Tank's Skunk Thread!

[Steel Toed Tank]

Congrats on the find . You will love that when you get it up and running. Your T will feel like a moped after riding the skunk. Just remember if it doesn't have 4 digit's it is a moped

Haha, I don't know about a moped, the T's aren't too many HP behind the 1000!

I can see why you bought her, she's gorgeous! She's a '78, right? Was that the only year of the "skunk"?

Yup, a 1978 GS1000E, the only year of the skunk.

There ARE NOT two R/Rs. the one is the regulator and the other is the rectifier. The 78 1000E had the twp piece system instead of the one integrated style. Take the cover off the backm of the fuse box Tank. It should just be pressed on some pegs..youll see when you look at it. Check the connections and clean any spider webs out of there Even if you need to pry the back off the pegs and they snap its no biggy. Just get some Devcon Plastic Weld and stick it back on..no harm no foul.

I learn something new every day! My only experience so far has been with single R/R models of GSes so thanks for the lesson!

Tank, how about a pic of the underside of the carburetors please?

As soon as I get it out of the truck. First thing I want to do it weld the tail back on, so she'll be in the truck until that happens.

edit: I'll see if I can snap a pic on my way to work

I'm sure you are aware that the Polaris R/R is just as good or better, and about half the price?

You are correct Steve, what I meant to say was 'series R/R'.
Being me it will naturally be the cheapest one!

Tank,
Been thinking about you while I was riding all around central Florida, wondering if perhaps you made it down here like you were going to do at one time, and perhaps one of the zillion Harleys putting around here had you on it.
Seeing this post, I don't think you ever made it.

I had a true Skunk once, was to become my favorite motorcycle.
I got it in '79 in Alaska, less than 500 miles on it, $2,100.00.

Yeah that job backed out on hiring me at the last minute, so Florida was a no go. They really left me hanging too but I'm back on top now.

You'd likely never see me on a harley though, I prefer sportier bikes over tractors, lol.

Very nice skunk, hope mine turns out half as nice!

Tank

Nice find

Take the hacked off seat loop and find a rod/pipe that slides into the holes in the tube

Put the tail cowl on the fender and both on the loop and use that to line up exactly where you want the loop to be and weld away

You want to regain the kerf from the previous cutting so you have enough gap between the seat and the cowl that the seat goes up and down okay. Err on the gap a few mm wide, the cowl position is adjustable a bit

That loop just holds the cowl, tail light and the back of the rear fender, so a decent weld should do the job

Luckily for me I work with pipe welders, unlucky for me is the company WILL NOT let us weld our own stuff on site, and the fellas that have their own welding units live several hours away.

Good tip on lining it up with the tail on, thanks!

One way or another, I'll have that loop welded on by this weekend.

[Steel Toed Tank]

Here you go Tom.

[chuck hahn]

stock VM26 carbs there. Missing the oil pressure sensor wire also in the picture.

[Steel Toed Tank]

So I started into the Skunk today with the plan of pulling and inspecting the carbs, petcock, and tank.

The weather didn't hold out and it started to drizzle, but before that I did get some pictures, and I also have some questions.

First, pics of the tank inspection.
It shows it's age, but isn't nearly as rusty as some I've seen that sold for good $$$$.
SCORE!!


I will likely give it a vinegar derusting just to get it in the best shape possible, due to the difficulty and cost of replacing it.



Nice and solid underneath, oh yeah!


Now on to a few questions...

This is not the stock petcock is it?




I discovered a pair of dyna coils under the tank, but they aren't mounted.
What is the preferred method of attaching these to a skunk?





Also, the carbs have 3 vent tubes but I can't seem to find the vacuum port for the petcock. Where would I find that?

[allojohn]

If you have some old handlebars laying around you'll find a piece will fit perfectly inside the frame tubing when you put the cut bits back on.

[Big T]

Tank,

That is the wrong petcock for a 78

The Dyna coils will bolt right onto the stock mounts

the center "vent" on the side of #3 is the vacuum port