New-2-Me '80 GS750L

[Hoosier Daddy]

After what seems like Forever it finally quite raining here yesterday long enough for me to paint silver on the engine. The black on the Cylinders has been curing for well over a week and it's been masked off just waiting for a break in the weather. One final wipe-down with rubbing alcohol and blowing off with compressed air and I got these results

 

[SVSooke]

That looks sweet.Hard to believe it's the same one on page 2

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks SV! You know as well as I do it's all in the prep work. Guess the weeks of rain here allowed me to really get it clean instead of rushing it.
Now as long as it all cures well and doesn't flake off when I hit the Ton!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

It's in there!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Not much for the update that's picture worthy. I have the triple tree and the swingarm mounted. I have been focusing on the wheels. White chalk corrosion there as well.
I originally planned on painting them black but closer inspection shows the factory color is close to my frame. So I have been cleaning, them in various ways.
First came the degreaser, then aluminum wheel cleaner... hmmmn not much help.
Then Mothers on the polished spoke edges and outer rim... Mehhh, no.
Tried my Dremel with a buffing wheel, Nope... wound up using burgundy scotch brite on the entire wheel... now we are getting somewhere! It's looking much better! So I still have a second side to finish and then move on to the other wheel to give the same treatment.
I have a can of Duplicolors wheel paint clear left over from a past build, so once I get them spotless I'll hit them with that to preserve them after mounting the new tires.

 

[Jason the terminator]

I don't know how well duplicolor clear will hold up. When I was looking at using it on my polished wheels it said to apply over paint never said would adhere to bare metal. Just hate to see you put in a bunch of time just to have to redo them because the clear didn't hold.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Good point, that would suck! I have been on the fence about painting them with their Black wheel paint first and then the clear coat as a top coat. Saving up for tires so I have a little time to figure it out.

 

[SVSooke]

The Duplicolor clear wheel paint I painted on my swingarm and passenger peg hangers is holding up good so far.Seems pretty tough to me.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks for that SV. I hoped if I prepped them well it would be fine, they are coming out nice with just the scotch-brite. I't been too wet here to paint lately and I think I just spent some of my tire money I had saved on a left side cover I have been looking for since my last post!
Been playing around with seat designs carving out foam, while I soaked the carb boots in ATF to soften them up and they came out nice, also found these gaiters for the forks from cycle-x but they are out of stock till next week...

 

[Flyboy]

It really is looking pretty, I would say that there is another show stopper on the way here, you do good work.
I love seeing a thing of beauty coming together.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Little bumpity bump bump...
I got the rear fnder mods done to relocate for a shorter "Bobbed" look and on the 3rd attempt at a seat design I am starting to like the look. Mocking them up in stryrofoam for the fibreglass buck. The first was a low squashed cafe' bum stop, the second was a street-tracker style, then this that tapers back nicely to the fender.



The bodywork is untouched yet, just on there for the seat mock-up. Thanks to kparkfan for the left side cover!! The fork gators are now ordered along with some black headlight ears and superbike bars. If they show up soon enough I could get the front end back together over the upcoming 3 day weekend, if not I'll be 'glassing a seat pan.

 

[Guest]

Great build. I will be following this to the end. Lots of great low buck ideas.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks Bill C. thats how I roll, limited budget... elbow grease is cheap!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

WHOO-HOO! New parts, Fed Ex man delivers in time for the 3 day weekend.

 

[Redneck]

Man this build looks awesome. I can't believe I have missed it up to now. I am following it now for sure. Hopefully I will get some more done today. LoL my wife saw pics of your frame and motor in your workshop and her only comment was "Look he keeps his garage clean!" Add in a dirty look. Good job bro.

Paul

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

...and parts are installed. Gators were advertised for a CB750 but fit the GS750 forks like a golve! I test fitted the headlight to get the look of the mounts orientaion, started out with them flipped but seem to be better this direction. Bucket is pitted so it will be coming back off but so far I am liking the look. Really liking the look and feel of the bars as well.






