And a few more other smaller bits and bobs done... like new!



And the frame receives its name plate... German of course. It is like a rebirth

Dont forget to shave the paint off the edge of the cooling fins, makes it look real nice.

Mezo.

Sven
GROSSARTIG!!!!!!!!!
Its more than a rebirth!
Keep posting......
Ohhh forget her

Looks great Sven, did you get the correct bushes for the forks from boatnet, I ordered Suzuki part number ones from them.
Regards Eric

Mezo, yes the paint is still to be ground off the fins... will be done: trying to get the bike back to its original looks as much as possible.

Eric, I reused the original dust seals... seemed Ok, even after 29 years, but will only know once the bike is ready to run.

Bit more done today: re-did the front wheel respoking... worked well this time, and I think I also worked out the spoke logic. The two sets are VERY slightly different: One set of 18 spokes is about 11mm "wide", the other set 12mm wide. The 11mm ones are to be placed into the outer hub circle, as the holes are a bit shallower and for the "inner" spokes.

The 12mm set goes into the inner, smaller hub circle, the holes are a bit "thicker" and those spokes cross over the 11mm, outer ones.

Worked well that way and once you find the first, correctly angled rim hole, it is every fourth from there... easy.

Here the 11mm spoke measurement:



The 12mm ones are slightly wider (between 11.7 and 12mm):



One side properly respoked



And then a bit more work truing it and tightening the spokes up and all looks good. Again within 1mm - which is sufficiently true.



Here also the new mud guards front and back... love the front one! Nice and wide... $175 well spent!



Didn't realise I am creating a nice German colour scheme here with the yellow spring... nice contrast.



Also received the gasket kit... $150, made in China... hmmm, let's hope it is decent fit and quality. Don't want to spoil it all by having leaks everywhere at the end.



Next onto the cable loom... thought it looked quite good a few months ago, but now that everything else is super clean and new I have to give it another going over. Redo some of the sleeves and tape...



Which unearthed a few gremlins, too that need some attention. But overall the loom is pretty good.



Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Starting to come together now Sven, this is where you start to fit old parts & realize how crappy they look on the 'new' bike.




Mezo.

Just realised I misspelled "restauration" in the title... doh! Mezo, can I change to restoration somehow...?

Anyway, back to the bike... finally got the tank back from the soda blaster (delayed as his compressor broke down). And surprise, surprise: some dents were lead filled - very old technology.. but well done. Since then a few more dents were added I guess, so once the crack is welded up, I will fix those up and then I am ready to give it to a colleague of mine to paint it, add the decals and clear coat it.







But otherwise the tank looks pretty good... looking forward to having it painted together with the headlight cover and the side panels.

Since last time, I also received some more parts from boats.net - always fun. Mostly O-rings, bearings and seals - so the engine is next to be put together. Also got a new chain and ONE fork boot (no, not misordered, just one still on back order... should be arriving in a few weeks time).



Also received new valve caps... always remembered they were gold, the ones I received are more titanium coloured - maybe I am getting old or the 43F ones were that colour. Nonetheless they look better than the old plated ones, so I will use the new ones.



Thought I also grind down the fins with the Dremel today... what a crap job... thought it may be quite nice to do it, but it was slow, boring and dirty: But looks good now that it is done!



Then onto the breaks... started assembling the reservoir with my new parts from boats.net and: They sent the wrong parts. The plunger is far too large in diameter, so no hope of fitting it (top one new, bottom one old - what model is 23L anyway... strange!?). Lucky I kept the old one, so cleaned that one up and put it back together with new seals. The new one has a screw type plunger... not sure what model they are for, but not 34Ls...





Once I had that back together some how the lever adjustment screw didn't fit the new handle... so for now I put the old handle back on and will reorder a new screw and nut (fine thread? Or is that screw imperial?). Annoying...



Assembled the disk brake next... went together OK, but the new piston is pretty tight, but maybe that is normal due to new seals? Well, I will find out once the system is filled up: It will either work or leak like a sieve! Will let you know...





But, so far it all seems to go together well, let's hope it will continue like that. Engine next... exciting. Taking a few days off next week, so should make good progress...

Hey Sven, not all parts on the 84 XT are the same as the 34L, always cross check part numbers eg 84XT master cylinder part 2RJ-25870-00-00, 34L 4LO-25850-00-00. These are different in size etc. Boatnet does not list the 34L but you can search the part number and it is usually used on other models from 83 eg XJ550K ! Don't make the mistake I made when trying to bleed the front brakes, the adjusting screw was hitting the throttle housing and not allowing full piston travel, moved the master a few mm's and all was good. Also the front fork internals are different as well, XT Kyaba, 34L Showa.
Regards Eric

Aussiesven wrote:Just realised I misspelled "restauration" in the title... doh! Mezo, can I change to restoration somehow...?

Thought I also grind down the fins with the Dremel today... what a crap job... thought it may be quite nice to do it, but it was slow, boring and dirty: But looks good now that it is done!

"Just realised I misspelled "restauration" in the title... doh!"

You spelled realized wrong as well.

I spotted the mistake in the beginning Sven, lots of guys spell stuff wrong its no biggie mate, we know what you mean.

The head/barrel looks fantastic, really makes the engine 'ping'

Mezo.

Aussies like Sven use a s in realised, the Yanks like Scottie use a z.
Regards Eric