|
Moto Guzzi 350 1954-55
1954-55 GUZZI 350. Wood is material that one would not
normally expect to find on a "works" T.T. machine, yet it was employed on the
1955 big Guzzis as packing material between a cylindrical fuel tank and straight
frame tubes—and the design won the Junior race.
Full frontal streamlining was permitted in 1954 and Guzzi were one of the few
factories to design a new frame to incorporate it, rather than hang a "dustbin"
on to an existing design.
The result was what soon became known as a "space-frame"—which
resembled a section of Bailey bridge, incorporating a multiplicity of very small
tubes welded together. Almost identical frames were made for the 250 c.c., 350
c.c. and 500 c.c. machines; all the engines were virtually the same in design.
To incorporate the frontal fairing, the frame tubes extended well past the
steering head at the top—and well past the engine at the bottom. In fact, the
steering column was almost "lost" in the middle, and braced by several smaller
tubes; the Guzzi forks worked from a single crown lug, so the space round the
head column tube did not have to be left free, except for handlebar clearance.
The engine appeared very similar in layout to the 250 c.c.
model described in number 21 except that the intake passage was almost in line
with the inlet valve stem—the carburetter bell-mouth being just under the
steering head. Two plugs were fitted, with coil ignition. Starting was effected
on one plug; the other was switched in when the rider was aboard—and made quite
an appreciable power increase.
In 1954 the Guzzi models won no T.T.s; in 1955 they won the Junior, and came
second in the Lightweight and Senior races.
SPECIFICATION
Engine: single-cylinder 350 c.c. d.o.h.c; drive to
camshafts by shaft and bevels. Ignition: coil.
Transmission: primary gear drive to five-speed gearbox in unit with engine;
final drive by chain.
Frame: multi-tubalar "space-f |
