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Project 73 Suzuki GT380

Discussion in 'Other Projects - Other Bikes (non 250's)' started by kiffsta, Sep 7, 2019.

  1. Murdo

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

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    I like the Avon Roadriders, good 'all round' type of tyre that wears well too. Have them on two of my bikes.
     
  2. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Hmmm, just lost a bidding war on the jap auctions for a gt380 grab bar , I dropped out at $175 aud for an original one , was in a slight huff then found a reproduction for $75 buy it now , should look trick when it gets fitted

    2DD9739F-9610-420C-B5BE-526E039DC854.jpeg
     
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  3. Damian_74

    Damian_74 Well-Known Member

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    Jap auctions? Have you got a link?
     
  4. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    There are 3rd party companies (Jauce.com, Zenmarket and others) that will handle the shipping etc and allow you to buy on the yahoo Japan auctions. Sellers on Japanese Yahoo won't ship overseas because they are not aware that the barbarians also want to give them money.
     
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  5. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Haha.. also that unless you are a Japanese resident etc you cant actually bid on their Auctions..
     
  6. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Okay my bad, so the dills at Yahoo Japan are not aware that the barbarians also want to give them money. Imagine if eBay worked on the same principle.
     
  7. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Popped in today to pickup the next lot of parts from my Suzuki dealer , stoked to get my chain adjusters and new cush drive rubbers


    i couldn’t say no to the new katana shirt while I was there

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  8. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Stripped the seat for restoration ,
    It isn’t pretty but should be able to be saved, I am not a steel worker so I sent it off to a repair shop, they will sandblast it and see if they can fill the rust holes then I will paint it , then have new foam made and the seat cover fitted by john Moore house ergo seats

    the seat cover was $32 usd plus
    Post from cruzing image
    F1EE8530-0BA9-439E-ABEB-2A6876A2CB2E.jpeg F3B4F420-8223-44C0-8FAD-F4B4A1C804F9.jpeg

    new seats are available from
    Suzuki , but they are $800
     
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    Last edited: Dec 2, 2019
  9. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    You could have vapor blasted it for them and saved some money.
     
  10. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    True , was worried about blowing holes in it , back to metal polishing for now

    crank should be done tomorrow :)
     
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  11. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    my wheels are due back this week with new rims and spokes so Id thought I would get stuck in and clean up my sprocket carrier, after a quick vapour blast, I found some damage where it looks like the chain has slipped off and run on the carrier leaving lots of marks. I have been sanding them like mad trying to clean them up, but they are quite deep and I have given up. I grabbed the carrier off my spare wheel and it wasn't pretty either.

    IMG_7172.jpg

    Punched the bearing out
    IMG_7174.jpg

    Light vapour blast to remove the corrosion

    IMG_7175.jpg

    then I got stuck in with the 400 grit sandpaper, then 1000 grit, then the coir wheel, then on the buffer, I still wasn't happy so I went back with the 1000 grit sandpaper for about 45 mins, then used the buff, much better results. I fitted my new sprocket and bolts and here it is. Not perfect but a dam sight better than it was. I haven't folded the tabs down yet, I may yet give her another polish for good luck.

    IMG_7177.jpg IMG_7178.jpg
     
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    Last edited: Dec 4, 2019
  12. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Not much progress in the 380 of late , waiting in stuff to come back from vendors so I have been doing some of the laborious tasks such as cleaning up engine bolts and tracking down parts I need to finish the bike.

    One of the items that has been eluding me is a rear fender, I have the correct fender and one from a 1972 but it looks like the bike took a hit from behind and bent the fender , I have been able to get it back to close to its shape , but the hit much have been on a slight angle and it has twisted it so now the rear edge is no longer a smooth curve. I spoke to some guys who do metal fab and none of them had any ideas to get he curve back.

    Chrome fender for gt380’s are rather dear and I have been bidding up to $200 aud in the jap auctions and still missing out, decent ones are going for twice that price. I called the guy who gave me the bike as I know he knows a heap of gt380 owners so I thought I’d lean on him to ask his mates if anyone had one they would sell. He checked in his shed and found one , it is a bit rusty but is dent free so I made him an offer and he accepted and even dropped it off this morning, I Will strip it down on Monday and send it to the chromer

    The last few bits I need is a decent set of gauges , 73/74 were different the 75-78 and are very hard to come by. I’d like a matching lockset as well, but that is proving a challenge.

    Hopefully next week I get my. Crank and barrels , tank and covers from the painter and my wheels back.

    new fender

    3DDE1559-BAA8-4872-9C03-5A90DF603A16.jpeg


    5D7F7E98-0455-45DF-AAA6-399EE2C0BA7C.jpeg

    my old ones , hard to see if the but the end of the fender should be a nice curve , this one is tighter on one side.
    19395743-2341-4ADD-9163-8850520C7E73.jpeg
     
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  13. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    One thing I like about the old bikes is that they don't have 500000 little parts. Just enough to do the job.
     
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  14. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Scored some Reproduction tank badges on the jap auctions today for 1600 yen , which works out at $21 aus , even with fees it is much cheaper than the place I normally buy them from, he charges me $55 per badge plus freight

    crank and boring is ready for collection. , so now I can get the motor back together and in the frame.

    I had my seat base welded up , I gave it a quick paint and dropped it off to have new seat foam made and fit my new cover.

    Wish my wheels were done , itching to get it back to a roller

    E3C74D7C-89A6-479F-A062-344CE57FFB5A.jpeg
     
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  15. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Another bag of nod Suzuki joy just arrived , my new his case cover bolts , mirrors, cables foot peg rubbers and more bolts and washers than I remembered ordering

    The only disappointment is my mirrors , I paid good money for oem Suzuki mirrors and was bit disappointed to see the Suzuki imprint missing from the chrome , the old stock being sold on eBay has the “S” on them , but they are asking 3 times what I paid.
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  16. Damian_74

    Damian_74 Well-Known Member

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    Mirrors - I'm in the market for some as well.

    The list price is about $65 each for the OEM mirrors - I see "S" mirrors on eBay (I suspect that some of them are copies despite claiming to be NOS) for about $150 plus freight.

    With you holding the OEM supplied mirror....which way would you now go?



    PS...the race in on....who is going to finish their GT resto first?
     
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  17. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    You guys have to go for a ride together once they are done.
     
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  18. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Got my seat back with new foam and the new cover fitted


    7A3A6A93-41BF-4D10-8C02-42F53BFB632E.jpeg 10A39F3C-B176-48B4-9E44-80F7AF61FC46.jpeg
     
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  19. ShaneP

    ShaneP Well-Known Member

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    Make them match. Your locksmith can help if you're unsure, but you can disassemble the lock and reposition the sliders (assuming that is what your locks have) to make them all match the one key. Some locks only need 2-3 slides, it is the ignition you want a bit more secure with full set of sliders.
     
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  20. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    8E84DD84-D055-4C93-8AF2-71BE8101A313.png Stripes are on, time for some clear




    Got a call from the chromer , first lot is ready for collection.

    I called up to see how my wheels were going, looks like early new year
     
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    Last edited: Dec 16, 2019

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