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Z1 as a project?

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MrDavo:
I have hugely enjoyed doing the last couple of Honda restorations, and sharing it with you guys and gals, but am starting to think that at my age I may never do another bike from a barn find unless I get on with it. My classic car is a continuous rolling resto which will never finish, however although I can do most anything (apart from paint) with a bike, as a non welder without the gear and experience to do 911 engines and boxes I am stuck with paying others £££ to do stuff on my car properly.

As a last hurrah I'd like (but don't have to) to do a Z1. A mate of mine had a new one, and scared the pants off me when I went pillion on it, one of my contact lenses blew away at around 130mph on the M6, despite my wearing a Bell Star.  The down side is that apparently  a lot of other people would like one too, projects and finished bikes are almost (but not quite) sandcast money, good restos seem to start around the £20k mark. No way I'd pay that, which is why I want to restore one. Like with Hondas, there are so so restorations, and ones where the rims have the correct numbers stamped on etc...

Here's one that someone restored earlier, of course Frank has a bunch of them at £25k a pop, but then he would...

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1094172

The upside of the daft prices is I should always get back any money I sink into it, as I more or less did with my CB750 (the money went to get the 911's rusty bodywork restored properly). However, a Z1 project bike DK have with a fair bit missing and broken head fins keeps being relisted as not meeting the reserve despite getting north of 9K. Resto costs would be several thousand, like with Hondas a set of pipes is an arm and a leg when you can find them, for example.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1973-Kawasaki-Z1-900-Unregistered-US-Import-Barn-Find-Classic-Restoration-Projct/353135219569

By the way, I know they always say it, but how the feck did they get it running on easy start without an exhaust system?

I get the impression, looking at online ads, that there are semi/professional restorers that snap these up to restore as a career, competing for increasingly rare project bikes.

Has anyone here done one? Should you come across a little old lady who is sick of struggling to get her lawn mower past an old Z1 that has laid in her garage for years, let me know. James probably has a 1,000 mile one owner Z1 stashed away somewhere...

Johnwebley:
I have been watching Allan Millyard do his two 6 cylinder builds.

Interesting differences between Z1 and the sohc motors.

Worth exploring YouTube for

Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

kevski:
I am on my third Zed thou  brought back from the brink of breaking up, though mine have never gone to original spec and like most bikes on refurbishment they cost an arm and a leg, expect to pay top dollar whatever the condition, sadly no bargains to be had anymore.

AshimotoK0:
I think you want one 'cos they have a beefy roller bearing crank Dave .... after all the hassle you had with Honda plain bearing cranks.

It's bad enough getting hold of the Honda D.I.D. rims with the correct diamond logo and without the unsightly side scripting but the thought of having to search for correctly date coded Takasago rims would do my nut in  ;D

What's the score with pattern pipes on a Z1 .. I have heard of Doremi  but is there an equivalent of Yamiya No-number 750 HM300's?
I must admit that that is one gorgeous looking 4 into 4 on the Z1. It's such a shame that the Z650B1 didn't have a 4 into 4 . I had one of those and it was a really nice bike ... plain bearing crank though Dave so a big no-no.  ;D ;D

Andrew-S:
Dave,
Buying a project 72 or 73 Z1 is very likely to be a false economy as so many have been butchered over the years (even those will cost stupid money) and have incorrect interchangeable parts fitted from later models i.e Z1A, Z1B and even the Z900, sourcing Z1 OEM exhausts will cost you north of £5k if you can even find them -Doremi do a good replica 4x4 which fits all models and are unstamped (as per the original 72/73 Z1), the Z1A/B were factory stamped so easily recognisable as being (or not being) reproduction. I could go on about the differences between the models but time and space prevent.......maybe buy a copy of Dave Marsden's book, Original Z1: http://www.z-power.co.uk/the-original-z1-restorers-guide-by-dave-marsden - the rest of the Z-Power website provides very useful info on date codes and availability of OEM and reproduction parts etc.

Not a project, but if you want to see a very good 73 Z1 (and rare UK example) have a look at this thread - my mate Dave is open to sensible offers on his Z1: http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,22733.0.html

Cheers,
Andrew

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