1981 GS450E Rebuild

[Guest]

Did the same with the kero for the front axle and spacers and techo gearbox and on it went too, which means for the first time in years, I have a rolling frame :dancing:





So that's where it stands right now and I can wheel it around the garage finally.

At the moment, everything is just finger tight as I do need to pull it all apart again and finish some things up such as:

- Steering head nut needs torqueing
- Forks need oil
- Rear sprocket needs replacing
- Tacho gearbox needs lube
- Front brake rotor needs painting (don't like it orange)
- Right edge of front wheel needs painting (missed that bit too)
- Rim of the drum brake needs painting
- Headlight ears need to go on (missing a grommet for that too by the looks)
- Ignition needs to go back on

Also, ignore the horrid stock handlebars, they haven't been cleaned or polished and won't be as I'm planning on replacing them with either vintage or modern motorcross bars.

Overall, I must say I'm pretty happy with how it's looking so far, can't wait to get some of these things actually knocked off properly rather than just having things sitting there finger tight.

 

[Guest]

Well it seems my problem with running out of Blackcote may be solved quite cheaply...

I emailed the guy from POR 15 over the weekend and asked if there were any smaller tins than the $64 470mL size available, and I also happened to attach a couple of photos of my frame as a courtesy seeing as he has been very helpful to me.

He replied today and told me that by sending the photos in and allowing him to post them on their website entitles me to $52 of free POR 15 products, so a 470mL can of Blackcote will end up very very cheap instead! Gotta love that

So, once again I only have positive things to say for POR 15; not only is it excellent paint, but they believe in it so much they're prepared to go the extra mile to make sure their customers are happy.

I'll hopefully get back to him tomorrow to organise that and I'll also shoot him a later photo with wheels etc. as the ones I sent were just the frame early on.

I won't send him any of the crank cases with the Black Velvet on though as my prep work really sucked on those and they need touching up quite badly... next on the hit list after I finish off the rolling frame.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

He replied today and told me that by sending the photos in and allowing him to post them on their website entitles me to $52 of free POR 15 products, so a 470mL can of Blackcote will end up very very cheap instead! Gotta love that

Hey Pete I will have to keep an eye on their website to check out your magnificent wheels.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Guest]

Haha cheers Don, don't know about magnificent but thankfully my camera ability is bad enough to cover up my bad painting

 

[Charlie G]

Boy, Pete you scored on getting the paint for free!

cg

 

[Guest]

Indeed Charlie! Should be about $12 plus postage I reckon so I'm quite stoked

 

[Guest]

My cheap paint arrived today... $12 + $12 courier to work... much much better than $64

So, now I can finish up those bits I missed on the rear drum and the front wheel and I can also paint the toolkit and electrics trays for under the side panels.

The only things stopping me putting the wheels on properly now after I do that painting is a new rear sprocket, fork oil, and getting a torque wrench.

Not sure when I'll get time to get those, but hopefully next week as I'm taking a week off work to paint the eaves and gutters on the house.

 

[Guest]

Got the week off to paint the gutters but it rained all day yesterday, so instead I went to Bunnings and got some time on the bike.

Picked up these from Bunnings with my birthday gift card:





I know it's not the highest quality torque wrench in the world, but should do what I need it to. I can't see any use for it after my rebuild at the moment, so I can't justify the $300+ for the better quality ones.

The plastic paint should be good for the guages, trim on the bottom triple clamp, and the chain guard.

I then got out my newly acquired bargain basement priced Blackcote and prepared the last pieces to be painted with that in addition to the bits on the wheels and sprocket carrier that I'd missed initially:



Then got the first coat on:

 

[Guest]

And the wheels:



Just the rim around the edge of the brake lining on the rear and the lip on the front of the centre of the front rim (if that makes sense).

So, second coat today and then it looks like the weather's clearing up so back to the gutters...

 

[Hornswaggle]

Making some great progress!

 

[Redneck]

Looking good. I plan on doing the same thing with my wheels, except I will probably either rattle can them or if I can swing it I will get them Powdercoated. Keep up the good work.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Thanks guys I'm actually starting to feel like I'm getting somewhere

Got the second coat on yesterday but haven't taken pic's yet.

One thing I forgot to mention was I rebuilt my speedo gearbox, not so "crunchy" now:



Oh and Paul, I reckon you'll love how your wheels look when done, I think they're so much better than stock like that for what I want. Of course if I was going stock that would be a different story...

 

[scottychop]

Cool.

Cool.

Speedo drives are pretty dang cool eh? I just rebuilt my first one a few weeks ago. Wish I could figure out how to make mine compatible with my new front end.......


Scott

 

[Guest]

Cool? Hmmm... dunno if I'd say that...

I think you're gonna have fun getting it to work with yours for sure. If you were going with a digital speedo, you'd probably be ok with a magnet triggered sensor or something.

I also got my tax refund back, so time now for a gasket set, rear sprocket, and some shiny new handlebars me thinks...

 

[Scott W]

looking good Pete, I like the wheels. Might just have to do the same thing to mine.

 

[Guest]

Cheers Scott, yeah I really like how they turned out.

Gonna be a couple of weeks before I get back to it again now, but by then I should hopefully have my gasket set (should be here in a couple of days) and a rear sprocket and new set of handlebars.

I'll need at that point to give the plastic facia over the lower triple clamp a coat or three of my newly acquired plastic rattle can paint along with the chain guard, then I can look forward to getting the rolling frame assembled fully and correctly.

 

[Macguyver]

Progress...WOOHOO!

Looks like there is quite a bit soon to be checked off of your "to do" list Pete! It all looks great!

Keep up the commitment to quality, and keep feeding us picture junkies!

 

[Guest]

Haha cheers Mac, progress indeed!!!

If all goes to plan, then in about two weeks I should be doing the plastic painting and putting the first touch up coat on the crank cases and sump cover etc. where the Black Velvet pealed after curing in the BBQ (due to my bad prep work), meaning the next thing after that will be beginning the frame and engine assembly for real.

In the meantime, I've sourced a rear sprocket and what looks to be a nice set of handlebars that I hope to order today.

And, after that, I believe there will be enough left over from my tax refund to get a set of stainless steel bolts from Z1 for the case covers which would be real nice indeed and will fit nicely with my aim for polished covers.

Fingers crossed it all comes to plan, and I will definitely keep feeding everyone's (including mine) pic addictions

 

[Guest]

Received my first present today... a flat cardboard box filled with gaskets and seals

I took a couple of pic's mainly to show what the head gasket looks like for another thread, but looks like my supposedly compatible with Windows 7 camera isn't really and I'm typing this up on the work laptop, so they'll have to wait til I get back to my PC.

Anyway, I also ordered my rear sprocket and handlebars today and they should arrive early next week.

I also just realised the other day that I need to get myself some locktite and anti seize before I start putting this stuff together properly.

 

[Guest]

As promised, here's what I got in the mail yesterday...





I know the green gaskets are going to make a lot of people shudder around here (understandably), but my base gasket and seals will all be OEM (got them a little while back), so no need to use the green base gasket from the kit.

Now just waiting for my sprocket and handlebars and will endeavour to score some loctite and anti seize over the weekend hopefully.