'83 VF750F Interceptor....Flight of the Phoenix

Hi,all! As I mentioned in my new member intro, I'm new to the forum and new to Interceptors, as I picked one up on Friday. Not new to bikes or restorations, though. As such, I know the best way to find out what you need to know is NOT spending hours at the library, nor even hours web surfing (which I've already done; hence my membership here!) No, the best way to find out something of which you know nothing is...ASK THE PEOPLE WHO OWN ONE! So, I'm asking...
Here are the basics: '83 VF750F Interceptor with only 6K on it.
I already read about the oil mod and I'm planning on doing that. Are there any other critical issues I should know about?
It has a Vance & Hines exhaust on it. Good, bad, or indifferent? The cans are not in the best shape. Are replacements available from V&H, or is there a better can for this bike?
What other inexpensive mods should I consider? More importantly, which mods do I avoid like the Black Plague?
Most, if not all, of the bodywork will have to be repainted and decaled at the very least, but more than likely replaced. I found AirTech's site; any others I should be aware of? How about repro paint and decal sources?
Which tires perform best on this bike?
Since I'll have the carbs off for cleaning, is there a DynoJet kit for it, and does anyone recommend/not recommend it? Why or why not?
Air filters; stock, K&N, Uni, or other? Why/why not?
How about recommended boneyards that specialize in VF's? Any favorites?
Last, but not least...what can the gurus among you tell me about this bike in general? Such as, quirks peculiar to the first gen Interceptors, etc?
Thanks, all, for your patience. I'll appreciate any info you can give me and will post some pix of the project as soon as I can! B.Rex

buellosaurusrex, on 14 March 2010 - 08:56 PM, said:

No, the best way to find out something of which you know nothing is...ASK THE PEOPLE WHO OWN ONE! So, I'm asking...

snip lots of questions



I'm new to this interweb thingy so I could be wrong but I believe these are called FAQs. :warranty: :laughing6-hehe:

My suggestion: leave a 6k specimen stock and get it back to close to showroom as possible.

Also: :worthlesswithoutpics:

Finally, Welcome to the site! :woohoo:

FotoMoto, on 14 March 2010 - 09:51 PM, said:

buellosaurusrex, on 14 March 2010 - 08:56 PM, said:

No, the best way to find out something of which you know nothing is...ASK THE PEOPLE WHO OWN ONE! So, I'm asking...

snip lots of questions



I'm new to this interweb thingy so I could be wrong but I believe these are called FAQs. :warranty: :laughing6-hehe:

My suggestion: leave a 6k specimen stock and get it back to close to showroom as possible.

Also: :worthlesswithoutpics:

Finally, Welcome to the site! :woohoo:


Thanks for the welcome!
I looked for, but did not see, a FAQ section. Feel free to redirect me. I'm not Stevie Wonder, but my wife accuses me sometimes...
+1 on the stock thingie...I wasn't planning on doing much besides restoring it to it's original glory. I'll probably stick with the V&H as I don't want to have to purchase a new exhaust if I don't have to. I only mention the air cleaner and DynoJet kit (looked it up; #1108.002) because from my experience, aftermarket-exhausted bikes generally run lean, and perform that way as well....huge bog in the curve.
Again, thanks for the welcome! B.Rex

You want to know all that, but not which oil works best on the bike?? :ph34r:

Not quite familiar with the early gens. Thought there was a front end swap for them. Other than that, not too much to do. There are a handful of good restoration threads in the early gen section. The exhaust should be fine, but perhaps check to see what jets you have in the carbs if you take them out.

How far are you looking at taking this bike apart anyways? Does it even run right now?

Yeah, welcome from the other side of the universe as well. Excellent questions and there will be people on here who have the answers. Can't believe that you've found a 27 year old bike with only 6k on it, amazing.

YoshiHNS, on 14 March 2010 - 10:11 PM, said:

You want to know all that, but not which oil works best on the bike?? :ph34r:

Not quite familiar with the early gens. Thought there was a front end swap for them. Other than that, not too much to do. There are a handful of good restoration threads in the early gen section. The exhaust should be fine, but perhaps check to see what jets you have in the carbs if you take them out.

How far are you looking at taking this bike apart anyways? Does it even run right now?

