"new" 1977 GS400 Project with PICS!!

[pjm204]

Well I bought another GS today, my second GS400, this one was built 10/76. This one is quite a bit rougher than the other one which was mint, but it is still pretty nice. I will need to paint the tank and plastics and locate one sidecover. My question is, should I try and match up the paint with the factory color or should I just paint it a new color? I plan on trying to do a good job and will likely go to Harbor Freight and buy a spray gun to try and get better than rattle can results. The tank is already prepped for paint, so Now its just a matter of learning all the steps involved in getting great results. Anybody have any pointers?

I'll post pics of the progress soon, I just need to pick up the bike which will happen tuesday.

[bucks1605]

Congrats, keep us updated.

[ohgood]

Well I bought another GS today, my second 1978 GS400. This one is quite a bit rougher than the other one which was mint, but it is still pretty nice. I will need to paint the tank and plastics and locate one sidecover. My question is, should I try and match up the paint with the factory color or should I just paint it a new color? I plan on trying to do a good job and will likely go to Harbor Freight and buy a spray gun to try and get better than rattle can results. The tank is already prepped for paint, so Now its just a matter of learning all the steps involved in getting great results. Anybody have any pointers?

I'll post pics of the progress soon, I just need to pick up the bike which will happen tuesday.

cafe racer black ! (i mean, if you're gonna rattle can it anyway)

PICTURES PLEASE !

[pjm204]

yea, I'd prefer not rattle can it. I am probably selling it to my boss who has been looking for a bike for awhile and really likes my GS400. So basically I want it to look really good. I know some people get decent results with a rattle can but if I can find an economical way to paint it for real, I am going to. I would like to put some drop bars on it though....it has nice cafe lines to it, flat across from tank to tail

[ben2go]

Here's what I do when I buy an ugly car to resell.I hit Tractor Supply or a tractor parts house and buy tractor and implament paint.It's cheap $20 to $50 for a gallon.Buy the primer recommended.Thin it by the directions and spray.Get some cup liner for the spray gun.Expect a matte finish at first.After 48 hours of drying wet sand with 2000 grit,rub it out with compound and it will shine.Nothing like a base coat/clear coat,but still looks good.Gas usually doesn't hurt it unless it's left on the paint.

[pjm204]

well I am picking up the GS on tuesday, going to work on it all day, hope to have some good news about getting it in good running shape, hoping I won't have to rebuild the carbs.

its got 13,000 miles on it, any advice on what I should do to it. I assume I should check the valves, fuel lines, clean the carbs. The front brake (disk brake) is seized also, so I need to rebuild that.

[ben2go]

GS400 is a close sibling to the GS500.I would plan on rebuilding the master cylinder, caliper,replacing the rotor,pads,and fluid.Valve check is a must on all new used bikes.Loose the fuel for fresh fuel,change the oil/filter and fuel filter if it has one.I just learned that Suzuki hardly ever used fuel filters on carb bikes.

[pjm204]

Well I picked up the GS400 today. So far here is what I have found.
The Bad
1.Seat will need to be recovered
2. Tank and tail need to be painted
3. Need two bolts for front brake caliper
4. need one bolt for starter cover,
5. need one bolt for exhaust
6. Need either clamp on air filters or stock filter and boots from carbs to airbox(missing)
7. Need fuel lines (most are not present)
8. Brake lights do not work
9. Gear indicator indicates wrong gear

The Good
1. Most chrome shined up nicely
2. Starter button turns over motor
3. Shifts through all gears
4. Has two good tires
5. All wiring appears to be in good shape
6. Guy said it would start up and it seems like it will (Gets spark, just need fuel lines)

[pjm204]

Alright, well I got the fuel line on the tank and it fired right up and idled beautifully, so that is obviously good news. Now the work of getting the small details fixed like missing nuts and bolts and the brake light working.

[lewismug]

Alright, well I got the fuel line on the tank and it fired right up and idled beautifully, so that is obviously good news. Now the work of getting the small details fixed like missing nuts and bolts and the brake light working.

Now comes the "fun" part.  Good luck getting everything back together and back like it's supposed to be!  When are you gonna post some pics?

[pjm204]

I'll be posting pictures of the before tonight.....the after should be coming in the next week or two
whenever I figure out how to paint haha.

My main concern right now is whether to get rid of the airbox and put on clamp ons, they would be very visible and would probably look nice however the electrical stuff is all bolted to the airbox, so then I would have to figure out how to mount all the electrics .....You guys can help me decide.

[pjm204]

Alright here are the pictures, I included a few of my other one that is in MINT condition. Of course it doesn't have electric start or a front disk brake, or the gear indicator.

I found that the tac doesn't appear to work as of right now, the cable goes from the guage to the motor so there must be a gear stripped or something.

[pjm204]

Alright so here is the final update for today, its 11pm and I am tired of working.
I rode the bike around the neighborhood, it seemed to go pretty well, I kept the ride brief since I did not have an air filter on. Gear indicator displays wrong gear, and tach, and speedo do not work as of yet(still trying to figure out why). Brake light does not work. I bled the front brake and it now works nicely. I made a set of carb boots to go to the airbox from some 1.5" plumbing connector I found at home depot, but I am still considering clamp ons, just need to figure out what to do with the electrical stuff. I changed the oil and which was really gross, probably been a looong time since it was done.

Next I will:
1. Check timing
2. Check valve clearance (bike has a knock which I assume is excessive valve clearance)
3. Paint tank and tail
4. Get brake light, tach, speedo, and gear indicator working.


Any advice, suggestions, comments are welcome/appreciated. This is my first time doing most of this work so I'll take all the help I can get, right now I've just got the Clymer manual and a box of tools at my disposal.

[bucks1605]

Gotta love the kick start!

Nice pics. 

[pjm204]

haha I do love the kick start though it is nice that the 1977 has an electric start unlike my 1978 which is the base model and is without the electric start

[bucks1605]

You either have no women in the house or one helluva wife!

Parking bikes in the house, I can only dream about it....

[pjm204]

haha neither, that was at my college house, I have since graduated however. That was only a one night thing too. they stay in the garage now.

[bucks1605]

haha,  nice. I'm getting a house next year (college house) but it would be a pain to get my gs up a flight of stairs or two. 

[pjm204]

are valve shims something that my dealer should have in stock or will the have to order them? I am going to do the valves tonight or tomorrow but I need to get shims I assume

[fodder650]

Offtopic but about the old GS's. How far removed our the engines from our modern GS's to these old ones? I thought i had read that the 89 and up engine was a carry over from the older 70s-80s GS's