Gregory Bender
 

Header pipe clamps

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

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Moto Guzzi introduced three different header pipe clamps to try to prevent the cylinder head exhaust nuts from loosening. All three clamps certainly help.

P clamp (MG# 12122500)

This clamp wrapped around the header pipe with a steel strap that was then secured to the lower crash bar mounting bolt. While the thin-ish steel strap sometimes cracked due to vibration, this clamp was closest to the exhaust nut and was perhaps the most effective of the three clamps. The clamp is tightened using a 6 mm × 1 mm × 12 mm hex head bolt (MG# 98024312) and a 6 mm × 1 mm nut (MG# 92602206).

P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
P shaped clamp used to secure the header pipe to the crash bar on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

The following pattern should be useful if you need to fabricate a clamp.

Cast aluminum top piece with a bottom steel strap (MG# unknown)

This clamp was of a two piece design: a beautiful polished cast aluminum top piece and a chromed steel strap. The header pipe and frame were sandwiched together by this clamp, using a bolt through the bottom strap into the threaded top piece. The original pieces I've seen place the header piper closer to the frame than does the later two steel strap clamp.

Cast aluminum clamp used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
Cast aluminum clamp used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

Cast aluminum clamp used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
Cast aluminum clamp used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

Cast aluminum clamp used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
Cast aluminum clamp used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

The following pattern should be useful if you need to fabricate a bottom clamp.

Steel straps top and bottom (MG# 12122501)

This clamp was of a two piece design: a chromed steel strap top and bottom. The header pipe and frame were sandwiched together by this clamp, using a nut and bolt to secure the two halves. The aftermarket steel straps I've seen position the header pipe further from the frame than does the cast aluminum clamp. The two pieces are secured together using a 8 mm × 1.25 mm × 30 mm hex head bolt (MG# 98054430) and a 8 mm × 1.25 mm lock nut (MG# 92630108).

Steel strap clamps used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
Steel strap clamps used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

Steel strap clamps used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.
Steel strap clamps used to secure the header pipe to the frame on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.

The following pattern (derived from aftermarket steel straps) should be useful if you need to fabricate a pair of clamps (top and bottom are symmetrical).