Oil is the least of my worries right now..LOL!
No, it does not run. I prefer it it that way, actually. I start with the basics (assume NOTHING) and move forward.
I'll jot down the jet & needle info as a matter of practice, in case I have to upgrade.

rc36Honda, on 14 March 2010 - 10:13 PM, said:

Yeah, welcome from the other side of the universe as well. Excellent questions and there will be people on here who have the answers. Can't believe that you've found a 27 year old bike with only 6k on it, amazing.

Funny part about the mileage is, I didn't even ask. I just assumed it had around 20K (normal) and when I looked at the speedo, I figured the odo might be broken. When I got it home I checked the title and the mileage matched! I figure this thing has spent some SERIOUS downtime in the last 1/4 century!

FotoMoto, on 14 March 2010 - 09:51 PM, said:

buellosaurusrex, on 14 March 2010 - 08:56 PM, said:

No, the best way to find out something of which you know nothing is...ASK THE PEOPLE WHO OWN ONE! So, I'm asking...

snip lots of questions



I'm new to this interweb thingy so I could be wrong but I believe these are called FAQs. :warranty: :laughing6-hehe:

My suggestion: leave a 6k specimen stock and get it back to close to showroom as possible.

Also: :worthlesswithoutpics:

Finally, Welcome to the site! :woohoo:


Doug: found the FAQ section (complete with links!) after a brief search...D'oh!
My sunglasses...where are my sunglasses? (No offense, Stevie!)

buellosaurusrex, on 14 March 2010 - 08:56 PM, said:

Hi,all! As I mentioned in my new member intro, I'm new to the forum and new to Interceptors, as I picked one up on Friday. Not new to bikes or restorations, though. As such, I know the best way to find out what you need to know is NOT spending hours at the library, nor even hours web surfing (which I've already done; hence my membership here!) No, the best way to find out something of which you know nothing is...ASK THE PEOPLE WHO OWN ONE! So, I'm asking...
Here are the basics: '83 VF750F Interceptor with only 6K on it.
I already read about the oil mod and I'm planning on doing that. Are there any other critical issues I should know about?
It has a Vance & Hines exhaust on it. Good, bad, or indifferent? The cans are not in the best shape. Are replacements available from V&H, or is there a better can for this bike?
What other inexpensive mods should I consider? More importantly, which mods do I avoid like the Black Plague?
Most, if not all, of the bodywork will have to be repainted and decaled at the very least, but more than likely replaced. I found AirTech's site; any others I should be aware of? How about repro paint and decal sources?
Which tires perform best on this bike?
Since I'll have the carbs off for cleaning, is there a DynoJet kit for it, and does anyone recommend/not recommend it? Why or why not?
Air filters; stock, K&N, Uni, or other? Why/why not?
How about recommended boneyards that specialize in VF's? Any favorites?
Last, but not least...what can the gurus among you tell me about this bike in general? Such as, quirks peculiar to the first gen Interceptors, etc?
Thanks, all, for your patience. I'll appreciate any info you can give me and will post some pix of the project as soon as I can! B.Rex


never ever ever buy airtec!!! they suck! they arrive broken 1/2 the time and they will NOT send you a new one..nore do they stand behind their products! :pissed:

the only way i would get airtec is if the ONLY choice to get what i REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT...then reinforce the crap with more seaglass mat on the inside.

in other words.. unless your willing to give up girls for the rest of your life to get a perfect vfr.. dont buy airtec. :comp13:
go K&n for the filter.. tires.. look it up! :biggrin: its a matter of useage vs riding skills vs speed vs.. :rolleyes:

oil.. mobil 1 10_40 or 5-50 or whatever..'made for cars" is the main chose here.. again.. look it up..
plastic weld all the problems on your fairing.. and have your fav painter do original colors if you like..

Ahem. Mine has less than 3000 original miles, and just look what I've done to it...

http://www.vfrdiscus..._1

Welcome to the site, and good luck with your project. Thanks for saving another one for the world to enjoy!

http://www.cbdecals.afegraphics.com/index.php?adminshopping=&cat_id=37&catname='vf750f' should have the reproduction decals. I have a solo seat cover and seat off of my 1000F that will fit the 750 directly for sale. It is currently painted for and decaled for the 1000F.

