Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

A forum for stories, pics and updates of your resto's. Be it a barn find, Grampas hand me down or a bike being brought back to it's former glory.If you are restoring it, show us your stuff!

Moderators: Brant, Sagebrush, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
Taylorious
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Oakland, C.A.
Contact:

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#76

Post by Taylorious »

SOLVED.

It was the dang battery.

… After all this… I guess I trusted the auto parts store to actually test the battery properly… They didn't. I went and got a old-school conventional battery, put it on the charger overnight, and this morning… Boom.

Scratch 2.5 weeks of time.
BUT,
- I understand the harness much better now.
- I cleaned every ground and wrapped any/all aged/exposed wires ignition I found them.
- Have an extra working starter now.
- Can verify the condition of all my fuses, harness, and other main electrical.
- Learned how to bypass the ignition, killswitch, and RLU.

...AND IT RUNS!

Now, back to the fun stuff.
WITNESS ME :flamer

If the only tool you have is a HAMMER, everything begins to look like a nail

Santa Cruzian by Way-Of-Oakland.

76' GL1000 "gonna-be-something-special" build
04' KLX300R Rumpus Mobile (plated)
90' XR100R Goon Mobile (plated)
User avatar
ericheath
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 9580
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:20 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manituba

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#77

Post by ericheath »

Awesome and infuriating at the same time. You must happy now. So many times it's something simple.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
User avatar
Patriccio
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 984
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:57 pm
Location: San Diego, Ca.

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#78

Post by Patriccio »

Glorious Taylorious, in celebration I will have a beer available for you this evening. If you don't show, I'll drink them all. Congrats on the problem solving.
If there is one thing I have learned throughout this process it is this: Check your respirator for spiders before you put it on.
Gowing
True Blue Steel Biker
True Blue Steel Biker
Posts: 2314
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 10:50 am

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#79

Post by Gowing »

I just reread your entire post. And resisted the urge to skip to the end to see where the problem was.
Page after page, and two or three members trying to help. A bunch of ideas for fixes thrown out.
All the while you kept a level head and stayed positive. And then, and then, drum roll please!
"The battery" what a let down. I was expecting some new gremlin that no one had ever heard of.
Good stuff Maynard.
Dave

1975 GL 1000
1980 XS650
1981 ct110
1972 F7 KAW 175
2000 moby blaze 40cc
Chihuahua (Ellie)
Chihuahua #2(Blaze)
User avatar
Beetleman
Billet Alum. Member
Billet Alum. Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:45 pm

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#80

Post by Beetleman »

Wow, that was a nail bitter to the very end, what a find! Now let's get to the fun stuff! I want to see some more paint ideas!
1978 gl1000 Not Nice bike.
1978 gl1000

Taking 10 minutes every day to use the bathroom at work is equal to one week's vacation.
BrooksGL1000
Lead Member
Lead Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:23 pm

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#81

Post by BrooksGL1000 »

She is a beauty, thanks for the mechanical detail. We are new to Wingdom, just getting some ideas. I love the Rootbeer. Our girl is a '75. I call her "our girl" because she hasn't found a name yet!
Taylorious
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Oakland, C.A.
Contact:

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#82

Post by Taylorious »

BACK after a long hiatus!

Just had to thresh my final students, and now sweet, sweet, summer has begun. And with it, I've been able to get back into the garage.

Image
During the final weeks of school, I shod the rear saddlebags with some 'armor. lolol ' And, by this, I mean various flotsam turned into possible tetanus-inducing deflection-devices. Included in this mix was some 19th century sheet-metal from the N.V. desert, a well-rusted dog kennel door (cut in 1/2) and extended, and a few R18 and R21 knobby tires chopped up. I had a ratty 4' C/B antenna, and tossed it on my rear saddlebag subframe too. It's more of a 'flag-pole' than anything.

(There'll be more of this shown in upcoming photos. I'll spare you the details here.)

Image

Order #1 was to to replace the ridiculous D404 Dunlops that I'd been running since December. There's a 'hiking trail' near my campus that some of the students like sequestering themselves on, and I got the ingenious idea that I could off-road the GL out there on 'stoner patrol.' Here's a 'water-crossing' and how it went. haha.

