Smokin's 82 Kat Restorification project

[Smokinapankake]

Shin,

Thanks for the encouragement! The black was labeled semi-gloss; I think it turned out pretty good.

[Smokinapankake]

Some progress: swinger installed


Does the kickstand look like it sits way far out from the frame or is it just me? Yeah, yeah - the lower triple is the original painted color. In the interest of money, it stays that color because it is hidden under the bodywork anyway.



Rear master cylinder installed:

[Smokinapankake]

Rear reservoir disassembled; just need to find some glass to refill the sight glass hole:


I know the shocks look terrible and they are probably in worse shape inside. They will either get replaced or shipped out for refurb/overhaul. Anybody know what they are?

I'm guessing they are period correct (mid 80's) and would like to keep them rather than replace. Where should I send them when the time and $ comes?

[pontiacstogo]

I know the shocks look terrible and they are probably in worse shape inside. They will either get replaced or shipped out for refurb/overhaul. Anybody know what they are?

I'm guessing they are period correct (mid 80's) and would like to keep them rather than replace. Where should I send them when the time and $ comes?

Can't tell if they are early Fox or Works . Definitely plenty of people out there that can rebuild them for you (or you could do it yourself). The shafts look to be in good shape, and everything else can be cleaned up/restored.

[Mysuzyq]

I know the shocks look terrible and they are probably in worse shape inside. They will either get replaced or shipped out for refurb/overhaul. Anybody know what they are?

I'm guessing they are period correct (mid 80's) and would like to keep them rather than replace. Where should I send them when the time and $ comes?

Fox....you had asked earlier.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=137611&highlight=fox+street+shocks

Thor Lawson is the guy for Fox parts/rebuilds....comes highly recommended even by the Fox factory, though they have no affiliation. By all accounts, he does top-top notch work, and I can tell you personally, he is a super-nice guy.
Tony.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Some progress: swinger installed


Does the kickstand look like it sits way far out from the frame or is it just me? Yeah, yeah - the lower triple is the original painted color. In the interest of money, it stays that color because it is hidden under the bodywork anyway.



Rear master cylinder installed:

Hi Smokin', the quality of your Kat project pics are amazing!!! In answer to your sidestand question, it looks fine to me. When retracted my sidestand gap, measured in a straight line at 90 degrees from the outside of the frame tube to the outside edge of the sidestand foot is 138mm. Keep up the great work, cheers.

P.S. Looking at your down view pic of your sidestand I just noticed after measuring the gap on mine, the sidestands are mounted in a different postion. Your pic shows the foot of the stand going past the centre line of the gear selector shaft. On my Kat the sidestand foot ends before the gear selector shaft. I know mine has not been modified so perhaps for some reason the stand is mounted forward on the E24 compared to the position of your model? Stand length should be the same, gear selector rods should be the same length so the only thing left to explain the different postion of the stand when retracted would be the mounting position of the sidestand.

Measured from the rear of the left side engine mount plate welded to the frame tube to the front edge of the sidestand mounting plate welded to the frame on mine is 55mm. No earth shattering revelation here really, just something I found interesting and when it involves our Kats I like to know why! Cheers.

[Smokinapankake]

Fox....you had asked earlier.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=137611&highlight=fox+street+shocks

Thor Lawson is the guy for Fox parts/rebuilds....comes highly recommended even by the Fox factory, though they have no affiliation. By all accounts, he does top-top notch work, and I can tell you personally, he is a super-nice guy.
Tony.

Thanks Tony, I remember the thread but didn't remember you had given a more definitive answer than everyone else's guesses.

Thanks for that info Shin, this thing came from a yard sale several years back and if I had taken before shots you'd know it's seen a hard life. So with that being said, the kickstand could have come off anything. Did you mention how long your kick is (measured from pivot bolt to bottom, along the backside, please)?

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Hi Smokin', your sidestand is the OEM Suzuki item I didn't mean to imply it was anything else, sorry if it came accross that way. My sidestand from the centre of the pivot bolt to the tip of the sidestand is 322mm, measured in a straight line from point to point with a straight edge ruler on the outside of the stand. Using a flexi tape and following the stand contour the stand is 293mm from the centre of the pivot bolt to the bottom of the leg where it meets the base of the footplate,(this doesn't include the actual footplate, only the leg to where it meets the plate), this is the back or inside of the sidestand.

[Smokinapankake]

Hey Shin, thanks for the info, I'll go measure mine and see how it looks.

