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Project 1974 Suzuki t500

Discussion in 'Other Projects - Other Bikes (non 250's)' started by kiffsta, Sep 23, 2018.

  1. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    I pick up a seized 1974 T500 a few weeks ago from a customer of mine , I have always wanted an older bike to help
    me network and find older bikes for my shop. The seller did say it was seized , he bought it after the previous owner did a major resto 12 years ago. It was ridden home , covered in enosis to protect the chrome and put under a sheet.

    Phil and I have started the disassembly So we could get to the barrels, alas the pistons were well stuck. Lots of wd40 and a paint stripping gun and we weee able to free the right hand piston, but the left was well stuck. Finally today, it broke free.

    I contacted Springwood Suzuki and ordered a full set of crank seals, output shaft seal, kick start seal , carb boot rubber and head and base gaskets, super stoked that SuZuki are still making them.

    Next step is to remove the engine and strip it down ready for a crank rebuild

    80B11CCE-CBE7-4A07-B5DB-A11BEAEE43C9.jpeg 23B446C0-9158-4CAE-B5AB-782DBABC320F.jpeg 30584840-403A-41A0-88AC-9DD1A2046928.jpeg 3022FF50-E726-4048-9DDD-1A1D6B15D12D.jpeg
     
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  2. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    For the crank, Geoff Howie is your man. He used to be Phil Read's mechanic and is a God with just about everything, but you would never know it coz he is such a quiet and unassuming bloke.
     
  3. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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  4. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    @Phil got into the barrels today with the blasting machine as they were a bit grotty, they are about to be sent off to a local machinist who will look to bore them to remove any marks, then he will order some pistons to suit, then a do final bore. I need to get the engine out of the frame, so I can get the crank out.

    IMG_6752.JPG IMG_6758.JPG IMG_6759.JPG
     
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  5. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Got to be happy with the way they came up..
     
  6. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    @Phil did the heads today , they came up even better than I hoped

    5F08221F-CE20-4072-8458-5535E11EF5A7.jpeg FE49C8B9-D4A2-4B03-8F8C-882A881EF802.jpeg
     
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  7. Suzukititan

    Suzukititan Active Member

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    Looks great Chris and Phil, just the way I imagined it might be one day! Obviously went to the right person.
    Will watch your progress with interest (and some envy)
    Chris B
     
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  8. Suzukititan

    Suzukititan Active Member

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    Kiffsta's dream - truckloads of scrapped Suzuki 500 Titan police specials in the early 70s. No shortage of spares here.

    IMG_1466.JPG
     
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  9. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Poor Titans. Worth bucket loads of money now.
     
  10. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Breaks my heart to see that
     
  11. 2valve

    2valve Well-Known Member

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    I just don't get that. Why wouldn't they sell them off.Even back in those day's they still would have been worth money to someone surely , more than the scrap yard would have offered. Yes some of them would be thrashed to death , but i think there would have enough spares in that pile to rescue most of them.Sad to see them piled up like that and un-loved. But i'm one of those guy's that cover over his bike /car etc with bed sheet's to keep the dust off.
     
  12. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Motor is out of the frame and it has been stripped down , I will run the crank up to the my engine guy later on today so he can get to work on it

    I bet Phil gets into the cases while I am gone

    In the 3rd and 4th last pics , you can see the rubber piece that Suzuki fitted to stop the oil issues with 5th gear, this was fitted to the t500l and onwards models

    067D47E1-2932-4D88-AA27-E4926D13756D.jpeg F612A3DE-1F34-44CF-A5A9-DEC778A17226.jpeg D466726E-59A0-4482-83A1-F09C1FE57764.jpeg 2440BAE8-CDD2-4822-9BC9-BE418548E2A7.jpeg 86097D36-8C1F-4747-8E3B-3B6C8F4E4578.jpeg 5A88D128-89A0-4E7F-9537-B53FBC29F46D.jpeg 1EE011F9-1142-4798-AFE9-A472E6D850D0.jpeg 90776C01-7BB4-4F87-BE0A-4E63AA92F326.jpeg 5EA9DC7C-B1B6-439D-9981-24B27A089940.jpeg
     
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  13. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    From what I can see the gears all look to be in good condition. Hopefully there are no chipped gears etc.
    should be a little goer when it is back together.
    While discs are good for stopping I do like the twin leading shoe drum brakes.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
     
  14. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    @Phil didn’t disappoint

    92934463-7BDD-4246-9C39-AE4230194643.jpeg C2E741E5-4DFD-439E-8430-E405210FC31D.jpeg
     
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  15. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    2;steps forward , one step back.... my machinist called to say that we have a crack in the cylinder, time to source another.

    I’m torn as to what to do with the frame , there is some wear on the paint and some corrosion on swing arm , I think while it is all apart I should get the frame powder coated , it is a hit to the budget but it will allow me to check and inspect all the bearings in the head stem and swing arm

    F2E44099-60D3-4EB0-829B-AD7A49FEDBD2.jpeg
     
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  16. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    You know you want to do it... go on... says the evil little voice in your head that doesnt know the meaning of no :)
     
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  17. Murdo

    Murdo The Good Doctor Staff Member Contributing Member Ride and Events Crew

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    "Just thought I would clean up that rusty bolt head and, well, you know how it goes from there."
    You know you want to. :lolsign:
     
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  18. Suzukititan

    Suzukititan Active Member

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  19. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    But the crack cannot propagate and the rings don't run there. Is it really an issue? Or braze it like Britten did :)
     
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    Last edited: Sep 28, 2018
  20. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Sounds like a plan.. what do you have to lose? If it doesnt work you need to find a replacement, which you are looking at now.. if it does work and there is no good reason why it wont then happy days..
    Maybe even talk to an engineering shop about Tig welding it and then dressing it back..
     

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