1985 Yamaha FZ750 - rebuild

[GateKeeper]

Hey it is looking great and I'm sure the colour will come out aces too. Just don't rush and watch that distance of application.
Sorry I couldn't make it down but I'm building up brownie points down here building new stairs for the deck. Wife says this time she will be sure to fall off and land on the other shoulder

Now speak about a racket for lumber. Precut risers for the stairs are great but can you get lumber to make 9" treads or 7.5" riser boards......no you can't. So you need to buy more than you need of each and piece them in. What a rip.

Oh well I could be firkin around with flippin Keihin carbs I suppose maybe next week.

Keep up the great work. Hope the decals come soon.

Well I am going to try, but you know if it turns out like crap, I am laying all blame on you.....

just make your own stringers, get board long enough and cut what you need, it's the only way to do it, if the pre cut stuff don't work out for your span.....

now back to the painting, I don't think 1 can will do all those parts, so I am going to start with the tank, and continue from there, I really think I will need a 2nd can of color and a 2nd can of clear, and if so it would have been better to give it to buddy to paint for me instead of me farting around with this.....but I am committed now, so I have to keep going

How bad can it be...

here is a guy who just did his own as well....

bloody nice work....for sure

 

[spyug]

Well as I keep saying.......you can do it Forrest!!!! run Forrest run !!!!!!!!!

As I also keep saying, after good surface prep ( i.e. no surface contaminants wear the gloves to make sure no oil from the skin gets on), holding the can at the right distance to have the paint look wet on the surface but doesn't run is truly the secret.

What I do practice first with a can of cheap stuff on some cardboard. I find something around 8 or 9 " from the surface works best.

I'm sure you are going to do fine with it and I can't wait to see.

 

[GateKeeper]

Well, I finally got the paint, the time, the booth, and the guts to try this out....

It's not the best, it's not the worse, but with silver you can really see how much good prep is key, the silver really brings out the imperfections...

so we did a first coat, and since it's not the best prep work, I will let it dry, then do a bit more finessing and patching and sanding, then shoot everything once more, and put on the 2k clear....

overall it's not bad, decals will hide some of the imperfections, then again it's a 30 year old bike, and it really does not have to be perfect, the mistakes give it character, and that's what I am sticking with....

so as always a few pictures

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[spyug]

Wicked Looks really nice and as they say, "good enough for government work" ha,ha. Well it is not show quality but it is a everyday work bike not a trailer queen so I wouldn't sweat a few less than perfect areas.

Damn good for a first effort my friend. It will look sweet with the decals on and as you said before, they will hide some of the imperfections.

I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Well done. You deserve some time on the beach. Enjoy.

 

[GateKeeper]

Thanks buddy....

just wait a bit until we do a second coat, will look even better, some more filling and it will be mint....

she is is a daily ride so she don't need to be perfect, just descent and she will be better than the plastidip...

ohhh and and what you see now, don't even have the clear, so that will help as well...

unfortunately the the finish will take a bit now, heading to the beach on the weekend back Wednesday so it will be after that when I finish this up....

 

[GateKeeper]

Well it's done, clear is on and the parts are drying, ready to pick up tomorrow, and let them sit for a bit to fully dry and cure, they can go back on and then decals and back to riding

a few pictures of tonight's work

















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[spyug]

Now that is what I am talking about. Stellar job for a first effort They are going to look amazing with the decals on.

You are going to have such a shine from the sunlight hitting that you will need to get a darker visor. Hell, maybe need to wear your shades and a dark visor.

I can't wait to see it in the flesh.

I think you just found your next part time gig I'll bring the CB tins down for you to clear

I knew you could do it. Kudos to you bud!

 

[GateKeeper]

Thanks buddy,,,,,

I was skeptical,, but it didn't turn out too bad, a few imperfections but that is due to lack of prep work, could have spent more time getting every nick and dent and scratch, but this is not a show bike, this is a go down the road fast bike,,,,,,lol

decals will go on once I return from my trip, this will give everything enough time to dry fully

ohh and I have the dark visor on hand...

cheers

 

[GateKeeper]

sneak peek....

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[Sandy]

With a bit of colour that's looking much better, great job. Looks very classy with the silver, kind of a gentlemanly hotrod. I have to say my FZ was by far the funnest bike I've owned. Man that thing took a beating. It ended up being white with a big Yamaha decal on the tank from the FZ1000 belly pan. Sort of like on your GS. I don't think it would look right on yours for some reason though. Plans for any really subtle graphics? This was taken in Colorado National Park probably late '80s and yes that's the new to me EFE in the background. Cold day, warming my hands. Note the RZ350 drilled disks up front vs the stock laminated ones that seemed to be prone to warping when overheated.

 

[ShadowFocus603]

Something to be said for a well executed single color paint job. Looks awesome GK.

 

[GateKeeper]

With a bit of colour that's looking much better, great job. Looks very classy with the silver, kind of a gentlemanly hotrod. I have to say my FZ was by far the funnest bike I've owned. Man that thing took a beating. It ended up being white with a big Yamaha decal on the tank from the FZ1000 belly pan. Sort of like on your GS. I don't think it would look right on yours for some reason though. Plans for any really subtle graphics? This was taken in Colorado National Park probably late '80s and yes that's the new to me EFE in the background. Cold day, warming my hands. Note the RZ350 drilled disks up front vs the stock laminated ones that seemed to be prone to warping when overheated.

Agreed, with the color combo now the, bike is really starting to look much better, the ALL black was just not doing it for me, and I am glad I only did the PlastiDip route initially.

I have all the decals for the bike, other than the striping that goes along the side panel, and on the tank, basically I have everything that has a letter or number to it, and those will go on in a day or 2

No depending I might do some pin striping, but only after I put the other decals on, just to see how it looks

lover your crash bars, I have them as well just did not put them back on the bike, I still might, just have not decided yet.....

Something to be said for a well executed single color paint job. Looks awesome GK.

Thank you very much....



My bigger issue now is the right hand mid fairing is not lining up correctly to the frame where the one screw goes, it's off by a 1/4 inch or so, not sure what is going on, maybe the bike got dropped at some point and something has moved, so it seems I will have to grind off the tab that holds the special nut, and have it welded up a little higher and then it should all be OK, and properly secured, and I really hope my Dzeus fasteners hold, wanted to try something a bit different instead of always using screws.....

 

[GateKeeper]

Finally a picture of the bike in the sun......

I am really liking this bike, it has turned out somewhat decent.....

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[JEEPRUSTY]

Very Sharp very nice graphics to sett off the colour.

 

[steve murdoch]

Looks great, GK.
Classy!

 

[GateKeeper]

Very Sharp very nice graphics to sett off the colour.

Looks great, GK.
Classy!

Thanks guys.....

 

[eil]

Beautiful! You know how to restore bikes to make them better looking than the left the factory.

 

[GateKeeper]

Beautiful! You know how to restore bikes to make them better looking than the left the factory.

Thanks

maybe I should give up my day job,,,,,,,not

but I do have fun doing it....

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[jbird7262]

You did a great job on the bike, and the finish looks great! Thats coming from a painter, at least you had the use of a booth, my buddy has a custom furniture building company and he lets me use his nice downdraft booth. See... if you get the right product, the end result turns out fine, you will never get those kind of reults from krylon or any other rattle can, but automotive basecoats put in cans are a good alternative to not having a compressor and the tools to spray, then you don't have to worry about all the used paint, primer, clear that you have to dispose of. I have a solvent recycler that will "distill" the solvents and return about 5 gal. of clean-up solvent after cooking 15 gal. of crud.

 

[Sandy]

Yes, that does it. Very nice.