New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Photos and progress of your restorations, even bikes you had but no longer own.

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Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Good evening,
Im pretty active over on DTT (I don't know if that's a bad thing here) but I figured id copy and paste and catch you up on my project so far.

Thanks for having me

Marion OHIO

Wasnt sure of where to post this as it will not be a true concourse resto by any means, but more of a frame swap/ cleanup. Sorry in advance for the long post, but its my story to tell eh. I know most may just skip to the pictures as I usually do haha It was a few years back when i was about 18 when the vintage motorcycle bug bit me in the form of a 1976 Suzuki GT250. The bike was out for sale a few miles from my house and man was she sexy. Very nice shape for its age, running (though it needs crank seals) and begging to be mine. Talked to the guy and swapped him $75 bucks for my soon to be freedom machine. Before I bought it in my then blissful ignorance he told me that "it doesn't have a title, but you can just go get one." HA to this day I wish it were that easy.

I spent many a afternoon (to my poor mothers dismay) riding that thing up and down the back roads near my house. Of course I had no motorcycle license, the bike had no tags or insurance, and was riding on what are probably the original tires and brake pads... I did wear a helmet though =P

I ended up buying a rough but titled gt250 a few years later on feebay to do a frame swap, but after buying (for far to much money) I got it home and realized that the frame was rusted far beyond repair. Many of the mounting nuts on the frame were rusted to the point of not having threads left. After that point I lost interest in the bike and it has been sitting in dads shop/barn since.

The other day I was thinking about parting the ol girl out and decided to check out craigslist to see if anything comparable was selling as a baseline. During my search I found a Nice, complete titled frame about 2 1/2 hours north of me for $180. The frame for that bike is a 1975 where my nice bike I have is a 1976. My wonderful wife and i went and picked it up Saturday =)

The bike was nice for its age, and the more I am around the ol vintage bikes, the more i realize how lucky I was to find such a solid ol horse. My plan at this point is to fix er back up into a solid vintage rider. No mods planned here besides MAYBE a set of expansion chambers, other than that just a clean old stocker. After that I may ride it for a bit and put her back on the market to fund my other rides. I already told my wife though that i may have a real hard time selling my first vintage bike, so that plan could end up foiled haha.

Here are a few pictures of the bike back when i got it in around 2010 or so.

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In my 18 year old wisdom I started taking the ol girl apart to replace crank seals, lost interest, started chasing women and my career, and sadly the bike sat apart at my fathers house for the last 6 years. I just got the bike over here to the shop tonight, and I really hope to finish what a started those years ago. She is not quite as shiney as she was, but i know a little elbow grease, bloody knuckles, and some tender lovin, she will be whole again.

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Here is the frame i picked up to swap the bike onto
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The mill already out and waiting for a clean up and crank seals
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Oh and i forgot to mention, the bike only has 7500 on the clock
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I am glad the weather is warming up because the car will no longer fit in the garage =p
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I also had a guy contact me that he had a nice nos tank.. I just dont think i can swing the $350 right now, though its probably worth it.
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Anyhow, crank seals, gasket set, tapered neck bearings and s.s. engine bolt set are all on the way. Hopefully more progress soon =)
Cheers
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Little update. Ran the cases through the dish washer to dissolve what soda was left from blasting
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After soda blasting, i took the jugs for a fresh bore and hone. Big shout out to mototech USA in mansfield. I dropped them off Tuesday at around 11, and picked them up Wednesday around the same time. He said that is usual turn around for him, and in my humble opinion, he did a great job. I highly recommend his services!
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Got the crank squared away with new outside seals. Asked a few well respected area mechanics, and they said the bearings and inside seal looks great and have a ton of life left in em. While I hate to not replace them while it's apart, I hate spending a tick over 5 bills to rebuild something that doesn't need rebuilt.

Bottom case got a final scrub and it's back on the stand
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Got the guts all back in harmonious union. Picking up some yamabond tomorrow to glue the old girl back together.
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Not to toot my own horn (and I know it's not done yet, so knock on wood) but I'm pretty happy with myself. This is the first motor I've torn down, rebuilt and re assembled completely on my own,and the first motorcycle engine in general. I gotta thank all the great people on here for things I've picked up, and to my old man for all the things he has taught me through the years.
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Spent a good day with the family up at cedar point, a big amusement park about an hours and a half north. While it was fun, I was itching (and not just from the sun burn I was aquiring) to get something done on the bike.

