My Very own Cadaver!

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Goldwingologist
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My Very own Cadaver!

#1

Post by Goldwingologist »

I am a student of the Goldwings - always trying to learn more about these machines. I have already learned quite a bit from all of you smart people on this site (already ordered a repair manual and belts), and now I have embarked on a new journey that will surely take my learning to the next level.

I just spent the weekend digging out what is left of a 1976 GL1000 from a giant rodent's nest in the back of a rural New Hampshire barn. I managed to get it out of the barn, into my truck, transported home and put into the shed before the impending snowstorm we are currently being warned of hits us. I did it all by myself and that was quite the feat considering the wheels don't turn and the tires won't hold air. The engine is also seized and the bike was covered in seed husks, animal molting material and years of accumulated rodent droppings that have turned to ammonia dust. It was disgusting.

The bike has many parts that cannot be salvaged. But the purpose of this bike is for me to learn. I want to learn about the bike that at one time was said to be the most sophisticated bike in the world. It is also said that medical students are given their own cadaver to take apart and learn from. The purpose is not to revive the patient to good health - the purpose is for the student to learn. So I now open the doors to the University of Goldwingology and hack apart this bike that has no value and would otherwise not even be worth the effort I just went through to get it home. I have no intention of doing an original restoration - the bike is too far gone and it just would not be worth it. Basically there is no right and wrong treatment of this heavy thing and I can turn it into a pile of junk for the scrapyard or any perversion of a Goldwing I feel like making and there won't be any loss to the world of motorcycles or anyone in it. That suits me well because I am a stubborn old man.

This will keep me out of trouble this winter. I will be working in my basement with heat, good music and good coffee. I will start a thread for the project and post pictures once I have the post count. Here goes, everyone!
Last edited by Goldwingologist on Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1976 GL1000

"The Elimination of the Insignificant and Simplicity of Vision"
-Frank Lloyd Wright
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Track T 2411
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#2

Post by Track T 2411 »

Welcome from Wisconsin. That there sounds like a lot of effort, lol! At least you're realistic about the potential outcome. I have to say that my first GoldWing experience was much more expensive, but I do have several running, rideable bikes (for relatively cheap) as the result, and many of the parts from that first bike have been or will be used in other projects.
Start a 'deconstruction' thread and have at it. We'll be glad to follow along!
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow

"If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going to find the time to do it over?" -Unknown

Current Rides:
'Grumpy' - '81 Standard, now fully dressed.
'Layla' - '81 Standard w/dealer installed fairing and Hondaline bags.
'Scarlett' '76 'Survivor' nekkid as a j-bird!

Under Construction:
The 'Jalopy' '78-'79 Mash-up
'Quikie' '81 gl1100I back on the lift, project with the step-son!

In The Shed:
'81 gl1100I barn find aka "Josie, the farmer's daughter." (almost comatose build)
'77 gl1000, roller parts bike.
'82 gl1100I, 'Old Crusty' titled roller parts bike (free!)
'82 gl1100I, My first 'Wing, and an expensive lesson!
New2U Bike? Read Me.
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5speed
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#3

Post by 5speed »

welcome to our corner of the interweb. Looking forward to your thread.
1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)

2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
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Rat
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#4

Post by Rat »

Welcome to the 'Wingdom.

Sensible approach ....

Gord
"I'd rather Ride than Shine"
‘14 KLR650 ... not a rat ... yet
‘84 GL1200i ‘R2B6' (Rat to Be 6, the last, adopted by twowings)
My Original 'RAT' was a hybrid '82 CB900/1100F
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desertrefugee
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#5

Post by desertrefugee »

Welcome. I have to say that you are very effective at painting a picture with words. I can almost smell it. Enjoy the ride.
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
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sparkyrasmus
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#6

Post by sparkyrasmus »

Sounds like a great way to spend (not waste) time. Rodents and pot metal do not go together well, nor do rodents and wiring, rubber brake lines, I could go on. I can already imagine some of the pictures.
Goldwings don't accelerate, they gain inertia.

1978 GL1000 - almost stock - needs a head replaced, parts are ready to install!
1979 GL1000 - Winter project/parts bike - custom "Busted"
1983 GL1100 Standard- raised from the dead and back to organ donor status :cry:
And the newest acquisition, 1979 XS 650F to be a sidecar tug. crossy.gif
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rcmatt007
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#7

Post by rcmatt007 »

welcome to NGW.... looks like a fun time is about to happen
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
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Goldwingologist
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#8

Post by Goldwingologist »

Thank you everyone! You all make me feel very welcome here. I haven't met any of you yet, but I get this feeling like we are all in the same tribe.

Well they were not kidding when they warned of the snowstorm - it was a doozy. When I got the bike out of my truck I almost gave up then and left it right where it was in the yard. But I'm glad I didn't or else it would be buried under two feet of snow right now. Instead I followed through and dragged that 900 lb anvil into the shed, and now it sits safe and dry inside a shed that is buried under two feet of snow instead. I will dig it out on my next day off - until then I will have to wait to perform a detailed post acquisition inspection. I was too exhausted when I finished putting the bike away. For now I can only speculate about the problems I will discover....
1976 GL1000

"The Elimination of the Insignificant and Simplicity of Vision"
-Frank Lloyd Wright
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#9

Post by Rat »

Nice ride next year not too far from you ....

