TOPIC:

sadly it is such a well done custom that most folks won't realize all the work you put in.
but it will be great to sort the true zedheads from the rest of the pedestrians!

wonderful job sir.

leon

Thanks Leon!

Just to illustrate how much I fretted over details no one would ever see, I had to repaint the bottom of the tank after it came back from the painters. It had areas of black primer covered with overspray from the final coats and I had to make it "more presentable" and proceeded to repaint it even though no one will see it.

Now it's ready to be put on the bike and never seen again.

Daftrusty wrote: Thanks Leon!

Just to illustrate how much I fretted over details no one would ever see, I had to repaint the bottom of the tank after it came back from the painters. It had areas of black primer covered with overspray from the final coats and I had to make it "more presentable" and proceeded to repaint it even though no one will see it.

Now it's ready to be put on the bike and never seen again.

Nothing wrong with that, its called perfection!!! I had to laugh, I made sure that the painter who did my MK. II tank finished off the underside of it just like it was when it left the factory. Hell I even clean the inside of my fenders on my bikes!!!!

Rusty I am toying with the idea of copying your megaphone. Could you pls take a close up and add some measures?
Bruges Anders

I tried to get some pictures with measurements.

I first bought a mandrel bent "merge collector" with a 20° bend and the short end was swedged. (This part was precut and I could not choose the measurements so I just worked with what they gave me and I cannot find the original dimensions on their website. )
I then had to cut off the tapered end and swedge of the megaphone. I had to cut off the tapered end as close to 63mm so my mandrel bent pipe could slide INTO the megaphone. So I took a hose clamp and set it as close to 63mm and then slid it up the megaphone until it stopped, marked and then cut. I could then slide
the new pipe into the megaphone and slide the new swedged end onto the header section of the exhaust.
I also had to cut an small section off the end of the header pipe as it stuck out too far. I cannot remember how much, I just cut off small sections until it all "looked" right. But there is roughly 14cm of pipe from the end of the collector to the end of the header. (where the megaphone connects)
I then slipped the 20° bent section onto the header and slid the megaphone on to that and then slid and rotated the different parts until it all cleared my rear shock, was the right length and was the correct angle. It took me weeks of fiddling with the length and angles until I was happy with how it looked. (your bike has a wider swingarm than mine, so you will have to adjust everything to clear that)
I then marked it all and took it to be TIG welded together. I did have to trim the long end of the mandrel bent pipe as it stuck too far into the megaphone section for the baffle to fit properly. Depending what kind of baffle you use, you may not need to do that.

The megaphone is roughly 44cm long from the end to where I cut off the end and joined it with the new 20° section.



This kind of illustrates how much pipe is left after I trimmed the end of the header pipe.


This is roughly what the original dimensions of the 20° Merge Collector that I bought.


Different view that easier to see the angles than the painted final product.


I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any other pictures or dimensions.

Thanks a lot Rusty.
That is also along with the ideas that I have been toying with.
I will use Delcevic stainless headers that I have in a box in the garage and start with ordering a couple of bends to star toying with.

ps
U using the Ikea ruler really made my day

// A

scubaanders wrote: U using the Ikea ruler really made my day

// A

Yes!! I was wondering if you would catch that detail. It was perfectly designed for the task and mainly it was my only metric measuring tape.

The Delkevic headers are perfect for making a custom exhaust. I only wish I had started with one instead of spending so much on the Kerker.
I have a brand new vintage (81-82) Yoshimura muffler that I have stashed away for my next project. I plan to incorporate it with a Delkevick header as well. I just need to find out what my next project will be.

I look forward to seeing how your exhaust system turns out.

Currently working on fabing up the bikini fairing mounts on the Zephyr top triple tree but will be riding with my welding Yoda tomorrow and check if he is willing to take on my exhaust.
I am still in doubts if I should go for pie cuts or prefab bend.
In time to come the truth will be revealed.
But I nead to shape up the engine before it goes back in the frame.
/A

Wow! I stumbled upon this thread trying to find out about the eBay Chinese 810 piston kit and now that I’ve read all the way thru I am positively blown away by your amazing piece of work that unfolded. Any more long term results of the 810 piston kit? Aside from the one oil ring mishap have you had any other troubles with the engine build? I have a 1980 750 engine in parts in a box I was going to use to power my latest stretched out chopper project but the cylinders have a good bit of rust and the only halfway affordable piston kit I have found is the eBay 810 kit. Thanks for building such a beautiful bike and for any info you can help me with!

First...Thank you for your positive comments on my build.

I have only just crossed over the 1100 mile mark on my engine, but *knock on wood* everything seems to be holding up just fine.
It always starts on the second revolution of the starter, has been running like a clock and has not burnt one ounce of oil since I started putting miles on it. Even in the weird-for-Minnesota-heat of 90°+ it starts instantly when rocket hot and pulls like a train. My very first oil change at 550 miles produced zero metal flakes or sheen in the used oil, so I can't say that my cheap Japanese (the printed labels on the parts themselves are all in Japanese and it ships from Japan so I have yet to see proof that these are actually made in China) pistons seem to be just fine. The build quality of the pistons themselves are just as good as Kawasaki's and 1000% better than all the used OEM pistons I have bought throughout the years. The wrist pins were also a perfect fit and were visually no different from OEM.
The composition and quality of the head gasket that came with the kit is virtually indistinguishable from the OEM MLS Kawasaki gasket I used on my zr550.
I have read one instance of the rings wearing prematurely (500miles) but I have also read hundreds of posts of Honda guys using them will little to no issues.
If I had to do it again, "maybe" I would have Total-Seal make me some custom rings to go with the cheap pistons. But they would probably charge me more than a new piston kit from Wiseco.

Only time will tell if I end up eating my words.

So in the span of a week I got a set of vintage Yoshimura cams and a gpz750 Bassani Superbike exhaust system for my bike.
I am still waiting for my degree wheel to show up in the mail so I can bench measure my cams.
I measured the lift with a dial indicator and the lift numbers don’t match any of the numbers I have found in my research. They are almost the exact same lift as my current zx750 cams which is a relief in a weird way. But I need to get a better idea of what the duration and lobe centers are. (More on those later)

But I have been waiting 5 years for the opportunity to buy this exhaust and today it is finally mine. The header even has all the spigots still on it. (They are almost always missing) The muffler and mid-pipe was absolutely destroyed in a crash, but I found a mint condition Bassani muffler from a gs1100 on eBay one night. So I have all winter to restore it and perfect any fitment issues the Suzuki rear section might cause.

Damn, I sold a blank, unstamped Bassani Superbike plaque sometime last year!!!

Didn't go for that much either.

I think I heard Bassani had a few of those plaques for sale just a few months back. I would give them a call!!!