Have always like the shafty so I bought two... a 79 and an 80 to put together a project bike. Will eventually finish the second bike but right now I am working the 79. The project started at the end of this past January. I stripped the bike and painted the frame and started gathering parts but didn't get much farther due to work load of my business. In any case, I bought the bike in Louisiana near Sulphur. The fella who I bought it from had wanted to turn it into a KZ900 and had bought a bunch of parts that didn't fit which I subsequently sold on eBay. The first pic shows the bike as it was pictured on eBay (bought it in an auction after the "winner" had backed out). The garage isn't mine but the PO's.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/before.jpg
The bike was in worse shape than appeared in the pic. The bike might have started but compression was pretty low so I decided to do a frame off. Dutchz helped me out by morphing some pics of an ST and I decided it would eventually look like the one he pictured. I have have a black 4 into 2 that will go on otherwise, the morphed pic is pretty close I think.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/kz1000st2red2.jpg
This is how the bike looked when I got it started last January. These pics are the frame stripped, the engine stripped and the box of nasty looking parts that came off.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/framestrip.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/enginestrip.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/lotsaparts.jpg
About a week later, I got the frame cleaned up and primered then painted as shown in these pics.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/primerframe2.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/paintedframe.jpg
Later, I got many parts powdercoated including the a lot of body parts, like the battery box, headlight shell, headlight ears, etc. These are done in flat black. The engine was done in crinkle black satin. I got the engine cases, pan cover, block, head and some other small bits done. The engine parts were media blasted, all the thread was chased with a tap, a new cam chain, new rings, etc were installed and the cylinder head was gone through. Here is the engine as it looks as of today.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/enginetop.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/engine1.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeor...T/alternatorside.jpg
I have the wiring harness completely done. The speedo/tach have been cleaned up and pretty much refurbished. The body rear fenders are on. I have done much connecting as far as the electrical stuff yet. Will do that AFTER I get the brakes on. I have gone through the rear caliper and it is installed. Still need to do the front brakes. I have powdercoated the wheels and installed new bearings. The shocks are Progressive 12s.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/speedotach2.jpg
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/reardrive2.jpg
The body work has been sanded and two coats of primer/sealer were shot. I haven't gotten the base and clear yet but probably will start shooting soon if we get some cooperative weather.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/wiredgeorge/ST/bodyinprimer2.jpg
Anyway, work goes slowly but I am starting to pick up some momentum. All the fasteners are stainless btw, except for a few special sized ones as I didn't feel like cleaning rusty stuff again. Anyway, will add some pics as the thing progresses. It should look more like a bike in a week or two. wg 10/16/2006