Before and After from Sweden. (Kawasaki KZ750 -81)

How in the world did you get the cases to look so good???? I am amazed. I can't wait to see this put together. Great job on details.

Thank you Mellvis,

Took the engine halves apart, cleaned and glas blastered both of them. I then sprayed them with 3 coats of sliver metallic paint.

The blue string is liquid gasket and is now taken off. Have swaped all bolts and nuts for new ones...that makes big differense.
Will keep you posted as the work procedes.

/Arnold

This is what it looked like approx 4 days ago:

This is what it looked like approx 4 minutes ago:

* Blasblastered
* Ground with 800 sandpaper
* Ground with 1000 sandpaper
* Ground with 1200 sandpaper
* Polished with compound # 1
* Polished with compound # 2
* Polished with hard wax

Was it worth it ? Oh yes, and I loved every minute of it...ehh not

Anyone know if you can get the little window (oli level) out to clean it up ?

Good clean work Arnold. My dads family is from Kramfors. How common are the Kzs in Sweden? I'll bet you get alot of looks at that one. Cheers Black KZ1000

Nice looking bike Arnold. How did you take the paint off the fins. You can remove the sight glass. I would probably try a pipe cleaner i have heard they work pretty good for getting back there.

Thansk Black,

Kramfors is a little nice village on the east coast in nothern sweden. You should pay us a visit !

The Kawasaki KZ-bikes were really popular in the 80´s. Each and every small town gangster wannabe had one.
You dont see them around the streets anymore but they are common at the scrapyards. Good for us enthusiasts.

All the KZ-bikes are called onyl Z in europe eg. Z750.
Since mine is form the US I just took the "K" off from the side emblem. Now she´s a proper Swede

Thank you Thompson,

I glas blastered all the parts of the engine to get the paint off. Bought a blasting cabinett for $400 and have had lots of fun with it. The paint comes off like blowing dust away...amazing. Want to put everything in there

Will probably go with the pipe cleaner trick..afraid I breake something trying to get the glass out.

PS. Your Café Fighter build looks really impressive.
Is it done ? Have any pics ? DS.

Thanks for the compliment it is not finished I am building the bottom end now. then I will stip the top end and paint it. I am still curious as to how you went about removing the paint from the fins after you painted. I have heard of using a sanding block. Just wondered how you did yours. I have a blasting cabinet and youre right its a dream. I plan on aquiring a powdercoat setup also. I have my build posted at vintagefighters.com you might want to check it out and post your build there too. Those guys dig the well, vintage fighter look. You mentioned you were gonna change the exhaust to two cans. If so what header are you gonna use.

Hi,

Ok I missunderstood you at first. Before i glass blasted the fins i ground the top of them flat with an angel grinder with a "sandpaper" blade.
Aimed to get them approx 3 mm wide. Then blasting and paint. After that I used a fine row (rasp) to get the paint off the fins. You can row them all at onec or one by one.
Between two fins I laid the row up side down with the concave side down. This got a nice clean edge on the fins.
I then went over it quickly with 800 sandpaper.
Might give them a polish just before assembly.

Wow...did´nt know you could powder coat at "home".
Dont you need like a big owen ?

Tried www.vintagefighters.com but all I saw was old aeroplanes. Felt a bit lost there :)

When I go for dual cans I plan to make it 4-1-2.
I used FZR 1000 headers and modified them to fit my bike.
I will ad one more pipe from the "1" part.
Right or wrong I dont care...it will look good

yes sir you can powdercoat at home. You can use an old oven not your kitchen one as the chemicals will make you sick. but you can get an old one and stick it in the garage. I'm gonna make a sliding hanging rack that I can slide in and out so as to not disturb the powder. Heres the link to the site www.vintagefighters.yuku.com/I think I left out some key info. Are you gonna use the same cans when you make the two can system. If so I would reccomend shortening them as I feel the one you have is too large fo the bike just my opinion. Keep it up and good luck.

Hi,

How much will a powder coting equipment set you back ?
Guess you need a big owen if you want to get the frame in :laugh: Just kidding...I know that it would be for smaller parts.
Post a link if you have one.

Thanx for the honest opinion on the cans. But sorry Sir, they will stay looong..
It will look nice when I get it all in place.

Will check out vintage fighters.