FZR600 Neo-Cafe

The Limey

Evil English Villain
As mentioned in my intro post, I've just started work on a 1991 Cafe type project.

I've had a think, and I'm pretty sure that no matter what I do it'll never look like it was made in 1960! However, the Cafe racer ethos appeals, and I've planned a machine that's going to be true to the ideals of simplicity, light weight, minimal bodywork, racy seating position, simple styling. I could so easily have gone the Streetfighter route, but I find the motocross-barred-erect-seat-unit-blingy-paint-in-your-face-look a bit hard on the eye (although I'm cool if you dig it!), so I'm after the simpler, more discrete, stylish look. Imagine that 1960 had taken place in 1991 and the boys have stripped a Fizzer to it's bare essentials for night-time blasts down the Western Avenue, and you'll be in the right place. Plans...

Performance:

Even on a bad day, its a sub 12-second, 140+ mile an hour machine. That's absolutely ample for someone who's knocking on a bit (like me!) in a country where the fastest you can legally go is 70. However, the engine will be checked over and rebuilt as required to ensure that it is running A1, and may be geared down a tooth.

Handling+brakes:

I'm a big chap, 6'4" and 265lbs. I do fit on a Fizzer quite comfortably, but my mighty muscled torso (or flabby spare tyre, as my Wife so unkindly describes it) is a lot for such a middleweight. Fortunately the previous owner as also a hunk like me and it's had a Haybusa rear shock conversion, so the featherlight Fizzer is an easy job for such a shock to manage. Forks are in good order, so I'll refurish and look at some heavier springs.

Brakes are 4 pot calipers on the front, and seem clean and free, so I may just rebuild and repaint. I'll keep an eye on eBlag for a set of 'blue spot' jobs, but I'm happy to re-use what I have.

Looks:

A lot of this will be determined by my wallet, as I retire from full-time work this year. Some will be by the limitations of such a machine itself. Nevertheless, the plan is retain the standard clip ons, bin the fairing, standard tank cover, R6 seat unit heavily modified and slimmed down to a) make it fit, and b) keep it looking subtle. Frame, wheels, engine, as much detailing as possible in gloss black,no fairing, 7" round headlamp, single speedo and wally lamps in the tank, topped off with I think the Martini Racing livery, white with the slim red and blue stripes - contemporary to it's era, but simple and uncluttered.

So the last few days I've...

Polished the supplied silencer. It was an easy win, and a good place to start...

DSCN0019.jpg


Front mudgard/fender bobbed about an inch off either end, and prepped for paint. Can't bob such things too much over here of when one goes for the MOT (annual government roadworthiness inspection) the tester gets angry and is liable to foam at the mouth and not offer you a cup of tea while you wait...

DSCN0021.jpg


Next I broke out a can of gloss Hammerite smooth, roughly equivalent to your Rustoleum, and attacked the starter, fuel tank stay, and exhaust collector hanger...

DSCN0023.jpg


Then did the same to some engine mount spacers, clip ons and clutch lever...

DSCN0022.jpg


Next off it was out with the metal polish to attack the heel plates and front fork brace. Stupidly I didn't photograph them before slipping them in a freezer bag and giving them a squirt of ZX54 ready for storage...

DSCN0020.jpg


Today I've been stripping carbs. I was expecting some dreadful mess, but was pleased to find the slides aren't scored, the floats are intact, diaphragms are sound, needles and emulsion tubes aren't visibly worn. Very happy. A good clean inside and out, reassemble, and they'll be wrpped up and added to the box labelled "Thank F*** these Bits Are Finished!"

More pics as things slowly progress.
 
This isn't the exact look I'm going for, but it's in the ballpark. Quite nice, eh?
 

Attachments

  • Inspiration.jpg
    Inspiration.jpg
    13.8 KB · Views: 2,141
Thanks Von. I'd be interested to hear about yours too. In the UK we got a strictly limited edition version with John Kocinski paint and signature, and bundled in with the spares is a tank cover and front fender from one of those, so I may slap them on eBay to raise some pennies.

Once the carbs are clean and reassembled then my next job is to drop the swinger off the frame and extract the shock. The damper looks in good order with no leaking, but the spring is corroded and that would never do.
 
Carbs clean and reassembled. I did contemplate polishing the bodies, but in the end I didn't. I have no polishing gear so it would have to be done by hand, and they're out of sight between the frame spars, so I'm happy to just know they're clean...