Image

There was -10% tread left on the rear, and while the front was 'decent' (50%+), I opted for something more 'Post-Apocalyptic.'
Scored some Pirelli MT60's in 110/90-19 and 130/80-17. Spoon'd them on myself, and they're fantastically grippy off road... Took them up a quality dirt hill with my gal on the back, and while I went slow... they carried all 650lbs of bike + us easily and with complete control. Before wandering around further off-road, I bolted on some .50BMG shells to the top of one of the cases and a fiberglass spade and some 'tow-rope' on the other. You know, for 'accidents.' :flamer

Image

At this point, I should mention that I fixed up an bolted on a proper-rusted Corbin 'Road Commander' seat because it was the nastiest thing I could find for under 100$ on eBay. The pan was from Michigan, and had seen better days, so I bought a second Corbin and canibalized the pan from that onto the upright for the 'Commander.' Glad I pulled it apart since it was rotten in the foam as well... I took the front foam from the second seat and the special-formed upright foam, cut them to fit together, and then had a local garage-upholsterer sew together the two nasty pieces of vinyl. This part took some time, but it's working well... I dig it.

Image

And today, I got started on my rust-paint. Heard of this thing called "Modern Masters Rust-Activator" paint, since I can't simply strip and oxidize the covers. Seems like they're plastic... or maybe bake-lite. I don't know haha. So, I stripped the only metal part (the glovebox cover), and am going REAL slow trial-and-error with the paint process on a single side-cover first.

I'm doing a single piece of board as well, with different thicknesses and stroke methods simultaneously to see how it all turns out! I don't want to muck-up a nice ol' GL if I don't have to.

Image

...Further, I FINALLY found the O.E.M. color of my 76'; RED.
Image


What's to come?

- Rust-Activator Paint for the faux-tank / front fairing + clear-coat
- Decide on/if Auxiliary lighting for the bike (18w LED pods on crash bar?)
- Assess a 'chattering' in the front brakes. (I assume pad contamination with DOT fluid = chattering)
- Final Drive oil change
- Mod it until I get bored haha.
WITNESS ME :flamer

If the only tool you have is a HAMMER, everything begins to look like a nail

Santa Cruzian by Way-Of-Oakland.

76' GL1000 "gonna-be-something-special" build
04' KLX300R Rumpus Mobile (plated)
90' XR100R Goon Mobile (plated)
User avatar
Rat
Photo Gallery Admin
Photo Gallery Admin
Posts: 15456
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:59 pm
My Album: https://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/rat/
RIP: cookie
Location: Toronto .... Canada

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#83

Post by Rat »

NOT your run of the mill bagger .... for sure .... right up my alley !!

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
Taylorious
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Oakland, C.A.
Contact:

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#84

Post by Taylorious »

RAT wrote:NOT your run of the mill bagger .... for sure .... right up my alley !!

Gord crossy.gif
Thanks RAT. It's a nasty girl, that's for sure... Glad someone else shares my post-apocalyptic vision of an ol' flat-4.
WITNESS ME :flamer

If the only tool you have is a HAMMER, everything begins to look like a nail

Santa Cruzian by Way-Of-Oakland.

76' GL1000 "gonna-be-something-special" build
04' KLX300R Rumpus Mobile (plated)
90' XR100R Goon Mobile (plated)
Taylorious
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Oakland, C.A.
Contact:

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#85

Post by Taylorious »

FINAL PAINT UPDATE AND FINISHED PRODUCT:


TWO FINAL THOUGHTS:
ONE:

I'd like to preface by explaining how pleased I am with the modern-masters product for the plastic/bake-lite side panels. It turned out real nasty, while not eating into any of the plastic. It's water based product with iron flakes inside that react with a low-grade acid, and it's sealed bellow a quality low V.O.C. sealant. If I ever wanted to remove it, crack 'the seal' and then... boom, all it comes off with mineral spirits. Again; I give it a 10/10 so far.

