Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
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- Around the block
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- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Always wanted one of these big two stroke beasts sine the 70's. Bought this ruin for too much money, turned out the front wheel and the frame where the only parts worth having, everything else was toast or wrong. Had J model front forks that were too loose for the triple tree, tank was J too, seat was rubbish, engine turned over amazingly well and when I got the head off i found out why...no pistons! Gearbox was full of rusty water, crank was ruined. Basically I have had to buy this bike back 3 times with parts scavenged, donated and purchased at horribly inflated prices from around the world.
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- On the street
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- Country: Australia
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: '73 GT750
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
I don't believe you're a "pioneer"
- jabcb
- Moto GP
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- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Congrats on having the backbone to see this dream project through to completion.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
- Alan H
- Moto GP
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- Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
- Country: England
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
- Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Hope the original seller recovers soon.
I suspect words were said.......
I suspect words were said.......
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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- Around the block
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
So to give some background to this money pit I call a bike lol. The tank was J model, the forks were also the thinner J ones so would never have worked, the main stand was missing, it only had one pipe and that was cracked, the seat was also a mismatch, no headlight, engine had no pistons and the cases were held loosely together with one bolt. The rear wheel had broken spokes, handlebars were bent. In the end I figured out I had a frame, a front wheel, a set of carburetors and some engine cases, not much for $1125 but hey I had a GT550 (Well some of it).
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Last edited by Hush on Mon Jul 06, 2020 3:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Around the block
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Now I needed an engine and plan "A" was to buy a runner from somewhere but there was nothing around so I was forced to use what I had.
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
The rebuild was held up as I hunted for pistons, it turned out one barrel was 0.05 already and the other two were std so not a set, these I had bored to match at 0.5 and finally found some pistons in Australia.
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- Around the block
- Posts: 73
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- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Today's mission was fitting the oil lines and refitting the starter motor which now works great. Minor annoyance is I can't get the neutral light to show, It works if I ground the blue wire from the clocks but when hooked up to the sender blue wire from the sender unit I get zip? I can't spin the engine to allow the gears to move as I still have the carbs and oil pump off. I may put the sprocket cover on so I can activate the clutch which will let me move through the gears.
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- Yeah Man, the Interstate
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT
- Location: southeast pa
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Looking good
76 GT185
77 GT250
77 GT380
76 GT500
73 GT550
73 GT750
74 GT750
71 T250 scrambler
75 T500 cafe
77 GT250
77 GT380
76 GT500
73 GT550
73 GT750
74 GT750
71 T250 scrambler
75 T500 cafe
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- Around the block
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Nuts, one of the exhaust manifold bolts has decided to spin and not catch a grip, have bought a Helicoil to fix it. Throttle cables and tacho cable has arrived, bit scary as when the oil pump parts arrive I may actually have to try starting it!
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- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Helicoil successful, exhaust tightened, ram-air covers fitted, new stainless steel cover bolts purchased for oil pump. 6 oil pump seals ordered from local Suzuki dealer, awaiting oil pump drive pin and main oil pump seal from Ebay. Seat pan at engineering shop to be rebuilt. Correct front guard purchased from Canada ($220) also seat hinges, locking plate and air box cones from same seller.
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- On the street
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: Original owner GT550L
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Parts are on their way from Canada!!Hush wrote:Helicoil successful, exhaust tightened, ram-air covers fitted, new stainless steel cover bolts purchased for oil pump. 6 oil pump seals ordered from local Suzuki dealer, awaiting oil pump drive pin and main oil pump seal from Ebay. Seat pan at engineering shop to be rebuilt. Correct front guard purchased from Canada ($220) also seat hinges, locking plate and air box cones from same seller.
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- Around the block
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
I hope so lol.
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- Around the block
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Gear shifter has no return happening, had to remove the clutch cover and reset the gear shift spring, no one tells you about these things! My Clymer and Haynes manuals never mentioned anything about putting tension on that spring. So while I'm in there I sorted the kick starter out too, finding those two tiny punch marks is nearly impossible. Next mission was the gear indicator, I removed it and took it apart, cleaned the tiny brass pick-ups and put it back on, it has no issue showing 2nd 3rd 4th 5th but neutral and 1st are hard to find or stay on. Possibly some readjustment of the unit will help.
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- Around the block
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
- Country: New Zealand
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K
Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause
Added a new stainless steel bolt to the earth side of the sender and it worked perfectly, seems the original bolt was just old and crusty and not making good contact. Tested plugs, can only get a weak red spark on all plugs, 40 year old condensers and points probably didn't help so have ordered new ones.