Ducati 175TS Bevel Drive Single Cylinder Genuine Italian Model (1959 model year - dating certificate by Mick Walker) £6500 No Offers Fully restored, genuine, rare, Italian model 175TS. UK registered, V5 is present and in my name/address, so no messing around with NOVA certificates etc. I have owned the bike for over 8 years and during that time it has been subject to a nut and bolt restoration, including complete engine rebuild from the crank up and professional respray. This was completed some three years ago and since then it has fun faultlessly for over 3500 miles. I've had my fun with this brilliant little bike over that time but I fancy a change and so it's for sale. Any inspection welcome, full photographic evidence and receipts for the restoration are available, PM for full details. Ceers for looking, Samurai (Jason)
Hi, Just seen and I hope you sold your bike successfully. I write because I have a 1956 175SS (and have had it for several years, still in parts...) and I now wish to start its renovation. Might you be able to advise on the paint shop you used for the painting of the frame? And did you specify the colours to be used or was this advised by the painter? From the photos the finish appears to be excellent - very good looking bike.... Kind regards, Peter Newton
Hi, Just seen and I hope you sold your bike successfully. I write because I have a 1956 175SS (and have had it for several years, still in parts...) and I now wish to start its renovation. Might you be able to advise on the paint shop you used for the painting of the frame? And did you specify the colours to be used or was this advised by the painter? From the photos the finish appears to be excellent - very good looking bike.... Kind regards, Peter Newton
Hi Peter, Thank you for your kind comments and yes I did sell the bike back in May to a mutual friend who is using it on some of the 'Italian Tiddler' mini-tours organised by Russell Benny of Phase One Endurance Endurance. So it's nice to know that it's continuing to be used as intended. Regarding the paintwork, I bought it from the owner of Panelwise, an automotive paint shop in Bracknell. They are/were (not sure if they're still going?), an Aston Martin and Subaru accredited bodyshop and most of the paintwork and repairs had already been done when I bought it as an unfinished project. Although it has been poorly repainted at some point in the past, he guy had found enough of the original paint under the taillight bracket to scan and match. He swore blind that this was an identical match to the factory colour but despite promises to do so, never ended up supplying me with the paint codes. However, I got my local auto-refinishers to scan the tank he'd done to replicate the paint for odd bits like the headlamp shell and shocks that I preferred to be red rather than the correct black. The code I've got for that is PPG: 9SSSEWTA/1. This is a 2 pack first base coat and I was told by the paint mixer that there was meant to be a specific undercoat used for it. However, they said that once mixed this base coat alone, it looked almost identical to the paint in the tank, so in this recommendation I never bothered to pay the extra for the undercoat. On reflection, I should have paid the extra as although it IS a very close match, it wasn't bang on, but you have to look hard. If your looking for a recommendation for a painter to do it for you (I sprayed the bits myself), then you the only one I can personally recommend is Paint My Ride in Darlington (where I went on my custom spraying course some years ago). Hope this info helps you somewhat and I wish you all the best with your own restoration. I think that you'll have quite a bit of latitude regarding exact colour matching as there was not the level of consistency in paint mixing between batches back in the day .
Oh shucks, you're too kind I was the recipient of so much help during my own restoration from those which had acquired enormous knowledge over the years, that it seems only right to pass on what little I've gained. At the end of the day, it's all about helping to keep the history of iconic marques alive and on the road where they belong.
My mate and I are doing Russell Benney's Three Moors Run next week. I'll keep an eye out for the bike. There are about 60 small capacity classic bikes doing it. Going by previous events, it should be great. Hopefully the weather will be kind. I'm on a 1954 MV Agusta 175 CSTL. My mate is on his 1957 Gilera Extra Rossa (which runs on Castrol R).
Have a great time, it's a good craic. I did Russell's first June Jaunt a couple of years ago on the 175TS and chuckled a little as several other modern bikes struggled with mechanical and electrical issues, whilst mine just kept singing along . You'll meet a great bunch of people, just try not to get sucked into trying to keep up with the front runners, who always seem to be in a rush to get somewhere . . .? My old bike should definitely be there as it's what the new owner bought it for
Many thanks for your reply. I live near Exeter and might try to find suitable automotive finishers near me. I did find the original paint codes some years ago, but appear to have lost the information - must look again. Kind regards, Peter