GS 550L Gets a make over

[mike_of_bbg]

What I have to deal with tonight

Got a Craftsman impact driver? It'll get that out no problem.

Also remember that if you can get one of the screws out, you can turn the intake to loosen the other.

 

[Redneck]

I have one I got from Lowes. I used it and that is the result. I just finished cutting slots in and they two scraped right out as I tried to apply the impact driver.

 

[Redneck]

Well after purchasing the square shank extracting tool from ACE and the handle that goes on it and a cobalt drill bit..... after 10 minutes of slow drilling and then realizing the recommended size drill bit for the extractor is too big..... I ended up using vice grips to pull out the worn out screws. I don't know why I did not think of that earlier. Anyway hopefully will get the engine parts media blasted tonight. That is if the Boss lets me out. Ouch there goes the whip again. :-\\\

Paul

 

[Redneck]

Okay just spent two hours cleaning and polishing paint and grease off teh crank case and a covers. Almost there but not quite yet. I was looking for a brass wire front facing dremmel wire wheel today no luck at home depot, ace, or true value. I have almost all the paint and grease off it is just the spot in those hard to get at places right now.

Speaking of paint I now have the triple tree, the lower steering arm, both the lower end of the front forks powder coated. Not many parts left now. I just have to come up with the money to have the frame done and I will be good to go. at that point almost every part that is metal will be powder coated. Hopefully going to get the cylinder housing and heads media blasted on Monday. Then I can start putting the engine back together again. Then it will be the wonderful job of sorting out what exactly I am missing as I put it back together.

Will get pictures of all parts layed out tomorrow.

Paul

 

[Redneck]

Well last night I took the original L handle bars into work. It appears that that something was either knocked into the handlebars or it fell over while it was sitting in the barn, because one side was bent back about an inch or so. I am not overly thrilled with the low handle bars that are on the bike right now and would like something more the height of the L bars, but the problem with the L bars are they come in so close that it puts the wrist at a very awkward and even painful position. Enter really big vice and a heavy duty 48" cheater bar. First thing I did was even up the bars again, once that was done I then twisted the handle portions out about three to four inches. So what I have now is instead of a 8" pull back, I now have a 4-5" pull back. I mounted them in the vice as if they were on my bike and they had a real good feel to them. The only thing that I am worried about at this point is if it will be to wide and I will have the problem of creating too much drag with my body. Only time will tell, basically because it is going to take time for me to get my bike back together so I can test that theory or not. Hopefully get them Powdercoated black next week. Hoping that I will be able to get at the wet blaster some time soon so I can start putting the engine back together. One step closer even if it is a small one to getting it back on the road.

Paul

 

[Tim Tom]

Hey progress is progress. If you find you don't like the L bars you can get new ones of just about any size for pretty cheap, around 20 bucks. Look up the 'bikemaster' brand.

Hows the paint coming? Any pictures?

 

[Redneck]

Was going to lay out all the painted parts on the garage floor today and take a picture just to show how much I have actually PCed but I could not find the SD card for the camera. By the time I found it this evening, I lost my motivation to move the wifes car out and set everything up. I will try and get it tomorrow. I plan on taking off the final pieces from the frame tomorrow also and hopefully it will go to the Shop that is going to blast and Powder coat it and the exhaust.

Paul

 

[Flyboy]

Hey Paul, that is some really good work you are doing there, I wish my progress could move along as fast as yours is, I think you are going to have one really nice ride when you are done, I can't wait to see it all done.
Bagging all the bits is the way to go, my othere half knows, no margarine or any other container gets thrown out, they all find thier way to the garage to put spares in.
I got a little worried when I saw you put all the shim buckets in the same bag, I would have marked them and kept them to the vaves they came off, or maybe you did, and I am just missing something.......or being over pedantic.
Keep up the good work.:clap:

 

[Redneck]

Hey Paul, that is some really good work you are doing there, I wish my progress could move along as fast as yours is, I think you are going to have one really nice ride when you are done, I can't wait to see it all done.
Bagging all the bits is the way to go, my othere half knows, no margarine or any other container gets thrown out, they all find thier way to the garage to put spares in.
I got a little worried when I saw you put all the shim buckets in the same bag, I would have marked them and kept them to the vaves they came off, or maybe you did, and I am just missing something.......or being over pedantic.
Keep up the good work.:clap:

Appreciate the compliments and dont worry I wrote on each of the shim buckets, with a sharpie, the valve number they came out of. Been following yours too.. amazing how similiar tear downs look. I love Rustybronco's work on the Carbs. Good luck with that stator cover.

 

[Redneck]

Okay for all you picture junkies here you go.

A Pic of parts that have been PCed so far.

Parts left to be PCed other than frame.

Crank case all cleaned up

Before

After

Ratdude your not the only one with a Polisher 2000

But my comes with cuter accessories

And here is the base plate I am working on for it

Just need to finish welding it up and then blast it down and get it PCed

Thats all for now.

Paul

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I'm Green with envy! Parts look great!

 

[Guest]

Wow that's an impressive bit of paint work! I thought the green wouldn't look too flash but man am I wrong... they look awesome!

 

[Flyboy]

Wow Paul. that Green and black scheme does go well together, "shadowline" bike, I like it, and good paint job too.
I am busy with my motor clean up at the moment, have the bits soaking in Cleen Green, yours cleaned up nice. :clap:

 

[ratdude]

Ratdude your not the only one with a Polisher 2000

But my comes with cuter accessories

Paul

well that's obviously a later model , mine is a pure and original Buffmaster
as for the accessories , you got me there ! my tool girl is 90 miles from me now , she is just a few........Decades older than yours.

Rat

 

[Redneck]

LoL... I am going to have to go home and actually look at the year stamp on this Craftsman Garage sale find. I have a buddy of mine who does the garage sale shopping fix it up and sell it again thing. He has a list of things from me that he keeps his eyes open for. Well this was one of his finds. It came for the grand price of FREE. He bought a whole lot of old power tools and things dirt cheap, so he let me have this out of the lot. Got to love having good friends. I just have to get that base plate finished up build some legs for it and I will be good to go. Though I am trying to figure out some way to make a catch that I can hook to my shop vac to minimize the grand amount of dust those things make. I you look at the helmet in my avatar, I built that and spent about 14 hours total on a polishing maching to give it a complete mirror shine for a tournament I fought in. I created a lot of dust with that one. But it shore looked good when I got it done.

Paul

 

[Tim Tom]

This bike is going to be gorgeous when its all back together! Keep it up man.

 

[Redneck]

I am very tempted at this time to actually PC the big side covers on the engine Green also and maybe even the valve cover sides. with the cylinder walls all and head unit gloss black and the crankcase housing all black. I might work. Not sure I am debating on that.

 

[Redneck]

Well I finally got all the engine parts wet blasted tonight before I was officially at work. Mid shift got to love it. Now I just need to figure out if I want to paint before I put the engine back together or do I want to wait till after I put the engine together to paint. Time to do some searching on the appearance section.

 

[Guest]

When you say wet blasted... what exactly did you do?

The reason I ask is that I got mine "wet blasted" by a guy here who uses some specialised stuff that is non-abrasive and seals the surface of the alloy so that future grease and grime won't stain it easily. The end result was amazing compared to what I gave hiim.

 

[Skateguy50]

You going to hone the cylinders while its apart? I had the local shop do it for me cause they gave me a decent rate, like $10 more than buying the hones and I only needed to do it once

Anyways build is coming together just be careful not to use all your hall passes for the garage, save a few for riding