GS1000 "retromod" build questions

[diptenkrom]

I have a 1979 GS1000L. the frame is the same as the other pre 80 GS1000's from my understanding, and this one is chain drive.

Motor seems good, i ultrasonic cleaned and rebuilt the whole carb set.

The mods are not "performance" oriented. but handling/aesthetic really.(outside of carb jetting and exhaust) the goal is a usable semi versatile sporty feeling retro styled bike i can use pretty much anywhere road going. tires planned are Dunlop Mutant of the CBR/GSX-R sizing that has best fitment/look.

I have these parts for it:

03 GSX-R 600 swingarm (read that it is a width issue, trim some to fit in the mounts)
03 GSX-R 600/750 rear shock
06 GSX-R 600 forks (bought the conversion bearings and stem)
05 GSX-R bar switches
95 CBR 600 F3 front wheel 17"
98 CBR front rotors
96 CBR 600 rear wheel with sprocket/brake rotor
Carbon fiber GRmoto Trioval
LED headlight
Some random (harley?) headlight cowl
06 GSX-R 750 front fender

i will be getting 4-2-1 headers
will figure out a different seat for it, maybe a recovered "E" seat

don't have side covers for airbox/battery area, or anything for rear fender.

wheels will get powdercoated gold, tank/fenders will be repainted factory burgandy color. thoght aobut powdercoating the fork outer tubes as well. not sure on that though, if i do, gold..

best thing for cleaning/coating internals of the tank? i heard the POR15 kit was good, but i have not used anything before, so open to suggestions that arent crazy expensive.

any advice in general, and especially for wheel/brake fitment info would be great. I will try to document anything i find out along the way. The GS450 i have been working on is close to rideable, so this project will hopefully be ready to go sometime next year, if i can figure out the bearing/bushing, brake situation. also any advice/info/design links for fitting smaller battery, and single shock on this frame would be great as well.

Thanks for sticking it out this far if you read all this!

[Big Block]

Following, I have two GS1000's and want to do similiar suspension changes to my second one which is a basketcase but runs great.

[Buffalo Bill]

Sounds appealing to me, mostly getting 17" wheels with up to date radial tires on.
I had a low side on my 82 1100G, mostly because I was used to leaning my track bike with sticky 120/70-17R tires.
I would prefer modifying a box steel swing arm to use double shock mounts, instead of a doing a single shock mod.
Keep that part old school. No reason you can't use all Suzuki components.
Looks like a long thread ahead.

[Nessism]

Good luck with your project.

If your bike came with the stock exhaust, hold on to it. Or sell. It's very similar to the exhaust used on the 1980 GS1000S, and those are very rare.

Regarding cleaning the tank, there are dozens of threads about that. If the rust isn't too bad, Evaporust is good. For more rust, I like Kleen strip... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-St...0220/100406369

This stuff is phosphoric acid. Cut it with water. Fashion plugs for all the tank openings. Don't use it with the petcock, tank cap, or sending unit installed, since the acid will eat into them. Me, and others, have posted extensively about derusting gas tanks, so you can learn much using the search feature.

[Nessism]

Sounds appealing to me, mostly getting 17" wheels with up to date radial tires on.
I had a low side on my 82 1100G, mostly because I was used to leaning my track bike with sticky 120/70-17R tires.
I would prefer modifying a box steel swing arm to use double shock mounts, instead of a doing a single shock mod.
Keep that part old school. No reason you can't use all Suzuki components.
Looks like a long thread ahead.

Agree with the dual shocks. A GS1100E aluminum swingarm is an easy install, and will save a ton of work.

[Burque73]

I have a 1979 GS1000L.................................. any advice/info/design links for fitting ......................... single shock on this frame would be great as well.

Thanks for sticking it out this far if you read all this!

Sounds like you're going to have fun with this. Subscribed!

I think member Agemax fitted a GSXR shock to his GS1000. Maybe his photos are somewhere else other than the bucket.

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/appearance/61632-new-gsxr-rear-shock-ready-to-fit

[Big T]

I've always read that the GSXR forks are shorter than the GS forks, combined with loosing an inch of height from the 19" wheel, it might make for some interesting handling.

[diptenkrom]

Good luck with your project.

