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1981 Kawasaki GPz550: Restoration

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    Before I could paint the header & muffler, I tried to straighten the header down tubes which kissed a speed bump or something


    I used a steel flared pipe which luckily was just about the right size & the influencer


    After


    That wasn't so bad compared to straightening out the header flanges which were concaved inwards. It will be black on Sunday
    Last edited by srsupertrap; 06-21-2014, 07:52 PM.
    Steve

    1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

    Comment


      I loved my GPz 550. My first project streetbike. Such tough little mothers.
      "Thought he, it is a wicked world in all meridians; I'll die a pagan."
      ~Herman Melville

      2016 1200 Superlow
      1982 CB900f

      Comment


        GPz wheels came back from powder coater today. Still have to polish the rim lip. Sand the lip with 1500 wet then Blue Magic?

        Steve

        1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

        Comment


          Blue Magic is for chrome. You need Mother's for aluminum. Don't think you need to go finer than 800 either, unless you are after a chrome look.

          Wheels look great by the way!
          Ed

          To measure is to know.

          Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

          Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

          Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

          KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

          Comment


            Installed All Ball bearings with new seals. Not very impressed because after driving the bearings all the way in the wheel bearings wouldn't turn. Pried the spacer to the side, tapped the bearings out a smidge and everything was okay.Wet sanded the rims yesterday with 400, 600 & 1000



            Installed tires Conti today and managed to seat both tires with a bicycle air pump. I will drop them off this week at the local shop for high speed balancing.



            Fork caps are retained with circlips . . . kinda cheap. I was hoping for progressive suspensions springs but the fork oil was clean.

            Steve

            1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

            Comment


              The wheels look great Steve. What size tires did you go with?
              Ed

              To measure is to know.

              Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

              Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

              Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

              KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

              Comment


                Ed,
                I went with the stock sizes: 3.25-19 (F) and 4.00-18 (R). Now I know why there are few stock GPz chain guards out there. Most people notched them to make room for bigger tires or just removed them

                BTW, if anyone Forum members happen to see a 81 GPz550 seat or parts bike send me a PM. Those seats were a one year wonder . . . rarer than GS1000S mirrors.

                Thanks
                Steve
                Steve

                1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

                Comment


                  My front brake M/C was leaking a bit past the piston assembly. I would prefer to keep the original M/C and just replace the guts but not sure if the bore look salvagable? It's not pitted but the brake fluid very rusty as you can tell by the rust stains.

                  It's a 5/8" bore. What do you think?





                  Steve

                  1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

                  Comment


                    I think if you were to clean up that master you will find pitts in the metal. Maybe try some 800 grit sandpaper rolled into a tube and see how it looks. If you get lucky and there are no pitts, then I'd slam in a new OEM piston kit and paint the outside.
                    Ed

                    To measure is to know.

                    Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                    Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                    Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                    KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                    Comment


                      Well this project has not been exactly lucky . . . but I rolled up some 1000 grit on a wooden dowel and cleaned up the bore this morning and here are the results. I do have pitting evident in the M/C bore and it worse on the bottom than the top

                      Here are a couple of photos after showing the current state. Not horrible but there is pitting between were the two M/c plunger rubber seals reside in the bore in the uncompressed position. Questions below . . . .







                      Question:
                      1. Worth trying to repair it & hope for the best
                      2. If repairable how long could I dip the entire M/C housing in Berryman's to degrease it before it attacks the sight glass O-ring?
                      Steve

                      1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

                      Comment


                        i have a functioning 81 GPZ1100 5/8 master...just ugly from fluid damage.
                        not sure if it's the same.
                        my 82 took a different master so i changed it out.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by blowerbike View Post
                          i have a functioning 81 GPZ1100 5/8 master...just ugly from fluid damage.
                          not sure if it's the same.
                          my 82 took a different master so i changed it out.
                          Thanks! I wonder if the master bore has the same issue as mine?

                          I just checked the Kawasaki fische and the 81 GPz550 does share the same master with the KZ1100-B1 GPz (1981) p/n 43015-1081. BUT Kawi also lists a KZ1100-B2 GPz (1981) which uses p/n 43015-1085. Looks like the difference is were the brake line attaches to the Master. The one I have on the GPz550 looks like this

                          Steve

                          1979 GS1000E (45 Yrs), 1981 GPz550 (11 Yrs)

                          Comment


                            mine was working fine but the banjo attached to the end of the mc and caused fairing/fork cap clearance issues..
                            for my 82 the banjo should have attached in the front.
                            the one i removed looks like the one on the fiche above.

                            Comment


                              my mc window looks like glass..not fogged up or hazed/cracked.
                              no road rash or leaks...just bad paint plus after i bought my bike it got the super gunk and pressure wash treatment with all the body work removed.
                              the high pressure removed a lot of the bubbled up mc paint.
                              three pics coming.

                              Comment


                                and another..

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