For fans of technique and beautiful mechanics, this TT2 really represents the best. We follow the stages of its restoration.
There are now few who have the technical skills and experience necessary to “get their hands” on such a particular object as that masterpiece of mechanical engineering that responds to the name of Ducati TT2, the fantastic racing bike that the Casa di Borgo Panigale set up at the beginning of the eighties taking advantage of the two-valve twin-cylinder with air cooling of the Pantah series.
Marco Mozzone, already known to our readers through some of the most significant testimonies of what he knows how to do, is one of them: in his workshop in Cairo Montenotte, between Liguria and Piedmont, Marco carries on an activity, or rather a profession, now represented by a very small number of people. Because to do what Mozzone does you have to be willing to sacrifice yourself, and so much, in the name of quality and precision that today, unfortunately, they almost no longer exist.
An example of this is this beautiful TT2 that the Savonese specialist has developed for one of his clients; beyond the general aesthetic result, remarkable in itself by virtue of the refinement and rarity of such a specimen, it is by looking closely at the work carried out by Mozzone that one realizes how valuable it has been able to add to such a prestigious base.
Every single detail has been disassembled, cleaned, processed, refurbired and, more importantly, reassembled to ensure it has a perfect condition of functionality. Where this “modus operandi”, for some reason, did not work, the process was repeated from the beginning, until the result reached the so-called state of the art.
After all, Marco is used to it and, if things are not exactly as he wants, he prefers not to do anything about it, that is why his eyes must have shone when he was presented with the opportunity to take care of one of the most exclusive racing bikes ducati has ever produced.
For him it was like finally having the right material on which to measure one’s talent, without any saving of either time or resources.
In short, for fans of technique and beautiful mechanics, this TT2 really represents the maximum, a concentration of solutions that deserve to be observed for hours, even just for the sake of admiring its ingenuity and masterful execution. We present them all, from the first to the last, through a roundup of images that illustrate better than any article the work of Marco Mozzone.
All phases of the restoration of the Ducati TT
The crankshaft and connecting rods are standard, but the first has been specially balanced according to the weight of the pistons and both have been polished.All wiring related to the original pickups has been revised, isolating all connections with the same techniques used in the historical period related to the bike in question. At the time, in fact, the fragility of the electric cables represented precisely one of the Achilles’ heels of racing Ducati.
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A direct tooth primary transmission (with 31/62 ratio) was mounted, which was part of an NCR kit complete with dry clutch. All gears have been lightened, balanced and polished. A starter freewheeling wheel stand, which is also lightened, has also been fitted.The pistons are obviously new, in aluminum with a diameter of 80 mm, and pair perfectly with the rods of the cast iron cylinders, also redone according to the specifications of the time, but with better quality and therefore more reliable materials.The valves have a diameter of 41 mm for suction and 35 mm for exhaust.The phase of the engine. The camshafts are also ncr, model “Corsa”, and are lubricated through an external oil duct.Carburetors are part of a competition-specific kit, have a 41 mm diameter diffuser and rely on an elastic mount. They have been completely disassembled and overhauled.The equipment specially built by Mozzone to millimetrically check the height of the carburetor float.
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The suction croissants and carburetors themselves have been connected to promote fluid dynamics inwards.Given the clutter, the suction croissants were even milled so as not to interfere with the frame tubes.The rear fender is drilled to access the carburetor tray connected to the vertical cylinder without being forced to disassemble the carburetor itself.The petrol taps are ncr original.The nottolini of the various cables were handmade, one by one.The various components of the electrical system were fixed on an aluminum plate, placed behind the steering notch.As it used to use, the engine is started thanks to a simple aluminum button, made “to measure”.
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Being a real racing bike, there is no shortage of so-called safety ligatures without which it is not possible to overcome the technical checks provided for in a normal race weekend.A detail of the oil radiator support.The beautiful dry clutch “made in NCR”.The braking system has been overhauled, both at the level of pliers (the so-called 05 Brembo gold series) and their controls. All pipes have been redone, but they respect the layout of the time. The front discs are 280 mm in diameter, with cast iron track and aluminum hubs. To adapt to these, the pliers were equipped with special hand-worked aluminum supports (and not numerically control), as was done at the time.The fork has also been disassembled and overhauled. It is a precious unit, being a Marzocchi with magnesium sheaths, almost impossible to find nowadays. The stems have also been polished.
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To speed up the replacement of the rims, the front wheel spacers remain anchored to the wheel hub, in perfect endurance style.The special headset that wraps around the shock absorber preventing it from being damaged by stones “fired” from the rear wheel.The rear clasps also enjoy safety ligatures, being an element of fundamental importance for driving.The rear fender is shaped in such a way as to allow the passage of the oil pipe that connects the rear brake pump to its tank.The linkage that characterizes the rear brake control has been completely rebuilt.The skates that allow the tension of the chain have been subjected by Hubs to processing and lightening.Note that the inner part of the pipes that make up the swingarm has been crushed to allow the housing of a tire of adequate section without interference problems.
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The battery support has been created ad hoc. As it used to be at the time, the battery is inserted inside the codon. Notice how the electrical circuit was closed by connecting one of the two red cables to the tab positioned above the positive poleThe classic protection of the horizontal cylinder distribution pulley, which could create many problems in case it interfered with a foreign body.To keep the gear lever in a position that was not too uncomfortable (i.e. very high), the silencer of the exhaust system was subjected to a small dent, just as it used to do once on official vehicles.The final relationship can count on two different pinions, to be used depending on the track.
A Jerez de la Frontera, seconda tappa del campionato SBK, si ri-accende lo spettacolo con Ducati protagonista. Doppietta di Redding e secondo posto in gara 2 per Davies.
