1981 Kawasaki KZ750 Resurrection

[Nessism]

I've was with you at the beginning but that was over 1 1/2 years, when do you plan completion and I'm sure it's mentioned somewhere but who or what is bike meant for? Your attention to detail is second to none but I am curious why so much fretting over a KZ750?

Hey Scout, please read that little blurb by Dale about fixing the rail and then come back and ask me again why I'm fretting.

The bike will be finished when it's finished. No timetable, but I'm targeting the end of the year.

[rustybronco]

I was going to respond by stating if you need to ask, you wouldn't understand. Glad I waited for you Ed.

[Nessism]

P1020585 by nessism, on Flickr

[chuck hahn]

Is there a clearance spec between the back and anything behind it?? Do you have to dress the welds down any???

[Nessism]

The tallest of the welds is .025" proud, and the rivet heads stick up .040".

P1020588 by nessism, on Flickr

[chuck hahn]

Excellent...just wondered.

[ron bayless]

hey, when ya gonna finish the bike?

[rustybronco]

From post# 393.

The bike will be finished when it's finished. No timetable, but I'm targeting the end of the year.

[Nessism]

Thanks Dale!

I've been putting the engine together but had to pause for parts. O-rings, cush hub dampers, those sort of things.

Putting the engine together has been like figuring out a puzzle since it's been awhile since I took it apart. Think I've figured everything out now though.

I'll throw a couple photos up later today showing progress.

[Nessism]

Still waiting on engine parts. The one part that's a must have is the last to arrive.

Keeping busy none the less. Did one of my least favorite parts of the restoration: polish the engine cases. Kawasaki, in their infinite wisdom, doesn't clearcoat engine covers, like Suzuki, so the corrosion sets in DEEP.

Restoration process included the following:

- Glass bead blast the cover. Was hoping this would remove the corrosion pitting but no. Had to go to step two...

- DA sander with 220 grit paper to remove corrosion pitting- Jim (Posplayr's) suggestion, and a good one

- Sisal wheel on buffer with black cutting compound, Not going for a mirror polish job, so no need to use rouge compounds and fluffy buffing wheels.

- Mothers polish by hand (quicky job) to remove any buffing marks.

- Mask and paint the background color with VHT engine paint. Baked the paint for an hour and then used sandpaper to highlight the lettering.

They are not perfect, but good enough. Can't seem to find the piece that goes in the center of the sprocket cover. It will turn up before the bike is together though (hopefully).

P1020637 by nessism, on Flickr

P1020640 by nessism, on Flickr

P1020638 by nessism, on Flickr

P1020639 by nessism, on Flickr

[jsandidge]

That looks great. Wish I'd tried the DA. My hands are still hurting.

[Nessism]

Still waiting on parts, damper rubbers for the secondary shaft cushion hub in particular.

Ordered from Partzilla. They use a shipping method where UPS delivers the package to the local PO, and then they are responsible to get the package to the door.

Long story short: tracking shows delivery, but no package. Two days later tracking is updated with "updated delivery date" (that same date), but again, no package. Only thing I can figure is they delivered to the wrong house but the recovery hasn't gone as planned.

Sent a message to Partzilla and they say "tracking shows the parts were delivered" (the first date). I told them this was wrong and that USPS updated the delivery date to something else, and they keep coming back to "tracking shows the parts were delivered". Very frustrating. They won't even acknowledge that a mistake has occurred, and they clearly don't believe me when I tell them there is no package.

My only hope at this point is for the PO to find the package. Partzilla doesn't care and have washed their hands. They won't even assist in filing a lost package claim. Not happy.

[Wallowgreen]

Had a few packages delivered in this manner from Amazon when not a prime member and using free shipping. Think it's called UPS "smartPost" or something like that, obviously some cheaper alternative to actually using UPS door to door. My experience is tracking info is as you'd expect while the package is in the hands of UPS but non existent when handed over to USPS. Again by experience it can take a minimum of two days and up to five days to be delivered after USPS have got their hands on it. Never had one go missing though.... yet!

[Nessism]

Been itching to get back to work on the engine but still don't have the parts I need. The damper rubber parts that USPS lost are on national back order so no clue when, or if, they will come back in stock. Not happy. The PO has not responded to my inquiry and I spent 40 mins at the local PO trying to get answers. I had two USPS deliveries on the same day; one at 3PM and the supposedly delivered parts in question, which tracking shows were delivered at 4PM. Right there it's obvious that we have a problem.

Partzilla was denying the issue but has now changed their tune and wants to replace the lost shipment. Problem is the parts are not available. At any rate, I've removed them from the $hit list since they are trying.

P1020644_zpsvv6mpyqf by nessism, on Flickr

P1020642_zpsnkr0phir by nessism, on Flickr

[Nessism]

In addition to ordering those damper parts from Partzilla I also ordered them from Bike Bandit too. BB supplied 4 of the needed 8 parts right away, and listed the others on backorder. Some people bash Bike Bandit but to me they are the fastest and most responsive OEM parts source.

Fast forward to late last week and I get an email from Bike Bandit notifying me that a shipment is coming. My missing dampers! Parts arrive yesterday and low and behold 2 dampers, not 4! Damn! Still waiting...