From dull to unexpected Bling

[Agemax]

Well, after my long search i finally found a nice set of aluminium headlight brackets that fit the 37mm forks, not crappy universal ones.
My next quest was to obtain some chrome bottom clock covers. Hours, days even i spent searching ebay, websites, other forums, bike accessory shops across the globe with out a glimmer of success.
So i came to the conclusion there was only one option left, to get mine chromed!
After stripping off at least five coats of paint and primer, to my surprise the covers were actually chrome underneath!!!!
A few hours of cleaning and polishing they came up ok, not perfect but someone had obviously "scuffed" them up when they originally sprayed them and the chrome in places is looking a bit thin. No rust though.
so now i am happy and will keep them as is until i can find the money to get them rechromed.(quoted £50)

[Ice]

You never looked at other pictures of your bike to see that they were chrome? :P Very nice though.

So what exactly did you end up finding for the headlight brackets?

[Agemax]

You never looked at other pictures of your bike to see that they were chrome? :P Very nice though.

So what exactly did you end up finding for the headlight brackets?

the covers were black from the day i bought the bike. i guessed that was from the factory.
the headlight brackets are these......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190721611625?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1954wt_1271

[Agemax]

were these covers chrome as standard on a 78 GS1000EC ?

[tatu]

were these covers chrome as standard on a 78 GS1000EC ?

Absolutely, I've never seen anythings else other than chromed, they come up on ebay often.


Did you make your yolks yourself?

[Agemax]

i have been searching ebay for weeks, including ebay.com.
there are a few about for the GT and L models which dont fit, i have never seen any for an EC. there was one for a tacho cover only but he dissapeared off ebay.
the yokes i designed myself and got a local machine shop to make them. i "acquired" the aluminium for nothing!

[tatu]

i have been searching ebay for weeks, including ebay.com.
there are a few about for the GT and L models which dont fit, i have never seen any for an EC. there was one for a tacho cover only but he dissapeared off ebay.
the yokes i designed myself and got a local machine shop to make them. i "acquired" the aluminium for nothing!

I'll keep my eyes open for some, have you tried Robbo's in Canterbury?

[hampshirehog]

CMSNL have one of each left new:

http://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs1000-c-ec-n-en-1978-1979-usa_model15988/partslist/95423.html#results

[Agemax]

as mine are actually in fairly good nick, im going to get them rechromed. probably cheaper than buying another set anyway plus i know they will be spot on then. cheers anyway

[chuck hahn]

Super easy chrome removal recipie

Take 2 cups Muratic acid to 3 gallons of water in a big plastic bucket. Use some 10 guage house wire and make a loop that will fit around the top edge of the bucket and add pieces of wire the depth of the bucket that will hang down inside along the bucket wall. Use another piece of wire and a wooden dowel to suspend the part you want cleaned into the solution. DO NOT let the positive and negative wires or the part touch each other. Use a battery charger set at the 2 amp setting and connect the NEGATIVE to the wire and anodes running down the sides of the bucket. Connect the POSITVE to the piece of wire suspending the part. Plug in the charger and just wait till all the platiing has run of the parts. Then dunk the parts in a strong mix of baking soda water to neutralise the acid rection on the base metal. Dry it immediately to minimise flash rust.

[Agemax]

thanks Wally but i can get mine rechromed for cheaper than their asking price.
Chuck, i dont need to remove the old chrome,that will be included in the price of getting them rechromed

[chuck hahn]

I posted as a general info to anyone needing the chrome gone..for painting or whatever. Some places that do Zinc coatings wont even touch anything with chrome on it over here unless the chrome is removed by the customer first. If the EPA finds even am trace of chromium in their tanks they are in for some heavy fines. Just went thru it all with the hardware for the Harvets Classic auction bike we are doing.

[Agemax]

ah i see Chuck, nice one. the company i got the quote for rechroming said old chrome was not a problem for them.

[chuck hahn]

It isnt...long as they are already licensed for chroming. If your licensed for Zinc and the feds test your stuff here, you better not have any traces o chromium!!!

[Agemax]

oh i see. we dont get that problem over here