Survivor Alley

Wingedwheel

If it wasn’t broke before, let me try it…
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When I saw that it had been listed on CL for four hours I thought “no way” shot the guy my number with a note saying I was interested and I’d like to set up a time to look at it. Called within 15 minutes and said mine was the lone email that wasn’t desperate, ignorant or just plain stupid sounding so we set a time and I picked it up this morning. Most everything wrong is cosmetic as it sat in a shed for 10-15 years. Rusty, dusty and neglected but it has a battery that is good and all the electrics work. It needs all the obvious things that most need at this stage but I’m fairly confident I’m not going to have to go into the engine on this one, at least that’s always the hope isn’t it? Guy ran a compression check without doing anything and said he got 110/115. We’ll see if I can get that up a little. Tank is clean and has a liner that looks like Kreem but who knows it just worries me a little.
Wife said if I get anymore I’m gonna have to start keeping them at my friends house. ”Oh yea”? 36F416BD-68B1-4E55-8C66-03DD39B5D90F.jpeg42AB3DAA-A565-4E0D-8100-1DDCD3E57886.jpeg034B9FBA-3601-430B-9312-C8FF1A57B464.jpeg93D8D757-FC4D-4B5A-9B19-4C07864C18A8.jpeg90BFA10E-1AEA-4E2A-910F-F139CA30C698.jpeg035E5F5D-02D2-4438-9F23-CA8E0D4BCE52.jpeg6B305926-C0C7-4F48-8468-C1EB78E56EEA.jpeg0CB8C768-73CB-4A97-AE03-41C59A3E8676.jpeg3C655733-F2A9-4BE2-9F31-E9E2901C9D54.jpeg9C75660A-AB7A-4A2B-B0C9-37B7925F29B8.jpeg02E42D66-6AB3-494D-A911-DA17881A6D3A.jpeg1753AE1A-2ACF-4CF4-B915-061F455BBEF0.jpeg
BTW I have plenty of rusty retro racks lol
 
My first order is to access what I need to do a resto. Seals, gaskets, rubber bits, tires and see how the paint grows on me. Obviously I need to do something with that seat and the carbs probably need cleaning although the tank was put away dry so maybe the carbs were drained as well.
 
Winged - I have a strange question - looking at the pictures you posted - the graphics on the tank - the top part of the graphic is obviously gold - its the bottom part of the graphic (the part that has Yamaha in it) that has me interested - is is Bountiful Blue like the main tank colour or is it black.
Thanks Ray.
 
Being a '77, it will have the notorious type D cam chain tensioner assembly (no lock nut) and they can lead to premature cam chain stretch. If the bike has 20K miles or more on it, it may need a new cam chain. Look at the timing plate to see if it has run out of adjustment slot. That's an indication the chain is stretched.
 
Winged - I have a strange question - looking at the pictures you posted - the graphics on the tank - the top part of the graphic is obviously gold - its the bottom part of the graphic (the part that has Yamaha in it) that has me interested - is is Bountiful Blue like the main tank colour or is it black.
Thanks Ray.
It’s a deep blue tinted by rusty splotches lol
 
I’ll keep you posted but hoping they cleaned up as well as the cans on my ‘76
I just had a closer look and the bottom right is got some peel. They’re in good shape just not shiny-wise
Being a '77, it will have the notorious type D cam chain tensioner assembly (no lock nut) and they can lead to premature cam chain stretch. If the bike has 20K miles or more on it, it may need a new cam chain. Look at the timing plate to see if it has run out of adjustment slot. That's an indication the chain is stretched.
I see the one you’re talking about. Clock has 8900 on it. I have a bunch of checks I want to do but I’ve got the Problem Child tear down, my ‘72 frame waiting and I’m teaching on the range 3 of the next four weekends. Want to be busier than you ever have Been? Just retire, it gives you all kinds of time to get yourself in trouble that you normally wouldn't have…..
 
With only 8900 miles, you may be OK, but I'd put a type E adjuster on my "upgrade" list. Like I said, check the points plate adjustment slot, see if it's still got some.
 
Nice snag. You are accumulating quite a fleet. My 77 was in very similar shape as yours when I got it. What’s the plans for it? Restore, resto-mod, ????
Rob that answer totally lies with what I find when I pull apart the ‘75 motor. If there are no major issues which require repair beyond what is within reasons of common sense that would give me a variety of options. I’m going to need a seat pan. I can plug and play the controls and instruments off the TX as I am finding things here and there which tell me that bike is a basket case, and I think I would rather do a resto on the ‘75 if possible. I’m not crazy about the paint on the ‘77 so to me that’s a candidate for a sweet color to replace that basic plain color and decal and a new seat( there’s my pan). Fenders are rusted beyond salvaging the chrome so a nice “wet look” powder coat might be in order there to compliment the tins. Frame needs paint and I still need to do some more research to see why that bike might have been tucked into that shed for 15 yrs. So I guess I should say it’s an evolving process.
 
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