1982 GS450L Rebuild/Mod

[pete]

Good stuff on the paint. The POR 15 Blackcote is quite a thick self levelling paint so two coats is fine. If you're spraying, then yeah you definitely want enough coats for good coverage. I'm no expert at spraying though, just look at my paint thread

Robert Barr posted a little while ago that he was having trouble locating suitable O rings for the mixture screws, which is why they're currently unavailable.

I'd shoot him an email to see if he has found a new source yet or if he's at least able to send you the other ones.

If you need to get some elsewhere, make sure they're designed for use with fuel.

[GregNC]

Well I got a wicked cold the past couple days and have been basically bed ridden, pounding cold medicine and watching movies on my laptop. So no real progress on the bike. I did get the wheels all cleaned up. The frame has 3 coats of rattle can satin black. As does the swing arm, triple tree and engine mount tabs. I ordered the 450 carb combo from cycleorings. Thanks Rob. You rock. After this cold passes I'm planning on doing another coat or 2 of paint and then putting together my roller frame and scouting for savage shocks or something that's around 11'' to 10'' to drop my rear end a little. I'll throw some pics of the repainted parts up as soon as I can. I plan on finishing up this bike by my 25th birthday on March 26th. So bear with me, we got a little ways to go. With my low budget I'll do my best to keep rocking on this and keep you guys up to date as well. I havent come up with a name for the bike yet but I'm leaning towards stella. Has a classic hottie ring to it I think. Cheers from the beaches of North Carolina! and thanks for all the support!

[pete]

Well I got a wicked cold the past couple days and have been basically bed ridden, pounding cold medicine and watching movies on my laptop. So no real progress on the bike. I did get the wheels all cleaned up. The frame has 3 coats of rattle can satin black. As does the swing arm, triple tree and engine mount tabs. I ordered the 450 carb combo from cycleorings. Thanks Rob. You rock. After this cold passes I'm planning on doing another coat or 2 of paint and then putting together my roller frame and scouting for savage shocks or something that's around 11'' to 10'' to drop my rear end a little. I'll throw some pics of the repainted parts up as soon as I can. I plan on finishing up this bike by my 25th birthday on March 26th. So bear with me, we got a little ways to go. With my low budget I'll do my best to keep rocking on this and keep you guys up to date as well. I havent come up with a name for the bike yet but I'm leaning towards stella. Has a classic hottie ring to it I think. Cheers from the beaches of North Carolina! and thanks for all the support!

Mate that's a bit of a bugger on the cold! Glad you got at least something done on the bike though, helps when you can at least knock off some little stuff.

How realistic do you reckon that timeframe is for completion? The only reason I ask is that I initially said Christmas last year... well it's nearly Christmas this year now! Would be great to go for a blast on your birthday though

[GregNC]

I think that if I stay on my current work schedule and keep putting aside a bit of cash each week she'll definitely be ready to ride by march. Maybe not completely finished, but able to go for a spin. The engine is being professionally rebuilt by a custom bike shop here in town. I'll have that back before the end of november. All that's left for me to do right now is finish painting up my remaining parts I have already and start ordering new ones to throw back on here.

So far my list of new parts needed: Mini speedo, mini tach, headlight brackets, clutch cable, speedo cable, tach cable, front brake cable, turn signals, brakelight, starter button, killswitch, clutch spring, SS brake lines, grips, mirrors, gaiters. I'm also taking the stock seat, trimming the pan and foam and getting it reupholstered.

If I go a little past march on the rebuild it's ok but I definitely want to be done by summer. It's all just a matter of how much cash I can put aside for these new parts. Little by little we'll get there though. It helps having christmas and my birthday coming up. Great excuse to get some new parts from friends and family!

[pete]

Cool, that sounds doable

Try MikesXS for some of those parts you're looking for too, they have a good range of stuff.

Oh, and Chrissy presents are definitely a good way to get stuff, just send 'em all a list to choose from

[GregNC]

I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything. I've been really busy with work lately and I've had to put the project down to a minimal the past few weeks. Still, progress has been made! So I've completely torn down the bike, re-painted the frame cleaned up the wheels and shocks and forks. Painted the triple trees and handlebars. and well....I'll just show ya. Sorry about the quality of the pics, I broke my camera and have to use my laptop cam till I get another.

Started like this.



Tore it all down. Sprayed the frame.



After I got the rear suspension parts and wheel cleaned up I put it back together. I put the splash guard back on as well. It went a little too high for the tracker style seat I have planned so I chopped just the top part off it. You might also notice that I chopped the passenger support bar off as well. AFTER I painted. Bc that's whats happens when you plan poorly... Anyways, I'm gonna chop the tips off the rear frame rails and connect them via hoop.




That engine in the background is just waiting to get cracked open for a piston replacement. Or just a ring. I gotta get in there and see. The clutch side has almost no compression.



Put the forks back on and got the front wheel back under her.













She's rolling along nicely..... See what I did there?

[pete]

Greg I like where you're going with this, what sort of 'bars are those?

Instead of chopping the frame rails and doing a tracker seat, why not leave them and do a flat seat all the way back? Mind you, if true tracker style is what you're after that ain't gonna work

[GregNC]

Thanks pete. I'm not sure what kinda bars they are. They were on the bike when I got it. I like them though. Very low key and stylish, I like that they sweep back a bit, but not too much.

This is what I'm kinda leaning towards style wise.






I love the seat/rear fender set up on the spirit. and the fork boots too. Most of my vision for the final bike look comes from this.

[pete]

Aaaah I believe that's what they call brat style... no idea why...

But if that's what you want, then you could simply make a flat seat to go to the end of the frame rails and not have to trim or weld a thing

[GregNC]

Brat style. That's what I meant, good call.

I finally got a hold of a decent camera.







I used a cutting disc to cut off what I think was a helmet lock from behind the top of the shock. I accidentally went into the frame a bit. I'll weld over that hole and grind down all these rough spots and re-paint.





I think you're right pete, about keeping the tips of the frame rails. I do want to tuck the rear fender in more but I think I can still use the holes in the tips of the frame rails and just drill new holes towards the end of the fender to mount it back further.

[lmrmllr89]

The "helmet lock" was probably the steering lock....

[GregNC]

on the rear of the frame? I can't find it in the haynes manual

[lmrmllr89]

Yea.....sorry i misread. I thought you said by the fork......my bad....

[GregNC]

So I think I figured out why she only had half power....

[DannyMotor]

Sweet Jesus thats not gonna play nice with the other!

Does it line up with thr plug hole on an angle? Plug could be too long.