" rears at 5" width.

Geo7863

My TT1 F1 Replica has 17" Marvics, so its not a true 100% replica, and neither will the 748 be.. parts availability is too slim for that.

Geo7863

..and because parts are so rare, I have had to get a few bits made up 'bespoke', such as the rear caliper carrier, discs and exhaust on the TT1 F1.. I daresay the 748 will be the same just about.

brad black

very cool. where the hell did you find the fuel tank?

Mr.R

brad black wrotevery cool. where the hell did you find the fuel tank?

That's exactly what I was wondering??
Got to be as rare as rocking horse shit.

Geo7863

Mr.R wroteThat's exactly what I was wondering?? Got to be as rare as rocking horse shit.

it's probably rarer than that Steve... how's you? long time no speak!...since Ducatisti...however long ago that was.

I do believe that the Tank is probably the only one in existence....unless the '86 Bol d'Or tank still exists. Luchinelli's 87 BOTT win was with a different bike... (although maybe the frame was the original 748 ie frame modified again, which in itself was originally a 750TT1 F1 frame)

A Chap in Japan had it, I only wanted him to take dimensions for me so that I could get a replica made... and jokingly asked if he'd loan or sell it to me..so he did the latter.

Geo7863

I don't want to actually use this Tank...too rare and it has a crack in it (which can be repaired I know). But I know a man who will make a mould, make me two tanks and give me the mould too.... all for a lot less than I paid for the original. Unfortunately he is seriously ill at the moment.

I am wary of giving it to anyone else to make a couple of tanks for me as they may a) damage it and then b) keep the mould and start selling it for themselves. I know someone who has an original TT1 F1 factory racer tank.. but he wont get replica's made for that reason, he has been ripped off too many times.

What I may do is get mine made up and then give the tank back to the factory for their museum...not decided yet...very, very, early days for that.

roen

Well, the wheels are not in my garage at this moment, but what i can tell you is that the spokes are "straight" if you know what i mean. The black wheels have a straight and curved side. Mine are straight.

Crack tested and fresh gold paint with new bearings.

Edit: they're like your red wheels in the picture.

brad black

Geo7863 wroteI don't want to actually use this Tank...too rare and it has a crack in it (which can be repaired I know). But I know a man who will make a mould, make me two tanks and give me the mould too.... all for a lot less than I paid for the original. Unfortunately he is seriously ill at the moment. I am wary of giving it to anyone else to make a couple of tanks for me as they may a) damage it and then b) keep the mould and start selling it for themselves. I know someone who has an original TT1 F1 factory racer tank.. but he wont get replica's made for that reason, he has been ripped off too many times. What I may do is get mine made up and then give the tank back to the factory for their museum...not decided yet...very, very, early days for that.

giving it to the factory would be nice, as long as they appreciate it. i wonder where the rest of the bike is. or if it was just cut/modified/reused in the process as you say.

i can't imagine anyone would be ripping off that tank tho. it'd have to be a pretty low demand item.

16/18 wheels would be pretty cool. altho they're not mag or light, a cb600 hornet and fzr1000 87/88 combo is pretty similar looking for a 3 spoke. and the hornet front discs have a deepish offset bowl looking carrier, a little like the brembo floaters did.

brad black

the bol d'or bike fuel tank had twin caps, and there's photos of it running what looks like 17/17 wheels as well as the obviously smaller front.

Geo7863

brad black wrotegiving it to the factory would be nice, as long as they appreciate it. i wonder where the rest of the bike is. or if it was just cut/modified/reused in the process as you say. i can't imagine anyone would be ripping off that tank tho. it'd have to be a pretty low demand item. 16/18 wheels would be pretty cool. altho they're not mag or light, a cb600 hornet and fzr1000 87/88 combo is pretty similar looking for a 3 spoke. and the hornet front discs have a deepish offset bowl looking carrier, a little like the brembo floaters did.

The original frame was a modified TT1 F1 frame. There were 7 TT1 F1's made apparently. One was Modified for the 748, 3 are in the Museum, 1 was written off in Tony Rutter's career ending crash. That means there's two left somewhere...perhaps Ducati still has them.

I guess its possible that another 748 frame was made, possibly another of the TT1 F1's converted. But from first build to first race was only 5 days. So I don't think they had two frames by the time the Bol D'Or was raced, I believe they just used the Bol D'Or as a testing ground for the bike.

Its possible that they still have the original frame and another one was made for the 851 BOTT winning bike. I guess only Ducati know!

Mine wont be the first Replica I do know of one made by a guy in Slovakia I think, his tank is not a copy but still looks pretty okay. Who knows who would want one... some people do go for the 'unusual' and 'rare' types of bike. I do like the 748..but it is an ugly mother! 😝

Geo7863

brad black wrotethe bol d'or bike fuel tank had twin caps, and there's photos of it running what looks like 17/17 wheels as well as the obviously smaller front.

My tank had two fuel caps at some stage, you can just see a slight depression in front of the tank filler now when you look at the tank from an angle, but you can feel it distinctly when you put your hand in the tank. I have a fair few photos of the bike cant say I paid particular attention to the wheel sizes though.

The bike was definitely photographed in two set-ups. The Bol D'Or bike has a cut-out in the lower 'skirts' of the tank, it has the Heath Robinson air intake tube and has a vented clutch cover. Then there's photos with the 'full tank' no air intake tube and a full chromed cover. None of the photos that I have has the two large air holes at the font of the tank which it has now... so its either a third tank, or it was one of the two (obviously not the Bol D'Or tank!) and had the air holes added and front filler cap filled in at a later date.

brad black

what a puzzle. i say go for the weirdest option if presented with a decision.

huit

what ever happened to this project?
hopefully it is progressing.