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new member with Z900 project

Work in Progress

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z1bman
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#241 PostAuthor: z1bman » Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:19 pm

LondonZ1 wrote:Wa-hey! I have a registration number with P suffix for 1976! I got the dating letter from:

http://dvladatingletters.co.uk/

The guy there was super-helpful and I got the certificate in the post the next day. All for £20. Many thanks to the member who suggested it. I was mentally preparing for a Plan B scenario with either a Q plate (yuk) or buying another Z900 frame with a V5 (very expensive). Relief is too small a word.

So, if I get my act together tonight, I can ride the bike to work tomorrow. Ace Cafe here we come.


i have tried the same procedure + used the same company for the dating certificate who are registered on the DVLA site but my local jobs worth DVLA office have said they will only except a dating letter from the original importer which is H**** UK phoned H**** uk they said i have to pay £30 to them but because the bike is older than 20 years they will have to forward the details to Japan which could take up to six weeks + there is no guarantee that they can provide this information so i am a bit pissed to say the least as to why do the DVLA advertise on their web site company's who are registered to submit dating letters + then when you go to register the machine they say they will only except dating letters from the original importer

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#242 PostAuthor: LondonZ1 » Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:47 am

As you say that is a real bummer. All the local DVLA offices close later this year, maybe you can re-apply direct to DVLA in Swansea. I spent some time on the phone to the DVLA in Swansea and the only thing the guy was concerned about was my lack of any documentation to show that the bike was originally registered in the US. It sounds like it's all a bit of a lottery. Hope you manage to get a satisfactory resolution.

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#243 PostAuthor: RAYZ1 » Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:47 pm

Thats not right as the DVLA have an official issued list of approved certifiers

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#244 PostAuthor: LondonZ1 » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:12 pm

It was great to meet up with some of the site members at the Ace Cafe yesterday. The Zed made it there OK but it's not running very well and it's still weeping oil. I've got the tacho reading sorted, the clutch and brakes are now working well and it's sounds very sweet when it's idling so I think it's fundamentally OK. This was my first attempt at rebuilding an engine and I've decided it's time to call in someone who knows what he's doing.

So, I am going to ship the bike down to Ray Debben with instructions to give me back an oil tight engine that runs properly. With luck it just needs the cam plugs fettled and a really good set up. The cams are not original and I'll get Ray to do the cam timing as well as the ignition and setting up the carbs. I am 99% sure the bottom end is OK. It was very smoky at first but the exhaust is clear now so the rings seem to have seated well.

The seat foam is very soft so when I get the seat recovered I will ask Steve to fit some harder foam. I sit a bit low at the moment.

The good news is that despite the engine problems it feels lovely to ride. It's tiny compared to my daily bike (an R1200GS), it handles and brakes well, and I am delighted with the looks, it's just what I was aiming for. The highlight of the Ace for me was when Lester and Steve Harris came over to look at the bike. Lester did all the really clever stuff and they were very impressed with the finished article despite the small puddle of oil.

The other Ace highlight was seeing a lovely GPZ750 turbo. I can feel the next project starting to germinate....

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#245 PostAuthor: tlc » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:11 am

Obviously you should get everything running right first but.................

the exhaust could easily cope with a noisier baffle.
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#246 PostAuthor: martinz1000r » Tue Apr 30, 2013 1:48 pm

LondonZ1 wrote:It was great to meet up with some of the site members at the Ace Cafe yesterday. The Zed made it there OK but it's not running very well and it's still weeping oil. I've got the tacho reading sorted, the clutch and brakes are now working well and it's sounds very sweet when it's idling so I think it's fundamentally OK. This was my first attempt at rebuilding an engine and I've decided it's time to call in someone who knows what he's doing.

So, I am going to ship the bike down to Ray Debben with instructions to give me back an oil tight engine that runs properly. With luck it just needs the cam plugs fettled and a really good set up. The cams are not original and I'll get Ray to do the cam timing as well as the ignition and setting up the carbs. I am 99% sure the bottom end is OK. It was very smoky at first but the exhaust is clear now so the rings seem to have seated well.

The seat foam is very soft so when I get the seat recovered I will ask Steve to fit some harder foam. I sit a bit low at the moment.

The good news is that despite the engine problems it feels lovely to ride. It's tiny compared to my daily bike (an R1200GS), it handles and brakes well, and I am delighted with the looks, it's just what I was aiming for. The highlight of the Ace for me was when Lester and Steve Harris came over to look at the bike. Lester did all the really clever stuff and they were very impressed with the finished article despite the small puddle of oil.

The other Ace highlight was seeing a lovely GPZ750 turbo. I can feel the next project starting to germinate....


Great to see the bike in the flesh and thanks for the insight in to how you did the electrical side which I will take on board when i rewire the Moto Martin. Totally agree with TLC that such a lovely looking and striking bike needs to make an audible impact as well. Race baffle in there at the same time as it goes to Debben so it's all set up to work together and breath as it should.

