1980 GS750L total rebuild from ground up to Cafe style

[NickyGS750]

Productive day... cleaned carbs, stripped some painted pieces (took awhile on these for some odd reason, paint just didnt want to come off)
And started a new batch of electrolysis on about 20 parts crammed into (not touching) into a little tub. Finished up electrolysis on the fuel tank... and now going to attempt to remove emblem brackets on fuel tank to get after that rust.

20 parts in tub




Stripping paint on calipers, engine mount and front peg brackets.

[Fjbj40]

Yummy, paint stripper! What you going to spray them with? Do you have a blast cabinet?

Zipping right along you are

[NickyGS750]

Yummy, paint stripper! What you going to spray them with? Do you have a blast cabinet?

Zipping right along you are

Ya, horrible stuff... but gets the job done. Itll be with a baking soda media. No cabinet, since soda is cheap and washes away i just do it outside of my shop.
Sure am! Want to get all the preping done as soon as possible... over and done with

[Sam 78 GS750]

Looking really great! Quick question on the electrolysis for the tank. How do you dry it out to prevent flash rust? WD40 and then compressed air? Another method?

[NickyGS750]

Looking really great! Quick question on the electrolysis for the tank. How do you dry it out to prevent flash rust? WD40 and then compressed air? Another method?

Thank you! I generally use BP blaster for flash rust, same with storing parts wrapped in plastic. Wd40 works great too. Compressed air and let it sit in front of a heater on low. Another trick i learned was to hang a silica bag inside it, just another way to help pervent moisture especially if you seal up the tank.

[NickyGS750]

Did a little debadging on the gas tank. Those things were really on there. Figured id be drilling through the tank, even being careful it actually happened. I might just end up cutting that dented section out and tack/weld a new piece in it, lots of the rust pitting.
Also that rust jelly sure doesnt work like it used to... im going on 5 coats on each side so far...

[NickyGS750]

So many little parts to keep track of, tedious cleaning... i cant be the only one who hates all these phillip head screws on these bikes... one major thing im changing... all the phillips screws into hex... make life easier.

[jabcb]

They aren’t phillips head screws if they are stock. They are JIS. Get some good JIS screw drivers & you will like them a lot more.

[NickyGS750]

They aren’t phillips head screws if they are stock. They are JIS. Get some good JIS screw drivers & you will like them a lot more.

True... i did happen to find out they were JIS screws 3/4's through the tear down of the bike, was a little too late then haha.
But ya every JIS screw will be replaced with a Hex. Lot of screw measurements to write down....
At least there is a hex set for the carbs already at z1.

Scratch writing down measurements haha... literally just found a complete hex set on ebay
https://m.ebay.com/itm/SUZUKI-GS-750...-/121792632178

[Fjbj40]

Use Hoppes#9 bore cleaner for your brass carb parts, you will never get them cleaner! Rinse with IPA after, not IPA beer though, that's to enjoy while they are soaking

[NickyGS750]

Use Hoppes#9 bore cleaner for your brass carb parts, you will never get them cleaner! Rinse with IPA after, not IPA beer though, that's to enjoy while they are soaking

Good point!! I have a bunch, why didnt i think of that haha thank you! IPA yes! Now you're talking!

[nvr2old]

Did a little debadging on the gas tank. Those things were really on there. Figured id be drilling through the tank, even being careful it actually happened. I might just end up cutting that dented section out and tack/weld a new piece in it, lots of the rust pitting.
Also that rust jelly sure doesnt work like it used to... im going on 5 coats on each side so far...

I wouldn't worry about cutting out that whole section and replacing it. Maybe just take a wire wheel on a drill to it at this stage, get it as clean as possible, and tig weld the hole(s) closed. Then just fill it with a good quality body filler. So much easier.

[NickyGS750]

I wouldn't worry about cutting out that whole section and replacing it. Maybe just take a wire wheel on a drill to it at this stage, get it as clean as possible, and tig weld the hole(s) closed. Then just fill it with a good quality body filler. So much easier.

True! Gotta get some filler made for powder coating tho... some good ol Alvins lab metal

[nvr2old]

I didn't know there was a filler that will stand up to the heat of powder coating. I've never heard of Alvins lab metal. Is it a product that can be sanded smooth to the point of scratches not showing up under powder coat..especially black..which reveals everything?

[jsandidge]

I've heard the lab metal is good, but I haven't used it. What I have used is regular ol' JB weld. Works just fine.