saving a 1980 KZ750 twin
- Thread starter doc_rot
- Start date
I have been super busy trying to finish up two bikes to sell so that has been occupying my time. I finally finished the seat, but i still need to rivet a few more places to get the edge to be even. Very pleased with how everything turned out considering this is only the second seat i have ever made. The tricky part was getting the seam on the seat to align with the stripes on the tank. The side covers mounts were badly cracked so when i repaired those with fiberglass i extended the edge to fill the gap between the frame. Next up is to finish the swingarm, make spacers for the wheel and arm. and do a little frame bracing.
Thinking about how i want to detail the engine. paint n the engine was done very poorly so i'm going to soda blast it off. i might paint the cylinders and head black. with everything else bare or polished. Thinking about doing the polished fin edge if i do them black. but it kinda looks funny with few fins getting the treatment in one spot. Maybe ill do the fin below as well. thoughts?
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seat looks fantastic!
either polish all the edges or none. half looks exactly like what it is...half assed.
And try to grind the fins on jugs so they are close to the same thickness as the fins on the head.
Otherwise you end up w thick polished edges on the head and thin on the jugs...looks allright, but not as nice.
Fins on my 360 jugs were like knife blades.
either polish all the edges or none. half looks exactly like what it is...half assed.
And try to grind the fins on jugs so they are close to the same thickness as the fins on the head.
Otherwise you end up w thick polished edges on the head and thin on the jugs...looks allright, but not as nice.
Fins on my 360 jugs were like knife blades.
Not sure on the color yet. I am super wishy washy when it comes to color. I was thinking maybe a dark cherry red, or an off white? The other day i saw this old suburban that was kinda this green-gold color... Ill just do everything else black and neutrals that way i can change the body color at will.
Doc, I dig that last pic of the heads with the top fins sanded and it works with the polished valve cover. The alloy look will extend through to the carbs.
You have a bunch of good bracing in there. I would think the one from the subframe to the arched backbone would be overkill at this point. Unless you go all Evel Knievel with it.
I mounted a road rider on the rear wheel, and dropped the bike off at my buddies shop. I just made him a seat for his BMW project, so for trades he is going to make me some wheel/swingarm spacers, and help me finish the swingarm fabrication. Cant wait to see the swingarm finished! heres a pic of his beemer.
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doc_rot said:
That is awesome.
My buddy had some time to turn up the wheel spacers. The swingarm is a perfect fit in the the 750 twin frame, nothing needed there. While he was messing around with that i used his buffer to polish up the new engine covers. I personally prefer the older style text, and since the ones on this motor are pretty trashed its was a good excuse to switch.
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I whittled down the shock mounts. Eric hogged out the axle plate and welded them in. the torque link mount is welded in as well, as are the chain guard mounts. We had to cut a chunk out of the gusset in the middle to provide clearance for the wheel since the arm was shorted and inch and a half. I hope to have some free time on sunday to go back and polish the swingarm out on his buffer, figure out the chain slider situation, and get some good pics of it in the sun. Once i get it home i am going to measure the geometry, and reevaluate. I may need to swap for different triple or move the upper shock mounts. we will see. I'm stoked!
i noticed when i was buffing the stator cover that part of the casting was broken off, not surprising since it looked like someone beat on it with a hammer at some point. I welded it up and started to polish it out. I also brought the bike home form my buddies shop. I didn't have time to buff out the swingarm yet. I couldn't resist and mocked it up real quick... things are taking shape 8)
Beauty Doc, that swingarm is the bomb man...