Looks like early tank, carbs and late petrol tap. Late barrels, head and cowl.
Possible that the guy had an engine seize and just replaced the entire top end.
You expect it to be totally original?
It's a 1972/3 model K so it will have been messed with all over.
Here's mine, a K dated August 72. Lots of wrong parts, see how many you can spot.
Do I care? Not at all. It runs nice and I like it.
Enjoy what you have and if it really bugs you, get the correct top end, otherwise leave it alone. Only the bolt counters will care and who gives a fart about them?
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
Screwed on badges began in 76. Before that they were press on and retained by a little clips. Suzuki calls them a nut to further confuse us. The clips are still available at about a buck per.
What ever you do, you need to remove those spark plug boots and put them under lock and key. Over the years there were 3 different styles. Those are the first of the 3 styles and are definitely. the coolest. The last ones offered were just a plain rubber ring that went around the hole in the shroud. All 3 are now obsolete.
Per jabcb's post above, I had this pic in my archives The tank on the left is the later style, 72/73 tank on the right. I know for a fact that the early tank will not fit the later frame. I tried that and it lacked about an inch of going down in the rear. As far a later tanks fitting early frames, I don't know. But I imagine the petcock location would be an issue.
I was born with nothing and still have most of it left.
Alan H wrote:Looks like early tank, carbs and late petrol tap. Late barrels, head and cowl.
Possible that the guy had an engine seize and just replaced the entire top end.
You expect it to be totally original?
It's a 1972/3 model K so it will have been messed with all over.
Here's mine, a K dated August 72. Lots of wrong parts, see how many you can spot.
Do I care? Not at all. It runs nice and I like it.
Enjoy what you have and if it really bugs you, get the correct top end, otherwise leave it alone. Only the bolt counters will care and who gives a fart about them?
Yeah, I've found so much wrong I'm just going to have to say "to heck with it". It is indeed a different engine, from a 74. Now I'm also finding hacked up wiring, the wrong petcock, wiring connector that leads into the right back side engine cover that had no apparent place to plug in.
On yours, I'm still amazed at that blue stripe. That would have looked really, really, nice on one of the blue bikes of 73. I'm wondering why Suzuki stuck with making a green stripe only and putting it on both color choices. Or, why didn't they just make the stripe black? Universally, it would have looked better on either blue or green.
Coyote wrote:Screwed on badges began in 76. Before that they were press on and retained by a little clips. Suzuki calls them a nut to further confuse us. The clips are still available at about a buck per.
What ever you do, you need to remove those spark plug boots and put them under lock and key. Over the years there were 3 different styles. Those are the first of the 3 styles and are definitely. the coolest. The last ones offered were just a plain rubber ring that went around the hole in the shroud. All 3 are now obsolete.
Per jabcb's post above, I had this pic in my archives The tank on the left is the later style, 72/73 tank on the right. I know for a fact that the early tank will not fit the later frame. I tried that and it lacked about an inch of going down in the rear. As far a later tanks fitting early frames, I don't know. But I imagine the petcock location would be an issue.
Can anyone tell me if I need to source the early petcock with three discharge outlets? I'm not sure of how fuel was distributed to the three carbs unless three lines came off the petcock to each carb. I know the petcock I have now only has one outlet, I assume for the ganged units from 74-up.
Thanks for everyone's patience with my questions. I have a lot of gaps to fill in here. Here is the bike I purchased at the recent vintage meet at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham:
Alan H wrote:Looks like early tank, carbs and late petrol tap. Late barrels, head and cowl.
Possible that the guy had an engine seize and just replaced the entire top end.
You expect it to be totally original?
It's a 1972/3 model K so it will have been messed with all over.
Here's mine, a K dated August 72. Lots of wrong parts, see how many you can spot.
Do I care? Not at all. It runs nice and I like it.
Enjoy what you have and if it really bugs you, get the correct top end, otherwise leave it alone. Only the bolt counters will care and who gives a fart about them?
Well the wrong engine, heads, and air scoop are kind of a bigger deal. You can see that a mile away. I'm not really noticing anything on your picture that doesn't appear correct? Maybe the engine covers because I heard they went to the decals in 73? The mirrors, but hey, that's cool....
Yes, the points and generator covers are from my J, as are some hidden bits and barrels (same as K anyway) lots of stainless nuts and bolts including 'caps' fitted where the original mirror mounts are. Wrong master cylinder, stainless rear rim & spokes. Oh and the tyres, oils and fuel are modern too!
Like I said earlier though, it's my bike and I like it.
Personally, regarding your bike, I'd ride it and just look forcreplacement parts to fit 'later' . Run the bike and enjoy it. If anyone asks, the current top end is a period upgrade. Like tbe GS550 wheels on my 550A.........
If it's a 74 engine, it should have a different set of gubbins where the neutral switch fits, to work the gear indicator. That may be part of the botched wiring. It could also have mixed charging circuitry, this will probably be fine though.
