In it up to the nuts.......GS frame arrives with spare motor

[treephoenix]

Well, the day finally came for me to go pick up the GS thou frame. 

After sleepless nights planning in my head n on random bits of paper I'd be a step nearer to properly starting. Bluedog59 turned up to nip up the m1with me.

With him came a set of forks with yokes n a pair of gs 750 side panels, a 750 tailpiece, various tanks to play dress up with n to my surprise a swingarm loaned by Paul M..........thanks Paul, I'll catch up with you sometime n buy ya a pint or somats 

So all of a sudden with the wheels in me shed I'd be able to cobble together a somewhat rudimentary representation of what I was looking for. First we needed to fetch the frame. I'd spoken to the guy........frame number good, V5 present. What more did I need? There was however the small matter of the left rear shocker mount being "a bit rotten"- fuck me, not arf. He also said he hadn't gotten round to taking the lump out........"make me an offer mate"

With a slightly anxious feeling off we fucked to see said frame. A very lot of sighing, Bluedog doing some spinal tap tutting, head scratching - I say spinal tap cos the sighs seemed to go to 11! Nevertheless we handed over some of the Queens finest for frame n motor.

Back at the ranch we got started but took some piccys of frame.

I'm either mad or desperate but see photo below........... Mono shock it is then!

 

[treephoenix]

So we knew what we were looking at with the fame (holes mostly lol)

The lump was taken out of the frame, surprisingly all mounting bolts came out a piece of cake. All engine casings came off n are in better nick than the ones I had. Off came the rocker........mint pair of cams. Clutch time......basket all good. This was looking good. Head off........not tooooo bad n that's where it stopped. We knew it was seized as we couldn't turn it on the crank but there the good luck with the lump stops for now. Bores filled with oil n fingers crossed for what lay below that point.  Lotta good stuff off engine up to now n the extra for the lump has paid for itself, the frame is workable via mono shock route. I was still in 2 minds about twin shock but the decision was made for me. It's gonna be a long build I reckon but I'm still buzzin'

[treephoenix]

My phone camera is dead crap but below is a very rudimentary chassis.Oh yeah, I got the grinder out :-). Back at it tomorrow to see what else can be done, draw up plans n write a shopping list n according to what the Mrs just said finding a bed for the shed.......oooooops. 

[Nigkat]

Looking at the state of the corrosion on the frame I would be seriously worried about its integrity especially around high stress areas.

 

[treephoenix]

Yes, totally understand what your saying. The rot has come from it being in a garage and water soaking one side of it as the roof had fallen in. Rest of it is pretty good. The cradle is all good but will be stripping paint to make double sure.

[Poldark]

But that kind of rot is more than just water induced; there must have been some kind of acid leaching out the broken roof timbers.  Good call on stripping down to bare metal.

[wraith]

Just a bit of work to do then  chop out the rot weld new in and away you. 

Have fun 

[Sheep]

At least it hasn't got any barnacles on it lol.....looks like a project and a half there mate

[Gixerjonah]

Fuck me sideways your a brave man !!! Goin to be watching this with interest. Full marks for enthusiasm !!

[treephoenix]

1 hour ago, Gixerjonah said:

Fuck me sideways your a brave man !!! Goin to be watching this with interest. Full marks for enthusiasm !!

I know it seems highly unlikely but the rest of the frame is genuinely ok.

I know a good Welder n a guy who engineers to 11. May cost a few sheckles like but it'll live. It'll be proper checked over n strengthened. 

But yeah I looked at it today n just rolled a fag n thought "I must be fuggin nuts!" 

[Paulm]

If it's rebuildable,why not try and sort the shock mount out,there's bound to be a scrap frame out there you can use to repair it.

[R1guy]

1 minute ago, Paulm said:

If it's rebuildable,why not try and sort the shock mount out,there's bound to be a scrap frame out there you can use to repair it.

Agreed- monoshocks are so last year

[Paulm]

I think twin shock bikes should stay that way,keeps their identity.

[bluedog59]

I think he'd have liked to keep it twin shock but the whole mount area is so rotten that we could just crush the tubing with our fingers. It would take a hell of a lot more work to keep this frame twin shock and the budget is not big.

[Paulm]

38 minutes ago, bluedog59 said:

I think he'd have liked to keep it twin shock but the whole mount area is so rotten that we could just crush the tubing with our fingers. It would take a hell of a lot more work to keep this frame twin shock and the budget is not big.

Think of it as a challenge Rob! Lol

[bluedog59]

The way it's looking, he should be able to do the whole conversion for less than £100 and, given the lack of budget, I think he'll be doing it as the only way for the frame to live again.

 

Unless somebody can donate a decent subframe and shocks for less. Now that's a challenge.

Edited October 9, 2016 by bluedog59
typo

[Poldark]

How close are the frame dimensions on a '81 gs550?  I have the back part of a frame (which I cut off to build a chopper) which I'd donate to another member.  Bad part is, US to UK postage would most likely be a deal killer.

[treephoenix]

You reckon it'll Polish out? ;-)

Yeah, would have liked to keep it twin shock but as Rob said I don't have a big budget n there's plenty of nice options in other areas. Plus I can spend cash elsewhere I guess 

[treephoenix]

9 minutes ago, Poldark said:

How close are the frame dimensions on a '81 gs550?  I have the back part of a frame (which I cut off to build a chopper) which I'd donate to another member.  Bad part is, US to UK postage would most likely be a deal killer.

I've no clue as to difference in dimensions but yeah your dead right getting it in Blighty would likely be costly. 

Thanks though Poldark 

[Blubber]

Now that's what i call a project .

Nice.

 

[Markz9]

if it helps I might have the top shock mount including stiffening plates spare I moved the top mount on my gs1000 Yoshi to lay the shock down so it works more efficiently and I cut them off

mark

[treephoenix]

3 hours ago, Markz9 said:

if it helps I might have the top shock mount including stiffening plates spare I moved the top mount on my gs1000 Yoshi to lay the shock down so it works more efficiently and I cut them off

mark

Thanks for the offer Mark but I'm now set on single shock.

Was reading an article in P.B from August 2013 that Bluedog dropped round. GS rolling chassis n GSX 11 lump n what the guy said made me laugh but kinda sums up where I'm at......well at least for today ;-)

 

[treephoenix]

Not that I'm suggesting for one minute I could build something so nice as this guy did but am with him.

[treephoenix]

6 hours ago, Blubber said:

Now that's what i call a project .

Nice.

 

Lol......yep.

Might need to lobby to get the bike version of Challenge Aneka on the go but determined it'll see tarmac.......one day.

[nick65]

Like a man who faces up to a challenge. Good luck will be following build with interest.