'81 GL1100 'On The Road Again' (hopefully)

X

xci.ed6

Active Member
I inherited this bike from my late grandfather, and it needs a little bit of work to be roadworthy again. Primary objective is rebuilding the carbs, along with fresh fluids and filters throughout. Next up is a thorough brake inspection, new battery, and tires.

I'm not one to leave well enough alone, so I've already got a few modifications planned.

Seat:
smooth recover, or a brat style, can't decide. Needs to be a 2-up though. Sissy bar is as good as gone.

Tires:
whitewall maybe?

Lighting:
ditching the turn signals, thinking lucas style w/ plate bracket on the fender

Paint/body:
repaint white or black, ditching the fairing and trunk bag, silver wheels, GL1000 chrome fenders shortened up

Gauges:
new bracket to mount the clocks lower, toss the warning light cluster in favor of something integrated into the false gas tank

Exhaust:
repolish the pipes, can the cans, turndown tips

Suspension:
shorter rear shocks, straighter bars (2" rise/2" pullback), fresh fork seals and drop them through the clamps an inch or two




 
funniest thing...

that SAME exact sissy bar turned up in front of my house yesterday...

its going on my dads shadow to keep the mum happy :p
 
Sweet, the bulldog is crazy. My Father in Law scored a 79 GL1000 for a even grand and it is fully road worthy with new rubber and recent carb re-build. I am soo trying to get him to ditch the vetter and cruiser bars and turn it into something streamlined and sexy, it already has a nice metalic orange paint job that was professionally done. My list is like yours, I just hope I can convince the old guy not to keep it looking like an old guys bike. It is in major need of a weight reduction. Good luck on the project, I will be following to see how it goes.
 
Good luck with the build! I've always been a fan of the goldwing. bobbers look sweet when done right, but I'd like to go all out cafe, just because I could!
A friend of mine restores old wings, and from what he tells me he pays in parts, you will definitely want to take each piece off with absolute care and attention to detail! The bags and fairings if in good condition can get ya a mint, not to mention that seat! He tells me that a "perfect condition" wing can net you 2k in body parts alone, another 2k in engine parts, hell certain WHEELS in perfect shape can be a grand each! your list of mods could be easily paid for by selling the take-offs to collectors and restorers. My suggestion is to get on board with a few wing sites!
 
When I was 14 or 15 I helped my uncle hotrod his GL11......wow...that was 26 years ago (sob...I feel old!)

>1 pair Solex 40mm downdraft carbs from a VW magazine on manifolds that we welded up out of thin wall tube
>4-4 pipes with 12" Harley type bullet mufflers
>Shaved heads with port work (first heads I ever ported, my uncle could teach anything)
>Bright yellow plug wires I thought were so fucking cool (Hey man....I was a kid......still dig'm!)

Stripped down, flat bars, flat-ish seat, some kind of suspension mods....sorry at this point I was all about engines.
The best part was this weird bottle he halfass hid under the false tank, it showed pretty clearly on the right side. A couple buttons, one on each bar and if you pushed them the bike went bugshitnuts. Yeah....Uncle Bill ran nitrous on his 'Wing. He was a nut case...I miss that guy.

I wish I could remember more details but that bike was notorious around his town until it was stolen from his driveway one day.

Build that thing up and have fun!
Thanks for a good memory man..
 
Finally got this beast stripped down to the bare frame. Had to have help getting the monstrous engine out. That thing has got to weigh 250lbs or more. Started stripping the paint off the frame, and the project may already have taken a few turns. Pics tomorrow.
 
Aight, too hot to work, so I'm posting pics.

Stripped to frame to clean.
0614091658.jpg


Found rust, decided to strip it all.
0616090100.jpg


Fresh paint.
0616091526a.jpg


While that was drying I stripped the rear end and wheels, and put it together.
0616091526.jpg


Friend hooked me up on a CM400T cause I wanted the fenders and headlight bucket. Test fit the rear fender and seat.
0618091801.jpg


Stopped there, too damn hot.

Total investment:
GL1100-$200
CM400-$100
Misc. paint/cleaner-$100
 
Well, this may end up being more cafe than bobber, because I just got a pair of rear shocks from a friend that lift the back 1-2". They're from the CB650sc that I gave him. I loose a couple lbs, but keep adjust-ability.
 
0621092244.jpg

carbs are getting there

0625092155.jpg

mmm, blood

0625092206.jpg

test fit the front fender, I need to lower it about 1/2". No big deal there is space to drill it. Also need to finish stripping the front wheel, it's not going as well as the rear.

0625092215a.jpg

side panels on

should have the carbs on the engine, maybe the engine in tomorrow night. Still waiting on timing belts and a few other parts though.
 
Nice!

The shop of the 21st Century:
- Sturdy workbench - check
- Parts trays - check
- Paper towels - check
- BEER - check
- iPhone to keep up on Do The Ton Forum - check
- Smashed finger - DOUBLE CHECK!

Perfect..... ;D
 
I can't do anything on my bike without busting a knuckle open. those little scrapes bleed like crazy too :) Looking good. I am now scouring the web to find a budget wing to do for a 2-up ride so I can fully cafe my little 450. Has to be almost free though.
 
No Iphone, actually, that's just my check book. I need to keep it further away from the work area though, the numbers inside it like to argue with new parts.
 
I got the engine back in the frame this morning, it was pretty funny. It's kinda like a civic, you set the frame on the engine, instead of like a RWD car where you lift the engine out of the frame.

I fucked up and drilled one of the holes on the fender wrong, so now I need to make whole new brackets. ::)

The carbs are going very badly. I can't get the low speed jets clean on 3 of them. 2 are blocked, one is restricted. Any tricks?
 
boil those things in lemon juice and water. Keep it going for a couple hours, keep refilling the solution as it boils off.
rinse in clear water and blow out with compressed air. That's always worked for me
 
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