New Member, '73 Z1 Basket

Hi guys, new member here, Pete from central California.  I have a '73 Z1 basket case.  Head, cylinder block, and pistons are all missing.  Besides that the bike is complete.  It has the factory dual front disc brake.  I had the head rebuilt and cylinders bored and sleeved by APE, then they were lost in a divorce.  (Don't ask... if you know, you know.)  Anyway, I have a complete Z1 that needs a head, cylinder, and pistons.  Bike is complete except for those three (very critical) items.  I will be retiring, God willing, May 1 so the Z is my first retirement project assuming I can come up with a head.  Cylinder and pistons are looking like no problem; it's the head I am having trouble finding.  Only heads on ebay are the bare head without cam caps and I've read enough on here that I'm not going to use mis-matched cam caps.

I was a vintage MX racer for a number of years (73/74 CR250M) but I didn't have the killer instinct, and racing is e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e, so now I just trail ride a KTM 300 2-stroke when I want to ride a hooligan bike.  I also have a '77 Honda 400f Super Sport, '74 XR75, and a 2025 KLX 300 old man trail bike.

Thanks guys, very happy to be here!  Pete C.

WElcome Pete
I'm sure we can help you on this build 
Dave

Welcome from the UK

Welcome to KZRider...those missing critical parts will come, with time.

Welcome to the fun!
This is the place for answers and advice. Lots of knowledge and experienced members.
Oh, and we love pictures!

Street Fighter LTD wrote:

WElcome Pete
I'm sure we can help you on this build 
Dave
 

Guys thank you for the warm welcome.  Very much appreciated!
Pete 

Well that "Basket/boxes" sounds all too familiar, that's usually the way i get them! Pickings from ebay are slim these days, don't know what facebook market has, have never been there? Being a 73 there are kinda unique properties of the head cylinder specific to early production. You didn't if Your 73 is the early or late version. Here is what a 1973 head should resemble, note the "X's" on the intake extra material carried over from the earlier Z when they were used for sync ports. This extra chunk of casting although not drilled and tapped is what you'll be looking for as replacement head. Of course any Z1-KZ900 will work. Did the "EX" get pissed and throw your stuff in the dumpster!! Keep up the Faith, you'll get it together!     

I suppose i can mention also. This a proper head for your needs, came from some old racers inventory. My Buddy from North Carolina sent it to me as seen, have done nothing to it since it arrived. Does have Stainless Steel valves id just noticed and no cracking between sparkplug holes and valve seats. Comes with cam caps but don't know if original to the head? Easy to check though once cleaned-up. A bit of pitting around the one cylinder shown, surfacing of approx .003" should clean it up. I do these all the time, peak Your interest? I don't know Your personal capabilities or resources?     Clay

Welcome to The aZylum, our bright little Interwebs corner of Motorcycle Madness.

   We're curious the manufacture date on the frame VIN tag if it's still there.

   Depending on casting date of the head, there are some subtle differences, and, one glaring difference (if early enough) in early vs late '73 Z1 heads.  If you're after a bone stock, correct to a "T" '73 Z1, finding a 'correct' head for a particular date or ser.# could be quite a challenge.  If not, asphalt900's counsel is sound.

   Always happy to see another Z1 back from the brink.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

asphalt900 wrote:

I suppose i can mention also. This a proper head for your needs, came from some old racers inventory. My Buddy from North Carolina sent it to me as seen, have done nothing to it since it arrived. Does have Stainless Steel valves id just noticed and no cracking between sparkplug holes and valve seats. Comes with cam caps but don't know if original to the head? Easy to check though once cleaned-up. A bit of pitting around the one cylinder shown, surfacing of approx .003" should clean it up. I do these all the time, peak Your interest? I don't know Your personal capabilities or resources?  Clay
 

Hello Clay, thanks very much for the reply and apologies for the late response.  I would be interested in this head as long as you think it will make a rider and as long as the caps are original to the head.  I will be building a rider and not a 100% period correct Z1 so I don't need a strict early head.  My frame number is 17814 and the bike has the factory dual front disk brake setup.  If you think this will make a decent head, let me know what you want for it.  I would send it to Chris Schumann for inspection and rebuild.  There are several bare heads on ebay but none with cam caps.  I have discussed the cam caps issue with Chris and he says if the cam caps are not original to the head, it is very difficult to line bore a different set of caps to the head such that enough meat will be left for the journal bearing to work properly, or if enough meat will be left to overbore for bronze bushings or needle bearings.  So if the caps are not original I don't think I can make this work.   Thank you sir, very much appreciated.

Welcome to The aZylum, our bright little Interwebs corner of Motorcycle Madness.

   We're curious the manufacture date on the frame VIN tag if it's still there.
 

Hello slmjim and thank you very much for the warm welcome.  Frame S/N is Z1F-17814, mfg date 6/73.  

Good Morning Pete! I hadn't heard back from you in some time so I finished up the head previously shown and it was sold to a Friend in North Carolina, Sorry.. There's a Gent named Jake Cooper, he buys a lot of these Z's. You can find him on Facebook Marketplace. I've talked to him a couple times on the phone so he's a real person.