Some Folks Just Don't Know ....

Post by **oldjapanesebikes** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:54 pm

Found this '72 in a wrecking yard this morning . .

May liberate it from its misery this afternoon

jkevinlilly · Post by **jkevinlilly** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:43 pm

I'm amazed the place stays in business if that kind of mistake happens often.

Kevin

Buffalo-guy · Post by **Buffalo-guy** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:38 pm

When Ian said wrecking yard, he meant one for cars. Nobody there knew what it was. Just an old bike in the back of a dead pickup truck. We did retreave it today. A 72, no less. Another project on Ian's ever growing list.
A friend of mine spotted it when searching for Volvo parts, but he knew it was a buffalo from lots of exposure around here. That's how we knew where to look. Quite complete, with the double drum brake, but no exhaust cones. Good compression, so its a good bet it will live again. The wierd thing is, we checked the serial no. and it is one digit earlier than my original GT from May 19 1972. Same dealer, probably same day manufacture. Very cool find. Cheers.
Fred

diamondj · Post by **diamondj** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:54 am

Neat! Want to tell us what the auto yard wanted for it? Just curious if their ignorance extended to the value of the bike as well! Hopefully it was a bargain....

Buffalo-guy · Post by **Buffalo-guy** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:56 am

Jim.
I hate to see a grown man cry, but it worked out to about $.20 a pound. Their knowledge extended to cars only. But thats what they're in business for, not the odd bike. The madness continues.
Fred

Post by **oldjapanesebikes** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:18 am

And in US currency it would have been about $0.18/pound !

For how it had been treated, it is in remarkably good shape - as Fred mentioned, the engine is not stuck. The gauges are actually not in bad shape, it has the original engraved alternator cover, the front drum brake, good radiator surround, and a good 'butterfly' crashbar. Even if I don't eventually get it back on the road it was worth retrieving for parts as the next place it was headed was the crusher.

For those interested, here's a few more photos of how it looked when we picked it up.

I think the single biggest issue with restoring these is locating a good original style exhaust system. I had sort of expected that by now replica systems would be available from somewhere but I've never seen one.

Heck, I suppose that just for fun, they could look the same on the outside, but have expansion chamber inserts ....

jkevinlilly · Post by **jkevinlilly** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:49 pm

It is a shame it has seen the abuse it has, but as we know that ain't uncommon. It is in about the same condition as a 76 550 I bought for $150 a couple years ago. I think Chris's(Coyote) comment at the time was the general color was rust. Since then I have accumulated about $500 in replacement parts, many of them cheaper than normal from forum members. About all I have left to to find up is headlight ears, chainguard, new chain and tires for a total rebuild. That, and the work involved.

Good luck with the project.

Kevin

H2RICK · Post by **H2RICK** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:21 am

Great find and rescue, guys.
It is amazing to me how these early Buffaloes keep "materializing" in the strangest places.

A big help, of course, is the fact that were sooooo many of them made originally.
Thankfully there ARE knowlegeable guys out there bird-dogging for the faithful !!! Those guys at least help to slow the flow of bikes to the crusher....

Tom Garcia · Post by **Tom Garcia** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:04 am

I think Z! Enterprises has a valve adjustment tool for the "GSX"...