GT750 x 2 restore

Here you can write about your restoration highs and lows and hopefully final success
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BigBaart
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:44 am
Location: South Africa

GT750 x 2 restore

Post by BigBaart »

Hi all,

Tony here from sunny South Africa.

I have finally started to restore my GT750’s. I have been collecting bits and pieces for about 5 years now and slowly but surely getting parts ready for assembly. The idea is to build one bike as close to the original as possible and the other with what I have left.
Here in South Africa, these bikes were full up at one stage, even traffic cops used them, in fact the "complete" bike I managed to buy is an ex-police bike, but not the patrol model, however now, parts are exceptionally scarce. In fact, very few complete bikes remain, most of the spares I have, have been bought as leftovers from other projects. This makes them a serious mix-and-match lot. Importing parts is a last resort thanks to our currency and the shipping costs of getting parts from either the UK or US.
Thus far I’ve pretty much been able to piece together two complete bikes. Ordered a bunch of spares from a local Suzuki dealer who had to back order most of the parts from Japan. Thankfully, these have all arrived and I started the assembly of the motors a couple of months ago, been working on other odds and sods since 2017. I have two frames, one with a "GT750B" frame number on it, from what I've seen this is a Japanese domestic bike and another seemingly also a GT750B but the frame number staring with GT750-769. The one motor is an "A" model while the other is an "L" model. It makes for interesting piecing together as I have to continually "Google" what is needed where with the different models, seemed Suzuki loved their changes.
Fullbike01.jpg
FullBike02.jpg
The bikes came in many pieces, mostly looking very sad
Frame01.jpg
motor01.jpg

After a lot of cleaning and scrubbing I was able to get the frames off for powder coating and the engine casings to look respectable and prepped for a coat of engine enamel. I think they turned out well. Hopefully, the coating will last and be relatively easy to clean.
frame02.jpg
Enginecase02.jpg
SwingNu.jpg

Starting putting everything together
SwingAss.jpg
swaingarm02.jpg
The progress is slow as I only get to tinker on the weekends and often find out I need more parts :?

Engine build almost done
EngineBuildStart.jpg
update to follow..... 8-)
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Alan H
Posts: 12104
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:38 am
Location: Wombwell, Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: GT750 x 2 restore

Post by Alan H »

Welcome BigBaart.
Which bit of SA are you in? I worked in mainly Germiston, Vereeniging and Sasolburg in the late 90s for a year and stayed in Roodepoort - Florida Park and scuba'd Sodwana Bay a few times.
Soweto was an 'interesting' place..... :shock:
Cape Town was very nice though a few years later!! :lol:
Proof that four strokes are over complicated
BigBaart
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:44 am
Location: South Africa

Re: GT750 x 2 restore

Post by BigBaart »

Hi Alan,
I'm in Fourways area. If you were here in the 90's you almost won't recognise it now :shock:
Cape Town will probably always be beautiful if you're into picturesque landscapes and wine :D the beaches are beautiful a bit up the western side but too cold, by our standards anyway, to swim.
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