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1973 Z1 rebuild

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28 Oct 2022 01:37 #876097 by willemZ900
Replied by willemZ900 on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Idiots are all over the world   Your Z is beautiful!! 
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  • slmjim+Z1BEBE
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  • Enjoy Life! IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!
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28 Oct 2022 03:34 #876098 by slmjim+Z1BEBE
Replied by slmjim+Z1BEBE on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
I drifted away from fakebuuuk because of 'rivet counters' like that.

Good Ridin'
slmjim

A biker looks at your engine and chrome.
A Rider looks at your odometer and tags.

1973 ('72 builds) Z1 x2
1974 Z1-A x2
1975 Z1-B x2
1993 CB 750 Nighthawk x2
2009 ST1300A

www.kawasaki-z-classik.com
An enthusiast's forum focused exclusively
on all things Z1, Z2 and KZ900.

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01 Nov 2022 02:14 #876260 by blackozvet
Replied by blackozvet on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Had some days away from the bike coz we had a hillclimb meet.
Now the plan has been to try and make an upcoming bike show that will feature a 50th Anniversary display by the Z owners club that is on this Sunday.  It didnt matter if it wasnt running, just want it to be "together".  So far so good.
So, to be able to put it on the trailer I really need the front brake to be working so it makes it easier (and safer) to get the bike up and down the ramp.
The brakes are all together and its time to add fluid and bleed it.  The brake fluid wont come out the bleeder nipple.  Soak the nipple to get the gunged up stuff out.  Try and bleed again - this time the fluid is flowing out the line fitting by the washer.  Try copper washers, still leaking.  Try a steel fitting, still leaking.  Look further, there is corrosion on the seat.
I have to take the caliper to an engineer I know and bring him coffee and sweet talk him into re cutting the seat by Friday.
Bike with no front caliper 
 
In the meantime I get on with other things, I tried to put my modified fuel tap on but the O ring has perished in it and I havent been able to find another one (custom setup)  I dig out an original tap (that is chromed) check and lube O rings and fit that up.
Now I know the red springs on the rear shocks look a bit out of place now against the jaffa orange, but after fitting the red plug leads they seem to even it out a bit.
 

1973 Z1 900 Kawasaki
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  • howardhb
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01 Nov 2022 08:44 #876273 by howardhb
Replied by howardhb on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Well, I think red springs look fabulous!




 

'81 GPz 550 D1
'81 GPz 1100 B1 ELR "Tribute" www.kzrider.com/11-projects/617040-1981-...-rstomod-elr-tribute
'82 Yamaha YB100 Fizzie
'79 Suzuki GT200 X5 TWO STROKE TWIN - SMOKER!
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01 Nov 2022 19:01 #876287 by blackozvet
Replied by blackozvet on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Time to get the muffler on, but first it has to be polished coz its looking a bit sad after all these years of sitting around.
The body of the muffler is alloy so it gets a wet and dry rub first before getting polished.
 
Now to bolt everything together and sort out the brackets and intermediate pipe.  And then give it another polish 
 

1973 Z1 900 Kawasaki

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02 Nov 2022 00:11 - 02 Nov 2022 00:11 #876293 by Jonas_Z1000j
Replied by Jonas_Z1000j on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Looking good! What do you use to get that kind of (anodized?) finish after polishing?

Z1000 J2 -82 not so running restoration object anymore
Z900RS -21 Green/Yellow
Last edit: 02 Nov 2022 00:11 by Jonas_Z1000j.

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02 Nov 2022 23:22 #876318 by blackozvet
Replied by blackozvet on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild

Looking good! What do you use to get that kind of (anodized?) finish after polishing?


 
I use Autosol (made in Germany) on the alloy.
It probably looks a bit duller as it has chrome on each end of the muffler housing.
You can get a better finish by spending more time wet and drying.
 

1973 Z1 900 Kawasaki
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02 Nov 2022 23:35 #876319 by blackozvet
Replied by blackozvet on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
After a couple of days I get the caliper back, Jim put it in the milling machine and re cut the surface where the bolt washer sits.
 

When I get it home I have to separate the caliper halfs and blow it out.
Because it is a 4 piston I will bleed it on the horizontal first - then bolt it up to the fork leg.
Well that was a lot of time wasted on a leaky caliper bolt ! 
 
 

1973 Z1 900 Kawasaki
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04 Nov 2022 01:26 #876360 by blackozvet
Replied by blackozvet on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
after some more fussing with different things its finally time to get the bike off the work bench.
Time to roll her out into the sun for the first time in over 20 years !

 
 

1973 Z1 900 Kawasaki
The following user(s) said Thank You: slmjim+Z1BEBE, Nessism, Street Fighter LTD, Scirocco, Dragbike_Mike, Mc Tavish

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  • hardrockminer
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04 Nov 2022 04:25 #876362 by hardrockminer
Replied by hardrockminer on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
That is one fine looking beast!  That oversize front brake should help improve what was one of the Z1 series weaknesses....poor braking.

I have several restored bikes along with a 2006 Goldwing with a sidecar. My wife has a 2019 Suzuki DR 650 for on and off road.
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04 Nov 2022 05:12 #876364 by Wookie58
Replied by Wookie58 on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Stunning bike in double quick time, I hope you are proud of what you have achieved
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04 Nov 2022 07:31 #876370 by Skidmark
Replied by Skidmark on topic 1973 Z1 rebuild
Wow.  Just wow.

Retired gearhead
'81 KZ-750 E2
'87 Suzuki Savage 650 Street Tracker (lost in the shop fire)
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