I was just saying that it could be anything on there, I don't know if its original or not. How would I know? Is there some marking on it somewhere or do you know the length it should be?

BTW, I'd love to see some pics of yours sometime. I love those wire wheel Kats. And thanks for the compliments on the pics, I just use my wife's camera and about the only adjustment I know to make is the flash on or off....

[Smokinapankake]

So after doing some searching on the net I've come up with this as a source for replacement brake fluid sight window glass:

http://www.esslinger.com/roundmineralglasscrystalx200mmthick.aspx

Many various diameters and thicknesses, surely one would be able to find something to fit....

And the prices are reasonable, too!

[Smokinapankake]

So lots of progress, and I've moved the pictures into a specified album on Photobucket so all my previous pictures display as moved or deleted.

Anywhoo, got some glass for the rear brake reservoir cut at a local stained glass shop, total 5 bux. Was looking at watch crystals which were really reasonable but shipping turned out to be a travesty. Epoxied (JB weld, actually) in the glass and all looks good. Stainless socket head cap screws. Sorry no pictures.

Then decided to get the tires mounted so I could put it on two wheels in the garage and out of the basement, but the shop installed the tires backwards (D'oh! - another 2 days to get them back). While the wheels/tires were out I decided to attack the brakes.

Stripped the calipers apart and found clean pistons. Installed new seals, reused the old dustboots because they were still soft n supple, but the rear caliper was missing one dustboot so that is on order. Fresh high temp grease on the pins for the front caliper, sanded, primed and painted the calipers with Dupli-color low gloss black engine paint, and the results speak for themselves:


On to the forks. New seals and fresh O-rings on the anti-dive units. New Silkolene 15 wt. oil. My manual calls for 227 ml of oil, if anyone is curious. Overhauled the anti-dive units; even though they are blocked off with no brake fluid coming into them as on stock, I wanted everything clean both inside and out. Primered and painted to match the wheels/frame:


The lower triple clamp got me feeling guilty so I painted it as well. I posted previously that it would stay factory finish, but it looked so out of place I couldn't rest easy without "fixing" it:


Rear wheel was a bit interesting; namely the sprocket carrier bolts. My stockers were in rough shape, but I didn't want to spend the money on shipping some new ones. Also, I don't like the look of those washer/plate things that connect two bolts together, so down to the local bolt 'n nut supplier for something better. Ended up with some grade 8.8 hex head cap screws (M10 x 1.25, 40 mm long) that screw into a nut on the inside of the sprocket carrier, blue loc-tited for security. Looks cleaner to my eye, and I like the black oxide finish on those bolts. If anyone sees any problem with this please let me know as I'd rather err on the side of caution etc... I know, I haven't gotten around to those rear shox yet, but they come off with relatively little hassle.


Sorry for the low picture count, I was too busy putting stuff together with greasy hands to mess with delicate electronics. I have a set of clip-ons off an XN-85 that are about 1 inch higher rise that need to go to powdercoat, along with top triple clamp, an ATK brand fork brace, front seat mount bracket, electrics panel and battery box. Then, on to wiring harness! My front master cylinder will also see some reworking as the screw heads are stripped out and the sight glass window will get the glass treatment as well.

I've been upgrading to stainless bolts and screws where practical and aesthetically pleasing, I plan to go with a full stainless socket head cap screw set for the engine when the time comes....

Lots of small stuff, but I think I'm on the downhill slide...

[tejasmud]

Very nice chassis there.

This deep in a project, I know exactly what you mean when you say "but it looked so out of place I couldn't rest easy without "fixing" it. "


Nice work.

Eric

[Smokinapankake]

Just for some frame of reference, this is how it looked before rehab:










The pictures make it look better than it really did, and I felt that being the absolute porn star of the motorcycle world, it deserved a better fate.

Hopefully by the time I'm done it will be respectable and presentable again

[Smokinapankake]

Some more progress:

My front master cylinder cap screws were difficult to remove. I chronicled the process better than I did for the rear reservoir.

Here we have a very unwilling recipient of my persuasions:


Here we have a little more ardent courting:


Here we see the chastity belt being unlocked - success!


Its all downhill from here:




How on earth do I press out the sight glass window? There is no access from behind other than the two holes:


I don't really want to pry on the stainless retaining ring/bezel:


Any help/suggestions are readily welcomed.

Thanks for your interest!

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Looking good Smokin', keep up the great work and those pics sure qualify as Adult Product! Cheers mate.