Oh, the joys of '70s bikes!!
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
Or a late tap and a 1-3 adaptor. Note that the early and late carbs also have different sized fuel pipes.
If you use a non vacuum type tap, (because they're cheaper), there must be an OFF position which you should use every time you put the bike away so the carbs can't flood when you aren't there.
The vacuum spigot on the engine MUST be blanked off if you do, otherwise that cylinder will run lean with probable expensive consequences.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
Hey, thanks for everyone's replies. I especially appreciate the info on the petcock. I hear that the the vacuum operation on these is a nightmare (or can be). I took mine apart and the diaphragm, while wrinkly, isn't torn. I still think I'll keep looking for a 3-tap style. What I think happened on this bike of mine is someone found a parts bike and merged the two. I see later parts all over this bike (like the chromed chain guard).
I found an extra wiring harness coming out of the engine cover(6 connectors plus one additional blue wire). It was folded and tied up secured to the frame. It took me forever to figure out it's for the gear selector indicator on the later dashes. So, there is absolutely no doubt this engine is a transplant. Now all I have to do is sort out the other wiring since I now know I don't need this particular harness for anything.
Oh man, what a mess this wiring is. I've got butt splices all over the place where it's been hacked up. The used harnesses I'm seeing on eBay aren't much better.
I know you guys that restore all the time are thinking "Well, yeah... That's the way they all look".... Well it's new territory for me. Being a perfectionist is a fault, for sure. Like many have said, " I see one thing then another that I just have to fix PERFECTLY before I move on.". It's a sickness
Alan H wrote:
The vacuum spigot on the engine MUST be blanked off if you do, otherwise that cylinder will run lean with probable expensive consequences.
Alan, where is this port at? I see one on the right carb runner. Is that it?
On the separate carb models, it's on the front of the centre carb, and on the linked carb models, it's on the front of the left carb.
If yours is on the right carb, the carb's in the wrong place.
If you look at the front of the carbs under the tops, there's a flat with the carb type and L, C or R.
The letter tells you where it fits. The carbs need to be in the correct places, as the centre jetting is usually different.
Looks like the PO wasn't as smart as he thought.........
ukfan4sure wrote:Hey, thanks for everyone's replies. I especially appreciate the info on the petcock. I hear that the the vacuum operation on these is a nightmare (or can be). I took mine apart and the diaphragm, while wrinkly, isn't torn. I still think I'll keep looking for a 3-tap style. What I think happened on this bike of mine is someone found a parts bike and merged the two. I see later parts all over this bike (like the chromed chain guard).
Yup. That's 74 on. Pretty though and the early plastic ones are like rocking horse crap.
I found an extra wiring harness coming out of the engine cover(6 connectors plus one additional blue wire). It was folded and tied up secured to the frame. It took me forever to figure out it's for the gear selector indicator on the later dashes. So, there is absolutely no doubt this engine is a transplant. Now all I have to do is sort out the other wiring since I now know I don't need this particular harness for anything.
Yup. But you don't have the dash, so just leave the plug alone and use the single connector from the neutral switch. There will also be the gear indicator switch installed. Just leave it alone or it will leak oil!
Oh man, what a mess this wiring is. I've got butt splices all over the place where it's been hacked up. The used harnesses I'm seeing on eBay aren't much better.
I thought you guys used 'butt' to describe something else, maybe the bike needs a proctologist!!!...........
I know you guys that restore all the time are thinking "Well, yeah... That's the way they all look".... Well it's new territory for me. Being a perfectionist is a fault, for sure. Like many have said, " I see one thing then another that I just have to fix PERFECTLY before I move on.". It's a sickness
No, they aren't all like that, just the ones that have been 'fixed' by someone who either didn't know better, or did it back in 1980 and couldn't find the correct parts and thought 'sod it, it'll do' or similar. Perfect isn't a disease, but whatever it is, it'll cause you pain and cash if you don't ignore at least some of it!! You need some realism to help fight the perfect.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
That may depend which connecting rubbers you fit as there is quite a difference in early and late types. I'm not certain I have the correct ones on the 550A, but with a little bit of patience they do fit. It's probably why I had to fit some rubber sheet spacers between the top of the air filter and the frame as it 'just' wasn't right. Without forcing, it now fits fine. As it will never be a show bike and everything goes together without stressing the parts, I'm happy it has gone together at all. The biggest problem with the Suzuki parts catalogues is that they don't state the differences when a part is changed.
All in the interest of progress I suppose, but what a pain in the posterior. (Can you say arse on here?)
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
I purchased some reproductions off of eBay. They don't have the notches in them like the originals. I think they will tighten up pretty good. We will have to see how it works out. I DO know, however that the diameter of the early head intake runners must be larger. On the original boots, the clamps are as tight as they will go right now (bottomed out against each end) and they still are loose.
