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Z1A Restoration

Work in Progress

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thebuelligan
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#76 PostAuthor: thebuelligan » Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:34 pm

MrDavo wrote:I didn't spend a whole lot of time in the garage this weekend, as my fan heater was dead to the world, although the fuse was OK, I've ordered another one from Amazon. I did think of taking the heater apart to see if I could work out what had gone wrong, but decided that if I ever had to submit a £50K+ claim for a disastrous garage fire, the insurance company would just laugh at me if they'd found a home repaired fan heater in the smouldering wreckage...


:shock: :shock: New heater just ordered!! :wink:

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Andrew_s
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#77 PostAuthor: Andrew_s » Sat Dec 05, 2020 10:26 am

The Z1A is looking great Dave and a credit to your hard work and perseverance - this might give you some inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoIsb9Ihzgs&ab_channel=KAPLANAMERICA
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Previous Zeds: Z750B1 Twin, Z650B1, Z750E

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dave spencer
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#78 PostAuthor: dave spencer » Sun Dec 06, 2020 1:16 pm

Great write up ! Enjoyed reading about his bike.

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#79 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Mon Dec 07, 2020 2:18 pm

Thanks for the comments. The bike in Andrews video has those spongy grips that everyone fitted back in the day, along with the grubby rear spokes they make you wonder why they didn't bother... I saw an edition of the Motorbike Show the other night where Henry Cole was on a Z1A that he really liked, Identical to mine except for a four into one, if I eventually have to wait forever for a new 4/4 set, that might even become a thing, though I'd rather not.

The new heater is on the right of this picture, I fitted the replica chainguard that I got from Z Power along with the fitting kit. Also I later fitted the sidestand and tightened up the rear sprocket, I jammed the sprocket and chain up with a folded piece of denim. The original sidestand bolt polished up very nicely.

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1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#80 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Mon Dec 14, 2020 1:13 pm

Back at it over the weekend, as some parts came from Z Power. I was going to fit a set of exhaust studs I bought on eBay, but they are 8mm, not 6mm. I seem to have now got most of the parts I need to finish the bike, short of some odds and sods such as mudguard mounting rubbers. The big fly in the ointment is the exhaust system, though. I'm on Z Powers list, but I got an email from Yamiya (who do H**** bits) in Japan saying that they have stopped using regular post due to Covid and are only shipping via UPS. That (assuming DoReMi are in the same boat) and a huge brexit bonus of containers backed up in our ports means I don't expect to get them any time soon.

I restored and fitted the footrests (bought from EBay) and a new stud kit from Z Power, on the timing side, I can't finish the other side until the transmission cover is back on. The brake lever I had rechromed by Agriggs in Leeds. The footrest bracket had to come off again twice, once to get the brake lever on with its spring, and anther time once I realised that the rather Heath Robinson stop light rod goes behind the bracket. I also put the pillion pegs on, a replica kit from Z Power. Here's how it ended up:

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While I was digging the brake lever out of the attic, I also got tempted to get the seat and try it on for the first time. I haven't fitted the pins yet but this gives the general idea.

Its all starting to look a lot like a whole Z1 with some parts missing now, rather than just a kit of parts.

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1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#81 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Mon Dec 21, 2020 12:54 pm

Just a wee update as I only got a couple of hours in the garage this weekend, Christmas is getting in the way, Bah, Humbug!

A couple of pieces came in the post today, a new N/S genuine footrest from Andrew, and the sprocket guard plate that I bought from eBay. Z Power will probably get these back in stock now, but hey ho.

Last week Ash (from the sohc forum) kindly sent me a box with everything I need to solder on my alternator leads, including Hitachi solder coated springs for the join, proper lead solder and flux, 2 pack epoxy resin and glass fibre sleeving. I have done as neat a job as I can, he also sent instructions, but he'll be disappointed that I didn't colour the insulating sleeves yellow like OEM. However next time anyone else but me sees inside the alternator cover, I've either sold the bike or popped my clogs.

Here are the coil wires tinned with the lead solder,

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And soldered into the spring connectors.

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The joins were covered with 3 pieces of the glass fibre sleeving, and everything sealed up with epoxy. That's still drying at the moment, I'll leave it a few days before I put everything back on, I'll also apply some sealant around where the wires go through a rubber grommet to the outside of the engine.
1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#82 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:43 pm

Not much to report, as some kind of Winter festival seemed to get in the way. Due to Covid restrictions, the guy in France who has a correct front rim for me didn't come over to visit his parents in Chester, so we'll have to save that for later.