Fantastic bike, very envious and looking forward to your next project!
Z1000R, Moto Martin GPz, z900 A4 Crosby Replica, Harris Magnum 2, Suzuki GSXR 1100 Slabbie, SP1 Hoonda x 2, Katana 1100, Bimota SB6R and Tuatara

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#247 PostAuthor: LondonZ1 » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:06 pm

The bike should arrive at Debben on Thursday for what I hope is a minor fettling rather than major surgery. PMC sell two alternative exhaust baffles - louder and much louder - so I think I will bow to the pressure and order one or both. I don't like very loud exhausts but it is super quiet at the moment.

With luck I'll get the bike back in a few weeks just in time for the glorious English summer. I can't wait to ride it with a sorted engine.

The next project will be some way off as I am running a major brownie point deficit with the CEO. But if I happen to find a suitable turbo....and a place to stash it....

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#248 PostAuthor: LondonZ1 » Mon May 06, 2013 4:44 pm

Quick update
1. Bike is now at Debben and am waiting nervously for a call with the diagnosis.
2. Louder baffles on order from Japan
3. and I have bought a GPZ750 turbo for my next project. It's still an air-cooled Kawasaki so I hope I won't be ejected from the Z1 site. I will post updates on the 750 website (same username) but it's going to be some time before I make any progress. The CEO was profoundly unimpressed with the purchase and I have had to promise not to touch it until 2014. Still, gives me plenty of time to think about what to do, suggestions welcome. Here's the post on the 750 forum:

http://www.750turbo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12642

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#249 PostAuthor: Pigford » Mon May 06, 2013 5:56 pm

Image

Looks tidy enuff - nice to have the "rocking horse" belly pan :twisted:
And on the 7th day... Zeds were created!

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#250 PostAuthor: Royalratch » Sat May 18, 2013 7:03 pm

Hey London.

Where are you in London? I'm in London.

Anyway!

Saw your bike at Debbens when I went to pick up my engine. Looked awesome. I recognised it right away. Very cool.

I went straight to Ray even though I wanted to have a crack at doing a build but figured doing so on my first / dream build was not a good idea.

Any news yet? Sure it will just need tweaking.
Last edited by Royalratch on Mon May 20, 2013 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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#251 PostAuthor: LondonZ1 » Mon May 20, 2013 9:32 pm

I live in SW15, drop me a PM if you want to meet sometime.

Heard back from Debben today and it wasn't good news. They decided to completely strip the engine and rebuild it properly. I guess I don't have a second career option as an engine builder. I'll post a longer and more detailed report when there's more news but the only positive development is that's it's all fixable.

With hindsight I should have gone straight to Debben but I fancied having a go myself. The final bill won't be much bigger than shipping the original engine down to Debben for a rebuild as the cost pre-Debben was only cleaning, powder coating and parts, which I would have to have paid anyway.

...and this way I will have a bike with an engine that is worthy of the chassis.

When I get around to the turbo I'll get an expert to rebuild the engine.

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#252 PostAuthor: Royalratch » Mon May 20, 2013 9:46 pm

Bummer dude.

Look at it as a rebuild come early. To be honest, you can't beat the peace of mind of having it done by the best in the biz and as you say, the bike warrants it.

When I get mine sorted (matter of weeks now) lets ge for a ride. I'm the complete opposite end to you in NW6.

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#253 PostAuthor: z1bman » Mon May 20, 2013 10:08 pm

lets hope its a cheap fix. have they said what they have found wrong with the motor

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#254 PostAuthor: Darren Williams » Tue May 21, 2013 7:23 am

Sorry to hear the news. All seemed to be going to well. At least it's in good hands and will be 100% and ready for some summer abuse . Debben will be the icing on the cake and no less than a bike of that standard deserves.
All the best.
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#255 PostAuthor: LondonZ1 » Wed May 22, 2013 8:35 pm

Heard back from Steve Debben and it's not as bad as I feared. They have had to replace a gearbox bearing (which was of course the only one I hadn't replaced), a crankshaft seal and all the gaskets but everything else was OK. It just needed building by somebody who knows what he is doing.

The crankcases are assembled and back in the bike and they are now sorting the barrels and head. Steve suggests re-cutting the valve seats to a more efficient design and is concerned that the valves are a bit worn. I guess I may end up with new valves as well.

The bill won't be small but I've only wasted the cost of a gasket set, a seal and my time. I feel a bit embarrassed that it didn't turn out better but the whole aim was to try and do as much myself as I could. I have discovered what I am good at and what I need to pay someone else to do. A bit of me is actually quite pleased as this way I will have much greater confidence that the bike is not going to disintegrate when I'm riding it. I also think that making correctable mistakes is part of a project; if it all went exactly to plan, the end result would be a lot less satisfying.

With luck I'll get the bike back in 2 weeks or so and can then put some miles on it. It's gets quite a lot of attention when I take it out and it will be nice not to have to apologise for the oil leaks.

Meanwhile the turbo is in the local garage and is starting to get some attention. I'm going to fit new battery, tyres, pads, discs, wheel bearings, oil, filters and 530 chain conversion and try and get it on the road in its current scruffy state. I'll know in a week or two whether this is going to work or whether it needs major surgery. I have been hugely impressed by Debbens and am very tempted to deliver the turbo to them when the Zed is collected and get them to give the engine an overhaul. I could then run it over the summer and do a full overhaul of the chassis, paint, electrics etc next year. I think I need counselling....


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