Hard to tell with so many colors that are not staying, red tank and white foam seat buck, but I am thinking the rear spings need to be painted black instead of silver, seem to stand out too much. Maybe once I get the seat made, the tank and side covers painted, along with my rear the wheel mounted it will tone it down... but will keep that in the back of my mind.

 

[chuck hahn]

I have a blue tank for that bike that is shiney as a new dime inside.. afew very minor and shallow dings with the gas cap key ..

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks for the offer Chuck. I'll file that away for future referance but for now I need other items. This tank turned out really nice on the inside when I used "The Works" and I plan on a custom paint job for it. Now I am saving up for carb o-rings, tires, chain, brakes, the turn sigs and tail light.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Too much time commenting on other build threads instead of updating my own... I've been playing with fiberglass again so may be the styrene is getting to me so this will be a long one to get caught up.

After I was sure I was happy with the seat shape, you have to protect the foam from the resin otherwise it melts the buck and you have to start all over. Some use packing tape or tin foil but I use a trick I found when I built R/C Boats from scratch. I mix up some 15 minute epoxy, thin it with rubbing alcohol and "paint" the styrofoam to seal it. After about 3-4 coats and you are good to go.
Then covered the frame with a large trash bag and laid a total of 6 layers of woven cloth.



After the last layer was cured I popped out the buck and rough cut off the excess with my Dremel and then sanded to the final shape using a die grinder and an 80g disc. (yes, those wheels in the background are STILL getting attention with scotchbrite)





Keep in mind I am going to cover the entire seat with black vinyl or even leather so the minor waves / imperfections aren't a big deal.

Also have sand blasted or wire wheeled more bits and painted with the VHT epoxy paint. Sprocket, air box side trim, ends of the axles and rear caliper mount along with various fasteners.



I must say I am impressed with this paint, great care was taken on the fasteners I have already installed, but it held up very well.

Last night I started something new to me. years ago I got a "Ding-King" for Christmas, you know one of those "AS SEEN ON TV!" things.

I never took much faith it how well it would perform miracles so I just threw it under my work bench for a decade. Well, this bikes tank has about 6 dents in it ranging from a half inch to the largest about 2 inches. I knew I was going to have to bondo it anyway so... what the heck.
Perforated Bovine... IT WORKS!!! Slow and steady is the case here, each time the puller pops, the dent is pulled out just a little bit more. The instructions say up to 10 pulls may be needed and that is about right. After a couple hours I have 4 of the worst dents out to where you can barely see it in the reflection and feel it... but a few more hours and the tank should be in good shape.
Today the Mailman will be bringing my carb o-rings kit I ordered from Mr. Barr and now that my paypal is back up, I am next going to order my tires-n-tubes from Motorcycle-Superstore. Next week is going to be FUN!

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Hit a snag in the carb O/H. Having a spare rack I thought this would be a piece of cake. Brought home a fresh can of Berrymans and about 4 cans of carb cleaner and cleared off the engine bench.



Started out interesting with the first one being #4 so sludged up the float pivot was inside a solid mass of goo. Lots of pre-cleaning needed just to disassemble before the dip.
The flats on #1's fuel mixture screw is stripped where the PO must have had a rough time with it. No big deal I thought, I got a whole nother rack here... WRONG! Those mixture screws are ALL stripped!
So I went ahead and dissassembled the original carb to a bare body and chucked between wood blocks in the bench vise. Then soaked it with PB blaster overnight. I went out the next morning and hit just the mixture screw tower with the propane torch. I was able to get it to move about 3/4 of a turn by pushing REALLY hard with the good Snap-On screwdiver. But then it got tight agian and the screwdriver just slips. Hosed it down again and gave up for the night.
Good news is the first carb came out of the dip really nice. The spring loaded plunger in the needle valve is stuck but I have freed those up in the past by soaking in PB blaster as well.
Now how in the heck am I going to get that mixture screw out.... Hmmmmmm.