The Wounded Z

This thread will document the recently acquired 1973 Z1 project we've named The Wounded Z.

After sitting in a barn for over half it's life, it was freed and treated to a two-week-long cross country ride on various 18 wheelers, arriving in Kentucky on 8/9/2018.

Ser# Z1F-168xx
Motor # Z1E-16746
Mfgr. date 6/73

Not sure what to make of the serial # spread, motor vs frame. Looking at the Z1 registry database, numbers of some of the '73 Z1's in the mid-to-high teens are all over the map. I see no obvious indication that the motor and frame are not those originally mated at the factory. Or, perhaps the motor was replaced under warranty?

We know almost nothing of it's history. Last licensed in 1986 somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, it was apparently abandoned in said barn for three decades, a situation both blessing and curse. Curse, in that languishing untouched allowed time and humidity to slowly chip away at it's carcass with the inevitable results; slow death by a thousand wounds. Blessing, in that whatever protection was to be had while in the barn supplied a modicum of protection from the direct action of the elements and, being out-of-sight, out-of-mind, kept it from being molested and cannibalized.

Everything is present except the owner's manual, tool kit and key. We have a correct # key on the shelf.

At a glance the bike is a rough survivor.


Not even ten minutes into evaluation, The Lovely Z1BEBE already has designs on it being Her Baby, "casually" mentioning (but with suspicious enthusiasm ... :laugh: ) more than a few times "I'll help you clean it up!". Translation: "Can it be mine to ride? Pretty please??" (Queue up scene from Fellowship of The Ring: “It is MINE, I tell you... My own. My precious. Yes... My precious...” )


Compared to the rest of the bike, the OEM paint is in amazingly good condition.


We're really sorta speechless regarding how good the internal tank condition is! I don't have a way to get good pics of the lower rear corners of the tank, but a long, flexible bore light reveals surfaces almost as clean. No loose rust at all! Looks like a fine candidate for gentle electrolytic rust removal with a 12V battery charger and washing soda.



Motor is stuck. We knew that going in. Looks like a broken plug in #3. Hopefully just broken, not seized. All the other plugs are present. Haven't tried to remove them yet. No milk on the sight glass. Oil is plainly visible between the fill marks.



While doing the preliminary evaluation and pics, the Supervisory Staff showed up:
"AY!
"DUDE!
"Remember us?"
"It's past Dinner Time!"
"We got Hungry Tummies!!!"


The next couple of months will be spent mostly on other, more manageable homeowner projects, some Ridin' and some travel. We'll be applying repeated, copious doses of Magical Mystery Fluid to every fastener and threaded object over the next couple of months in preparation for starting serious work on this bike during the coming winter.

We have a decision to make too. Do a full frame-up resto? That's self-explanatory. Or, do a simple refurb, wherein we make it run & stop reliably, disassemble & clean what's cleanable, replace only what is absolutely necessary for safe operation, and reassemble, leaving the cleaned patina of age as an unrestored original. There's a case to be made for that, too.

More bodywork.








Sad that the luggage rack notched the tailpiece paint above that 45 year old sticker...


More pics to come...

Under seat & area.

The nut for the lock pin has been forcibly removed.








More pics to come.

Correct gauges.


The plumbing for the chain oiler is likely undisturbed. Good reference.






The carb sliders aren't stuck!!


Jeff,
Looks like you'll be hearing from us a lot in the foreseeable future.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

whereabouts in kentucky are you?

As far as the tail, you might be able to plastic weld in a filler piece and spend some time blending the paint so it's impossible to notice.

I'm a big fan of a reasonable level of patina... Concourse restorations are nice, but the bike spent a lot of time building that character.

Great find! I am always amazed when bikes that are more than 40 years old have such low mileage. It makes me wonder why their owners bought them or why they kept them. I'm sure that bike will thank you when you have finished cleaning it up! Ed

What a great catch. slmjim+Z1BEBE is the steering bar clamp modified?

Great score! and she's in the right hands now, I'm sure she will be a BOM candidate when finished.

mopguy wrote: Great score! and she's in the right hands now, I'm sure she will be a BOM candidate when finished.

I 2nd the future of a BOTM candidate

Dave

Move0ver wrote"
"As far as the tail, you might be able to plastic weld in a filler piece and spend some time blending the paint so it's impossible to notice."

OEM '73 and '74 paint was a 5-step process: white-black-flake-candy-top. There is no practical way for "blending" damaged areas into undamaged OEM paint. That's one reason good condition OEM Z1 bodywork is so prized.

Sicrocco wrote:
"...is the steering bar clamp modified?"
Those are 2" setback brackets holding the handlebars. The setbacks will be removed during the project.

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement everyone. We won't decide 'till this winter if it's gonna be a frame-off resto or a cleaned, unrestored original. Either way, the OEM paint will be retained.


Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

Nice looking project i will be following. I have another 73 in similar condition I will be starting soon, if I ever get any time.

Whether you decide on a full restore or a cleanup and ride it seems like a win either way. I hear you about those pesky home chores too. I've got my own and my ex's as well as some clients because I'm in that business.

I want to quit and just tinker with bikes from now on.