Kawasaki 900 Z1 Project -Frame issue

mtbspeedfreak wrote:

K.D. HART wrote:

peter1958 wrote: Beat to hell old drag bike. Just fix that 74 up nice

LMAO! I thought the same thing, but the idea is ride it for now and rob parts off of it later for that 1975 Z1 frame and motor I have stashed in my shed.
I'm just going to cover up the complete 1974 Z1 for now. It's pretty much complete and I'll keep it that way.

I like that idea! Don't do anything to it just yet. Search on ebay (I'm at work and can't right now) for nicely restored Z1s. They usually go from $10,000-$20,000.

WTH! 10 to 20K? I had no idea.
It's not for sale though. The owner was one of my dads best friends and I remember him riding it and he'd give us kids rides also. It's kinda like a walk down memory lane when I open my shed door and it's mine now.
You just can't put a price on memories. At least I can't anyway.

I just inherited an old car from good ole Uncle Fritz. I kind of like the color, but the body could use updates. I have a Sawzall, a soldering iron, and a 55 gallon drum of body putty. Is there anything else I need to make the changes I plan?

Here's what I received:


Here's what I plan to build it into:


:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Lol!
I can take a joke as well as the next guy, but what's so wrong with keeping the complete bike orignal and taking the extra frame and motor and updating it? I think it would look real cool with the parts I could strip off of that 80 LTD.

I suppose you don't like my custom weapons either? lol. Just a little light humor.

Careful with those pics; big ATF brother is watching.

kdhart,

there are members on here that will cry like a mashed rabbit if you even talk about doing anything but a stock resto on a z1.

you have already met 650ed,a veritable encyclopedia of stock/restored knowledge :lol: .




i mean how many stock restored z1's in glass cases dow e actually need? :whistle:

tho we also have other members that figure we have enough stock restored z1's to show the kiddies for years to come just what a stock z1 used to look like.

and those members would be happy to hand you a sawzall or hold the frame while you cut it.

because really what is cool about having a bike just like the other stock restored kz's in the line up?






make it yours and when you want to sell it and retire,turn it back to stock and sell it to someone that wants to "fit in with the rest of the high dollar rivit counter resto crowd".

that sir is my opinion,your mileage may vary :woohoo: :laugh:

i like your choice of firearms,here is my plinker




leon

650ed wrote: Careful with those pics; big ATF brother is watching.

It's all legal and I've built at least one weapon I know of for law enforcement. Most of my stuff ends up with collectors though. I just like building them.
Most of my stuff is custom tweeked by me, except the custom ZK-SD Will Hayden made for me. I just had him include some extra features like a Galil inverted safety and more, his other rifles don't have.
Even my S12 has a one of a kind porting setup, but I'm ready to mess with bikes now.

531blackbanshee wrote: kdhart,

there are members on here that will cry like a mashed rabbit if you even talk about doing anything but a stock resto on a z1.

you have already met 650ed,a veritable encyclopedia of stock/restored knowledge :lol: .

i mean how many stock restored z1's in glass cases dow e actually need? :whistle:

tho we also have other members that figure we have enough stock restored z1's to show the kiddies for years to come just what a stock z1 used to look like.

and those members would be happy to hand you a sawzall or hold the frame while you cut it.

because really what is cool about having a bike just like the other stock restored kz's in the line up?

make it yours and when you want to sell it and retire,turn it back to stock and sell it to someone that wants to "fit in with the rest of the high dollar rivit counter resto crowd".

that sir is my opinion,your mileage may vary :woohoo: :laugh:

i like your choice of firearms,here is my plinker

leon

Yea, I think I caught the attention of a couple of purists, but at the end of the day we'll all just do what we want anyway.

I think I'll play with the extra frame and motor, but keep the complete bike as is.
Nice shooter Leon! That's the field I shine in. I just need some pointers on bkes.

I just wanted to let you know what you actualy have. Now that you know do what you want. I restored one 75z1 and will do what i want with the 74 but i didnt cut up the frame.

I agree entirely about not sticking the thing in a glass box or trailering it to a bike show once a year. IMHO bikes are meant to be ridden. But some folks end up on the other edge of the bell curve and customize their bikes to a point where they cannot be ridden because they never finish (we've seen more than a couple on this site) or because they are too impractical to be ridden comfortably or safely, so they aren't riding their bikes either. Frankly I don't see anything wrong with modding a bike that is beyond easy restoration, and some of them turn out really nice. It is only when I see someone taking a hacksaw to a rare bike (or car) or to one that is in prime condition, or when I see someone start a silly project that cannot succeed (such as grafting a watercooled Suzuki head to a KZ :blink: ) that I question their judgement. I am not suggesting either of those is the case with K.D.'s project; the '57 Corvette/Dune Buggy analogy was meant as a joke. Ed

i don't like to see z1,z1r,mk11 or any of the really rare models frames cut on myself.
but there is alot of modding that can be done before you "cut up" a frame.
but what about bracing up one of the old flexi flyer z1 frames?
there is a point of discussion for ya.

peter1958,beautiful job you done with that yard art.

leon

650ed wrote: I agree entirely about not sticking the thing in a glass box or trailering it to a bike show once a year. IMHO bikes are meant to be ridden. But some folks end up on the other edge of the bell curve and customize their bikes to a point where they cannot be ridden because they never finish (we've seen more than a couple on this site) or because they are too impractical to be ridden comfortably or safely, so they aren't riding their bikes either. Frankly I don't see anything wrong with modding a bike that is beyond easy restoration, and some of them turn out really nice. It is only when I see someone taking a hacksaw to a rare bike (or car) or to one that is in prime condition, or when I see someone start a silly project that cannot succeed (such as grafting a watercooled Suzuki head to a KZ :blink: ) that I question their judgement. I am not suggesting either of those is the case with K.D.'s project; the '57 Corvette/Dune Buggy analogy was meant as a joke. Ed

Ed,
I got the point and have a better understand what you are trying say now. I've seen a lot of what I'll call "good intension projects" that were never finished or looked like hell, but this is not the case. I am just wanting something suttle and tasteful, but updated.
I have a friend who has 57 chevy 4x4 that was once a mud truck and I was coned into doing the new sheet metal work and fit/finish the doors, since I used to do this kind of work years ago at a custom street rod shop. NEVER AGAIN!!! OMG what a pain to fix what 10 people before me messed up.
I have an extra motor and frame. Now's my chance to swap over updated brakes and wheels, plus all the other parts I'm missing at one time with the 1980 LTD as a donor. It just seamed like the easiest and most cost affective way to bring the 1975 Z1 frame and motor back to life. I could sell off the left over LTD parts after the swap also. Doesn't this way of looking at the problem make practical sence, or am I missing something?

Get the titles before you do anything.