1966 Kawasaki A1 Samurai restoration project

Hi. I am starting a new project with an A1 vin. no. 11156 (67) Denmark.
How did you optain the pattern for the expansion chambers, or where did you buy
those blanks unfinished pipes.
Hope you can help me,
Lars.

larspjac@yahoo.com

Hello Clutch.
Just wanted to say hello and inquire about how your project is doing? I just picked up a 68 A1 Samurai that has been stored for 32 years. Looks to be in pretty good shape but will certainly need a fair bit of for before it runs again. I have been doing lots of research online and came across this thread the other night. Your documentation of the restoration of your '66 is fantastic and will be a huge help when it comes time to do all the same stuff to mine. Thank-you!! I just signed up for this site so I could e-mail and ask you how it turned out..... I was also curious about the carb job - looks like you were about to start into that when the posts trailed off.... Hope it turned out ok.
Anyway, would be great to connect with you as I probably have all the same questions that you had when you were starting (plus this is my first bike restoration).
Thanks,
68Craftsman

@68Crafstman

Well I haven't had much free time to work on the project over the last year. It pretty much sits in the garage as I left it. I do plan to get back in there and finish it this spring, so once it starts warming up here in MD a bit, you should see some new posts on here from me.

Finally back in the garage tonight working on this project again. I put the bottom end back in and threw the new piston rings on. I was going to reinstall the cylinders and heads, but ran into an issue getting the pistons in there without a piston ring compressor tool. Guess I will be making a trip to autozone tomorrow to see if they stock those. More pics coming soon

Might be feasible to fashion a ring compressor with a strip of thin metal -- such as a short length of metal tie wrap -- bound tightly over the piston rings with a plastic tie wrap, so that inserting the piston into the cylinder bore pushes the metal strip and plastic tie wrap downward onto the piston skirt, from where they are removed (being careful not to drop either of them into the crankcase).

When in position, ends of the metal strip should not overlap.

Good Fortune!

Well fingers worked fine after realizing that I didn't have them lined up with the pin. The bad thing is I had them on upside down and broke one removing it. I got one cylinder and head back on, but the other now is waiting for parts again. Live and learn...

where's bike today?

43?? :huh: . Hmmm.... maybe 47!? Darn near 50 if ya think about it! :woohoo: Way Cool!! :woohoo:
Anyway, ITS an AWESOME looking project!!
Step by step pics of ongoing project? ( we hope!)
TennesseeZ ED

Back into the garage again today. I reinstalled the right side valve cover, clutch, and threw on the generator temporarily to ensure all timing marks are lined up properly. Here's a pic showing the motor back in the bike with the right side nearly done and one cylinder an head reinstalled: