• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

GS450S neaten up

  • Thread starter Thread starter wally
  • Start date Start date
I don't want to...the painting is bad...:(

I first have to see if I can rescue it, or if needs to go to a pro...
It just very rough - think my air pressure and gun settings were incorrect.

Loads of flattening to do... :o
 
wally said:
I don't want to...the painting is bad...:(

I first have to see if I can rescue it, or if needs to go to a pro...
It just very rough - think my air pressure and gun settings were incorrect.

Loads of flattening to do... :o
Click to expand...

Aaaah I get ya... my first coats of pearl red that went down were shocking too... all mottled and bad because I didn't realise how controlled and even the spray pattern needed to be for pearl paint, so next day was sand back and go again...

Have a look through my paint thread to get the expert tips from the guys on here like Dale, Larry, Johnny Drummond, etc. I would've been lost without them...

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=182912&highlight=painting+450
 
Still nothing to show, but I pretty much got tired of my bad paint job, the endless sanding and nothing going right...

So I dropped it all of with a guy who will essentially redo my tank and finish off what I started. I hope to get everything back after the weekend. Luckily my prepwork was good, just my painting that was shoddy...

Will get the decals made up next week and then the seat reupholstering and then all together again!
 
Got painted parts back yesterday and it looks super cool (despite my bad cellphone pics...)

2012-04-29-090.jpg

2012-04-29-091.jpg

2012-04-29-092.jpg


getting the seat done this week, along with getting decals made.

hopefully all together by next week!
 
Oooooh shiny! Nice :D

Definitely looking forward to her coming together!
 
Got the fender and tank back on (spot the future cafe racer under wraps next to it ;) ):
2012-05-01-100.jpg


After the tank was back on I noticed fuel dripping out the petcock...:mad:
Tank off again, cleaned up, used some Red Devil gasket maker as extra seal between petcock and tank and that sorted it out.

Noticed the throttle had too much play and realised is mount the throttle holding plate on the carbs the wrong way around, so tank off again... :rolleyes:

I had the battery tender on whole morning, struggled to get her firing up and always stressed in the back of mind "what if I installed something incorrectly after cleaning the carbs..."

But she fired up late yesterday afternoon!

Also experimented making up some rubber mounts for the handrail on the tailpiece.

Old ones are trashed. I couldn't find anything close, so bought a sample rubber spacer, cut in half and used my el-fakey Dremel to make a slot in it. Looks the part, but needs some test fitting and fine-tuning:
2012-05-01-094.jpg

2012-05-01-095.jpg

2012-05-01-097.jpg

2012-05-01-098.jpg


Old one to the left, test one to the right:
2012-05-01-099.jpg


I also dropped off the seat on Monday to get reupholstered and recovered with the exact same std stitching pattern, etc. Decals are being made today.
 
Nice work Wally, glad she's running again! :)

Nicely done on those rubber mounts too. Mine were shot as well but I forked out for some new ones from Suzuki (they're still available). Weren't too expensive...

So what's the cafe racer under the cover then?
 
when you live on the bum end of the world with an unfavourable exchange rate, everything becomes expensive! :p

The unstarted cafe is what I really want to get started on, but I figured I have to get all the current projects done. It was part of the deal when I bought the black GS. Already stripped, but with all the parts there - or at least the ones I would need. Basically 2 x 450 GSes for the price of one!
1401201210351.jpg


So the black GS is nearly done, then the 2 x 1950s Fridges to get resprayed, then the cafe racer!!! :D:D:D
 
wally said:
when you live on the bum end of the world with an unfavourable exchange rate, everything becomes expensive! :p

The unstarted cafe is what I really want to get started on, but I figured I have to get all the current projects done. It was part of the deal when I bought the black GS. Already stripped, but with all the parts there - or at least the ones I would need. Basically 2 x 450 GSes for the price of one!
1401201210351.jpg


So the black GS is nearly done, then the 2 x 1950s Fridges to get resprayed, then the cafe racer!!! :D:D:D
Click to expand...

Yes, true! Stan (Flyboy) and Andre (Matchless) have the same issue...

I'd forgotten you got two 450's in the deal... and yes very keen to see the second one... so hurry up and finish the others already :D
 
Wally,
That looks great. You've inspired me to dial up the tempo on my project.
Niels
 
Thanx Niels!

Got the seat back yesterday and test-fitted the rails, then test-fitted it all on the bike.

2012-05-03-106.jpg

2012-05-03-107.jpg

2012-05-03-111.jpg


I even did the tail piece frame a while back (bit dirty now...):
2012-05-03-108.jpg


my friend said i should put the fairing back on, but i prefer naked bikes:
2012-05-03-113_1.jpg


so tomorrow it will be fitting all the parts and getting it ready for decal application Monday. also refurbish the Suzuki tank emblems.
 
Now you're talkin' Wally! Lookin' real good :D

Feels good to see it coming back to one piece don't it?

Also, I think someone in the wanted section is looking for a genuine 450S fairing if you're thinking of selling that one...
 
sure does! But what amazes me are all the small little details things you don't think of or remember! needs a good was and polish after the decals have gone on!

i will look in the wanted section, thanx!
 
Wally,
Settle down ther. If you raise the bar too much further, your going to go from inspiring to discouraging. Just pulling your chain; Stay with it.
Niels
 
I was gonna ride the bike to work this morning and then the guys would install the graphics on-site for me. Started her up fine, pulled out of the garage and put her on the side-stand, came back 5 seconds later and fuel was leaking out of the carbs somewhere - but only on the side-stand....:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Will have to check it out tonight or tomorrow...
 
Wally,
If it only does it on the side stand, it could be a float level issue.
Niels
 
fixed! :) and it was pretty simple too!

turned out to be the little T-connection that feeds the fuel to the carbs.
the one leading to the right-hand carb wasn't seated properly.

pushed it in a 1/2mm and it was perfect!

REALLLYYYYY glad i didn't have to take the carbs off!:p
 
Decals got fitted yesterday! Looks great! I still have some alignment of body panels to sort out, but the colours are spot on and it fits!

2012-05-10-130.jpg

2012-05-10-136.jpg

2012-05-10-135.jpg

2012-05-10-134.jpg

2012-05-10-132.jpg


have to finish the rubbers for the grab rail and i am going to give the rims a quick dusting as well so they look in tune with the new paintwork.
 
Looking nice Wally. The graphics look sharp and remind me of the style on an old RD400 from my youth.

Mark
 
Thanx! It appears our graphics in South Africa differed from the ones in the states...

Took front wheel off tonight, washed and scuffed it. Plan to prep and hopefully paint it tomorrow.

btw - how does one remove the little chrome cap ends on the heads? I also need to refurbish the Suzuki tank emblems - any suggestions on how to paint the lettering?

thanx!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top