Blue 78 1000C project

[nvr2old]

Nice progress, Chuck. At first I kind of grimaced seeing the bike on it's side resting on the muffler, but I'm sure you took that in to account not to scratch it.. Have you ever hung a frame to paint it all at once? I know they're a bit on the heavy side.

 

[Nessism]

I was wondering about that muffler too.

What kind of paint are you using for the frame chuck? Primer?

 

[chuck hahn]

Using VHT Epoxy Gloss Black. Self etching and doesnt need primers. Larry, yes i have hung them but i find its easier to do it this way and avoid all the bending around and contorting trying to spot all the areas.

And yes I assured the can didnt scratch when i laid it over. It has some already that are what they are but i didnt add any..LOL

 

[chuck hahn]

Had to clean and use the original center stand after all. Figured the one in the box was the same but when the stand id deployed the foot pedal you stand on lifts the left side of the stand off the ground. So i cleaned up the one that was on it and cleaned up the swing arm this morning. The cherry picker makes a great parts holder.

Disassembled then shocks using my Mac Gyvered together spring compressor. Its an old wine bottle corker i found all rusted up. I took 2 piece of 1/8 inch CRS and inserted them into the spring and welded them onto the cork pusher. It has broke down many pairs of shocks over the years like butter. Set the shock onto the arms and rest the bottom of the shock on the bottom of the press where the bottle would sit. Depress the springs and remove the keeper and its done.

Got the polish out and cleaned the shock components and reassembled them. Turned out very nice as you can see in the before and after shots.

 

[laxcdn]

What paint are you using and does it hold up well without scratching off easy?

 

[chuck hahn]

See post 23..its very abuse resistant.

 

[chuck hahn]

Tonight was cut the old shock stud off and drill through the frame. Measured the old smooth part the shock eye goes on and it was 12MM so I went out back to the bone yard with the calipers and did some treasure hunting. Just happens that the front foot peg mount bolts from a 78 KZ650 are ideal in diameter and overall length. Gotta get some MIG wire after work tomorrow and plug weld them in from the inside of the frame.

I will post pics when i get there. For now here are the foot peg bolts from the old KZ frame. Perfect fit for restudding the frame. Bigger threads are for the acorn nut that holds the shock on. The smaller threads will be inside the 12MM hole for the new studs. I will take pics before i plug weld them.

 

[chuck hahn]

The studs would be part 14 here.............

https://www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagram/144012/1978/KZ650-B2A

 

[chuck hahn]

With the KZ stud inserted in the hole, youre gonna start welding on the end of the stud and fill the hole with weld to secure the stud. Once it has cooled a bit I took the angle grinder and ground the weld flat for repainting over the repair. So this is what the finished stud looks like. Pretty darn close to factory again.

 

[laxcdn]

See post 23..its very abuse resistant.

Sorry not sure how I missed that.

 

[chuck hahn]

Took the front end off tonight. Cleaned up and repainted the steering stem and cleaned and repacked the bearings as well. Painted the headlight bucket mounts too. Added a few more bits to my parts list and added it up. " SO FAR " I am at 333 dollars in parts needed. Probaby will be more than just a few adds in the parts wanted section in the near future. I will most likely clean up the front rim tomorrow and get it back to a roller and take some pics then.

 

[chuck hahn]

Put the front end on tonight. I will polish the fork lowers when i take them off to do fork seals in the future. see is a roller again and next will be getting the engine on the bench and refreshing the top end. Then all the fun of reassembly can begin.

 

[nvr2old]

Boy, those are some serious bucko bars on that baby.. Nice to get it back to a roller, eh..? Keep up the good work, Chuck.

 

[chuck hahn]

Yeah set a little too far up..but at 102 degrees out and just a fan on you in the shop you throw them on and get it off the lift!!! HA HA

 

[chuck hahn]

Got after the engine some today. Cam end cover had to drill the heads off to remove them. Got the head off and all the valves removed for cleaning and . Got a few things to order next week. I have plenty on the chassis to do though so its time to switch gears.

 

[chuck hahn]

Saturday was inner fender clean up and rescue. Yes the painted surfaces and the clear makes it way shinyer than the stock black plastic. However, it was scratched up a lot so I had to do something about it. Wet sanded everything and shot it black and then cleared over it. Added some parts Saturday and Sunday and its starting to resemble a motorcycle again.

Bought a headlight bucket assembly from Kochic. Beautiful parts all around...many thanks Marc. Got the Black Max plastic and rubber restore potion out and did the gauges. I had to take the chrome covers off to shine them and used the compressor to blow all the cob webs and stuff out of the housing. Then i super glued the rubber trim thing on so it was trapped and not rolling under the covers anymore. Was a few hrs on just then gauges alone. May attempt to white out the lettering at some point.

 

[Big T]

Chuck, any luck on getting the blue paint code yet?

Good work so far

 

[chuck hahn]

Busa sent me a spray card but noone has yet to post up an actual scanner mix code yet.

 

[nvr2old]

Nice work, Chuck. She's coming along nicely. Piece at a time.. I can't remember, do you..not..have a tank with the blue you're trying to replicate, or is it too far gone..? I ask, because I never had the trouble you're going through to have that color made. I had it mixed as a base color with no problem at all.

 

[chuck hahn]

Larry, This bike came originally as the burgundy and orange stripe. Since i have that bike ( you painted the body work way back when ) I want her sistr blue. Never had an original blue to scan myself. A few folks here have said they tried getting a scan and i didnt work..or they said they would and never came back to post anything. Busa had his guy match it and he says its super super close so I really dont have anything else to go on at this point. If I wait and wait its gonna be winter and too nasty to be slinging color.