GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

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kjmarti2
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GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#1

Post by kjmarti2 »

Hey y'all,

So with my yellow GL1000 project coming to an end here shortly, I started thinking about my next project. This next one I'd want to take much slower than this last one, maybe stretch it out over a few years instead of months. To that end I recently bought a GL1000 Ltd for a pretty good price. It was repainted black which I intend to return to the original color, along with pretty much the same work scope as the yellow one I'm finishing up now. A few unique issues are:

-Bike stalls when braking from high gear. You can get around this by slowly engine braking and working down thru the gears but I rarely do it this way.

-Really steep lean on kickstand. Doesn't seem to be dependent on rear shock adjuster, could be kickstand foot itself I suppose. Don't see any rot on the subframe but haven't pulled it yet.

-Green wire under left cover from harness to coils has some bits exposed. Also, there's tar-like gunk on the diodes and some spots on the underside of the cover.

-There's also a dent on the frame near the right engine mount. Doesn't appear to be structural but it bothers me. My crazy idea is buying another Ltd frame and a good condition wiring harness and just transferring everything over. I've already identified a few leads but wanted to see what everyone thought about this potentially crazy idea.

Other than that it appears to be in just as good of shape as my yellow one when I first got it. Really excited to have this awesome piece of history, and to see the end result. Here's a few pics.

-Kyle
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Frame Dent
Frame Dent
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Yellow 1976 GL1000 - "The Phoenix"
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Oldewing
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#2

Post by Oldewing »

As I am sure many members here can attest, rehab of a LTD can be involved.

Some parts are rare or tuff (read pricey) to get. So the level of "stock" comes into play. If your plan is to restore to 100% and flip. You can very easily out price the market. But you can build a real nice one to keep pretty easily.


But you seem to have a plan, so have fun and keep us updated.
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#3

Post by robin1731 »

Oldewing is correct. I sent you a pm with some info in it.

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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#4

Post by pidjones »

I'd just clean up and touch up the paint on the frame dent. Swapping frames involves serial # swapping and makes it even less correct than a touch-up IMHO. Decel stalling might be the air cut circuit. Rebuild kits for the valve are readily available and it is an easy task (get JIS #2 screwdriver if you don't already have one FIRST). Probably replacing the small air tubes from the plenum to each carb (part of that circuit) wouldn't hurt, and parts stores should have close to the correct size vacuum tubing.
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Jonesz
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#5

Post by Jonesz »

Ah the multiple bike syndrome has taken hold in another poor soul. Looks like the start to a great resurrection appears most of the "unobtainium" parts are there. Enjoy
Jonesz

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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#6

Post by kjmarti2 »

This bike is a keeper for me, not a flip. I'd like to get it as close to original as possible and take it to vintage bike events one day. I want it to look great, but concours level detail is probably a bit out of my budget and scope.

The shelter panels are missing hinges and the "holder wires" that keep them from free-falling when open, so I'm going to tackle that soon. Randakk has a good replacement kit for the holders that I bought and I'm just waiting on hinges at this point.

The temp and fuel gauges aren't working which I tracked down to the 7v regulator and the fuel sending unit. I replaced the sending unit and ordered a new 7v regulator from goldwingdocs, we'll see if that fixes the temp gauge or not. I'll be going thru the cooling system at some point to replace the thermostat and such anyway if it doesn't.

A dyna electronic ignition has been installed with a big bulky box under the left shelter cover that has all kinds of wires which I hate seeing. It's probably a different unit then the S which I have installed on my other one. I'll probably scrap the box when I get the time and budget for it.

There's quite a bit of brake drag which makes moving it difficult when not under power. I'll be getting into the brakes soon enough..

Headers are probably shot if I attempt to repaint them, they appear rustier than my other one and those gave me issues. The muffler looks great though, so maybe I can take the headers that I just got coated and move them over at some point.

