first build 79 gs 1000

[62 bugzilla]

I'm soon to be a owner of a 1979 gs 1000 and have big ideas for it but will start small and work my way up from there. I hope to show my progress on this thread as I go and will have plenty of questions for everyone. I pick it up next sunday for under 700 and seems like a good start.
1979 gs 1000 with around 25,000 miles. New dunlop tires,chain, sprockets front and rear, handlebars, grips, battery and he did a dynajet stage 3 jet kit in carbs aswell. It needs some love and I'm ready to put in some effort. I want to do some basics like it does need some work on the turn signals and wiring which I'm pretty good at wiring on cars so I hope that helps with the bike world. I also want to do something with the seat and the old scholl low hanging exhaust. It also starts hard in colder weather which I think is just riching up the carbs I hope. It also has a 83 gs1100e (approx) frontend on it and gauges. You guys might see other stuff in the pic and feel free to enlighten me.
Well thanks in advance for the help and also this site is what made up my mind on getting a gs based bike and I really loved 80gs1000 streetfighter project and hope to end up with something simular and maybe even a turbo in my future. My wife says I have excessive compulsive disorder and I can't really argue the fact based on my track record so far but there are worse things to have.
Heres a pic of the start.

[Rover]

Good luck with the rebuild.The picture of your bike looks like someone already started some modification.The rear fender looks like an 'L' model. The hard starting may be due to the bike needing the valve clearance checked. Post pics as you progress.

[62 bugzilla]

tail

I was hoping to put a tail on it more like yours (rover) but unsure how they mount exactly and was hoping to get a complete set up for it?

[62 bugzilla]

got bike

Well I went and picked up bike today and time to start the work. It is a 1979 gs 1000 l model thats mostly stock with a few things done to it.
chassis
rear is stock but frontend has been changed to a 83 gs 1100 e with the anti dive and adjustable forks that he rebuilt with seals and progressive springs also has vented brakes front and rear. The instrument cluster is also from the 83 gs 1100 e which had nothing hooked up but the speedo and tach.

The bars have been changed along with the mirrors and grips.

The motor is stock but does have electronic ign (I thought 79 had points ?) The motor has kn style air pods and a older low hanging vance and hines exhaust. The previous owner did clean and rebuild the carbs with a dyna jet stage 3 with the settings for pods and pipe.

It has new chain and sprockets front and rear.

New dunlop 404 tires front and rear.

It came with some extra parts like the 1100e tail section which looks like I need a different seat in order for it to work since the l seat is shorter and has the huge step up in it. I want something more sporty anyways. Also has the l side covers and tank badges and misc. other little things.

I will have to take pick tommarow with camera since the ones I have from ebay are really small.

I started tonight by addressing the noise from the clutch at idle which I found out with help from here in the clutch section that it was the main bolt holding the clutch basket was loose so after a tightening it's quiet.
I also tore into the electrical which is a pretty strong suit for me and I figured out the wires for the instrument cluster completely but 2 wires that go into the back of the speedo. The speedo is cable and there are no indicator lights in the speedo that I can see so allitttle baffeled by those 2 but pretty good for all the wires there. Bikes do alot better job on there wiring than cars do thats for sure.
I would like to find a couple female plug ends for the dash so they could be un pluged and not completely hard wired so any sugestions? I just need a plug and short pigtail off it and I believe there like a 9 pos. plug but will take a pic and specifics tomarrow.
Well this is long enough for today.

[62 bugzilla]

some stuff done

Well I have been working on my bike and it's coming along.

THINGS DONE

Cleaned up and painted tank and also had to line it with epoxy which worked perfect.

Repaired side covers and painted them aswell.

Bike came with 1000 e tail section so I added it to it but since the bike is a l model I had a gap behind the seat so I removed the raty looking cover cut down the foam some and add some foam to the rear of it to fill the gap then recovered with new vinyl. I will be changing to a 1000 e tank and seat type soon anyways so it's a temp fix.

