My 78 GS550 Cafe Project!

[pozzi]

I made the rear seat/cowl out of fiberglass as well....I used some 1/2" plywood and cut my seat base......Chopped off some of the rear frame.......took some green shaping foam (bought it at Michaels Hobby...its used to stick fake plants in) and glued it to the rear of th seat......Shaped the foam to my liking.......masked the whole seat and layed about 6 layers of fiberglass matt and cloth.....Sanded it down....added some body filler to smooth things out....and presto.....I got a new seat!.....I also had to make another fiberglass base for the actual foam part of the seat....so the assembly is actually 2 pieces.


Heres how my side covers are turning out.....I layed another couple of layers of fiberglass matt and cloth.....then I cut it to its general shape.

I still need to do some shaping and filler to round things out:

okay, bhppy101...yer my new hero!

dang bro, wanna whip up a nice triangular set of side covers for my 450?

thanks for the inspiration on the DIY...i was thinking about fabbing much of my own bodywork like yourself (seat, side covers, etc...) and you have motivated me to jump in and gett'er dun myself!

keep us updated once you paint those side covers to match.

BTW: how much glasswork experience do you have prior to this?


i've never really messed w/ it on my own but have helped others in the past myself. if i take my time, i don't think it can be all that hard.

[bhppy101]

okay, bhppy101...yer my new hero!

dang bro, wanna whip up a nice triangular set of side covers for my 450?

thanks for the inspiration on the DIY...i was thinking about fabbing much of my own bodywork like yourself (seat, side covers, etc...) and you have motivated me to jump in and gett'er dun myself!

keep us updated once you paint those side covers to match.

BTW: how much glasswork experience do you have prior to this?


i've never really messed w/ it on my own but have helped others in the past myself. if i take my time, i don't think it can be all that hard.

I am by far not a professional at glassing.....lol....I have done a few things with car repair....but believe it or not....I mostly used fiberglass with my RC glider addiction! I fly high end fiberglass/kevlar rc gliders and have been repairing them the for years.

Glass is really easy once you get the hang of it and keep a mental picture of how you want your finished product to turn out.
Just remember....the glass is just the structual base....you have to shape and add to it to make it asthetically pleasing to the eye.

I plan on finishing these up tonight and I will post some pics of it as soon as they are done.

Thanks for the compliments!

[QuaiChangKane]

Very, VERY cool.


I'd definitely get rid of the guages, and get a 4-1 pipe (unbaffled, of course).

Get rid of the chrome springs on the shocks, and bob that front fender. Personally, I'd have left it with no side panels, and relocated the batter to the tale with a gel-cell.


But nice work on the panels, and it really pops with the silver paint.


-Q!

[xmishx]

bhppy101,

Fantastic work!!! I'm glad I caught this thread. I don't have the skillz you do, but you bring on great ideas! I look forward to more updates.

[Busafied]

I have been waiting patiently for someone else to make some side panels...
You could definately make some money producing Side panels for GS's
Many people always looking for replacements-
I have contemplated doing some, but do not have the time with my schedule
Great work BTW, impressive :-D

Also note:

You only need these circuits to run your street bike-

a) Start/Run
b) Charge
c) Lights (street use)

[bhppy101]

Thanks for all of the comps....I havent had much time in the past week to finish them....I took my carbs out and found out that I need some new intake boots.....so I won't be able to ride for a week or two....which really sucks! I am trying to locate some boots because the stealership has to order them. $34 bucks a pop! I guess you gotta do watcha gotta do.:shock:

I am buying some origonal panels and I might be able to reproduce some duplicates... We'll see!

[bhppy101]

Ok...heres a quick update....please excuse the mess in the garage....

I chopped the front fender and made my first polishing pass at the front forks

Painted and rebuilt the front calipers and added new pads

added some pinstripes and a few checkers

painted the new side panels (thanks to zookII) black

Took the idiot cluster out and I'm fabbing up a mounting bracket for the speedo and tach

[bhppy101]

MAN.....What a mess!!!!!!!

I should be getting my intake boots and getting her back on the road tomorrow....and should have garage again!....lol

[kilroy]

Double check your servo linkages .Do you fly slope?

[bhppy101]

Double check your servo linkages .Do you fly slope?

LOL.....

Mostly slope! F3F and some combat.....some high power brushless hotliners and helis as well.

[pozzi]

looks good bhppy!
side covers look clean.

i like the pinstriping and checkers!
nice classic cafe touch.
was that your stock chrome front fender you bobbed?
i'm always sketchy about painting over chrome.

keep the updates coming...
i dig this project!

[kilroy]

Cool.Glad to see another AMA'er in here.NICE job on the bike.Very tasteful.Keep it up..

[hildy]

bars?

Nice work, man! I am in the process of turning my 78 550 into a cafe right now. How did you get the master cylinder to fit on the bars without knocking into the fork?

[bhppy101]

Cool.Glad to see another AMA'er in here.NICE job on the bike.Very tasteful.Keep it up..

Yep....I see that you are also a part of RCgroups....

Thanks

[bhppy101]

looks good bhppy!
side covers look clean.

i like the pinstriping and checkers!
nice classic cafe touch.
was that your stock chrome front fender you bobbed?
i'm always sketchy about painting over chrome.

keep the updates coming...
i dig this project!

Thanks.....That is the stock fender.... I sanded down the chrome with 80 grit....than primered.....and then paint and clear. I think it will be ok....Just as long as you have a good surface to adhere to.