$150 stinker Project.. 78 GS1000E

[sschering]

Another Project begins..

Last week I beat the weekend rush and snagged a 78 GS1000E for $150..
I got one of those title things too Nice to have those are..
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=165450

So now the fun starts..

First thing is to find a tank.. That Virago tank is a terrible fit.. They welded a bolt across the coil bracket for the tank bushings and hacked off the stock bushing studs.. (savages).. I have a plan to turn new parts to replace the missing bushing mounts..

Highway bars gota go.. They welded mounting tabs to the frame so I see a grinder in my future..

Sissy bar.. I'm not a fan.. It's outa here soon to appear in the for sale section with it's friend the highway bar..

Seat.. It's still the stock pan with a custom pad and cover.. It's honestly nice to sit on and in excellent shape (the cover not the pan.. pan is rusty)
I have another 78 seat here I think I'll put a new cover on. This one may go up for sale.

Exhaust.. hmm 4-1 would be nice.. maybe try and save that header and replace the big pipe they welded onto it.. I'll have to go fetch my bashed supertrap and see if I can make 1 good set of pipes..

Engine.. remove. inspect, clean, new gaskets and so on.. Maybe I'll get lucky and the PO will come up with those cams he said his son bought..

Forks need new seals.. (typical)

Wheels.. Do I keep the 18" rear? or find a 17"?

Swingarm.. I may have a GS1000E aluminum swinger kicking around here..
I also have a GSXR 750 swinger but I think it's going in the L later on with a fork/wheel upgrade.. maybe just ignore it for now..

Before I can really get started I have some fall cleaning to do but I can still plan and start collecting parts..


Here's the bike as it came home.. Little Louis getting the straps off his new bike.. (He claims ownership of all new vehicles at my house)

 

[kochic]

Hi,
nice project.
On a side note i have a 17'' gs1000e wheel.You can have it cheap.
marc

 

[trippivot]

I woke up in a soho doorway where a policeman knew my name. !!

I love the UK jack tank!! I immediately thought of THE WHO!!

long live the memory of Keith Moon

 

[ozman]

British skunk ?

 

[sschering]

The family I got it from is from England.. The bike isn't but they made it look the part..

Nice guy.. I like it when I can hang out for a bit and hear some cool stories.

 

[drejal]

looks a lot better in the sunlight than it did in the first pic!

nice find!

 

[sschering]

I'm giving some serious thought to stripping the good bits off the L to make this a runner sooner than later.. What I'll most likely do is work on painting the frame and fixing wiring over the winter then in the spring strip the L down for it's motor, exhaust, wheels and forks (I put E forks on it)..

My wife says I can't put the clubman bars on the E.. She thinks they are ugly and make the bike look sad like Eeyore..

Maybe she has a point.. maybe.. I still like the clubmans..

 

[Buffalo Bill]

What, what what?

What, what what?

Just to be curious, did you ask how the bike got that way?
On the serious side, what kind of compression does it have?
You got some work there Bro!
Bill

 

[Guest]

Great!

Great!

I'm just tickled it went to a knowledgable GSer, that can keep us up on the resto., if that's what you got in mind.

 

[scottychop]

subscribed!

 

[sschering]

Just to be curious, did you ask how the bike got that way?
On the serious side, what kind of compression does it have?
You got some work there Bro!
Bill

Compression is 0-0-0-0.. The head is on a box on the shelf

PO said it was a strong running bike but his son wanted more powah.. The son took the head off, planned to have some work done it it and performance cams installed.. He thinks his son ordered the gaskets and cams but can't fin d where he stashed them..

The son is off on Basic training now and Dad was left to clear out his house..


Tabs expired in August so it was a runner in the recent past..

The build plan..

I'll spend the winter stripping it down and repainting the frame, go through the wiring, forks, rebuild the carbs, new cables and so on..

We'll call it a 90% stock restoration with a few non permanent changes..
It will probably get the clubman bars and rear sets from my L.

Paint will be a stock if I can find a 78 tank..

A tank is on the way..
It's not a Skunk tank but it'll do until I can get one..

I suspect in the spring I'll borrow heavily from the 79 L to get the 78 on the road..

 

[sschering]

I got the tank in the mail today..
I got the complete lock set along with it so all the locks on the bike will match the cap..

I'd say this is a bit better than the British invasion.. It's got a few dents and dings but nothing that can't be fixed..

I'm trying to picture how this would look with the white painted black, blue painted white and the pin stripes in red and gold..

A Wes Cooley Skunk if you can picture it in your head.. The front fender has a massive dent in it from the highway bar so it'll will get sand blasted, smoothed out and painted to match the scheme.. Black with white stripes..

Yes I need to clean the shop.. It's a bit crowded with all the bikes and tools in there..

 

[deville]

cool. I like your black on white paint scheme. I 'Will' be watching.....

 

[Captainkirk]

I'll be watching this one. I have reduced my '78 1000E to a pile of parts now as well. I'm pretty much determined on going cafe, since there is no seat or tank or covers (etc, etc)

 

[sschering]

Well finally a bright spot on this bike..

unlike my other project bike the electrical is completely unmolested..

I put power to it last night.. headlight works, gauge lights, tail light running light, starter and so on.. Horn, Turn signals and brake light all not functional but that should be an easy fix.. They all share the orange/green power wire from the fuse box so it's a likely place to start looking..

 

[sschering]

1 year later.....

I spent the last year collecting parts, messing with other stuff and riding my 79.. Sold the 77 XS-400 to make space in the garage.. So sad to let my first bike go.

I think I'm ready to start on this one..

I got all the gaskets I need to put the engine back together so it's time to take it apart..

I got a good start over the weekend..

Pulled the jugs off.. quite a relief that the rings were not frozen.. It came off easy. Pistons and bores look ok.. Lot of cleaning to do.

As for the exhaust.. I got that covered.. Prepare for the pipe porn.. :dancing:

I also rounded up a set of 78 air boxes, and a set of K&N superbike bars, dyna ignition & coils.

Lots of options on how to go with it..

Do I go the restoration path and make it all stock..

or

throw in my 1100E swinger, K&N pods, slotted rotors, 8" light, clubman bars, bar end mirrors, tarozzi rear sets and so on..

 

[Flyboy]

This is going to be a goodie, I am along for the ride.:dancing:
I thought that was an XS400 in the background, I had one as well as one of my first bikes, still have fond memories of it.

 

[sschering]

Someone needs to talk me into starting work on this bike..

Sadly tempted to part it out and move on because I never find the time to work on it..
All I do is push it around the garage to get it out of my way.

 

[SVSooke]

Hey buddy work on your 78 1000,like I should talk.Mine languishing while I redo the 85 750:-\\\

 

[Guest]

Someone needs to talk me into starting work on this bike..

Sadly tempted to part it out and move on because I never find the time to work on it..
All I do is push it around the garage to get it out of my way.

With ya on that one..