Carabela 125

[monte34]

Thanks for the info, its starting to feel like the full resto on this one
but it would be worth the effort, its such an unusual machine, even
if it isnt much of a track bike.

Monte

[maicomc490t]

Come on Monte - tell the whole class what you told me re the little Mexican 

[monte34]

I've spent a bit more time on the bike and gave the carby a clean, checked the plug etc
and it fired up and ran cleanly first kick. Pretty happy about that, took it for a ride up the
street, down the street and up the street again just so all the neighbours could know that
I had a "new" bike. It selected all gears with no funny whines noises or crunches so very
happy with that too.
Since it's sitting right in the middle of the shed I reckon it's a fair candidate for the full resto
to begin. Now if I get two bikes finished each year....

[mx250]

Bonus  . Belle of CD6 methinks .

[monte34]

We'll see! What would that be, about 3 months to complete, maybe I better get started instead of reading this.

[bazza]

Think mate here in auckland still has his if you need photos of any part,still favourite magazine article where the lead photo had the carabella in a 40 gallon rubbish bin at the track....lol  Still a peice of history.PM me if need photos will check if baz still has his-think only 2 came to Unzud in the day

[firko]

I've been told of a matching pair of Carabelas, a 125 and 200 that are for possibly sale to the right owner. The current owner bought them new from Blair Harley circa 1974 and they've been hardly used since then.
I was told by a third party that the owner bought them purely because he had Mexican heritage and he wanted something from 'the old country' to race. I personally doubt that however but I'll be having a look at them when I visit Broken Hill in a few weeks.
When I was in the USA a neighbour of mine was sponsored by the local Mexican restaurant mini chain "El Torito' on both a 125 and a 'works' 250 and I remember them as cool little bikes but never fast enough to knock over the accepted brands. The Carabelas were soon replaced by a formula vee and he offered me the Carabelas for chicken feed, but I was happy with my Montesa so I respectfully declined! ln retrospect, the works 250 would have been a cool thing to keep but in 1977 who gave a shit for such stuff?

[monte34]

I tried to post an update last Sat night but the comment seems to have ended up in the ether somewhere so here goes again. I recently started what will be a fast and furious resto, everything dismantled and ready for blasting, coating, chroming and reassembly before CD8.
I've got two potential problems, first the pipe which is ratshite and not much chance of an nos one coming to hand so what to do. Second are the crappy chromed rims, I guess dismantling and rechroming is the answer which will be expensive.
Has anyone got some advice or alternative ideas, I know some think they were a dog but how many 125s were all that great in 1970. I still reckon they are a cool thing just the same

[shortshifter]

Hi Monte,seems like ages since I visited this thread.I don't know how much you want to spend but could you ditch the chromes rims and go for alloy?
what about sending your pipe to Mr GMC and get him to build another one,bit fatter.

[monte34]

The problem regarding the rims is the same problem I've got with my Cooper Enduro resto. They are actually identical rims probably from Moto Islo as the supplier.The advantage of aftermarket rims is obvious, just depends how picky you want to be about originality.
The matter of the pipe is straight forward enough, its off to GMC but I need to make contact and organize something with him.

[VMX247]

Maiden flight and went on forth kick  ....anyone else out there got one or seen one in Oz?

[monte34]

Whats the history of this bike, have you been using it in anger Its identical to mine other than yours is missing the name sticker on the tank. Moto Graphix in Lidcombe NSW has these in stock since he copied mine if you're interested. Rob