Brown Dirty-- er Derby

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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#16

Post by Easter »

Got the front calipers in the mail today. Seem to be Ok but I do not have the pin bolts (or any caliper bolts for that matter) and I also need the little "Bridge Caliper Brackets" that look like the figure 8. These were used on the 83 and some of the 1200's If anyone has these send me a PM with your price.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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robin1731
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#17

Post by robin1731 »

Easter wrote: Thu Jan 07, 2021 9:41 pm Robin, any suggestions for cleaning out and smoothing the cylinder (of the MC) without damaging it?

Depends how bad it is. I have a lot of different size brushes I use for cleaning. (Think gun cleaning and engine block cleaning) Some by hand and some can be used in a drill. Then there also a lot of different size ball hones of different grit.

.
1976 Goldwing Super Sport
1985 Honda Elite
1976 KZ900 Dragbike
1992 ZX7 Dragbike (KZ900 style motor w/NOS)
and a rotation of various purchases
Randakk approved Carb Rebuilder
Gowing
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#18

Post by Gowing »

Your in frame engine paint job looks great. Overall a fine example in good hands.
Dave

1975 GL 1000
1980 XS650
1981 ct110
1972 F7 KAW 175
2000 moby blaze 40cc
Chihuahua (Ellie)
Chihuahua #2(Blaze)
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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#19

Post by Easter »

Thanks Gowing, I will have some more photos tomorrow. Finished the engine, and hope to get the radiator cleaned and painted tomorrow. Frame is dirty but should clean up well. Will need a bit of paint around the left swing arm pivot.
Attachments
New Water pump installed and trans cover painted.
New Water pump installed and trans cover painted.
20210114_162541.jpg (170.17 KiB) Viewed 325 times
20210114_162559.jpg
20210114_162559.jpg (142.1 KiB) Viewed 325 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#20

Post by Easter »

Here are some photos of the side and belt covers. I decided to go with a textured paint rather than polish. Not quite as nice but a lot easier! I also got the radiator cleaned and painted but have to allow the paint to dry before installing. Should get that done tomorrow. Will start it up and let it run a bit after the radiator is on. No brakes yet so there won't be a test ride!
Attachments
20210118_143027.jpg
20210118_143027.jpg (205.16 KiB) Viewed 313 times
20210118_143051.jpg
20210118_143051.jpg (174.31 KiB) Viewed 313 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#21

Post by Easter »

The radiator was installed and filled today. Small panic when antifreeze started to drain out of the weep hole. I was not happy at the thought of tearing back into the water pump but turns our I had failed to tighten one of the screws holding the water pump cover and it just appeared the antifreeze was coming from the weep hole. I filled the gas tank and started the engine (had some difficulty that appeared to be a discharged battery but ended up being a failing starter) I removed the starter and disassembled it but could find nothing wrong. It just completely stopped working. So a new Ricks starter is on order. Meanwhile I have the brakes to sort out and some more cleaning and painting to do. The rear tire is age cracked so will need to be replaced.
Attachments
20210119_115106.jpg
20210119_115106.jpg (216.87 KiB) Viewed 296 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#22

Post by Easter »

There has been some progress. I cleaned up and painted the battery box and area that had rusted from spilled battery acid. The acid had also run down onto the exhaust and damaged the chrome, not much I can do about that but it is not too noticeable. Because the battery "box" is so difficult to sand and clean properly I resorted to muriatic acid to remove the rust. A word of warning, this is poison so don't drink it. Use a plastic container and work outside, don't breath it or it will burn your lungs. Vapors will cause metal to rust so don't expose anything else to the vapors. It will also eventually remove paint which is good in this situation. After the process is complete, neutralize your item with baking soda solution. Rinse and rinse again. Then prime.

I have been messing with the brakes on and off for several days. Bleeding the brakes on these linked systems is a challenge but I think I have it now. Even the single front system has been a challenge. Sometimes they are easy and sometimes they are NOT.

I got the new starter installed. That was a challenge as well, as it was a very snug fit going into the gear but eventually with a bit of hammering and a large tire iron I was able to "slip" it into place. Meanwhile I learned that the battery stolen from my orange bike for this project wasn't holding a charge so I had to steal the new battery out of the orange bike. But the engine starts easily now and seems to be running OK. I even took it for a short ride up and down my road this evening. Seemed like some valve clatter at first but that eventually settled down. The shifting was also stiff in some of the gears so I am thinking that the effects of sitting for several (many?) years has left some sticky gunk in the engine even though it was filled with what seemed like diesel when I first drained it. I will add some Marvel Mystery Oil and see if that helps.
Attachments
20210120_132912_resized.jpg
20210120_132912_resized.jpg (273.98 KiB) Viewed 278 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
User avatar
Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#23

Post by Easter »

