Wallpaper Wednesday: 1974 Ducati 750GT Special
Welcome to Wallpaper Wednesday. Every week I will post up something beautiful from the world of Ducati that you just might like to have grace your desktop. This week we have a beautiful 1974 Ducati 750GT Special.
Faced with the photo above as a starting point most people would walk right by, but Mike Hurley saw potential in the basket case of a 1974 Ducati 750 when he purchased it in 2006. The original owner had bought it new and put about 40,000 miles on it before deciding to rebuild it. His brother disassembled the bike and they lost interest presumably after discovering that pulling a bike to pieces is a lot easier than putting it back together! So the parts went into boxes and the bike sat in pieces for close to 25 years.
After various moves parts naturally were lost but Mike took stock of the three boxes of parts, partially disassembled engine and the body parts he received and got to work. What you see before you is 3 years of very hard work and Mike’s wife Candie helped every step of the way for which he is very grateful!!
Mike decided to make a special rather than go for a restoration and chose to recreate a modern version of the 750 Sport. The engine was a joint project with an old-time Ducati technician. The engine received new Sport pistons and valves/springs and new bearings/bushes/valve guides etc.
The suspension is Works performance both front and rear and the forks have been rebuilt. Wanting modern braking performance Bevel Heaven was able to get Mike the adapters to use 996 superbike brake parts on four bolt hubs. The custom outer hubs were machined in Germany. Parts for the bike were sourced from all over the world but Road and Race in Australia, Bevel Heaven in California, and Old Racing Spares in Italy supplied the majority of things that had to be bought new. A set of correct Borrani Wheel rims was sourced locally and after a lot of polishing and a new set of stainless spokes the chassis was ready to roll.
Mike decided that because his favorite roundcase was a 750SS (no argument here) the body work for his bike should be replica SS with an Imola tank and single seat. Rick Covello in Canada custom made all of the bodywork and the tank to fit. He used a clear gel-coat on the tank so the fuel sight gauge in the tank could be incorporated into the paint scheme like the original Imola Race bikes.
On August 29th, 2009 – three years after the project began, the bike rolled off the lift a completed bike for the first time. And the verdict? I think it is fantastic. It certainly passes the test of not wanting to stop looking at it. Congratulations Mike on your finished piece of rolling art.
What do you think? Chime in with your views in the comments section below.
Want More?
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Great wallpaper for sure. You’re right, my eye keeps soaking in all the detail and care that obviously went into this bike.
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