Project GT250 Fun and games!!!!!!!!!!

New work bench finished - completely over-engineered but happy with the result!








Even Little Miss approves!

 

Fork legs back form Rad Hard Chroming, won't say that it was cheap at $420 AUD (straighten and rechrome) but perfect job.
In comparison the new pattern fork legs that I bought for by GT250 74L were about the same after shipping - in chatting with the bloke at Rad, his reply was that his chrome will be thicker and last longer - as I can't see either bike doing 1000's and 1000's of kms and definitely not parked in the weather so I don't think it really matters.

So that took me back to my favourite job - polishing - MORE MESS!!!!!!

I thought that I would try Walnut Shells in my blast cabinet - didn't work so well continually blocking the syphon tube - tried different air pressures and nozzle sizes but nothing seemed to work. Looking on line at different sites and was thinking of fitting a metering valve in place of the syphon tube gun.......so for the interim I used glass beads. As a prep to polishing it took a lot of the hard work out - removed the factory lacquer and cleaned all the impossible corners.

 

Thanks for the welcome Gents - will post updates but don't hold your breath - as we all know these things take time and money, both usually on short supply. Just as well I have other bikes to ride!

 

Working on a better dust extraction system for my blast cabinet - now have two cyclones in series fitted up with a cheap ALDI vacuum (on sale for $40 this week) . the primary stage catches 95% of the dust, the 2nd stage just has a slight dust layer - the inlet hose to the vacuum is completely clean!



I turned up some aluminium sleeves - everything just slips together and held in with clamps - no taping or gaskets needed!





Necked down the bearing area on the head-stock spindle so that I can use taper roller bearings rather than the antiquated ball bearings that Suzuki use.



So with the sandblaster back in operation - started on all the small odds and ends - blasted with crushed glass and etch primed.

 

eBay..... $25 Chinese copy of the Dust Deputy....100mm stormwater pipe with an inspection cap.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/High-Ef...4?pageci=0f292db4-3883-441d-9373-f5e7d23d7727

 

Did about an hour blasting with the new extraction system - I might call it a success.
First stage catches just about all of it, with the 2nd stage just taking out some of the fines.
There was a slight dusting in the inside of the duct pipe into the vacuum but nothing detectable in the vacuum filter.



Joys of blasting - can see what you are getting into - if anyone has a spare Suzuki GT250 A, B or C air box about, please let me know before I spend countless hours repairing this one.

 

Picked up my frame and bits form the powder coaters - $360, fairly happy with that, quality work. All the treads and bushings taped.

Like a Kid at Christmas, just had to unwrap it.





NOW WE CAN START THE FUN BIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Progress has slowed - time and money, both in short supply!

Forks rebuilt with re-chromed legs and new seals.



I'd wasted many hours on the internet attempting to find out what was correct for the bike regarding the headlight brackets and housing - Chrome vs tank colour vs painted black - gave up in the end and just powdercoated everything at the same time as the frame. When I picked up the bike it was all rusty painted black so I have to assume that is how it was delivered back in the 70's.
After many more hours on eBay I ended up finding two NOS headlight brackets and affordable prices - for some strange reason there are almost no left hand ones available - I can only assume that the bike falls on that side more often with its dodgy side stand????



Caliper sand blasted and painted with High Temp. rattle-can black. Used a rebuild kit form Cruzinimage. The piston and seals fitted perfectly but couldn't assemble the two half's with the supplied O rings on the bolts. Even after machining a gentle lead on the bushings the O rings wouldn't sit in place and ended up cutting them. Replaced the O rings with some I had in a grab kit - Viton 10mm x 1.5mm - worked perfectly!

 

The O rings aren't in contact with the brake fluid - it is on the mounting bolts greased with rubber grease.

 

Found some on eBay to restock the grab kit.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10x-Gre...2a7c:m:mY-1WxkhpAAXJtoyUHGYz4w&frcectupt=true