My '76 z900 'Strip-fighter...sorta

A little more progress.

I found a new use for old head nuts although I don't know if I'm too thrilled about the final product. Please let me know what you think as I can always grind them off.





BTW, if anyone has a lead on a left passenger peg and lock mechanism for a '01-02 Yzf-R1 I need one. I have the bracket but didn't get the peg.

Later, Doug

That looks real good. Nobody sees the inside anyway...plus, you're gonna put a little more meat on those welds aren't ya?

You can put after-market pegs on your brackets...plus eBay has older R1 passenger pegs all day long for not much moo-lah.

-KR

Bad Kaw wrote:

That looks real good. Nobody sees the inside anyway...plus, you're gonna put a little more meat on those welds aren't ya?

-KR

Everything that I've welded to the frame will be TIG welded before powder-coating.

I spent 7 hours in the garage on Saturday and got a little more progress done. When I get a chance I'll post the pics.

Little by little....

When I bought the GS headlight someone drilled a hole in it, probably for a switch....


So I found some sheet metal (in the form of an old Blazer gas tank I've had laying around for a couple years.)


Some cutting and trimming resulted in this...


About 5 rounds of tack welding and passes with the flap wheel ended up with this...



I wanted to get the light as tucked in as I much as I felt was possibly but because of the layout of my dash and shiftlight the bucket now needed a little cutout for the bottom of the shiftlight. So out can the cutting wheel and files...



With the headlight able to be tucked in close to the dash and above the steering damper headlight brackets were in order. I borrowed the idea from Kawasaki itself. Some of the later LTDs had similar headlight mounts although they were a little more complex. I used some spacers I had laying around and picked up some 1/4" steel rod from the local lumber store and got to work. Making the first bracket was hard enough without a bender of any sort. Try making an exact mirror image not easy to do.....




Looks like I got the look and position right...




Until this weekend....


Later, Doug

U did a fab job on filling the hole in the light Doug. way to go .How did u cut the circle?Drill saw?

Just used tin snips and roughed a circle out and the little by little used the tin snips and then to a file to knock off the corners.

Later, Doug

Good craftsmanship! And I love those big giant GS headlights, too! Keep up the good work.
-KR

I like the extended tail. How much bigger is the GS headlight?

The kz measures 7" across the lens and the GS one I have measures 8".

Later, Doug

Last weekend's progress pics....

Finished up the bracing...









Clearenced the frame a little. The tubes will be heated and flattened a little before powdercoating.


Gusseted the lower linkage tabs...



Hopefully I'll get to work on it this weekend but time looks a little tight.

Later, Doug

Great work Doug.
I'm sure all that work will pay off with great handeling.are u going to add braces from the top rails down to the front rails? I've seen it on a few in pics and always thought it would help.the neck has to take soo much torque and stress, specialy with a modern front end.
Keep up the good work man.

I agree, great work! Cheers, Doug