1978 GS1000 Rebuild

[traviseckley]

I figured I'd start a thread on my bike, it's a 1978 GS1000E. I should have started the thread a few years ago cause I've already done a bunch of work to it. I got the bike from a friend for $400, it had be sitting in his garage for a few years and he had no plans on fixing it. The first things I did to it was rebuild the engine, new tires, new 4 into 2 exhaust, new brake lines, rebuilt the brake calipers, new brake pads, bypassed the turn signal control unit and new battery. Then I ran out of money and I had to let it set for about 4 years. Now I'm eager to get it on the road and am planning on doing a few more upgrades just to get it on the road for this summer and rebuild it frame up next winter. While working on it a bit this winter I went to try and clean out the rust from the gas tank and realized the entire seam of the tank had rusted through followed my breaking off a bleader twice on my rear brake caliper and screwing it up. Recently I found site that supposidly has OEM parts for these bikes so i ordered a new tank, petcock and rear brake caliper, they should be here next week so I'll see if they are in fact OEM parts (I have my doubts). Here is the bike as it stands now. I plan over the next year to return it to fully original except the turn signal control unit.

 

[traviseckley]

Also any tip/tricks or other advice anyone has to offer would be greatly appreciated. This is my first bike and the first bike I have ever done work too. I'm a bit mechanically knowledgeable from working on cars and trucks but not motorcycles. I have a repair manual that has been alot of help this far, but I'm sure there is some things the manual won't show me that people on here have run into and have experience with. Thanks in advance for any help. I will post more pics once I get these parts I'm waiting on and jump into the bike again.

 

[Rover]

Hi Travis, Good luck with your project.I'm sure many of us would be interested in where you are getting these new parts and want to know how it works out.Keep us posted.

 

[steve murdoch]

Another Skunk revival...excellent!
A lot of us have experienced the GS1000 paper mache tank disease.

 

[Guest]

Looking forward to the progress. Best of luck with it all.

 

[traviseckley]

Well the company I was trying to get the OEM tank from now says the tank is discontinued, no surprise there. So I figured I'd tank it to a local welder/fabricator and this is what we found:

he suggest I keep looking for another tank, said I'd have a small fortune into getting this one repaired. Not exactly what I wanted to hear to start my day.

 

[chuck hahn]

6 of one half dozen of the other..youll have a small fortune buying one off ebay too..just my experience here from what i have seen. When and if one comes up too!!

 

[Steve]

How about doing it yourself? :-k

I have noticed a product that will weld aluminum that really intrigues me. While poking around on their website, I saw that they had a similar product for repairing steel. Might be worth a shot. $65 will get you a pound and a half of repair rods, you can get a propane torch for $25-30, if you don't already have one.

Click HERE to start looking.
(Click on the "more info ..." link in the Steelaloy section.)

.

 

[traviseckley]

I'm not a fan of doing these kinds of repairs myself. I found a company that restores gas tanks and treats the inside from rust. I just sent the guy an e-mail and pics of the damage, waiting on a quote from them.

 

[rustybronco]

I don't think you'll like the price 'if' they will even do it.

if your welding skills are fairly good, I suggest you obtain heat dam material, a piece of sheet metal the proper thickness, cut out the rusted sections and braze new in it's place. it will take you awhile, but it can be done.

what's the worst that could happen, turning a POS tank into junk?

 

[Redneck]

How about doing it yourself? :-k

I have noticed a product that will weld aluminum that really intrigues me. While poking around on their website, I saw that they had a similar product for repairing steel. Might be worth a shot. $65 will get you a pound and a half of repair rods, you can get a propane torch for $25-30, if you don't already have one.

Click HERE to start looking.
(Click on the "more info ..." link in the Steelaloy section.)

.

Let me translate this post... huhmmm...

"I found this site with something that really looks cool, not sure if I beleive it but I am afraid to try it myself, so if you would try it and tell me how it works, I would be grateful."

I think that about sums it up. Love ya Steve...

Paul

 

[traviseckley]

That's my problem with doing any of this repair myself, I have absolutely 0 welding skills, have never touched a welder in my life lol.

 

[rustybronco]

I think all of us had to learn a new skill at one point or another.

http://thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1340084#post1340084

 

[traviseckley]

I do want to learn to weld, just not on my gas tank This is a problem I would like to get fixed before spring time, so I'll be looking at a professional. Thanks alot for the suggestions and stuff guys. I'll see what this company quotes me then consider my options.

 

[wera racer]

How about doing it yourself? :-k

I have noticed a product that will weld aluminum that really intrigues me. While poking around on their website, I saw that they had a similar product for repairing steel. Might be worth a shot. $65 will get you a pound and a half of repair rods, you can get a propane torch for $25-30, if you don't already have one.

Click HERE to start looking.
(Click on the "more info ..." link in the Steelaloy section.)

.

I've used two different versions of alumi-weld products. They work, sort of. You have to bring a lot heat to the party. I could never get a regular propane torch to get the aluminum hot enough (aluminum turns out to be terrible heat sink). I got decent results using my oxy-acetylene torch. I believe the companies also recommend a MAP gas torch, but I'm not familiar with those. When done properly, the bond does seem to be quite strong, but I wouldn't recommend using it for anything that would be dangerous if it failed. Rick

 

[chuck hahn]

Racer....MAPP gas is just a hotter mix of propane and acetelyn i believe..Anyways it screws right onto any propane torch. Its a yellow canister right in with the propane tanks at home depot.

 

[ReTread]

I do want to learn to weld, just not on my gas tank This is a problem I would like to get fixed before spring time, so I'll be looking at a professional. Thanks alot for the suggestions and stuff guys. I'll see what this company quotes me then consider my options.

No shame in that Travis. I can't really think of anything worse to learn on than a fuel tank.

Glad to see another Skunk coming back.

 

[SDBuckeye]

That is a lovely bit of swiss cheese for a tank! I am working on mine right now too. I think I have most of the old liner out and will soon move on to de-rusting. Thankfully, mine wasn't quite as bad as yours. I could have gone a couple years with just JB weld patching it up, but I figured I could just as well put a POR15 liner and be done.

I am not putting any expensive paint on it in case my repair skill are lacking. Something to think about on your end too.

Keep us posted.

cheers,
Lyle

 

[traviseckley]

I just want to ride this year, the bike has sat long enough. I may end up trying a temp fix to get me by this year if I have to. I have had this bike going on 8 years now working on it when I can with a very limited budget. It upsets me that the tank had no leaks when i got the bike and now that I'm down to putting the tank back on and firing it up I find all these holes have formed. I've been watching ebay and other places lately and nothing promising, there has been 2 tanks lately. 1 the person had no clue on it's shape and the other the person has a problem with the payment account (it's actually up now) and i don't want to take any chances on loosing my money.

 

[rustybronco]

I've been watching ebay and other places lately and nothing promising, there has been 2 tanks lately.

Similar to this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0579055306&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

(actually it had 10 dents in it)