1979 KZ650 Restoration

kzmk2 wrote:

Here is a front photo that shows the head pipes, very nice condition.

Beautiful!

kzmk2 wrote:

Yea, and for a cheap guy like me it is almost always Fleet Farm!!

I read you're Lake Superior ride report, I am glad to see someone is out riding and not wrenching all the time!!

I work with school districts, so my summers are always swamped. I wish I could have pushed the trip back as it was really too cold for camping, but it was worth it anyways.

I really wish my chrome looked anywhere nice as those pipes!

Maybe you and a few other experienced members could collaborate on a buffing/polishing document for those of us who don't know what we're doing and just make things look worse!

Rebuilt the fuel tank valve today.

I purchased a fuel tank restoration kit from POR-15. The kit contains a fuel tank cleaner, rust removing metal etching acid (phosporic acid)and a sealant. I have used the POR-15 product a few times before and have been very happy with the results. To have good results you need to be patient and thourgh and have about 6-8 hours to kill. Taking your time and following the directions is the key to getting a clean, rust free and durable fuel tank. Here is a picture of the sealed tank.

Installed the main wiring harness and bought a new Yuassa battery for the 650 this week. I fired the bike up tonight, jeez with the stock exhaust it sounds like a sewing machine. Very smooth and quite.

Great pictures! I've been watching this thread as I have a 79 650SR and would love to do a restoration like you are doing but I'm not sure I have the energy to see it through. Keep posting your progress.

Henry

You sure are making great progress! Keep it up!

Did you buy a new wiring harness? Was the original in good enough condition? Repaired?

Awesome job, great thread cant wait to see the finished product going to be awesome for sure.

Thanks guys for the encouragment. Posting this project does give me extra motovation, so it is neat to see some guys following it.

Double D, the old harness was in good shape so I just cleaned the dust and dirt off of it and used it. I do not know the history of the bike, but I can speculate.

I think it had 2 to 3 previous owners max. The first owener or 2 took very good care of it and always had it garaged. The last owner (last 6 years) was a student and used the bike for commuting. It looks this last owner let the bike sit outside alot and did not maintain it.

I have to find the first pictures I took of it when I got it home so I will have good before and after shots.

You seem to have all the luck between the like-new pipes and the bike you found!

Took a break from the 79 this week. Back in March I found a nice 78 650 on Craigslist. I promised myself I wound not work on it until I got the 79 done. Well, I broke that promise. I plan on taking a ride to the Black Hills with my son and I may need this 78 for that ride. Here is a picture of it when I brought it home.

Removed the fairing and sold it to a member here. (I lost my ass on that, it costs a fortune to ship one of those things. Oh well it is not sitting in my garage any more.) Found some nice blue side covers on Ebay. Cleaned the carbs, adjusted the valves, replaced the tach drive seal, replaced the airbox boots and put some front directionals on it. Took it out today for a drive, runs really nice, I just love these old things. This 78 blue is exactly what I bought my senior year in high school , 1980. This one will be a keeper. This fall/winter it will get the same treatment the 79 is getting now.