Left for dead

[Guest]

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[chuck hahn]

We arent talking about buying an entire bike for a specific part and you know it...but nice try. And the owner also state that if your looking for a nice tank expect tom pay a few hundred and up....so obviously he knows it also. See what the guys doing is just getting rid of the bike on the cheap...and his add seems to show he knows what hes looking at.

 

[Guest]

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[chuck hahn]

Check out Larrys gallery pics of both my E and C tanks...bet you cant tell which was the rotted out 50.00 tank that i welded up, filled in with some JB Weld, and did the Caswell kit on.

http://www.meticulousmotorcyclepainting.com/gallery.php

 

[Guest]

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[Guest]

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[Rob S.]

Yikes!

I think I'm going to spread some oil inside my spare tank.

 

[joe79]

One thing I do as a general rule is to not put anything in a tank for at least 7 full days. The instructions may say 24 hrs , but, the thickness of whatever settles down to the seams isnt what the thickness is say on the sides or the hump areas. The thicker areas may be skinned over BUT NOT FULLY CURED.....and thats usually where the eating or defects get a chance to start. A good week gives everything a excellent chance to be fully cured. We can haggle back and forth but the bottom line is that not a single tank of the dozens i have done for myself ( and others ) has ever exhibited 1 sign of fault.

And not a dig at what your approach is,..... but you mentioned a "restorer" . Is a 'restorer" someone that truely does what the eccence of the word means..which is to take something considered too far gone and RESTORE it ( to return to a functional and usable state ) or just someone that swaps out parts???? Like i said.....not a dig at what your solutions are..but I think of myself as a RESTORER because I actually get down and dirty and RESTORE parts

Heres that 50.00 tank that had the rear corner rotted out and i RESTORED it. Same tank Larry used for his gallery pics.

Nice job Chuck. Whats the name of the sealant you use? I've a battered old tank that I'll be using on a hybrid GS I'm building.

Like you I go for restoration as opposed to throwing money at a problem.

My rust free tank will always be better than your "restored" tank, why? Because I know what's under there. I want the best on my bikes. You do what makes YOU happy!

And I will always listen to the peasant who toils in the field when he warns of approaching storms, than the arrogance of the wealthy nobleman who believes expertise can be bought for a trinket of gold.

:dancing: :cat:

 

[chuck hahn]

On this skunk tank there were holes the size of your pinky finger in the back corner. I scraped the thin rust back to solid metal and then PATIENTLY took the MIG welder and Started making spot welds around and around the perimeter of the hole. Kept going round and round till it eventually closed up the holes.

Step 2 was to use the palm sander and sand the area to shape best I could.

Step 3 was wipe with soldering flux and heat it with a propane torch just so the solder would melt and put a layer of solder on to seal any micro cracks...and again sand it down. You can see trails on the tank where the flux ran down the side. All that above the corner is from the torch burning off the paint.

Step 4 was a further skimming of JB Weld..just because...LOL

Step 5 was the tank liner and sent it off to be painted.

 

[Guest]

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[chuck hahn]

Please help Busa out and let him have the links to all these ​NOS 1978 GS 1000 E/C tanks.........

 

[joe79]

As far as restorations go, give me a break Chuck. You and I aren't even in the same league.

You got that right, though I suspect unintentionally.

You're right, I do have the money and resources to do things the best way I deem fit,

Wow... How sad it must be to judge everything in life by monetary means. Including your bikes.

You are a shining example of the American dream.

...it doesn't take a whole lot of skills to line a gas tank.

But considerably more than simply bolting one to a frame.

If that's what you're hanging your hat on, you really need to get a life.

Holy cow.... what foolish arrogance.

 

[joe79]

Hes a parts swapper. He keeps harping that I expect to make a fortune selling my bikes...how he gets that idea I will never know. I have repeatedly stated I get a bike to rebuild and ride. My focus isnt on being a flipper like he is. I do a bike to reclaim it and that gives me a lot of satisfaction...thats why I do it. No other reason.

And so I respect your skills and knowledge. You get one of these for being a true biker....

PS Check out my 750 video in my sig line. I stripped and rebuilt the carbs, they've only been bench balanced but I'm pleased with how she ticks over.

Any suggestions or observations would be eagerly accepted.

 

[chuck hahn]

The way she runs is based on a syncronised "dance " if you will of a few things. Valve adjustment ( on a stone cold engine ), timing, good intake boots and orings, clamps that tighten well ( yes they do stretch ), and finally a good vacuum gauge syncing. Get all the maintenance done and within specs and she will be amazing!!!!

And be sure the cam chain tensioner is working and adjusted right. Find the 8 valve 750 manual here if you havent already.

http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS750_Service_Manual_early8valve.pdf

 

[busa1300]

Last weekend I went to Ohio to buy a complete parts bike for the tank....The price was $300, after two weeks he still had it, so I decided to make an offer ($200) and a 2 1/2 hour one way road trip to pick the poor bike up. The morning I got there, the guy told me the bike was stolen from the side of his trailer the night before.
I'm willing to consider a whole bike just for a tank, but I'm not driving thousands of miles for it. And I'm not interested in ripping a possibly good bike to bits, just so I can get a free tank out of it.
And since this bike will never be a restoration project while I own it, it is a resurrection of sorts... I have no perfect bikes, but I do have a desire to keep most correct in some form. Whether as from factory, or from a certain time period....I'm building this $300 GS1000 as just a cool old rider.
I have a GS1100 aluminum swingarm coming from Japan in another week or two (prices for them here in the states is outright robbery)...And hopefully some used Ohlins shocks if I can get them shipped, after that. The GS1000 was never offered in Japan, but the first generation Katana was from 1982 onward ....for many years. Which is what the swingarm is from.
Speaking of Katanas, I took mine to Indy for the Moto GP this weekend. ...And the Circle Center/Meridian cruise in...

 

[busa1300]

Just got all my paperwork finally together, using a process in Indiana to apply for a lost title....about 10 different things to get filled out and filled in.
But it checked out at the BMV, so now it's in the mail to Indy, to hopefully get a new clean and clear title for the 78 GS 1000.
Then I can start doing something on it without the concern it will never be legal to ride.

Slowly collecting parts for it (headlight and brackets/turn signals/wheels/aluminum swingarm)....no luck on a tank yet though...
Going to try and get exhaust off sometime this week and get that cleaned and buffed out. Might end up pulling motor out to clean up engine/frame better...if I'm motivated

Getting a soda blaster this week also to clean up my CBX head, so I can get that back together. And then get new pistons in, and head back on before it snows..... is first priority over the GS though.

 

[Spyder]

NO Honda should take priority over ANY GS. Unless you are getting paid to do it. And even then it's questionable...

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Well, you've already applied for a new title, but if that parts bike had still been available (not sold and the guy lying to you about it) it might have had title and you could have swapped all the good parts over to that.

 

[busa1300]

I understand your feelings, since this is a Suzuki site......
But I've had the CBX opened up for surgery for almost two years now......It's time to give it a chance to breath in some fuel and spit out fire again.nthego:



Then the next five bikes needing work will get their turn.....All Suzuki.......

 

[busa1300]

I could have used the frame, but this way, the good engine can stay where its at in it's own frame now.
The bike did have some good parts though...Tank/generator cover/wire wheels..... but I was thinking about it too much, and moved on it too slow