77 KZ1000 with 75 Z1 engine project

Hi Clay, thanks for the offer. I’ve always admired the restored parts you have here—they always look absolutely superb! And thanks for asking—yes, I’m doing well so far... and I hope you are too! I’ll send you a PM soon!

Looking forward to it Joe!! Telling the tales, out of school, of current and of yesteryear. Just for shits, note i've somehow managed to retain every drivers license from day one. Normally they tell you to cut them up or take them from you, didn't happen, i'm Wiley. This dates me back to me when i was in High School, my 1978 Z1R. Just look at that face, innocence with Not a clue of the perils that soon would come a knocking.      

I’ve still got my old, invalidated—or rather, clipped—driver’s licenses from my 50cc days lying around here somewhere... but I can’t show them publicly; I simply look too good in the photos... and the next thing you know, I’d end up on the FBI’s "Most Wanted" list... hehehe    

Kawasaki also made a 454, so maybe no Chebby confusion.

That's Funny Texas!! Forgot about that model ha.

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That's Funny Texas!! Forgot about that model ha.
 

Understandable, it was a pretty forgettable motorcycle.

Hey guys, I got the bottom end apart and found some damage to the cases.  It looks like someone put a bolt in the wrong place and "blew out" the casting inside the upper case that the bolt threads into, see pics.  It's the bolt at the main shaft on the big bearing end, just behind the basket.  The bolt I took out was only threaded into the bottom case as a plug, it didn't thread into the upper case at all.  No chunks or pieces were found inside the motor.  Also, one of the crankshaft cap bolts broke while I was breaking them loose.  I picked up a decent looking set of cases on Ebay for a 76, they have a broken crankshaft bolt, outside under the points, that's going to have to be removed, no other damage. 

So I guess this is going to end up being a 77 KZ1000, with 76 Z1 cases with a 75 Z1 crank, head, transmission and cylinder that's been bored to 1015!

Going to look over the transmission and forks real good next off days.  The bike shifted good when it was running, it was low on power and burning oil though.

Question:
I have a full set of 50 year crankshaft bolts that I can use to put it back together.  Kinda wondering how good they are seeing how I broke one and the other case has a broken one in it that's going have to be removed.  I'm thinking a set of APE crankshaft studs with the support plate and some cylinder studs might be a good idea at this point.  I'm going to send the crank and cases to Bill Bune anyway to have the cases bead blasted and the crank looked over and maybe welded, might as well have him do the studs while he has it.

Anyone know what swingarm is on that blue KZ, that bike is sweat!  Kinda what I'm going after!

That's the resulting occurrence of a previously broken/rusted bolt and subsequent drilling out the old M6 bolt remaining threads.   

Wow that’s ugly!! A good welder could probably build it back up then use the bottom case to keep your drill straight when re-drilling-swing arm looks like a metmachex or JMC from back in the day 

The swingarm is an underbraced JMC which you can no longer buy new but a similar look can be had by fitting one from a ZRX 1100/1200 , modifying a GSXR 600/750/1000 or YZF750 etc arm by flipping it upside down and welding on the shock mounts or even using a Yamaha XJR1300 arm and having the underbracing welded on.
Lots of possibilities..

 

Zed 1015, you do the new rubbers in the the choke plungers and the air corrector jets dont you?

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Not polished, but looks really close otherwise.....

patriotracingindustries.com/kawasaki-kz1...ike-swingarm-calfab/

They also sell the ELR model that the ZRX1100 was patterned on.

patriotracingindustries.com/kz1000-j-elr...on-1981-1983-calfab/