GS-550L to GS-674 Frankenbike project

Today I wanted to get some work done on the bike. It's been so cold lately that I haven't felt like working on it, but today it was finally nice and warm.

I got one half of the case painted silver (VHT engine aluminum), it came out really nice actually. The metallic in the paint smoothes out very well and it's already hardened.

imag1468.jpg

imag1469.jpg



The bottom half of the case got primered, along with the valve cover and breather.
imag1470.jpg

imag1471.jpg

imag1472t.jpg



Once it's painted I can get off my ass and finally start assembling the lower end. The cylinder and cylinder head need a lot more scrubbing though, I've gone through two cans of Gunk Gel and hours of scrubbing.... Ugh they're a mess.
 
The gloomy overcast morning cleared up and so I took the opportunity to get some work done. I got out and sprayed a few engine parts that needed to be painted and then made a trip to the hardware store.

fairingmount.jpg

I saw this fairing bracket online and it looks perfect fit what I need. If I had a welder I could make something much better but unfortunately I don't.

I wanted to reproduce the fairing bracket but that one is steel and I only have a vice to bend the metal. I found some aluminum instead but it was only 3ft long and $9.89 a piece... So I looked around and found aluminum yard sticks that were the same thickness but wider and longer.

imag1493z.jpg

$8.89 each for the yard stick, plus a 15% off coupon they were handing out, score.



imag1496.jpg

The fairing with the headlight mocked up.



I kinda messed up on the first bend, I tried to get a smoother curve and screwed it up a bit. Oh well, I'll either try to straighten it out just cut that part off.


imag1498.jpg

First one!

imag1499.jpg

Second one!



imag1507.jpg


imag1509.jpg

Newly painted parts.


imag1514.jpg

Mount 75% done. It still needs some tweaking and trimming, the back needs to be cut to length but its mostly there. It clamps to the frame and I'll run a bolt through it using one of the existing holes in the frame neck. I had to lower my clip ons though to keep the bars from hitting the inside of the wings.

Its more then sturdy enough to hold up the headlight, and once I tap and die some aluminium rods for the upper and lower wing portions it'll be really solid.
 
The mount needed to be shortened by about four inches so I had to redo the whole rear portion again. It's sort of on there, it needs another bolt on either side of the headlight though.


1359327427963.jpg


1359327433032.jpg


1359327437973.jpg


1359327442909.jpg




If you're looking to get a fairing, honestly I would go with Glass from the Past. My Airtech isn't too bad but I need to do a lot of surface prep and the cuts aren't very smooth (and the headlight cut was done pretty sloppily). GFTP sells theirs with a windscreen too, and from what I've seen the quality is much better. I'll only be saving about $50 once I get the windscreen from Gustaffsons, not really worth it tbh.
 
Thanks guys :), hopefully it'll be back together by the beginning of riding season.
 
Thanks guys, mounting this thing is a real pita but it'll be worth it.


Today I made a trip to the hardware store after work to get the bolts I needed for my fairing mount. I also picked up a dremel bit I needed to finish clearancing the block, I needed to take off a few mm here and there for it to lay flat. It took me like two weeks to get around to that :-\ I didn't feel like fighting it.

imag1572c.jpg

The heads still need paint though.

imag1575.jpg



I tossed the cylinders in my Berrymans carb dip, I'll check on them in the morning.
imag1577.jpg
 
I finally got a lot of work done today :D. I had a friend stop by in the morning and we scrubbed the hell out of the combustion chambers.

imag1592s.jpg

Shinyy.

The pistons got a light scrubbing after their carb dip bath.
imag1593q.jpg



I was gonna call it a day but decided to just get it over with and put the bottom end back together. It took me a bit to figure out that it needed to be upside down ::)
imag1595.jpg


The shifter shaft seal was a huge pita to remove but I figured I should replace it while I had the chance.
imag1596s.jpg


Threw the new seal in the freezer
imag1598m.jpg


Good as new
imag1599.jpg



Cleaning the crankcase bolts. One got thrown into a pile of junk, thankfully in found it.
imag1601c.jpg



Victory! I got to borrow a really nice Snap On digital torque wrench. I really need to buy myself one, its amazing.
imag1603.jpg
 
Kick start mockup :D
imag1604p.jpg



650 ignition advance. The 650 has a weird red bung that I think is a ground... Its a green/yellow wire? Its just hanging loose here for now.
imag1606t.jpg



End of day mockup.
imag1610.jpg



Tomorrow I may put on the rings... I'll see if I feel up to it, I gotta read up more. The valve stem seals need replacing too though.
 
I didn't get too much accomplished today, I needed to get the cylinders painted before I can install the pistons though.


After one last scrub, and sanding all the flaking paint and clear coat I could get to.
imag1614s.jpg


Primer
imag1616.jpg


Paint! I went with a semigloss black, hopefully it'll be easier to clean then gloss.
imag1622v.jpg


imag1624.jpg
 
I did a few things after I got home today, mostly putting the clutch back together. The basket had some pretty bad grooves and I know you're not supposed to, but I filed them a little. Not to the point where they were totally gone, I just wanted to knock the edges off and smooth them out.

It was only bad on one half of it actually, which makes sense now. When I first took it apart and measured the springs, half of them were within spec and half were way under. I didn't make much sense at the time, but now I can see how one side could be more compressed...
imag1633.jpg



imag1646q.jpg


A little better, still there but much smoother.
imag1648n.jpg



New OEM springs :)
imag1651.jpg



The difference between old and worn out, and brand new
imag1654d.jpg



Mostly installed. Im typing this now, and remind me before I start the bike, the big nut under the clutch basket is not torqued down yet. I know I'm gonna forget if I don't put it down here lol.
imag1655s.jpg
 
I had a little energy left, so I tested out doing a brushed finish on my ignition cover. Here it is before, I had sanded off the clearcoat earlier but never got farther then that.
imag1658.jpg



After a little bit of time on the wire wheel
imag1665z.jpg



Done. I think it looks fine, and it should be easier to maintain then polished. Plus I just don't want to put in all the work to polish it out, to be honest.
imag1669.jpg



Note to self: Sand off clearcoat first... Once it's bare aluminum it only needs a light touch with the wheel. Once I sand this, it should be uniform.
imag1671.jpg



Enough for one night
imag1673.jpg
 
Looking good Toasty!

Fwiw, aircraft stripper will take off that original clearcoat as well.
 
I just gotta say how much I appreciate your posts. I just started logging in, reading and trying to be somewhat active over the last week or so. I started up my first build project and most people would think I am crazy for even getting into this for the lack of tools and equipment I am working with. There are so many little things I just don't know, but I am not going to go a single step without reading posts like these first. Just looking at the difference from warn out springs and new ones is making me see that I probably should buy a new set for my 81' gs450e I am doing.

Thanks for posting and updating!!! It is inspiring me to be more involved in the online cafe community
 
Thanks! :) I'm glad that my posts are helping people. Learn from my mistakes! lol. Btw, if you haven't already register on www.thegsresources.com . Pretty much anything you need to know about the GS bikes is on there and everyone is really helpful.
 
Toast said:
Thanks! :) I'm glad that my posts are helping people. Learn from my mistakes! lol. Btw, if you haven't already register on www.thegsresources.com . Pretty much anything you need to know about the GS bikes is on there and everyone is really helpful.

As long as you are not chopping up a clean GS bike ;)
 
Back
Top Bottom