DSCN0024.jpg


Rear lamp also cleaned. I'm not sure I'll be reusing it yet as that depends on the dimensions of the final seat build, but it's now done anyway and on stand-by for deployment if required.
 
More progress today. Done some prep on the dummy fuel tank, filling, rubbing, and a couple of layers of hi build primer. I'll let the primer settle and cure fora couple of days and then give it another rub down and some more primer, and repeat until I'm happy with the result.

I also removed the fuel pump and filter set up and brackets. All the mounting rubbers have been carefully cleaned and are in good order, plenty smart enough to re-use. The pump has been stripped, inspected and the contact breaker points within cleaned up. It's then been reassembled and the pump and bracket given a coat of silver enamel paint. Once the paint has cured and I've reassembled I'll post up a pic.
 
Today I finished stripping the frame. Swing arm (swinging fork if you're being picky), shock and linkage removed.

Shock needs to go in the vice so I can undo the pre load collars and strip it down. Unfortunately, my vice isn't yet fitted my new bench so I need to sort that out first.

I'm pleased that all the bearings are very smooth and in good order, and all have thick coating of clean looking grease. Clearly this machine was well looked after at some point in its life.

Started rubbing down the swingarm for paint. Taking my time, it'll be a few days before it's ready for rust treatment and priming.
 
Done some rubbing down of the swing arm ready for paint. Some minor rust which I've rubbed down, but will treat it with Kurust prior to paint.

Rear sprocket it filthy, but unworn. The machining marks are still visible on the sprocket teeth. Cush drive rubbers also appear virtually new. Whole lot cleaned up very nicely, no painting required.
 
Nice, that's like the GL Ibam stealing parts off, it's an 81 has 3500 km on the clocks, I didn't believe it until I saw the bearings and brakes and other wear parts, like new under a very thick layer of crud.
 
Thick greasy crud is good. It looks awful and helps lower prices, but preserves the goodness underneath for those of us willing to go hunting for it.
 
Yep. My buddies keep coming over as I get a new bit cleaned and mounted and they can't believe it came of the crusty parts bike. ;D
 
Been looking on ebay for an FZR 600/1000 for a while, there seems some good deals to be had.
Just being a nosey bugger, where in the UK are you.
 
Here's a before pic of the fuel pump. Filthier than a night with Carol Vorderman and a keg of Guinness.

DSCN0025.jpg


'After' pics due soon.

Here's the swigarm prepped and painted...

DSCN0026.jpg


It's been sprayed with black Hammerite. Now, I thought long and hard about the choice of finish. Much as I love it, powder coat was out on economic grounds. I seriously considered enamel gloss black such as PJ1, but I've decided I don't want a facory look to components, but more of a hand-finished look. That's not to say sloppy or nasty, as I'm going to make sure everything is meticulously painted, polished or plated etc, but I don't want the components to look like they've just plopped off the conveyor at the factory - if I wanted that I may as well buy a new bike (and I am, that'll be the 650 Burgervan I've promised myself as a retirement pressent). I want them to look like they've been done by an an enthusiast at home, but done well, with care and effort.

Well, it's done now!
 
I like the hammered finish, it hides flaws in the metal and is durable etc. Great for frames, swingers etc.
 
Thanks buddy - I'm liking you more and more! ;D

I'll do the frame in hammered black as well. It's a right royal ballache to reassemble without damaging paint, but nothing I haven't done before. Everything else will be gloss black, except for the crank cases which I'm thinking of doing in wrinkle.

Tomorrow is time for a bit more rubbing of the tank, some more work on the rear wheel, and a tidy up of the man cave.
 
I have used 3-4 different hammered colours on bikes, Did a 450T frame and swinger in silver, My CX has a cast iron hammered paint and it looks great, best part is, you don't worry about runs or anything with the way it lays and it fixes itself. I have used both spray and brush. it is good for hangers, footpeg brackets and all that too.
 
And today I have been filling and wet sanding the fuel tank cover. A bit more priming tomorrow, then a final rub, then a final prime and leave to cure for a week or two before paint to allow for any sinking or shrinking. It's a slow, tedious, tiresome, utter ballache, but there ain't no substitute for time and patience. Anything South of perfection just won't do.
 
Back
Top Bottom