1963 Greeves 24MCS/2/808--3 months and DONE!
Hey all!
I know, I have been away after my first post about this gal! What a gem and a blast!
Hubby got her 1990 in Phoenix, AZ....tried to buy from original owner/racer whom did so in CA, the west coast desert races. He had some amazing stories...but not ready to sell. Well, approx 3 years later Dave was at a corner market and went out only to see the exact same Greeves in the back of a pickup truck! A young kid came out and explained that he had bought the bike when a friend of the family had passed. Dave oggled and awed and went on and on...finally the kid said..."If you like it so darn much, buy it from me! I hate it, its a BEAST!" Dave had loved Greeves since he was a kid, idolized Malcolm Smith who started on Greeves in the early 60's before Husqavarna picked him up.
She was rough...but GOOD BONES! Over the next few years Dave did what research you can do before the internet (LOL). He got busted riding her in Northern AZ and the Forrest Service fined him heavily and told him next time he was caught without the proper spark arrestor the would impound the bike...so to storage she went for 15 years. We moved to KY...a commonwealth state...I asked and NO REGULATIONS on dirt bikes, just stay off county maintained roads..no noise regulations or anything on the off road vehicles. SOOO, out of storage, fluids and gas added..she roared to life on the 2nd kick!
We were soo torn! Love to ride her, so not really wanting the "Concoarse" or "Museum" restore, loved the "west coast desert racing" look, the original 1970 AMA District 37 (CA Racing organization) on the number plate (square, put on by original owner) and the off road tag for CA last renewed 6/1983. Tinkered with the idea of putting the amal carb..but Mikuni honestly is tempermental enough! Even got new fenders...but they are still in the box!
Frame off mechanical restore! We sanded by hand all paintable parts, then bought the paint and had a professional paint her. I hit the front fender with 1000 grit sand paper, the back took 600 grit. The back we had to further crop do to a split in her...but they polished up....and though not original, THE CROPPED FENDERS LOOK....WICKED!!! At least in our minds, and so has been the overall feedback. The front fender stay had been fixed in the field...the original owner did a NUMBER on the front end...foot peg holder wasted...we had no idea how bad until we got it off, fortunately...Frank had one that wasn't bent. The front fender stay was bent upwards and cracked on one side....we decided to have the crack brazed...again, not truly original...but looks....WICKED! The tank...a mess, again, he did a number on it, his great grandchildren felt at least one of the big dents in it....it went to CA...AMAZING repair! Straight as a whistle, and no sanding needed...just used some polish.
Engine...amazingly intact..the 36A...replaced all gaskets and seals, got new points and condensor..not used though, old ones cleaned and timing set! Truly amazing if you ask me! Again, all engine parts from Frank! The rings were at 30 over, and we did replace, but no work needed on the piston.
The seat...what a nightmare, first guy really messed it up....the foam was dust and we gave him pictures...somehow he lost the back hump...I can't even mention the stitching...UGG, but a little old lady locally redid the cover and made the stitching disappear...we are going to have more work done on it.
One other modification...switched from 1/4 to 1/2 turn throttle, made our own cables too. She handles so much better for me! (Honestly, I am 5 foot 8 inches tall and weigh in at 120 pounds...I have to eat my wheeties to kick her over thats for sure). I now can go through the gears on her and handle her and have FUN in the MUD! I must say, poor Dave...he just doesn't get the same reaction as I do when he rides...no whistles or cheering him on to kick her over...LOL! We did put NOS motocross tires on front and back....where we ride, the trials doesn't cut it...lots of mud and clay soil.
Sorry to ramble...BUT I LOVE THESE BIKES!
We also have the Blooie Pipe (it truly does make your eardrums vibrate..also makes dogs howl for miles and kids scream!LOL) but most people motion for me to open the throttle and let her rip...and a strange but...you guessed it...WICKED looking bash plate...must have been fabricated specifically for the bike, most likely instead of the holes in the "cradle" for the engine that I have seen around.
3 months time it took us! Dad and I around the clock and when Dave home, him too...sometimes 24 hrs in the shop! I WOULD DO IT AGIAN IN A HEARTBEAT, AS WE ALL WOULD!
We took her to the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days....she was a HIT! Ran her 6+ hours a day, Dave and I and a backpack with plugs, tools, etc riding on her...which, I might add, that we never used...she ran like a trooper! We did have to change to a colder plug after 6 or so hours of riding...even ran the Blooie pipe! We never imagined the positive response to keeping the aftermarket stuff, the modifications done by the original owner, nor the decals from the 70's and the 1983 off road tag...thought we would be hammered by discourse for the cropped fenders, mikuni carb, bent up fender stay and the motocross tires...but they loved it, even the megaphone exhaust!
We have been soooo humbled by the response to our "Eleanor"...its the age old controversy I have seen some posts about....renew or undo???
For us...it was about her...it was about what riders did to the bike in the field...an era lost, so, for us....we left her as she was! We have the parts to make her museum..when we are too old to ride....thats when we will put her back to "factory specs".... AND THEN SHE WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN OUR LIVING ROOM!
Thanks for the support and response, and for your love of the vintage stuff...Its great to see others with the same love and belief of "The Great Ones"!
I am going to try to post pictures...before and after, wish me luck! Finally..LOL, just set up myspace...hope this works. See pictures at www.myspace.com/542565165
Thanks all,
Tammy in KY USA
I know, I have been away after my first post about this gal! What a gem and a blast!