I did get the alternator coils installed into their cover, with some sealant where the wires leave the case, along with some of the oil in use, if you're not careful. I used a NOS set of screws, and a touch of Loctite.

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I then put some oil on the starter idler gear spindle and fitted the cover. Also while I was in that area, I fitted the sprocket guard, I also fitted the clutch actuator to the transmission cover, but I'm waiting for the spring to arrive (the one at the end of the clutch cable, not the season) before I can fit the cover. In the meantime I need to do some connector changing on my generator subloom before I can fit that cover anyway. The wire for the neutral switch has a loop (it needs a female bullet connector) and vice versa for the blue wire to the oil light - there is a female bullet, it needs a loop.

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1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#83 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Mon Jan 18, 2021 12:53 pm

I've still not got the transmission cover properly on and set the clutch up, as I still have to make connectors for the pattern sub loom - the neutral switch wire has a loop and needs a female bullet connector, vice versa for the oil pressure switch. Or is it the other way round? Either way they are wrong and need changing.

Instead I fitted the seat properly - previously it has just been plonked there in approximately the right place. Now it is fitted to its pins, and the seat prop is fitted and working. At last I can see how it fits with the tank.

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One issue I have is with the seat latch. The post fitted to the seat base is adjustable, but wherever I set it, the seat clicks shut OK, but you don't need to use the seat catch lever to open it again - a good tug and the seat pops open! Not how its meant to be and renders the seat and helmet locks useless. I'm going to take the post off the seat and watch closely as it latches - I'm not sure if my problem is the adjustment or the latch. There may even be a tad of adjustment for the whole mechanism, which bolts to the frame. The lever is replica, the catch plate is OEM - does this look right? Any advice or experience gratefully received.

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1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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chrisNI
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#84 PostAuthor: chrisNI » Mon Jan 18, 2021 1:07 pm

Looking good though... :D

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marmck
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#85 PostAuthor: marmck » Mon Jan 18, 2021 2:31 pm

Coming along nicely , re seat latch .loosen brkt on frame, close seat , if it catches pin properly ,open seat & tighten brkt .

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steve452
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#86 PostAuthor: steve452 » Mon Jan 18, 2021 2:35 pm

Quick point. Have you locked the seat latch with the key and then tried to pop it?

If it still comes up when locked, and if I recall correctly, when I installed mine (all original) there was a small amount of adjustment possible to the position of the catchplate. I may be talking bollocks as it was the middle of last year and I can't remember what I was doing yesterday, but I'm sure I had the same problem as you describe initially and the re-installed it all, upon which it was OK.

Hope this helps.

Steve
Z1-B, 400bhp ZX1000NGF

90% of questions that begin "Why..." can be answered with "Because people are stupid."

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#87 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:42 pm

I've been doing a bit of online shopping recently, and while the exhausts are in a container somewhere, I reckon I have nearly all the parts to finish, I just need the time to finish assembly and start snagging, checking out the electrics etc. No rush< I've nowhere to go and two other bikes to ride as well.

I had a go with the seat catch again after reading your comments, and yes, it came down to the alignment of the latch mechanism. I could see the lock plate was a little cockeyed, so I loosened the bolts and got it straight.

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Success! The seat now latches when you close it very time, and it only opens with the seat lever in the right position. I adjusted the seat post so the seat sits on its rubbers against the frame, rather than having all the weight on the post. Perfect!

Image

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The latch still needs to come off again, as it won't lock! Looking with a torch the pin from the lock is fouling the striker plate, I wonder if the pin will rotate so it doesn't foul, I need it apart to see what's going on.
1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#88 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Tue Feb 02, 2021 12:59 pm

I got the seat latch sorted in the end. First I took it off again to see if the locking pin rotated - it doesn't, being a non circular pin in a non circular hole. refitting and playing around with the positioning of the mechanism I found that there are locations where the seat doesn't latch but locks, locations where it locks but doesn't latch, and one sweet spot where it all works perfectly. It was worth taking the time to find this spot in the end.

I decided to wire up the oil pressure switch by making a short piece, using blue wire from my old lead, with a male bullet one end and a loop on the other. This worked well apart from accidental dropping the brass screw from the switch. Sod's law sent it to a tiny space behind the oil switch housing - being brass and non magnetic it suddenly became a huge time wasting problem to get it back. After poking around with fine screwdrivers and grease, then sleeping on the problem, I made a tool from lockwire to fish it out again. That's a few hours I'll never get back, but hey, all part of the challenge. I now need to take a loop from the end of the neutral switch lead and replace it with a female bullet to fit the later switch I've got fitted.