Gord crossy.gif
"I'd rather Ride than Shine"
‘14 KLR650 ... not a rat ... yet
‘84 GL1200i ‘R2B6' (Rat to Be 6, the last, adopted by twowings)
My Original 'RAT' was a hybrid '82 CB900/1100F
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Goldwingologist
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#10

Post by Goldwingologist »

That's awesome!

I have done a few frame-up builds in the past. I am going to try and take a different approach on this project. In the past I had a specific goal in mind - to create a complete working motorcycle. The projects that I have completed are all still working. But when those projects were completed I would look back and the timeline was always longer than I anticipated it would be at the outset and the cost was always higher - a lot higher.

I see this project more as education. Sure if I can actually turn this into a working motorcycle that will be great, but that is not my goal. I have had a fascination with the GL1000 engine for a while now and I am excited to have one to take apart. I want to split the cases so that I can be comfortable doing it. I want to clean, rebuild, tune and sync the four carbs until it is muscle memory.

I do have this strange sense of confidence that I will get the engine to run some day. It is, after all, a Honda. It is just a matter of time, patience, perseverance, maybe a little advice from all of you smart people and, of course, money.

I plan on sticking to a budget this time (I say that every time). I am going to talk about expenses in my project thread and keep track of my total here to hold myself accountable. I have set a limit of $20 USD per month because that is what I am comfortable losing if the engine will never run. If I get the engine to run I will increase my monthly contribution. I actually started two years ago - it took me two years of asking around to find my "free" cadaver bike. I will not count the cost of gas to go pick up the bike or the cost of the hernia I likely got moving the thing - nothing as expensive as a free bike. So I started off with $480. Belts were $61 and the Haynes manual was $28 so I am already down to $391. It will be $411 in January. At this point I will not even try to predict how long it will take or how much it will cost just to find out if the engine runs. But I do want to chronicle it on this website as it happens...
1976 GL1000

"The Elimination of the Insignificant and Simplicity of Vision"
-Frank Lloyd Wright
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desertrefugee
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#11

Post by desertrefugee »

These things are more resilient than you think. It very well may be that that engine could be coaxed back to productive life without ripping it apart. I wouldn't consider that a foregone conclusion...yet.
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
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Track T 2411
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#12

Post by Track T 2411 »

desertrefugee wrote:These things are more resilient than you think. It very well may be that that engine could be coaxed back to productive life without ripping it apart. I wouldn't consider that a foregone conclusion...yet.
+1 If it were me, I'd at least see if I could get it unstuck before tearing it down. It will be easier to split the cases if the pistons are free, as well.
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow

"If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going to find the time to do it over?" -Unknown

Current Rides:
'Grumpy' - '81 Standard, now fully dressed.
'Layla' - '81 Standard w/dealer installed fairing and Hondaline bags.
'Scarlett' '76 'Survivor' nekkid as a j-bird!

Under Construction:
The 'Jalopy' '78-'79 Mash-up
'Quikie' '81 gl1100I back on the lift, project with the step-son!

In The Shed:
'81 gl1100I barn find aka "Josie, the farmer's daughter." (almost comatose build)
'77 gl1000, roller parts bike.
'82 gl1100I, 'Old Crusty' titled roller parts bike (free!)
'82 gl1100I, My first 'Wing, and an expensive lesson!
New2U Bike? Read Me.
bigscheaf
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#13

Post by bigscheaf »

Welcome from South Dakota! Looking forward to you getting it on the operating table with scalpel in hand and studying the Gold Wing’s anatomy. From my personal experience of swapping out the heads on my 1100, it was enlightening. Definitely a complex engine design for its day.
1983 GL1100 viewtopic.php?f=16&t=67673#
1981 CB900F (Resto-mod Project)
1979 CB750F (Wiseco 823)
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Goldwingologist
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#14

Post by Goldwingologist »

Thanks everyone! I am looking forward to it as well.

I have been looking into the things that need to be done to the engine while it is out of the frame vs. the things that are better done while the engine is still in the frame. It has been asked on here and I have been researching the answers given. That is the kind of information this site is great for! Thanks again!
1976 GL1000

"The Elimination of the Insignificant and Simplicity of Vision"
-Frank Lloyd Wright
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dontwantapickle
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Re: My Very own Cadaver!

#15

Post by dontwantapickle »

A stuck engine is never a good thing.
IMHO........
I would leave the engine in the frame as long as possible, unless you have some kind of strong engine stand and bench to put the engine on.
The bike chassis is basically a movable engine stand, a stable and secure platform for working on an engine. Trying to break loose tight fasteners on an engine that is rolling around on the floor sucks!

For me.... the priority would be taking the heads off and getting a good look at the bores before sinking a whole lot of time and money into the engine.
In my experience, horizontally opposed engines that sit neglected for a long time develop surface rust on the
tops of the bore when the oil runs off, and they collect nasty stuff on the bottom of the bores (old fuel, condensation, dirt, rust etc...) that can pit the cylinders and play hell on the rings.

fwiw: I am also in the process of trying to bring a 1976 back from the dead - on a budget.
Post some Pics!
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