I decided I didn't like the gray texture coating on the covers so opted to go with black. The bike starts and runs very well, the shifting has improved to what seems normal, I added a pint of Marvel Mystery Oil plus it now has 15 or twenty miles on it since resurrection. I still have some clatter from the valve train so will take another look at that. The linked brakes seem to be working fine now but the single front brake has given me no end of stress. I have tried several different master cylinders, tried every trick in the book to bleed the line, even to removing the caliper and holding it up above the handlebars to be sure no air could be trapped somewhere. It still seems spongy to me. Works but not well. The major things remaining are rear tire and maybe rear wheel as this is not an 83 wheel, and paint. Too cool for paint so that will have to wait a bit. The seat cover isn't terrible but isn't good either so I may do something about that as well.
Attachments
20210129_154613.jpg
20210129_154613.jpg (221.95 KiB) Viewed 263 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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Liam
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#24

Post by Liam »

This is a nice project. I would like to get my hands on a 1983 standard like yours sometime. I agree that the black looks better on the rocker covers and the timing belt covers.
AZNGW Rider
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#25

Post by AZNGW Rider »

Nice project.

Believe it or not, vinegar will remove rust. I would have tried that before doing muriatic acid.

Covers look better black.
1976 Goldwing GL-1000
1998 Royal Star 1300
2001 Honda Shadow Spirit 750
:crosso
Past Bikes
1975 Kawasaki KZ400
1977 Goldwing GL-1000
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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#26

Post by Easter »

I use vinegar (with steel wool) routinely on chrome but the rust that accumulates at weld points is a little harder to dissolve.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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Jonesz
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#27

Post by Jonesz »

I have found that vinegar rubbed with aluminum foil is great on removing surface rust and making small pits almost disappear. The foil is softer than chrome and never mars the finish. At joints I usually rely on a small brass brush dipped in vinegar. Then I rinse with clean water and apply a bit of polish to help prevent the rust from reappearing. Works very well.
Jonesz

1983 GL1100 Aspencade named "Freki" currently undergoing change to a standard. Sold
1999 Valkyrie CT 1500 goes by the moniker "Valerie"
1978 Gl1000 "Loki" new project going to be a Cafe Convertible
1979 Suzuki GS850. Sold
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Easter
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Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#28

Post by Easter »

One of my cardinal rules is ONE PROJECT AT A TIME! Unfortunately at the moment I have three so in the interest of space, money and sanity (not to mention marital relations) I have decided to put Brown Derby on the block. She is actually pretty close to complete as a referbished runner. I had planned to paint and do a bit more of the spit and polish customizing but assuming I find a buyer, this will have to do. She is running good but will need tires and lights.
Attachments
20210404-_DSC0001.jpg
20210404-_DSC0001.jpg (201.93 KiB) Viewed 208 times
20210404-_DSC0002.jpg
20210404-_DSC0002.jpg (190.15 KiB) Viewed 208 times
20210404-_DSC0003.jpg
20210404-_DSC0003.jpg (212.14 KiB) Viewed 208 times
20210404-_DSC0004.jpg
20210404-_DSC0004.jpg (209.47 KiB) Viewed 208 times
Instruments.jpg
Instruments.jpg (165.77 KiB) Viewed 208 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
User avatar
Easter
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:33 am
Location: South of Houston 100 miles

Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#29

Post by Easter »

Project number two is a long neglected GL1500 that I am trying to get running. Actually I have been able to start it with gas directly in the venturis but it will not take it from a gravity bottle. The carbs which I went through and seem clean and in good shape have 19 or 20 (literally) vacuum lines and so far I haven't figured out which ones matter and might be preventing fuel to enter the bowls.
Anyway it is a matter of pride to get it running before moving on to anything else.

But then this fell onto my trailer and wiggled its way into my shed. Project number three. I am thinking I might just go all the way and do a real restoration. Unfortunately it is a '76 instead of a '75 but underneath all the add-ons and dirt seems pretty solid. It was safety inspected four years ago so shouldn't be locked up. By the way, anyone within driving distance of San Antonio and in need of a GL1000 engine or two should check out my post in the free ads.
Attachments
20210403-_DSC0038.jpg
20210403-_DSC0038.jpg (243.79 KiB) Viewed 206 times
20210403-_DSC0046.jpg
20210403-_DSC0046.jpg (222.05 KiB) Viewed 206 times
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
User avatar
Easter
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Posts: 2999
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:33 am
Location: South of Houston 100 miles

Re: Brown Dirty-- er Derby

#30

Post by Easter »

A final note on Brown Derby. I placed an ad on the Facebook marketplace and within a few hours had 15 inquiries and several serious buyers. Sold it for (a low) asking price the following day to a young man who had once owned a decrepid GL1000 and had very fond memories of.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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