TOPIC:

What is your favorite guitar?

I got an ESP strat, standard honeyburst LP, Taylor dreadnaught, and 6 other lesser, but no less loved ones.

Oh yea, loved the moving pic!!!

Qdude wrote:

What is your favorite guitar?

1958 Danelectro Silvertone:



1953 Harmony Archtone

I got an ESP strat, standard honeyburst LP, Taylor dreadnaught, and 6 other lesser, but no less loved ones.

Cool, what about amps?

Oh yea, loved the moving pic!!!

Thanks!

The frame's about 85% detabbed, but I ran out of sanding disks, so I gotta get some more before I can finish that part.



Meanwhile, I'm test fitting the seat, trying to figure out how best to attach it to the frame so as not to get poked by any bolts...



I called around and found a sandblasting kit at the local Tractor Supply, like $20 and the media is $7 for a fifty pound bag.

"I called around and found a sandblasting kit at the local Tractor Supply, like $20 and the media is $7 for a fifty pound bag."

You know you want it!!!

Nice project and pictures.
When i started with the first picture i thought there were something wrong with my eyes (or head), because something moved under it, haha

Do you have any pictures of the bike under the sand dune???.

RoyNor wrote:

Do you have any pictures of the bike under the sand dune???.

I wish I did, but I didn't even have a camera back then...

Look, no tabs!





I'll pick up that sandblaster tomorrow or the day after, I'm still finding areas where rust has gotten under the stock paint. Bits like the center stand really need it, and it's really the only way to get the rust out of those little nooks & crannies. I'm going to put the center stand back on, at least some of the time. Even though it'll negate the weight savings from switching to the fiberglass seat, it'll come in handy for checking the oil and adjusting the chain when I'm away from home, like on long trips... (yes, I plan on touring with this rig.)

As for attaching the seat to the frame, I've brainstormed a system using 1" square aluminum tubing to build a little assembly between the seat and the frame. I'll use U-bolts to fasten a pair of tubes to the frame, then bolt another set of tubes crossways to them, then bolt the seat to that set of tubes (it's all a series of tubes, you understand). I'm going to cut a piece of sheet aluminum to go on top of the seat (under the pad), and use big flat washers with button head bolts so there are no sharp edges under me bum. The aluminum sheet and washers will help spread the load to avoid spider cracks, and I'll be able to remove the seat when necessary by accessing four locking nuts under the seat. This arrangement will also hold the seat pan a couple inches above the frame, which will give me some much needed leg room and space in which to hide the various components of the ignition system and wiring harness. I'm also going to have to fabricate some sort of battery box/tray to go just inside the tail end of the frame loop, under the hump. I plan on re-using the stock inner fender (one of the few pieces of plastic on the bike), which is why I left the frame tabs for it.



I laid out my wiring harness tonight, started evaluating that. All the ugly is getting hidden under the seat (good thing I have that metal plate there to protect my junk from radiation, huh?) I've got to figure out where I need to cut & splice to extend the various bits & pieces.





I've been scrubbing parts for hours and hours a this point. I've got a lot more to do, too...



Right now, I've got my battery holder soaking in a mildly acidic bath (Limeaway & very hot water) to help dissolve some of the rust before I sand blast it.



I didn't get a picture of this, but I discovered that the battery box should fit quite easily inside the back loop of the frame... almost like it was made for it! This saves me a lot of sheet metal fabrication!

Man, this is a lot of work, but I think it'll be worth it in the end!

Cool project; nice 750.

It looks like a lot of work going on there. Do you have an idea of when you be taking the first test ride? Is the motor staying stock (is it still stock)?

cafekz750 wrote:

Cool project; nice 750.

Thanks!

It looks like a lot of work going on there.

IT IS!

Do you have an idea of when you be taking the first test ride?

Within the next week or two, if everything goes according to plan...

Is the motor staying stock (is it still stock)?

It's still stock and will remain that way, except for the GPz750 cams. I'd love to punch it out to 810cc, but don't have an extra $500 laying around...

Tonight I tweaked the battery box a little and dropped it into the rear frame loop...







After that, I scrubbed various electrical components with dish soap and very hot water:





Guess which tool I've used the most so far in this venture.

It's not the grinder or saw, none of the wrenches or even a hammer...

It's this:

I broke out the oxyacetylene torch and heated up the tabs on my pre-crashed crash bars (they were like ten bucks for the pair, too cheap not to buy) and straightened them out.

Wow, great work.
How much time did you spend porting/polishing the intakes/head?
How many miles on the motor when you pulled it?