Hubby got her 1990 in Phoenix, AZ....tried to buy from original owner/racer whom did so in CA, the west coast desert races. He had some amazing stories...but not ready to sell. Well, approx 3 years later Dave was at a corner market and went out only to see the exact same Greeves in the back of a pickup truck! A young kid came out and explained that he had bought the bike when a friend of the family had passed. Dave oggled and awed and went on and on...finally the kid said..."If you like it so darn much, buy it from me! I hate it, its a BEAST!" Dave had loved Greeves since he was a kid, idolized Malcolm Smith who started on Greeves in the early 60's before Husqavarna picked him up.
She was rough...but GOOD BONES! Over the next few years Dave did what research you can do before the internet (LOL). He got busted riding her in Northern AZ and the Forrest Service fined him heavily and told him next time he was caught without the proper spark arrestor the would impound the bike...so to storage she went for 15 years. We moved to KY...a commonwealth state...I asked and NO REGULATIONS on dirt bikes, just stay off county maintained roads..no noise regulations or anything on the off road vehicles. SOOO, out of storage, fluids and gas added..she roared to life on the 2nd kick!
We were soo torn! Love to ride her, so not really wanting the "Concoarse" or "Museum" restore, loved the "west coast desert racing" look, the original 1970 AMA District 37 (CA Racing organization) on the number plate (square, put on by original owner) and the off road tag for CA last renewed 6/1983. Tinkered with the idea of putting the amal carb..but Mikuni honestly is tempermental enough! Even got new fenders...but they are still in the box!
Frame off mechanical restore! We sanded by hand all paintable parts, then bought the paint and had a professional paint her. I hit the front fender with 1000 grit sand paper, the back took 600 grit. The back we had to further crop do to a split in her...but they polished up....and though not original, THE CROPPED FENDERS LOOK....WICKED!!! At least in our minds, and so has been the overall feedback. The front fender stay had been fixed in the field...the original owner did a NUMBER on the front end...foot peg holder wasted...we had no idea how bad until we got it off, fortunately...Frank had one that wasn't bent. The front fender stay was bent upwards and cracked on one side....we decided to have the crack brazed...again, not truly original...but looks....WICKED! The tank...a mess, again, he did a number on it, his great grandchildren felt at least one of the big dents in it....it went to CA...AMAZING repair! Straight as a whistle, and no sanding needed...just used some polish.
Engine...amazingly intact..the 36A...replaced all gaskets and seals, got new points and condensor..not used though, old ones cleaned and timing set! Truly amazing if you ask me! Again, all engine parts from Frank! The rings were at 30 over, and we did replace, but no work needed on the piston.
The seat...what a nightmare, first guy really messed it up....the foam was dust and we gave him pictures...somehow he lost the back hump...I can't even mention the stitching...UGG, but a little old lady locally redid the cover and made the stitching disappear...we are going to have more work done on it.
One other modification...switched from 1/4 to 1/2 turn throttle, made our own cables too. She handles so much better for me! (Honestly, I am 5 foot 8 inches tall and weigh in at 120 pounds...I have to eat my wheeties to kick her over thats for sure). I now can go through the gears on her and handle her and have FUN in the MUD! I must say, poor Dave...he just doesn't get the same reaction as I do when he rides...no whistles or cheering him on to kick her over...LOL! We did put NOS motocross tires on front and back....where we ride, the trials doesn't cut it...lots of mud and clay soil.
Sorry to ramble...BUT I LOVE THESE BIKES!
We also have the Blooie Pipe (it truly does make your eardrums vibrate..also makes dogs howl for miles and kids scream!LOL) but most people motion for me to open the throttle and let her rip...and a strange but...you guessed it...WICKED looking bash plate...must have been fabricated specifically for the bike, most likely instead of the holes in the "cradle" for the engine that I have seen around.
3 months time it took us! Dad and I around the clock and when Dave home, him too...sometimes 24 hrs in the shop! I WOULD DO IT AGIAN IN A HEARTBEAT, AS WE ALL WOULD!
We took her to the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days....she was a HIT! Ran her 6+ hours a day, Dave and I and a backpack with plugs, tools, etc riding on her...which, I might add, that we never used...she ran like a trooper! We did have to change to a colder plug after 6 or so hours of riding...even ran the Blooie pipe! We never imagined the positive response to keeping the aftermarket stuff, the modifications done by the original owner, nor the decals from the 70's and the 1983 off road tag...thought we would be hammered by discourse for the cropped fenders, mikuni carb, bent up fender stay and the motocross tires...but they loved it, even the megaphone exhaust!
We have been soooo humbled by the response to our "Eleanor"...its the age old controversy I have seen some posts about....renew or undo???
For us...it was about her...it was about what riders did to the bike in the field...an era lost, so, for us....we left her as she was! We have the parts to make her museum..when we are too old to ride....thats when we will put her back to "factory specs".... AND THEN SHE WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN OUR LIVING ROOM!
Thanks for the support and response, and for your love of the vintage stuff...Its great to see others with the same love and belief of "The Great Ones"!
I am going to try to post pictures...before and after, wish me luck! Finally..LOL, just set up myspace...hope this works. See pictures at www.myspace.com/542565165
Thanks all,
Tammy in KY USA
, here's an example currently for sale on EBay; 
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