The main visible difference I made this week was to fit a PMC JIS pan head screw kit to the engine cases. Although actually better in every way, allen screws on old bikes just look so wrong to me when the intention is to make a bike at least look original without being too OCD. I noticed the allen screws on this engine the first time I saw an advert, at last I can look at the bike without it bugging me any more. So I don't have a nightmare in years to come with seized screws, like on my Harley, I squirted a load of WD40 into the plastic bag with the screws in before I started.

Image
1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#89 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Mon Feb 08, 2021 11:50 am

I blame John Brookes' book for this one. Before I got it, I was quite happy with my four blingy reflectors, which came free with my pattern shocks. Rather than having that boring black rubber surround, mine had nice shiny chrome rings. Having had John's book for a week, I now can't help but notice that as well as the surrounds being too blingy, they don't say 'Stanley', have any numbers, and the reflector direction is split 50/50 rather than in triangular sections like a 'radioactive' fan symbol. I used to have these fan symbols on large Hazmat stickers (blagged from a mate with a haulage company) on my garage doors. While they worked keeping tealeaves away, the stickers came off in the end because (a) the garage is next to a public footpath, and I was worried that one day I would find it surrounded by men in silver space suits, with Geiger counters, and (b) I flatpacked that old corrugated iron garage with an angle grinder, and left it out at the end of the drive for the pikeys (they did collect, while I was down the shops), so I could get a new concrete one built.

Anyway, with the pattern reflectors now shouting 'Knockoff!' at me every time I saw them, I ordered a genuine set from Z Power. Interestingly, one of the rears came in a Yamaha bag...

Image

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Much better! It's only a small detail I know, but if I can spot pattern parts on a bike with just one glance, then I can safely assume that the bike is full of them. It's not the same as crawling around checking the date codes, that's a whole different level of anal.

The other job was to fit the grab rail. This came with the bike, and is either new pattern or OEM and rechromed, its hard to know which, even with John's book. I had been worried about the fit, as there seemed to be quite a gap between the lugs for the bolts through the frame and the frame itself. However once the bolts and shock top nuts were done up it all fit perfectly.

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I may pop the 10mm frame bolts back out one at a time, as they are stainless going into steel, and I'd like to use some lube. :glare
1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport

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MrDavo
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Re: Z1A Restoration

#90 PostAuthor: MrDavo » Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:10 pm

A step backwards before I can go forwards. The frayed sleeving around the alternator cable had been bothering me, what if the sleeve continues to fray and glass fibre strands get in my oil? Not worth the risk, really, and Ash had sent me some brush on setting sealing compound for sealing in the colour if I'd done the sleeves yellow. When I mentioned the fraying he told me this would have stopped it if I'd put it on before I cut the sleeves. I popped the cover back off and painted the sealant onto the sleeve, 24 hours later it had gone off nice and stiff, so no more fraying.

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Now that's sorted I put the cover back on and concentrated on its neighbour, the transmission cover. Here i am ready to fit it, neutral and oil light connected, loom in its guide with the starter cable, and new clutch pushrod in place.

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All fitted, with the clutch end play adjusted and the footrest fitted. The footrest was a ball ache, the pin didn't quite line up with the holes, I ground a tad off the inside end of the peg to make it line up, without thinking of the consequences, which was a droopy footrest! A penny washer got araldited where you can't see it, but with no more unsightly droopage. Also I replaced the side stand spring, which was a chunky replica, with the real Mcoy, much neater looking. Gear lever is a replica, before I tighten it up I want to dig out a suitable hex head screw rather than the allen screw supplied. What is an upset screw? Has someone been nasty to it? I think it means a flanged head but I'm not certain.

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If you recall I started at the front and am working my way back, mainly beacuse its more logical than a scattergun approach, plus garage space is limited and there'll be a lot less of it once the back wheel goes in. Finally, with the clutch cable on, lubed and adjusted I declare the front end finished. Once I've done little bits like fuel pipes I'll be done all the way back to the swinging arm spindle, bar the exhausts, which are still on their way.

Here's a pilots eye view of the finished front end, well it would be the view if you were about to crash into my garage wall.....

Image
1974 Z1A
1969 H**** CL450 ‘Scrambler’
2005 H-D XL1200R Sportster
1985 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport


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