I took a few pics of the lean angle and the kick stand. Maybe it's an easy spot for someone to tell if that's the culprit or not. Hopefully it's an "easy" fix, but I have enough experience now to know there's no such thing.
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-Kyle
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#7

Post by desertrefugee »

Kickstand looks bent below the spring. One of those LTD unobtanium chrome bits. Definitely too much lean.
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#8

Post by Fred Camper »

Think you know she has 1978 or later taillights. Not hard to get those earlier ones but the unobtainable grab bar may also be from the 1978 or later bike and getting a strong 1976 bar will be pretty much the holy grail.
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kjmarti2
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#9

Post by kjmarti2 »

Fred Camper wrote:Think you know she has 1978 or later taillights. Not hard to get those earlier ones but the unobtainable grab bar may also be from the 1978 or later bike and getting a strong 1976 bar will be pretty much the holy grail.
I assumed that as well when I saw the initial pics, but on closer inspection it looks to me like the PO fabricated some brackets for the turn signals, drilled a few holes for the wires to go through and kept the original '76 turn signals, fender, and taillight bracket. Haven't 100% verified this because I haven't taken the rear fender off to inspect closer, but it's my best thinking at this point. The grab rail is definitely from a later 'Wing though. I'm keeping my eyes out for an early fender and taillight bracket, if only to eliminate those holes. I've already got a '76 grab rail on the way, may have to get it re-chromed but that would still be less work than what I had to do on my other one (which I'm dubbing the Phoenix btw, seems appropriate given its history).

Another interesting note, the inside of all of the panels are painted blue which has me thinking this was a barn find at some point where the original panels either couldn't be found or salvaged. So they probably sourced some early wing panels and slapped the Ltd badges on in the right spot.

Doesn't surprise me to hear that the kick stand is bent. I also don't think I should expect to find a replacement, so maybe the easiest thing is to source a '76 kickstand and have it chromed? I don't have a heat source to try to bend it back so I'd have to take it to someone for that as well.
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kjmarti2
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#10

Post by kjmarti2 »

Taillight bracket and signals
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Under left shelter panel. Tar on the diodes and a bit on the panel itself. Big bulky dyna box.
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#11

Post by Fred Camper »

Question is if it is an LTD that had panels replaced or a regular with LTD badges added. Lots of chrome part differences if it is really an LTD. It does have the rad wings and engine mount, but there is much more to an LTD. Check the gas cap for instance.
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#12

Post by Liam »

You can check if it is an original LTD here.
gl1000 1976 serial numbers.JPG
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kjmarti2
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#13

Post by kjmarti2 »

Yeah, the serial numbers are the first things I checked. Engine and frame match, haven't gotten a look at the carb number yet though. Here's a pic of the tag on the neck, I think it checks out.
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Yellow 1976 GL1000 - "The Phoenix"
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#14

Post by Alarmdoc »

.-There's also a dent on the frame near the right engine mount. Doesn't appear to be structural but it bothers me. My crazy idea is buying another Ltd frame and a good condition wiring harness and just transferring everything over. I've already identified a few leads but wanted to see what everyone thought about this potentially crazy idea.
I have used a product called tech steel. Similar to JB weld. It is a two part epoxy putty that can be drilled,sanded. If the dent is not structural then once painted will look good as new.
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kjmarti2
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Re: GL1000 Ltd - Name TBD

#15

Post by kjmarti2 »

I'm thinking I might make this one a full restoration down to the frame, and I might start in earnest this fall. I still plan to do small things between now and then like putting in the LTD ignition set I got from Robin, replacing the old gauge cushions, etc. Taking a break from full-on work for a bit since I'm just wrapping up the Phoenix now.

This means I plan to strip it down to the frame and paint both the frame and engine. The frame doesn't scare me quite as much as long as I find a reliable means to support it for the job, but the engine painting seems a little daunting. I've done some basic research and most recommend disassembling the engine which I hadn't planned to do other than to replace the water pump. Can this engine be prepped well while still in one piece? I know there's lots of nooks and crannies that may be hard to get to.
Yellow 1976 GL1000 - "The Phoenix"
1976 GL1000 LTD
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