The bike needed a complete rewire since it had only the wires on it to make ir run and nothing else. It has the 83 1100 e frontend with the gauges and all so I rewired to make everything work including all the idiot lights and gauges. I really like the gauge cluster except the speedo stops at 85 mph so maybe change that later.

Installed new turn signals,front and rear and new head light bulb to 9003 white light.

Was running on 3 cyl. when I got it had a bad plug so new plugs and 4 were firing.

Just found 3 broken tips from my fuel needles in the carbs got them out and just tuned it right which is great. Before it ran ok but couldn't adjust it right since the needle problem. I also did the o rings in the intake boots which were in terrible condition so now the bike runs great and isn't lean anymore which also helped my cold blooded issue . So happy!!

New bar end mirrors since I got sick off bending my elbows in everytime to see behind me.

Did the quick turn pvc pipe trick in the throttle and it worked great. Nice tip for a cheap mod.

New clutch springs and found the clutch basket was loose which was making a rattle sound at idle so tightened it to 55 ft. lbs and now quiet.

Adjusted valves and also made a big difference and was quite easy and at the same time I installed a real gasket made from rubber instead of paper so I can remove cover over and over again.

Been painting misc. engime parts satin black to match everything and I like the look.

Painted vance and hines pipe with barbaque paint and got rid of the rust also re packed the silencer since it was empty it made it tollerable. The pipe was hung to low but needed the rear frame section for factory pipe to be removed to tuck it up were it should go.

Put on some hayabusa foot pegs front and rear which was a cheap nice upgrade.
I had to make a left control since my old one was a self release type and broke so I made one with switches and carbon fiber panel.

Just added a VDO oil pressure gauge. (thanks Nick)

THINGS ON LIST TO DO OR BUY

Speedo from 85 mph one to 140 mph? or whatever fits.

gs 1000 e or g tank (whichever one is bigger I want the 5.8 gal one)

gs 1000 e seat or seat pan to work with the longer tank or I might just fab one since I want to contour the seat anyways and make a removable single seat cowl to cover back seat when not in use and blend into rear tail section.

make some side panels once seat and tank are in place

Paint everything red and black of some sort to match motor

Gsxr 1100 frontend with brakes and wheels with radial tire
gsxr controls for brakes

gs1100e swinger is on the way so it will be going on soon then I'm ready to convert to gsxr 5.5 wheel to match frontend but will wait to do all together since I know bias and radial tires don't mix.

130 and 180 tires in radials

black motocross bars for allittle extra height and width. I'm 6' 5" and 230lbs so big bars are good.

After all thats done I will change it over to a large displacment 16 v motor and start building HP. I like to make things handle and stop first then make HP . And if thats not enough I have a good amount of experience with turbos so who knows.

Hope I didn't bore you but alot has happened since I got it. All the feedback good or bad is great thanks for looking.

[62 bugzilla]

going for a ride

Today I will hit the road and really looking foward to hit. Give the bike some tests in the real world and hope it does as good as I think it will. Post back later.

[Redneck]

Good Job the bike is looking nice.

[bigbill808]

looking great!! can't wait to see what happens next. going to follow this one very closely, have similar build ideas.

[dcil]

so many parts you changing off there that I keep thinking, "i want that to put on mine"lol I know it's not a for sale post, but when you convert the swingarm, hit me up if you want to sell that 16 inch rear wheel. My 750 has 18. to tall for a bobber

[62 bugzilla]

thanks

Thanks for the compliments and yes I will keep you in mind when I go to sell my stuff I will send you a pm first on the wheel.

Rode the bike a few times and getting the carbs closer and closer to perfect and I'm very happy. Will be doing the swing arm soon but might have it polished first and also looking to get some clutch fibers since it's close to slipping now that is makes great power.

[62 bugzilla]

swinger

I did my gs 1100 e alum. swinger conversion today and it went well. It looks alot better and now is ready for the 5.5 wheel conversion in the future. No I'm looking for the 94 gsxr 1100 frontend with brakes and wheels so this winter I can convert it. I'm also looking for a gs 1000 e or g tank to put on my L for a better look aswell as more cap. since mine only holds like 3.5 gallons. Well I'll post pics soon of the swinger .