1973 T500 cafe build
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- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4246
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
1973 T500 cafe build
Had absolutely no need for another project but got one anyways.
The bike is a T500/GT500 combo. T500 frame + a GT500 front end. Motor VIN is for a GT500. Spare motor is the 73 T500 motor without a top end.
cafe-T500-0685 by jabcb, on Flickr
How do I tell if the motor has the T500 or GT500 top end?
The bike is a T500/GT500 combo. T500 frame + a GT500 front end. Motor VIN is for a GT500. Spare motor is the 73 T500 motor without a top end.
cafe-T500-0685 by jabcb, on Flickr
How do I tell if the motor has the T500 or GT500 top end?
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
-
- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:09 am
- Country: england
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: several gt250 ramairs
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
according to the parts book, there is no difference between the 73 t500 heads and barrels and the 76 gt500 heads and barrels
i know some of them had weird pistons, but memory aint what it was
cheers, dd.
i know some of them had weird pistons, but memory aint what it was
cheers, dd.
GTS250 road registered. TS250 engine, Ramair frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4246
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Thanks. I usually check before asking. The design change was between J & K models, and I thought it was later.
Am targeting a look similar to our GT250 cafe project, except for the bars & pegs. No rearsets & I might stick with the drag bars that are on it.
Am targeting a look similar to our GT250 cafe project, except for the bars & pegs. No rearsets & I might stick with the drag bars that are on it.
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
-
- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:09 am
- Country: england
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: several gt250 ramairs
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
talking of handlebars - now the old back can't cope with clip-ons i normally use plain straight bars. get some 22mm o/d aluminium thick wall tubing - 16mm i/d - about 750mm long is perfect. grips and throttle fit perfect and with a good polish they look ace. and save weight oh yes, they are about a quarter the price of shop bought straight bars.
cheers, dd.
cheers, dd.
GTS250 road registered. TS250 engine, Ramair frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4246
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Split the cases today.
Good news is that the crank feels ok. Didn’t notice any rough spot. And the tranny gears look fine.
cafe-T500-0735 by jabcb, on Flickr
But there is also some bad news. One of the topside crankcase bolts was rusty and snapped off.
A few other topside crankcase bolts were rusty — I’ll replace them.
cafe-T500-0736 by jabcb, on Flickr
One of cylinder studs is rusty too. Should I have that replaced or just clean it up?
cafe-T500-0737 by jabcb, on Flickr
Good news is that the crank feels ok. Didn’t notice any rough spot. And the tranny gears look fine.
cafe-T500-0735 by jabcb, on Flickr
But there is also some bad news. One of the topside crankcase bolts was rusty and snapped off.
A few other topside crankcase bolts were rusty — I’ll replace them.
cafe-T500-0736 by jabcb, on Flickr
One of cylinder studs is rusty too. Should I have that replaced or just clean it up?
cafe-T500-0737 by jabcb, on Flickr
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
-
- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:09 am
- Country: england
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: several gt250 ramairs
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
looking at the photo, the bottom of the stud looks like it's being eaten away? i would definitely replace it and smear some copper grease on the studs when you replace the barrels - makes them so much easier to remove in the future
cheers, dd.
cheers, dd.
GTS250 road registered. TS250 engine, Ramair frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
GT250 big bang road registered. Both pistons fire the same time. USD forks.
GT285 road registered. Overbored - 58mm and TS125 +2 pistons fitted.
GT10 road registered. '65 T10 engine, GT250 frame.
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
- Country: England, UK
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Clean it well then, soak well with duck oil or plusgas. Use some heat (not so much that you will melt the casing!) to help avoid snapping it off when you remove it.dollydog wrote:looking at the photo, the bottom of the stud looks like it's being eaten away? i would definitely replace it and smear some copper grease on the studs when you replace the barrels - makes them so much easier to remove in the future
cheers, dd.
Nice bike. Looks like a good base to start from.
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- Expert racer
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- Country: England
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: TS100, T200, GT250, T500, GT500, GT550, GT750, GS750
- Location: Southeast England
- Contact:
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Looks like a nice find. The T 500 pistons had thick rings with a light groove running around the centre of them, and the piston had a series of grooves in it below the rings. A change came with the GT. Thinner rings, and no piston grooves. Although they look different, they are interchangeable, and as I understand it, the later ones are better/stronger.
Keeping old 2 strokes alive !
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- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 508
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:14 pm
- Country: us
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT
- Location: southeast pa
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
? My 76 GT500 has the oil grooves on the pistons and rings, although it is early in the model year, maybe later ones changed.titan performance wrote: The T 500 pistons had thick rings with a light groove running around the centre of them, and the piston had a series of grooves in it below the rings. A change came with the GT. Thinner rings, and no piston grooves.
I replaced the pistons and rings in my 75 T500, with 750 ones with thinner rings and no oil grooves.
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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- Expert racer
- Posts: 1306
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:55 pm
- Country: England
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: TS100, T200, GT250, T500, GT500, GT550, GT750, GS750
- Location: Southeast England
- Contact:
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
I would think the pistons in you GT had been changed along the way Karl. I've never seen a GT with T pistons from original, and I have seen a few !
Keeping old 2 strokes alive !
-
- Yeah Man, the Interstate
- Posts: 508
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:14 pm
- Country: us
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT
- Location: southeast pa
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
My GT500 was bought used in 1980 by my father in law, so it is possible, however my spare GT500 engine also has oil grooves on piston and rings, both engines are standard bore, so I am not sure why both would have replaced pistons.
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
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4246
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Didn’t know about variations in T500/GT500 pistons.
I needed 2nd OS pistons & ended up getting Wisecos. (2nd OS Wossners were out of stock in the US. 2nd OS NOS are NLA & weren’t listed on eBay.)
Sent the crank out & am hopeful that the verdict is that the bearings are OK.
The guidance on replacing the cylinder stud reminds me about the old Clint Eastwood / Dirty Harry quote about knowing your limitations.
So I will take the crankcase to a shop to replace the bad stud & to remove the broken bolt.
I needed 2nd OS pistons & ended up getting Wisecos. (2nd OS Wossners were out of stock in the US. 2nd OS NOS are NLA & weren’t listed on eBay.)
Sent the crank out & am hopeful that the verdict is that the bearings are OK.
The guidance on replacing the cylinder stud reminds me about the old Clint Eastwood / Dirty Harry quote about knowing your limitations.
So I will take the crankcase to a shop to replace the bad stud & to remove the broken bolt.
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
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4246
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Had a bit of luck. The bearings were ok & I got the rebuilt crank back.
Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.
Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.
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
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1120
- Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
- Country: England, UK
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Well that is good news. How have you got on with the studs?
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4246
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: 1973 T500 cafe build
Planning on taking the crankcase to a shop next week.
Made up for good luck on the T500 with bad like on the GT550. (See pics in that topic.)
Made up for good luck on the T500 with bad like on the GT550. (See pics in that topic.)
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