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First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:04 pm
by capazzo22
Hey everyone! I'm new to the boards here and new to restoring bikes. I've had a lot of experience working on cars out of necessity, and am somewhat mechanically inclined. I've always wanted to get into restoring old vehicles and I found an old GT 550 in my grandpas barn, figured this is as good a place to start as any.
I believe my bike is 1975. It says 8/74 as manufacture date and lists the vin as gt550-49739 so I think that puts me in the model M category of 1975.
Anyway, I have no clue where to even start on this bike. I've got a clymer manual and I was thinking of using that to guide me on the "how to", but I'm not sure where to start. Any advice or pointers would be most welcome. Thanks in advance!
Photos to come once I figure out how to post them. Ha ha
Re: First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 1:27 pm
by Coyote
Like everyone said in your other post, we all have different opinions of where to start. If it were mine, I would haul it to the car wash. If you can't do that, rent a pressure washer and bring it to the bike. It's no fun at all trying to work with such serious dirt. Cover the carbs with plastic bags retained by rubber bands.
These 550's (I'm on my third) are notorious for the mufflers rotting out internally. Take off the muffler and shake it vigorously. If you heat crap rattling around inside, the baffle plates are likely shot. New ones are not available. The set's you find on eBay are generally worse than what you already have. You have 2 options. You can run without baffles. With that there is a slight effect on performance as well as a horrible sound. Your other option is to shell out $600 for a set of expansion chambers
Of the three 550's I've owned, I have been completely through 2 of them.I can tell you first hand you are looking at a minimum of $2,000 to have something you wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen on. Maybe closer to $3,000. Don't keep track. You'll never get it back anyway..
There's a ton of parts still available for these old Indy's. However, the prices seem to go up daily.
Re: First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 12:59 am
by capazzo22
Coyote wrote:Like everyone said in your other post, we all have different opinions of where to start. If it were mine, I would haul it to the car wash. If you can't do that, rent a pressure washer and bring it to the bike. It's no fun at all trying to work with such serious dirt. Cover the carbs with plastic bags retained by rubber bands.
These 550's (I'm on my third) are notorious for the mufflers rotting out internally. Take off the muffler and shake it vigorously. If you heat crap rattling around inside, the baffle plates are likely shot. New ones are not available. The set's you find on eBay are generally worse than what you already have. You have 2 options. You can run without baffles. With that there is a slight effect on performance as well as a horrible sound. Your other option is to shell out $600 for a set of expansion chambers
Of the three 550's I've owned, I have been completely through 2 of them.I can tell you first hand you are looking at a minimum of $2,000 to have something you wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen on. Maybe closer to $3,000. Don't keep track. You'll never get it back anyway..
There's a ton of parts still available for these old Indy's. However, the prices seem to go up daily.
Re: First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 6:39 am
by buffalodave
Re: First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 6:56 am
by Coyote
I am knee deep in a GT750A resto and I know all that and am STILL doing it and constantly looking for others.
I think it's some kind of plague. I have it too.
Re: First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:00 am
by buffalodave
We NEED to find a cure!
Re: First restoration: GT550. Advice welcome
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 12:26 pm
by Alan H
No. I like that kind of ill.
