GT 500 back to life

[relic]

Hi everyone. I'm a new member, first post. Picture is my latest winter project. I seem to have a sickness for turning cash into boxes of rusted junk, hoping it will all become a motorcycle by spring. In recent years I've done 3 yamahas- a 1970L5TA, 1989 TW200 and a 1976 DT400C. I'm not real fussy about cosmetics, (can't afford to be) but I do whatever is needed to make a reliable rider that isn't a total eyesore. Then I ride them. Lots!
thanks for all the info on this site, I've already learned a lot.
Relic

[Zook-e]

Welcome Relic, looks like you have a lot of enjoyment on your hands this winter. Should not be a problem as your winters a little longer giving you a smidge more time.

[oldjapanesebikes]

Welcome to the asylum

[TLRam1]

Welcome, do you know you have bike parts laying on the floor.

[advant63]

relic,
it looks like you are on the final step of the haynes manual.
INSTALLATION IS REVERSE OF REMOVAL

[relic]

Thanks for the welcome! Just so you don't worry some of the parts are off the floor and onto the bench. Others are in blue bin totes. Some are soaking in pickling vinegar, (good for removing rust). Still others are in (and on top of) the parts washer. More are on the top of the tool box. Just about every horizontal surface in my little shop supports some bit of this bike at the moment.
I'm making some progress but I'm still at the stage of the project where I can't say any one part is ready to go.
I'm ready to assemble the top end and do a pressure test. (I replaced the outer crank seals and hoping the inners are ok as I really don't want to split the crank unless necessary). The piston clearence was within spec so I've got new rings to go on.
My stator passes all resistance tests but I need an ign coil and not sure about the cdi. Once the motor is assembled enough I'll kick it over and measure cdi output and that should give me a good indication.
Better stop this post now or I'll go on much too long.
Relic (happily suffering with the diesease---along with the rest of you!)

[relic]

I thought maybe I'd drop back in so you don't think I gave up on this project.
My pressure test came through with flying colors. And my ignition system test managed to shock one of the young guys at work. (next time when I ask for help I imagine I'll be on my own...LOL). I had an old coil from a Yamaha Enticer snowmobile that seems to work fine. No major work to mount in the original location either. Just needed to drill one hole in the mounting plate. Even the bolt spacers were perfect.
In the photo you'll see the tank and sidecover in place but that's just for "incentive" purposes.
I still need to find a seat or good pan, oil line from the tank to the pump, headlamp lens/bulb-I had a good one; don't ask and I'm sure some things I haven't realized yet.
She will never be pretty but hoping she will be a fun ride.

Relic

[two-stroke-brit]

She will never be pretty but hoping she will be a fun ride.

Relic

sound like my train of thought when i was a teenager.

i think i will steal that for my signature.

[oldjapanesebikes]

GT500 seat pans - at least ones that are useable, are as rare as hen's teeth . There have been a couple of threads on the topic (seats, not chickens)- take a look at this one and also this page. As you are in Ontario - you could also take a look at this page where I have listed a few Canadian sources which may be of use to you (hmmmm..... I see a few are now dead links, so I'll have to update the page )

[relic]

Two-stroke Brit; you are welcome to get all the mileage you can from that- LOL.

OJB- thanks for the links. I had done the search and learned, (thanks to you) that if I find a GT380 or 550 pan that I can modify it to work. Mine has a solid bottom, (more fodder for 2strokebrit ha, ha) but the edges where the cover folds and attaches are rotted. I could weld it up I suppose and purchase a repro cover, my foam is ok except for one area that would need filling. But for the costs involved I'm hoping to find a reasonable condition complete with original cover. Even if it is not perfect I'd be happy. ($100 plus shipping for repro cover and playing with a welded pan vs $150? for a complete original that matches the condition of the rest of the bike is what I'm thinking)
I watched and missed one off a GT550 complete on e-bay a couple of weeks back. Should have grabbed it I guess. It was solid, two tiny tears and an indentation that looked like someone had stored something heavy on it for a few years. I figured that could be worked out with a little heat and patience.
I'll keep looking but if anyone knows of a suitable candidate, please let me know. (maybe someone has one that's not quite good enough for your purposes but would work for me?)

Relic

[rbond]

Welcome!! I too have a GT500A, same color too. Any help you need I will try to respond.

[oldjapanesebikes]

I watched and missed one off a GT550 complete on e-bay a couple of weeks back. Should have grabbed it I guess. It was solid, two tiny tears and an indentation that looked like someone had stored something heavy on it for a few years

You would still need to weld on the brackets required to mount either a 550 or 380 seat on your 500, plus the GT500 seat pan doesn't have the cutout for the seat lock - and the seat trim goes all the way around the seat in one full piece. I guess what I'm saying is that you would still likely need to replace the cover to ensure it isn't ruined during the welding. New covers are not that expensive from Pit Replica - and as they copied mine, they can now supply the correct GT500 cover you need.

[wvc]

Good luck with your seat pan search. I too have been searching for one for about 5 months now, with no luck. If I get to the point on my project where I need it now, I may modify a 550 pan with the brackets from my old 500 pan, but I'm hoping to luck into the real thing eventually.

[Gene]

There is a very nice seat on Ebay. Perhaps you are one of the 8 bidders. 89.88 at the moment.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-T ... ccessories" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[oldjapanesebikes]

There is a very nice seat on Ebay. Perhaps you are one of the 8 bidders. 89.88 at the moment.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-T ... ccessories" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is for a T500 - the GT500 seat is quite different unfortunately ....