Classic Z900 Restoration (76 A4)

[Airman]

Nearly sold the zed a while back, but the would be buyer decided that he would be better spending the money and much more on a restored example. So I decided to 'restore'.
The bike is fine, but on closer inspection, there are a few things that need to be looked at
So... without further ado...
feckin eejit


(Pic test)

[Airman]

So 'Imgur' works...
The frame was a little rough, but most of the attention is behind everything unseen.
Frame stripped, engine ready to be keeled over and lift the frame off.
Christ, whatever about the weight of the engine, the frame is also some lump of metal...



That revealed all the crap that really meant the bike wasn't actually as good as I assumed it was.


Every component was then removed ready for blasting.
This time I cleaned the workshop before and got the ziplock bags and the marker out.
This will be a doddle... there's no parts missing

[Airman]

All the metals and the painted ally is now fully blasted, Acid etched and undercoated.
Need a little warmth before the frame and bits gets to see any paint.





If I put these away for a bit, I'll move to the engine if I can horse the bastid up onto the work bench.. wait.. my kids are grown up enough they might be able to lift one end if they can manage their phones with only one hand .

First time I done this I got some advise from a Honda 750/4 owner, who went through the engine and the oil tank alongside. mine was a 550/4 and I forgot, theres no oil tank on them so when you split the engine on a bench.... its a fucin mess. That's how much I knew about bikes.
This one should be OK.. (At least the tank is sound)

[croaker 1000 k1]

That's gonna be worth a lot of beer tokens when finished.... Fair play to you

[the landshark]

Looks the job Airman. I'll have to call over and see that when it's done.
I have a 70's vetter full fairing with slanty panniers(in turquoise green) for it if you want to do a period resto

[addicted to rage]

Savage get lots of pics for us. I love a good project thread also love the old Zs

[kad]

Some weight in them engines an f all clearance in the frame be some job when your done keep the pics coming

[Airman]

Be some job if I CAN keep going, never a minute in a day,
All I'm short now is to loose momentum, get the Christmas decorations mixed up with the parts.
Note to self.. put crystal pack in the tank !

I managed to knock up a nickel plating system for some of the non standard non chromed bolts. Last time I cleaned the parts in hydrochloric acid ? anyways... Path cleaner. The parts came up great but rusted ta fcuk after a week or so.(eejit... again)
Was then told to use sulphuric acid. to clean and etch. where the feck will I get that
Tripped against an old cage battery and .. 'well holy god',
we'll see how that goes.

[chopper]

Its coming along .hard to see where all the hours go till your done

[NODSTER]

[air] Man, this will be an interesting thread to follow

No need to give us the full banana, but keep updating....when you get a break!

[godofbiomechanics]

Think it looked well as was, hopefully you'll still ride her post resto?
You painting it yourself or maybe Ger Condon?
Will you just detail the engine or go the whole hog and vap blast?

Beautiful looking bike and the proto hairy chest machine, more pics!

[VJMC]

great decision to do a restro, hope it all goes well (possibly ready for the VJMC show in May?? )

[Airman]

Damp and cold.. sprayed anyways.
Turned on the patio heater in the shed to get the bite out, half way through spraying ... Jesus gas flame and 2K fumes probably don't mix too well.

Got the satin..y finish I wanted. 2K comes in gloss so a bit of adjustment to the hardener mix and air pressure and it looks just fine. 'cept for the headlamp shell, which fell over wet and rolled into every fcukin dirt trap on the floor.



I don't like the original glossy finish, it shows up all the bad bits anyway.


Wiring stuff next
Twud be dead easy to just buy the bits but the mortgage wouldn't be long adding up.

[Airman]

Originally Posted by godofbiomechanics

Think it looked well as was, hopefully you'll still ride her post resto?

Will you just detail the engine or go the whole hog and vap blast?

Plan is to move it on if it end up making money (usual.. asking & recieving aren't ever the same and it would nearly need to go abroad, cos we don't have any notions here on stupid prices.

Have a medium blaster, so I'll split it and do each part individually
(tried some household soda, but it's very fine, creates so much dust, you can't see what you're doing.

Originally Posted by VJMC

(possibly ready for the VJMC show in May?? )

Dunno, on me ollidays now but that'll run out, hope I can keep the momentum before I start loosing parts

[Airman]

Made a bracket to stop the rotor from turning, two turns of the center bolt and it fell off.. happy days.



The Clutch ...Fcukin hell... I've a pain in my chest
No way is the center nut moving. I've a impact driver & hammer, I've had to strap the motor to the bench, power bar.. not a budge.
I imagine there's seals behind it so I can't heat it.
Haven't got an air impact so will need to get one somewhere, pain in the rear.
Other option is to bring the engine to the local garage and get them to put the impact on it.
Weekend hours lost.

[Airman]

Bloody April already... 'twas too cold anyways

Engine work over the past few weeks. Was worse looking when I took the engine out.
Blasted casings and a few other bits.
turned out dull (as expected)


Had a bottle of rust remover and spilled some on the casing. Not bad.. so I painted the lot with it. (Even after blasting, t still wasn't what I expected).


Left it there for a bit brushing it around.. came out 'grand'. doused it in IPA and ragged it.



then as you do... sheared a crank bolt.


Drilled it out, put in an 'easy out' and thanks be to the baby Jesus it came our real easy. Was torquing it to 18 lbs or whatever and it snapped well before that, so going to change them all. had visions of snapping the easy out in there.

As if taking photos was the most important bit.

Lower half nearly done. two Months later.


Looks way better up close. Just need to stop the oxy now, apparently the Zeds came bare with no paint. If I can keep that bluish raw finish will be happy. Laquer makes it go grey, will try ACF50

[the landshark]

Looking good man, making me want to start doing up my own, the only thing is it's in reasonable original condition, which after 42 years isn't bad.

[john 087]

well done and best of luck

[dePeatrick]

Id forgotten they had a kickstart on them, great job.

[empeehaitch]

Keep the pics coming