Another Oldie

**CRM250** · 02 Apr 08, 06:07 AM

See some of you here appreicate the odd classic, well my father is rather keen on his classics too and has spend much of the last 8 years or so restoring a few ducati's.
When Ducati manchester had thier classic weekend last year he lent them a 250 and 350. Since then he sold the blue 250 mk3 to his brother who has been using it around london. Of course its condition was as close to original as possible. It waited 3 years to be finished until he found a few of the OE parts before assembly. bolts, tyres, handpumps, rims, all original and restored if need be. I have learned alot over the years watching him and seeing the difference between repro parts and OE, trying to find the old CE electrics bits, tail lights, hand pumps, tyres, coffin tanks (for the elites) etc etc
Anyway with a big thankyou to barry jones who has been a great help of my father sourcing parts and doing some work.
Here is the only pics i have of his 68 350 so far. I will get some more as its coming to live with me and sit in my front room alongside my little YSR80 and RD125LC spoling for a fight.
Once they have moved house he just needs to assemble the last 2 bikes, a 175 and a 200 elite. Again taken years to find the parts and get the paint just right from worrying shades of gold to daft reds, its now perfect and the chrome on the tank and pinstriping is spot on to the OE finish.
Anyway the first pic was taken in 2002, see the disgust on my face when we dragged it out of the car.

**Oldie** · 02 Apr 08, 08:24 AM

I thought someone was taking my name in vain!

Very nice Oldies they are too! Almost as good looking as me.

Rick

**MarkST** · 02 Apr 08, 11:44 AM

Lovely job CRM.

**CRM250** · 02 Apr 08, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkST

Lovely job CRM.

Cant take the credit on this, i am the one looking in disgust at it, my dad is the one who's put the hard work in. i am just looking after it while they move house

**Dan** · 15 Apr 08, 12:25 PM

CRM, The condition of he bike in picture three is amazing, have you any idea how much it would sell for these days?

**CRM250** · 15 Apr 08, 04:54 PM

Hi, i have no idea. i know the sum of the parts exceed its value i think. however its original and the level of originality is the key thing.
No idea what the market would dictate these days, i guess its worth what someone wants to pay for it. others have made between 4 - 7 depending on originality and condition, none had the original rims, handpump, tail lights and were all a compromise in one way or another.
irrelevant really it wont be for sale i hope i really like it. Its not registered either. I suggested he get in touch with ducati and see if they wanted to buy it back, i think they have a couple of examples but i believe funnily enough not as original which seems odd, but when they are gone they are gone i guess.
this one came from south america i think.

**CRM250** · 19 Apr 08, 10:58 AM

Got some more pics of this today, so for all your viewing pleasures here you are. Attn to detail is his key to making something like this as close as you would find to leaving the factory. Granted there are good sensible upgrades to make them actually ridable but then again this hasnt even been run yet

**Mr.R** · 19 Apr 08, 12:17 PM

Hi,
Now that is beautiful and quite rare it's a 350 Mk3 D, the 'D' stands for Desmo.
I've always thought that the 1st road going Desmo's came out in "69 though?
I'd have thought that it would fetch up around the £7,000 mark at auction, but as said before it depends on how much someone wants one and is prepared to pay.
I think your father should be very proud of the job he's done on that one.
WELL DONE THAT MAN!
I'm slowly rebuilding a Yellow 1974 250 Desmo (Disc) one of the last ones made, I found mine in a stables where it had stood for over 16 years.
Mines quite original but I'm not going for a concours finish, as I intend it to be used by myself and my wife (mostly).
To this end I've replaced as many of the standard parts for stainless steel items that I can find.
Exhaust system, footrests/linkages, filler cap, spokes and every single nut, bolt, screw etc...
Also fitting a race (RITA) ignition system, 32mm smoothbore rubber mounted carb, (The head had already been gasflowed and ported to suit the big carb) 12V conversion and a Halogen headlamp inside a (period mod) Lucas shell.
Like your father's this one's not for selling, it's a keeper and yes it'll cost more than it's worth to get it how I want it.
But than that's the cost of our hobby and you can't put a price on the enjoyment gained from this sort of work.

Steve

**andyrh** · 19 Apr 08, 12:25 PM

Steve

I had a 250 MarkIII and I thought it had valve springs rather than the desmo head, so what is a mark III D?

Also the gear change is exactly as I had although I can't remember the plaque on the gear box.

**CRM250** · 19 Apr 08, 12:29 PM

Hi Steve, over the years i have picked up a few bits of info and history, and the 350 started in 68 with a twin filler cap tank. This was dropped in 69 i believe. I think many prefer the trickness of the twin cap tank though. Just posted these on "another forum" too. It is an object of beauty i can see that now, but admit i couldnt see the lines at first due to the rust

**Mr.R** · 19 Apr 08, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyrh

Steve

I had a 250 MarkIII and I thought it had valve springs rather than the desmo head, so what is a mark III D?

Also the gear change is exactly as I had although I can't remember the plaque on the gear box.

Hi Andy,
The Mk111 was a valve springer, the Mk111 'D' was the same bike but fitted with a desmo head at the factory.
'D' for Desmo...
The 350 'D' in the pictures above was the top of the range in "68, the 450's came along later.
The large 'D' on the side panels and Desmo cast onto the cam support block gives it away.
All the road going Desmo's were based on the Mk3/111 widecase motor, so called because the width of the rear engine mountings was much wider than the earlier models.
Which then became known as the 'Narrow Case' models.
The later model had a larger sump (oil) capacity and some stronger internals, the top ends were very much the same except for those fitted with the Desmo heads.
Later Desmo singles came fitted with rearset footrests.
The plate on the selector box/gearbox sprocket cover was fitted to models destined for markets other than the UK, I think it's an 'Homologation plate'.

Steve

**andyrh** · 19 Apr 08, 02:44 PM

Thanks Steve,

that clears that up!

Your 250 has it got 6 volt electrics?

**Mr.R** · 19 Apr 08, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyrh

Thanks Steve,

that clears that up!

Your 250 has it got 6 volt electrics?

Andy,
As far as I'm aware all of the singles came with a 6v system, although after Ducati (Italy) stopped making them in "74, Mototrans (Spain) carried on producing the singles for some years, some of which came with an electic boot (starter) and triple disc brakes...
Some of these may well have come with 12v as standard, I think the eletric boot probably required a bit more oooph!
So yes 'Bertie' (Mrs R names all of my bikes) has 6v electrics, but I've got all the parts needed to convert her/him to 12v, as I'm building it to ride and being able to see where it's going in the dark will be a bonus.
As I've said before CRM250's Dad has done a wonderfull job on the Mk3 350 'D', but I think it would be a CRIME to consign it to a museum or only ever take it to the odd show...
Dr 'T' designed these bikes to be ridden and enjoyed whilst being ridden, he didn't take all that trouble for them to be museum pieces.
To this end I've put over 130,000 miles on my "79 900SS and I'll be ridding/thrashing her to this years IOM TT (best part of a 2,000 mile holiday) and I intend to thrash the nuts out of the 250 when it gets on the road...
I wonder which type of use Dr 'T' would prefer?

Steve