I've been SLOWLY working on my swingarm. I've got all the bearings and spacers out and also removed the lower shock bushings (in the swingarm). I have all new parts for when reassembly time comes.

You guys were right about it being anodized. The coating wasn't clear anodize though...it was silver anodize. Small detail I know, but the color is what threw me off...I knew it couldn't be clear anodize and still be that silver. I didn't realize that they had so many colors available for anodizing. The Easy-Off did the trick removing it...no problems there. Thanks for the tips.

So the one side that I have polished looks really nice. I've been thinking though that it's going to take a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good. With that in mind, I've got some prices on having it powder coated. I think a nice metallic silver or maybe the "chrome" powder coat would look good and that stuff holds up real well over time. I found a local place that will do it for $65.

I've also received more quotes on having it polished...prices range from $365 to $750! :blink:

While I am on here and searching.... What do I do about all my rusted and nasty bolts (chassis bolts, nuts, etc)?

I think you reconditioned all your bolts Kid Kawie? Ill look through your posts, but I thought I saw someone else on here who did theirs. Any info would be great. Cheers.

Also, I got all my POR-15 rust preventative paint, and chassis paint. I finished blasting my swing arm and trying to decide if its worth my time to blast the frame or pay the blaster who did my covers $40 to do my frame and save my time. Tough one. Do it myself and take a few hours or get my frame back in one day while I work on other things. Sigh....

I am excited for the POR 15 frame painting to begin. Battery box, tool, holder, triple tree, frame, swing arm and some engine brackets.

Hi,

I am new to this forum and wanted to say hello, this place is great. I stopped riding a few years ago after an accident racing supermotos. I am ready to ride again and just acquired a 1975 Z1 in a trade with my best friend.

The bike is stretched and raked. The motor was rebuilt and never started. 1075 Wiseco. 36mm Flatslides, undercut tranny and new clutch. I am not crazy about the drag set up but its growing on me. I want to either go with a stock length swingarm or a Gs1100 swingarm.

I have a few questions.

My rear wheel was relaced by buchanons with a 3.5" rim, Will that rim with a 150 or 160 fit on the stock swingarm?

My bike was raked 4 degrees and goes straight as an arrow, will that much rake make it handle bad?

Can a frame be deraked?

When my friend bought the bike back in the 90's, it was perfect. A completely stock and beautiful z1. I tried to convince him to leave it alone.

going to most likely build my own out of sheet metal or if i can find a cheap tail on craigslist or the bike junkyard by my house but i still have a lot to do before i get on that project. and if i ever do a mono shock swing arm swap im going to do a under tail exhaust :whistle:

what kind of work would i have to do for the gsxr arms with mono shocks?

808rob
97-03 gsxr 600 arm has no upper brace.

92 gsxr 1100 arm no upper brace.

you wannna go dual shock or mono?

leon

Nebr_Rex wrote: That is bad. I have some bikes that have the original bearings. Just needed to be cleaned up
and regreased. That bearing leads me to believe the bike has been neglected and/or abused.
You might want to check the other bearings; steering stem, rear wheel, and swing arm.


.

Very good point.
Man that thing looks like it's been underwater.
AT THE BEACH.

Patton wrote: Am pretty sure about a frame and a swing-arm, but what's a "subframe?"

Good Fortune!

the sub-frame is the part on the rear that bolts to the main frame.



that the seat and tailpiece attaches to.

kz's don't typically have a sub-frame.
you have to remove the rear portion of a kz frame and fabricate a sub-frame in order to have a sub-frame on a kz.

hth,
leon

That is bad. I have some bikes that have the original bearings. Just needed to be cleaned up
and regreased. That bearing leads me to believe the bike has been neglected and/or abused.
You might want to check the other bearings; steering stem, rear wheel, and swing arm.


.

This is great news and I appreciate all the help and feedback. I want to keep it as original as possible but there is much work to be done. Right now I have the engine out and on a stand. It was rebuilt last year with valve seating done, new gaskets and carb clean and tune. With the engine out, I have all the engine covers in getting the chrome stripped off. All the covers had the chrome peeling and pitting. I cleaned and soda blasted the engine and it is clean. Actually looks cool with the soda blast clean to it. But I wanted to paint the engine flat black, leaving the heat fin edges with the soda blast look. But now you all got me thinking original. Tough decisions. I have the frame dismantled and already started sandblasting all the rust and old black paint off of it, as well as the engine mounting pieces, battery box, seat, triple tree and the gauges housing, etc. The stock gauges look good but I cannot figure out how to take the chrome bezel housing off to clean it and fix a small dent in it. Maybe have to replace it. The sprockets and chains are all new so those will stay, but I plan to soda blast the swing arm and replace the mounts etc. When I repaint or powder coat the frame, I was thinking of doing it a flat dark gray to match/offset the engine. The tank will be a flat black with some gray accents to it, flat in color as well. I will replace the steering bearings and will inspect wheel bearings etc.

I do have the stock one piece brakes but will look for the dual disc brake setup. please feel free to point me in the right direction here. I am going to keep the stock gauges as I am now really thinking of trying to keep it stock and just update some visual areas of the bike (tank, side covers, frame, swing arm, engine). Probably update the suspension too, now that I know it is possible to add some progressive springs.

Has anyone done an led bulb update to the gauges? just wondering. I also have to replace the gauge light housing, the plastic piece with the neutral, oil, and blinker lights in it. The one I have is pretty bad. The actual gauge housing (metal) is good. Just needs to be blasted and repainted. I have an air pod setup for the carbs, but read that its better to have the stock airbox. Any thoughts on this? The exhaust is in good shape, but I dont think its the original. It was painted flat black and is a 4 into 1 setup. Sounds good. Overall the bike runs well, needs a new tach cable.

So I guess these are my questions?

Do I paint the engine?
Where can i get side cover and tank emblems?
Any thoughts on a brake setup?
Do I keep the original head light?
Any do it yourselves on rebuilding the electrical setup, mine is a mess?
Dual brake setup, how to and where to find a writeup?
any other little mods anyone can think of?

Ill take some pics tomorrow when its light out and update with all the pieces. It will be great to get some owner/modder/ know how to put me in the right direction. I love rebuilding bikes and glad I have a gem to work with. Cheers for all the readers and repliers. Thanks guys!