TOPIC:

This entire thread has been a wonderful "how to" in it's own right but something more formal would be ideal. The guys on the 650 site may be interested as well. I particularly like how you worked out what needs to be done to use some of the ZR-7 parts like the starter clutch. That sort of stuff is priceless info in my opinion. Great job.

Thanks for the feedback guys!
When going through by boxes of parts looking for that return spring, I found some extra parts that reminded me why I went to such lengths to use a nut and washer when modifying/machining the clutch hub.
Its little things like that, that made me want to go back and edit my post from a year ago to add that information. But since I can't edit old posts, I started to think maybe I should make a instructional thread while I can still remember the exact details.
I also have the habit of way over explaining things, because I often find the devil is in the details. Vague instructions can set yourself up for failure.

I will try to get working on a write up of the transmission swap and also the starter clutch.

a write up would be awesome!
i have tried to tell people about your trans conversion before but they end up thinking i'm an idiot because i don't know enough to explain it properly.
so if i could point them to your how to that would be awesome.

leon

I forgot to update this thread and point people to the write-up on my 6-speed swap.
When I went back and re-read my notes and remeasured things, I realized I made a couple small errors when I initially wrote it up.
I remembered why I used a washer when modifying the inner clutch hub and little details like the difference in lengths between the Zephyr 750 and zr-7 transmission shafts.
But please feel free to direct folks to my write up if they are curious about how I did it.

kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/607443-6-spee...on-swap-instructions

Does anyone know where I can get a set of rubber clutch dampers for a GPZ-550?

Mark Miller wrote: Does anyone know where I can get a set of rubber clutch dampers for a GPZ-550?

Perhaps you should start a thread in the parts wanted section.

As far as I know, no one makes replacement clutch dampers for the 550's. They are so completely different than the 750's in both size and shape.
Years ago I considered paying a company to make a cutting die or a water jet file made of the 550 damper and a sheet of Viton so I could start a side business of selling them. But the initial costs to get started would take forever to pay for itself if the demand wasn't as great as I suspect it should be. Maybe one day.

Well....it took four months but my body work has come back from the painter.
I supplied him with a mkII pinstripe kit and settled on plain black instead of the Luminous Navy Blue color I wanted but I never could quite track down.
The pinstripes didn't fit the 750 side covers at all, so I had him leave them off and the shaft drive tank is just slightly different dimensions than the mkII so the pinstripes positions don't exactly fall into place. But my bike is a shameless clone of the z750fx/kz1000 mkII , so none of that matters to me in the slightest.
I had also found a OEM seat still in the factory Kawasaki parts box to replace my old seat with a cracked seat pan and ripped cover. There was apparently a difference in the seat pans from 1980 to 1981 and I had to order a different hinge pin to fit the different style hinge assembly.

Here are some teaser photos I took complete with greasy finger prints and a layer of dust on everything. I just did my first 500 mile break-in valve adjustment and head re-torque and was eager to take it for a test drive while the weather was nice.

Dang! We're not worthy, we're not worthy. . . . . .
Congrats that came out totally bad ass.
/A

Impressive indeed! Bike of the year!

Congratulations, you have built a masterpiece!!!!

It is not all show, its a serious piece that has all the goodies that would make it race track worthy. I would take it to a few track days, and make life real miserable for all those marquez wannabe's out there on their brand new sport bikes!!!

You got my vote for the next Bike Of The Year!!!!!

Just mount up a steering damper just to be on the safe side. Thats the only thing I see missing from your jewel!!!

The paint looks fabulous. Congrats on turning out a beautiful bike!