TWO:
I used a simple sealed piece of shelf-board as a 'tester' to run every conceivable applicator (brush, mini-roller, chisel-tip sponge, raw sponge) and technique (rapid strokes, thick strokes, dabbing the acid, spraying the acid, etc.) It was the BEST investment of time I had, as it allowed me to keep my GL's panels spotless and predictably painted. As the old adage says; measure twice, cut once.

TWO -pt.- FIVE:
...I like how it looks without the fairing. I might keep it that way.


So, here we go! Take a look, boys and girls. Here's the girl, from undressed to ready to go out and all done up:

Image

Here's the panels done with their included primer, which keeps the iron in the basecoat from seeping into anything or 'eating' metals... The closer black gas-tank 'hip' panel is painted with a 4" bristle brush, and the others were primed with a chisel-tipped sponge brush.

Image

Here's the slow coverage of the 1st coat. The rust activator paint is very gummy, so it takes a few thick applications to make a steady base. Then you spray the acid... ...closer, closer...

Image

THIS was my freak-out moment. The board was shows 3 different applications, and they were all VIBRANT... but after about 10min of application of acid to the gas-tank 'hip' panel, it just wasn't digging in the way the board showed it! ...I went a little heavy with my application of the acid on this one...

Image

There's the Faux-Tank panels. I really loved the drip technique of the acid, and it made a very 'rusted-wing' look. It's appropriate for an ol' Honda.

Image

Here's the battery 'hip' panel, and I used a pool-then-drip technique.

Image

...and, the final coverage of the sealant. It bubbled tiny little 1cm bubbles in one or two 1" places, because of the ambient heat on the second coat... and I would certainly be a bit more careful with this if I were to do again, but fortunately it didn't show in any problematic areas.

AND HERE'S THE PROJECT, FINISHED:
Image
Image
Image
Image

...Appropriately filthy.

Soon; I'll have a finished BMW R/2 bat-wing to match:
Image
WITNESS ME :flamer

If the only tool you have is a HAMMER, everything begins to look like a nail

Santa Cruzian by Way-Of-Oakland.

76' GL1000 "gonna-be-something-special" build
04' KLX300R Rumpus Mobile (plated)
90' XR100R Goon Mobile (plated)
User avatar
gargoyle
Chrome Member
Chrome Member
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 12:37 pm
Location: Northern Illinois

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#86

Post by gargoyle »

:!: :!: ALERT!!! We have lost the photos or at least I have! Can anybody else see them? :!: :!:
User avatar
CYBORG
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 24536
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:52 pm
Location: Muskegon mich

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#87

Post by CYBORG »

I can't see them....just the photo bucket asking for an update $$$$$
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
User avatar
Patriccio
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 984
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:57 pm
Location: San Diego, Ca.

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#88

Post by Patriccio »

I'm seeing fractals, checks, swirls, & a few odds 'n ends by M.C. Escher. Lookin' good.
If there is one thing I have learned throughout this process it is this: Check your respirator for spiders before you put it on.
Taylorious
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Oakland, C.A.
Contact:

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#89

Post by Taylorious »

Yea. Dang photobucket wants 35$ per month to host photos now...
WITNESS ME :flamer

If the only tool you have is a HAMMER, everything begins to look like a nail

Santa Cruzian by Way-Of-Oakland.

76' GL1000 "gonna-be-something-special" build
04' KLX300R Rumpus Mobile (plated)
90' XR100R Goon Mobile (plated)
Taylorious
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Oakland, C.A.
Contact:

Re: Meet Valerie; 1976 GL1000 Custom Transformation

#90

Post by Taylorious »

Standby:

I'll be moving some of the images from the thread that I can salvage to a different 3rd party hosting site so we can get back on the ball... sorry boys!
WITNESS ME :flamer

If the only tool you have is a HAMMER, everything begins to look like a nail

Santa Cruzian by Way-Of-Oakland.

76' GL1000 "gonna-be-something-special" build
04' KLX300R Rumpus Mobile (plated)
90' XR100R Goon Mobile (plated)
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Members Restorations and Projects”