I gave the case bolts a good soak in "the works" cleaner. They came out pretty nice, then a little thread cleaning with a wire wheel got them well straightened out.
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Then sealed and mated the cases, after double and triple checking the transmission guts, bearings and seals.
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Waiting for the right gasket set to show up, since I bought the wrong one a while back (oops). Hopefully then I get finish buttoning up the motor. Gotta clean and polish or paint the side covers yet too. I'm leaning towards aluminum colored paint at the moment, as polishing just ain't my thang. Lol
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Took apart the oil pump and cleaned it all up and checked everything out. Looks like she is good to go, so I slapped er on and re fitted the oil lines. The oil lines aren't hard, brittle or cracked, so I think they will be fine. I talked to my engine machine guy, and he said a half-a-thou a side more piston clearance won't hurt a thing, so I went ahead and put em on. Also got the stator back on after a trip to the hardware for bolts. For sitting Fer almost 6 years since I took it apart, those 3 bolts are the only thing I've "misplaced". Not bad if you ask me =)

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Also flattened down the decks with some 220 grit on top of a piece of glass to keep it flat. Finished out quite well.

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Cylinders and carb boots re installed. Man those boots were pricey. $37 a piece from Great Britain. The old ones were petty bad off though, and I don't wanna be suckin air.

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Gotta soda blast the head, and I should be ready to close er off.
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Got some more polishing done on the side cover/clutch case. 350 grit incremented to 1000 grit then polishing compound, all by hand.

Before
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After about 400 grit
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Finished for now
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Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Bit the bullet and spent $35 on a harbor freight 6" buffer. I'm glad I did, cuz while they are not perfect, the case and outside head fins are almost like chrome now. Lots of tedious work, but the results are nice!

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Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Laid down on the couch for a bit, but couldn't stand idle time not working on the old smoker.

This pic is just to let you know I used anti seize on the s.s. fasteners
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Got all the covers polished
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The boom domes were soda blasted and the head sanded on a plate of glass to take any high bumps down
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And it's together (mostly)
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Now some of this will have to come apart I know, but I couldn't resist putting it together for a bit of eye candy
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Kinda big update. Got the engine back in. Still have to rebuild the carbs, rebuild the fuel petcock, finish wiring, chain, tires, clean up exhaust, run cables, add fluids, clean up the tank, purge oil lines and other little odds and ends, but all in all I'm getting close.
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[img width=770 height=433]http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/13 ... 61eb7b.jpg[/img]
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Carbs done today. A little more use of the ultrasonic cleaner, then soda blasting.
Before
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Bowls after cleaning and blasting, then a quick polish
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Rebuild kit and reassembled
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Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Little more done. Less noticable, yet important work. Got the carbs mounted up and throttle cable run, yet still waiting for the o rings. I know this isn't some "major amazing life hack", but some zip ties to keep the slide springs compressed really make your life easier when it comes to assembling your cable in the slides on these mikunis. Green zip ties would be better, but the black ones are OK for this situation.
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Clutch "cam" or screw or whatever it's called cleaned up and installed with new cable.
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Brakes bled
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I managed to lose the little fitting that holds the cable to the lever on the oil pump at some point in the last 6 years, so a trip to the machine shop will be in order to make a new one. That is of course unless one of you fine gents have one laying around =)
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

I finally got the wiring straightened out. Everything seems to be working right. This is simple to some, but was honestly one of the things I was dreading the most. She is really getting close.
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Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

Got to spend a little time on the old 1942 south Bend. Had to make a new oil pump cable terminal, as I lost mine. Oil pump now hooked up and calibrated to the carbs.

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Also had to drill a hole through the rear turn signal mounts. My new signals have the wire coming out the back of the threads, where the originals came out of the tube ahead of the threads. All hooked back up working again.

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Checked for spark. Left side was good, no spark on the right. Before I went to far into it, I unscrewed the cap and checked for a new connection, and sure enough nothing between the screw and the plug cap clamp. If that's the only problem, I'll be happy
Hurco550
On the street
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:26 pm
Country: U.S.A
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1976 GT250
Location: Marion OHIO

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by Hurco550 »

I copy and pasted the photos from another forum. I don't know why some are showing up and some arent
rngdng
AMA Superbike
Posts: 1769
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:47 pm
Location: Blythewood, SC, USA

Re: New Guy Working on a 1976 GT250

Post by rngdng »

You are doing a great job.



Lane
If you stroke it more than twice; you're playing with it.

Too many bikes, too much time, ENOUGH SPACE, FINALLY! Never enough money.........
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