If your bike came with the stock exhaust, hold on to it. Or sell. It's very similar to the exhaust used on the 1980 GS1000S, and those are very rare.

Regarding cleaning the tank, there are dozens of threads about that. If the rust isn't too bad, Evaporust is good. For more rust, I like Kleen strip... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-St...0220/100406369

This stuff is phosphoric acid. Cut it with water. Fashion plugs for all the tank openings. Don't use it with the petcock, tank cap, or sending unit installed, since the acid will eat into them. Me, and others, have posted extensively about derusting gas tanks, so you can learn much using the search feature.

stock exhaust was hacked up before i got the bike. cut off after the "y" union. i do plan on using the right side to make a single sided exhaust on my GS450 i've ALMOST got usable.

EVERYONE - thanks for the encouragement and interest, hope i can make this happen fast enough to help someone else.

as for the suspension bits, the single shock is here, and i want to go that route, it is "better" as twin shocks are never really fully matched up. i got old style twin shocks on my GoldWing and my GS450. the goal of this bike is modern handling, with old school cool and simplicity. the lowered front is somewhat intentional. it will be balanced out wiht the rear ride height, hopefully. also, the "L" model had a rake toward the rear, and the sporty models were more levelled out, which is what i want from this. basically make the "L" into a more modern "E" or "S" version, as the suspension and seats were the main differences - as far as i can tell.

this is my most extensive project in all honestly. the GoldWing 1200 is just stripped down, and i fabbed up a front headlight and gauge bracket. we did a custom rear fender (which needs to be fixed), cleaned up the wiring harness, fitted an 1100 faux gas tank, and made a low exit exhaust. - it still needs some finishing touches and paint. the GS450 was a front end swap with a scrambler style. (GS850 forks - so basically a bolt on affair), with a bunch of engine repair work (500 cyl, pistons, and cams), and it already had a custom seat and tail hoop done. have to wire up a taillight we added, we cut the passenger pegs off, and did a little welding on the tubes to clean things up. the rest is just putting different model suzuki stuff back on it, rear disc brake setup with GS550 parts, and a GN 18" front wheel. and it is almost ready to ride. the GW will be a good looking bike at some point, the 450 is gunna mostly be function over form, but i did some painting, and might paint the tank at some point (someone did cheap spray on bedliner on that)

[diptenkrom]

In regards to the fuel tank... Do you all recommend just evaporust, clean maybe rinse, fill and roll, or use some kind of protective coating inside?

[Nessism]

In regards to the fuel tank... Do you all recommend just evaporust, clean maybe rinse, fill and roll, or use some kind of protective coating inside?

Evaporust works well. It's a little expensive, but it will protect the tank paint, if that's something you care about. If you don't care about the paint, use the KleenStrip stuff I linked above.

Derust fully. Many times, leaks will occur during this process. If so, you need to fix them. If no leaks, you can leave the tank alone inside, assuming you get ALL the rust out. Use a bore scope, flashlight, mirrors on a stick, and look all around inside the tank. If the rust is gone, the rust is gone. No need to line the tank.

If you must line, Por-15 sealer is good, as long as the metal is thick and sound. Caswell's sealer is what I'd use if the tank springs leaks and/or if the metal is otherwise significantly degraded. Caswell's is killer thick, and it reinforces the metal better than POR-15 does.

[diptenkrom]

Thanks! This is an area I have never delved into. Appreciate the advice.

[diptenkrom]

was really hoping to get some wisdom around wheel/brake fitment... not sure if all the variables are gunna help in that manner.

[salty_monk]

There's definitely been one or two similar to this done before... plenty of info on here. My 750 build used GSXR parts but I went for the older setup which is longer. Some have used a step triple from (I think) a Honda to gain a bit more length

[diptenkrom]

thanks for the response. i did some searching (whole internet, not just this forum) and found some old threads with Honda wheels on older GS bikes, and on newer GSX-R bikes. some stuff was said to just work with the right axle or bearings. Other stuff needed spacers or something to make (brake) fitment right, but all the links and charts were dead... i can obviously measure bearings and buy the ones that fit both the axle and the wheel, but the rest is a bit of figuring and measuring and luck i think.

[Nessism]

Most people transplant an entire front end, and/or, swingarm. That way you don't need to worry about things like axles, wheel bearings, brakes, etc.