Renovation Time

[z1100r]

Fixed the stand mount...was tricky making the missing part but that looks good enough.

Its like the old girl dont want to be tarted up...all this dragging her feet...she's having a degrease and going to powder tomorrow - kicking and screaming but she's going.

I noticed a bloody gouge in the swing arm where a footrest bolt must of been rubbing away for while. Welded that up and cleaned it up.

Got a really good F swing arm if anyone wants it. Its a continuous loop rear fork and chrome chainguard jobby.

[matthewmosse]

That's nice work, I must admit I find doing a good welded repair like that very satisfying, though I then just slap a load of cheap and nasty paint over it and revel in the sheer rat look of a scabby looking bike

[z1100r]

Same here normally..but I've told all my mates they wont recognise the direbladder next time they see it. Its gotta look half decent. I want a few to have a go. They have always been amazed at how quick it is for what it is..but when they finally ride it they just wont believe it. Its like a torquey 2-stroke..pulls from nothing and accelerates very clockwork smoothly then has a big kick between 9,000 and 11,000 revs when it screams. Its no slouch and has seen a few modern middle weight bikes off..as i said its quite a bit quicker than a GPZ600, which is quite frightening in an elaborate push bike chassis. I generally ride it about well below 9,000 but sometimes I thrash it to death.

[z1100r]

 Wahoo...my new airbox rubbers arrived at my dads a few days ago - I use him for postage as he's always in. They look a little rougher than I imagine a new original to look but are pretty dammed brilliant for a re-manufactured unobtainable part.
Piccies in my next batch.

[z1100r]

Frame and swinger dropped off at powder coaters today..ready in 2 weeks.

So...twiddle thumbs time...not likely..!!!

Time to bite bullet and do decal....ooooh..not liking this job one bit...all freehand and easy to cock up.


Really pleased with these..!

[Spitfire]

Now that's a really neat main stand repair, I have the same problem on my F2 frame that has to be fixed, nice one.

Cheers

Den

[z1100r]

Yes, it didn't come out bad. Awkward making the missing bit though. It must of been broken before I bought the bike years ago, I certainly didn't break it and consequently I had no piece to weld back in.

 The original is a double thickness pressing so I made basically a 'P' clip out of 14 swg. The side you can see is welded mid hole and the back leg is welded 10mm further back towards frame. ie.. the welds are offset for a bit more strength.

  I dont like that black next to the blue..!!!! I hope the gold and white make it look better. I Will paint on the wide gold stripe but will use a white lining tape for the white. If when finished I dont like it blue then I can just get some Garnet brown and mask up the two black panels and away I go...its the black bit thats time consuming, the main body of the tank and side panels are a doddle to blow in any colour really.

 The garage is bare now, most of my parts have been sneaked into the house, under the bed, in my wardrobe..blah blah. Its quite good actually because only the shit is left in the garage and I can work through the pile part by part.

 I'll be back on the polisher tonight with the clock rings, the CX500 switchgear, and the rear brake back plate. Forgot to order a chain and sprocket set...well I cant really cos mines got weird gearing. I think 18-34. Definately 18 front and a stock 500-4 rear. Its because it has a 550 gearbox and the 600 motor.

All good fun though eh.. and when this tanks finished I'll start enjoying it again. 

[Spitfire]

Is that a water slide decal or a vinyl sticky one ?

Cheers

Den

[z1100r]

 Neither its black gloss spray. I outlined it freehand with 3mm lining tape - actually visible in the pic. Then I simply masked up and used the same make

[Spitfire]

That is a nice job of masking, be interested to see the next stage.

Cheers

Den

[z1100r]

Oh deary deary me...a big cock up. The black on the tank is very soft, like very very soft. In fact the blue is a bit soft to. It should of been dry enough in this weather after 3 or 4 days but it marked like crazy with just the tape. So I've had to strip back and paint all blue again.

Had a think and after trying out the 2K laquer on the side panels and other parts I'd got painted I formulated a plan. The laquer is absolutely brilliant stuff, I cannot believe the side panels and after 3 or 4 hours the laquer is drier and harder than the paint will ever be and looks like glass.

I'm going to have to 1 coat laquer the tank when its just plain blue, then mask up to do the black, then flat the whole lot to dull with 1200 and laquer it all again. Do gold and white stripes flat whole tank back again and give it final laquer coat. If it comes out like these side panels have it will be amazing.

Very very peed off this afternoon...it looked superb - then I trashed it with lining tape - but I cant wait a year for it to go hard. I ve put it back to all blue and will leave until Wednesday. Going to the Lakes for 4 days walking, when I get back I'll laquer it and put the black back on.

[Spitfire]

It's a pain in the bum when that happens, rare but a pain nonethless, I usually finish models with enamel paint through my airbrush and it normally takes about 3 days for the paint finish to fully cure.
Mind you, you are finding all the pitfalls for me !

Cheers

Den

[z1100r]

 I just had 4 days in the lake district followed by 5 days on our canal boat, I should be chilled out..!!! but this tank...man oh man.
 I am very fast changing my mind about all this paint. I'm back at square one with not even a plain blue tank now. The foooking stuff is reacting with itself ...like different tins are made of different stuff. I think I'm going to have to strip it all right back to bare and start again.

 The frame and swinger are back.....absolutely beautiful. The guy did a fantastic job and only charged me

[z1100r]

 Oh well...I think I'm going to get there (bike ready for IOM) ...engine is in amd all ancillaries blasted and painted, airbox mudguards, electrics all on - but not connected. Side panels complete including badges.

 But Still no handlebars and the tank is a nightmare. I feel like shot blasting the bloody thing and going and buying the proper stuff. One side of the tank has been done 2 weeks now and you can still mark it like crazy with the softest touch. Its like its bake on paint but if you heat it up it goes softer.

 Creates a stunning shine but there's something wrong somewhere so its  become  a kind of try and save something to go with sort it out when I come back. Add some piccies later but its just the usual super clean half built bike stuff.

[z1100r]

 Well I dont freaking believe it....my brake back plate doesnt fit my new rear hub. Holy crap, 550 K3 hubs and back plates are different to 500 fours I guess.

 The hub is bored out larger on my 550 wheel and a ribbed back plate is fitted. I've had a look at some pics and it appears a 500 back plate is not ribbed..is this correct..??

 I dont have my original, the brake drum liner bulged, cracked and fell to bits 20 years ago.