Kawasaki Z400J1 Restoration

[AshimotoK0]

Nice one Dave ... Any chance you can sharing the name of the company who did the chroming with please?

[Laverda Dave]

It was Hampshire Electroplating in Southampton Ash.
The finish was good but no pit marks were filled prior to the final chrome plating. Unlike the chrome plater who I used near me who was ultra fussy in a very good way but who now sadly is so overwhelmed he cannot meet demand. He is also off work for months having developed Claw Hand which is not good for a plater. I'm still waiting for my Triton parts that have been in the shop for over a year now. I tried at least six other chrome platers and not one of them want's to touch old chrome at the moment.
However, I have found a zinc plater recommended by my chrome plater (and as I said, he's fussy so wouldn't recommend anybody unless they are good) called Chingford Tec in Maidenhead who did a superb job on all the Z400 zinc parts (an exhaust collar and brake disc bolt have gone AWOL though). They do silver or gold finish. They also do vapour blasting and can paint engine cases. Microblast in Windsor who powder coated the Z frame can also paint engine cases.
Hope the above helps, too cold to be in the garage today, sorting out the loft instead🥴.

[Laverda Dave]

Some progress over the past week with building up the rolling chassis whilst I await the return of the engine cases from vapour blasting.

I had to spend two days sorting through the newly plated nuts, bolts, washers etc after the bags split and they became mixed up in the box! I’m so glad Andy D was able to send me the parts list otherwise I’d still be sifting through them now!

After days of rubbing down with various grades of wet & dry I have managed to achieve a respectable finish on the wheels. I used tyre shine on the black paint (a tip from Nigel K2-K6) leaving it to soak in for a few days before wiping off.

I cleaned the discs using a dremmel in the drillings and making up a turntable with a length of wood with wet & dry attached, this cleaned all the rust off.  The forks have been overhauled with a strip and new oil. The stanchions were fine, no pitting at all which was good considering the rest of the bike!

The brake callipers have new seals and pistons. The bodies were blasted before painting with VHT followed by an oven cure.

All the main electrical components have been cleaned by hand and the wiring checked. The main loom was given the dishwasher treatment. I have fitted as many components now as I want to as I don’t want to fit the coils and main loom as these will get in the way when it comes to replacing the engine in the frame.

I need to get a few more spares, the rubber cap on the air forks looks like it’s been the victim of a rodent at some stage during the last 40 years.

The clocks are now with Peter (Kent400) for a refurb and Piki (Reddice) is busy making the decals for the tank and tailpiece. My painter has told me Kawasaki Grand Prix silver does not exist (I’ve tried RS paints without any luck). The nearest colour is Moondust silver. The painter is going to make a swatch to compare the two.

Hopefully I’ll get a few hours in the garage today and fit the back end and I have a couple of broken studs in the sprocket guard to drill out and replace.

[Laverda Dave]

So the latest news is I've hit a wall with the rebuild. I'm still waiting for the engine cases back from vapour blasting, hopefully the end of the week or early next week.
I have now cleaned everything on the bike ready to go back on with most of it being stored in boxes. The painter has come back wiith a swatch of Kawasaki Moondust Silver as opposed to Kawasaki Grand Prix Silver that appears to be unobtainable. Thing is Moondust Silver is a perfect match so that's what I'm going with especially as I have now found out the bike is actually a J2 and not a J1 model.

Until I get the engine cases back and the motor put back together I dont want to fit any other parts as they will get in the way. Photo is as the bike is now.
Z-Power have been fantastic, parts supplied within a couple of days even if they have to come from Holland.

I recieved my reply from HMRC yesterday regarding the importing of the bike in 81. To their credit HMRC have been really helpful and sent a response to my letter within 14 days. Good news is there is no import tax to pay. They gave me a NOVA number to contact the DVLA to obtain the registration and this is where the fun has started. 45mins waiting on the phone yesterday to speak with someone who wasn't bothered about the NOVA number and who just sent a mail to explain the procedure. No email has arrived yet so I'm guessing they got my mail addres incorrect despite me spelling it out when they asked!
Thankfully I looked on the forum and found what I have to do. I contacted Kawasaki in NL late yesterday evening requesting a CofC and they replied first thing this morning to say CofC's were not applicable in 1981. They did send me a data sheet that itself has given some more information, for starters the bike is a J2 model and not a J1 as detailed on the original bill of sale from Kawasaki Guernsey. The paint is also Kawasaki Moondust Silver and not Grand Prix Silver (and I couldn't find anyone who could supply Grand Prix Silver, no wonder!).

Looks like I need to get a MOT before I can apply to DVLA for the registration document. Hopefully MOT in April if all goes smoothly.

[MCTID]

I bet you wish you were back working instead of being Retired Dave !!!!!!

Chin up mate, you'll get there in the end.

[K2-K6]

Looks bloody lovely even at that stage Dave, very nice quality of work.

[AshimotoK0]

I bet you wish you were back working instead of being Retired Dave !!!!!!

Chin up mate, you'll get there in the end.

If your BIL is not retired I guess he will be able to if he sells the finished bike to someone in Japan. 

[Laverda Dave]

I bet you wish you were back working instead of being Retired Dave !!!!!!

Chin up mate, you'll get there in the end.

😁😁 There's a HS2 construction site just up the road from me Alan (it's the tunnel portal site). Maybe I should knock on the site office door and ask if they need a PM!  The money would come in handy to fund another project.
Ash, the BIL said I can use it when it's finished but to be honest I'd rather ride one of my other bikes. I want the room back in the garage to finish the Triton project before summer!

[royhall]

Really nice project there Dave, a bit different to the usual fare. You have my sympathy with DVLA, I'm in the middle of that nightmare myself. I wish I had ignored the advice given and had it MOT'd first as proof it actually exists. Would have been worth the small outlay.

[SumpMagnet]

Yeah...I got a soft spot for these bikes. My first 'real' Jap 4 was a Z400J of 1981 regtistered.... but a J1 model without the air assisted forks

Motad exhaust.,.... which the previous owner had drilled a hole in the collector to make it sound rortier. Had to get that welded up...as water would pool there and drip into the pipe. That sort of steel grey colour with a black and orange stripe.

Felt like a proper big bike back then, even if it was a 400 motor carting a 550 about. One of several bikes I wish I still had.....or would try and get again if I had somewhere to keep it!

[Laverda Dave]

The decals arrived yesterday from Spain. Another fantastic job by Piki to make perfect replicas and especially considering I could only supply him with a slither of original decal to work from.
These will go to the painter tomorrow.
The engine cases are due back later this week and I can begin the motor build.

[Laverda Dave]

I forgot to add the picture of Piki's handiwork!

[royhall]

I've had quite a few items from Piki from tank decals to frame labels and seat stencils. Always does a fantastic job.

[Piki]

Thank you friends, if you need a sticker and I can help you, do not hesitate to contact me, do not buy through my Ebay Link, since due to what you already know since the beginning of the year VAT is being applied automatically to all customers in the UK, if you need something ask me from the forum.
Best Regards.

[philward]

Thank you friends, if you need a sticker and I can help you, do not hesitate to contact me, do not buy through my Ebay Link, since due to what you already know since the beginning of the year VAT is being applied automatically to all customers in the UK, if you need something ask me from the forum.
Best Regards.

I've recently bought a full set and seat stencil from you via ebay Piki - didn't want to appear cheeky contacting you via the forum - I'll know for the future!