78 GS 750 Rebuild

Very nice build and process! Going to be a beautiful bike! Cant wait to see more!

[GSXR7ED]

Great rebuild! Thanks for the pics and narrative. You'll be enjoying the fruits of your labor soon!


Ed

[Sam 78 GS750]

Looking really good!

Thanks Steve. I'm starting to get my second wind on the build since it's actually starting to look like a bike again.

[Sam 78 GS750]

A few detail pics...

Front End
20180215_182459 by samL9, on Flickr

Rebuilt and polished the forks, polished and painted the wheels. Masking those rims was tedious to say the least...also surfaced and painted the rotors, and zinc plated all the old nasty hardware. Tires are Avon Roadriders.



and the rear.
20180215_182353 by samL9, on Flickr

Same stuff as the front as far as paint/polish. Also disassembled and repainted the shocks, and soaked the springs in some metal rescue...



A closer look at the zinc plating on the hardware (chain adjusters, axle, axle nut, etc.)
20180215_182247 by samL9, on Flickr



Center Stand. Zinc plating on the spring came out pretty good, I think...
20180215_182428 by samL9, on Flickr

Getting that spring on was interesting.


and another angle on the whole shebang.
20180215_182156 by samL9, on Flickr

[steveb922]

Looking really good!

[Sam 78 GS750]

...aaaaand we have a rolling chassis!

20180215_182549 by samL9, on Flickr

[Sam 78 GS750]

Have a few new pics...

For the engine, got the cams in and a few more bits and pieces on there...
[IMG]20180215_182026 by samL9, on Flickr[/IMG]

I'll be pulling the cam chain tensioner off at some point and polishing it up a bit.

I think I got the valve timing right, but the 3 arrow looks off. Was hoping some ppl could verify. Below pics were taken at 1-4 TDC

Exhaust Cam
20180215_181903 by samL9, on Flickr
Hard to see from this angle, but at eye level the #1 arrow is parallel and flush with the gasket surface.

Intake Cam
20180215_181820 by samL9, on Flickr
This is 20 pins, counted and recounted, and then recounted again... It looks to be advanced, but...

The notches on the cam ends line up perfectly...
20180215_181951 by samL9, on Flickr

I think I'm good, no strange noises or resistance when turning over by hand...

[Sam 78 GS750]

Thanks Lars. It's a labor of love...

[LarsKroghStea]

Great work

[Sam 78 GS750]

Made some really good progress lately. Engine's almost ready to go back in the frame, and I almost have a rolling chassis. Just need to pick up my wheels from the shop where the tires are getting installed. Super excited right now!

Cylinders masked off for deglaze/cross hatch.
20180112_175308 by samL9, on Flickr

Engine as she sits now. 2nd attempt on installing cylinders and head. Ripped the base gasket on the 1st attempt... Had to wait close to 3 weeks for an "in stock" gasket to ship. Showed as "preparing order" the whole time. 2nd order in a row from Partzilla where this happened. I need to find a new parts source. It's ok, because I just shifted my focus to the chassis until it came in, but it's annoying. Don't list something as in stock and "ships within 24 hours" if that's not the case. Either way, I definitely could have used 5 more hands to drops the cylinders on the pistons.
20180127_180517 by samL9, on Flickr

20180127_180533 by samL9, on Flickr

...and the frame. I'm finding myself doing a lot of sanding, filing, and thread chasing to get stuff to fit right with the powder coat, but it is what it is.
20180127_173059 by samL9, on Flickr

In other news, I went to John at Cycle Passions for the tire mounting on the recommendation from a couple of members here. He hasn't even done the work yet, and I'm already super thrilled with him. He handled my rims like they were precious diamonds or fragile and rare dinosaur eggs. He took one look at them and knew the work that I put into getting them to look like they do. I'll be going to John for anything I can't/won't/don't have the tools to do myself.

[Sam 78 GS750]

Bit of progress last night, and a bit of a snag...
Got the pistons in, and put a cross hatch on the cylinders. I ripped the base gasket trying to get it put together though, so engine assembly is on hold until a new one comes in. I ordered 2 just in case.

[Sam 78 GS750]

May i ask, did you have the head decked? I need to have mine done and not sure how much i should go

I did have the head decked, but not sure how much... the guy at the machine shop didn't specify...

[thebrandonbeezy]

Did, and ordered haha

[chuck hahn]

Wizards Power Seal is available online or at any Pilot Truck Stop in the US. Just google it.

[thebrandonbeezy]

May i ask, did you have the head decked? I need to have mine done and not sure how much i should go