Well, so far, it looks like the plastic parts that ARE there had some sort of paint stripper applied...leaving a nice, bubblicious finish that did nothing to change the color (possibly because it appears to be color-molded plastic, perhaps? D'oh!)
It looks like it may be able to be wet-sanded down and re-shot, after repairs. There are no side covers or chin fairing, the rear grab handles are both broken at the frame mount points, and the left side of the tank is dented pretty good. Three out of four turn signals are junk, the V&H exhaust is all rusted (surface only, I hope!),and the carbs appear clean, but I'll have to go through them as a matter of course anyway. The right side case cover is slip-fit on, no bolts, as the P.O.was screwing with timing (Why, I don't know. I think I'd rather not know!) I'll need to check and re-set that and buy new bolts, if compression checks out. All in all, the majority of the motor and chassis appear, shall we say, "unmolested"? Let's hope! I'll try to post some pix here in a few...

I'll try to post a few pix...
Click on the images to enlarge.

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unless your going for completely stuck.. forget the grab handles and get aftermarket turn sigs..
having the girl grab YOU is better for 2 reasons.. one it centers the riders weight on the bike beter.. and feels good!

I could be wrong, but I believe a better place for this topic might be the early VF thread. Since I don't know how to move the thread, I'll simply start a new one there and if interested, you can follow my progress there. Thanks! B.Rex

Since I started this topic in the maintenance thread, I've decided perhaps this is a better place for it. Not having the ability to move the thread, I'll simply continue it here.
For a link to the original thread, go here:

http://www.vfrdiscus...8-vf750f-resto/

Much like the mid-sixties movie "Flight of the Phoenix", starring Jimmy Stewart and Richard Attenborough, I have a pretty grim rebuild on my hands! But, like the Phoenix in the movie, as well as the mythical bird, I have no doubts this bird will fly once more!
Today found a couple pleasant surprises; first of all, there was a Most Heinous tan seat cover on the saddle, not only did the color look hideous, but the job itself was terrible. I decided to pull it off and see if the foam was salvageable, so I could order a seat cover kit. Surprise! The covering was glued on with a tacky adhesive OVER the old seat cover! I gingerly peeled back the edges and started removing the cover, inch by inch, every second expecting to find the cracks, splits and holes that had prompted someone to cover it in the first place. In the end, all that was wrong was a tiny tear up where the seat overlaps the tank, about the size of a fingernail...and the flap was still present! A little vinyl repair and you'll never see it...or at least it will be inconspicuous.
Second good piece of news; the aforementioned "bubblicious" paint remover appears to be some sort of...adhesive?? What was the PO thinking!!!?? I have no idea...maybe he was trying to glue on cowhide or wall paper? Anyway, a few swipes with CarboSol removed the adhesive in the area I tested, leaving glowing red plastic underneath...Too Kewl! That makes three good surprises thus far; the mileage, the seat, and now the plastic! I was not looking forward to replacing all the plastics; now maybe I won't have to!
On a more dour note, I cracked open the gas tank and peered inside; Rust City. I'll be goin' at it with the ol' muriatic acid, after all!. Well, nothing I haven't done before. That's the least of my worries right now. Hoping to spend a few serious hours on it this weekend, and hopefully, will have more good news to report.

Congrats! Try this first, in your tank. I've seen it done with great success!

http://www.instructa...oval-aka-Magic/

I've seen the electrolysis thing done before; two things that make me leery in such a situation;
1) More than one poor soul has lamented on the untimely demise of their battery charger, either during, or shortly thereafter said process. :unsure:
2) The cool thing about the process is, you can watch the rust disappear before your eyes. The problem with a gas tank is, you can't see the rust. Hence, you can't see if you've removed it, or when to stop. :ohmy:
Muriatic acid, while being potent as strychnine on a mouse, does the trick rather nicely. You do have to time your dwell periods carefully (limiting to about 15 minutes a shot), wear Mondo protective gear and old clothes, and neutralize and rinse very completely. Plus, the fresh metal will flash-rust right away, so you need to dry the tank and fill it with some sort of oil-based preservative until you're ready to use it (I prefer LPS 2, but motor oil will work) When I get to that point, I'll document the process for whoever might be interested. :+1:
Tomorrow I'm going to drill my drain holes in the frame rails and see if any water comes out. Let's hope not...
Then I may go about experimenting with the "re-contouring" of the bulged-out section.
Also need to get the carb bank and exhaust off the bike and get started on them. Baby steps....
This might be easier, if it weren't for the fact that the bike is over at the shop at work, instead of on the lift in my garage. I have my three bikes in the garage now, plus a project CB550 on the lift, and my project car taking up the other half of the garage......Whew! That's a lotta projects! :lobby:
Oh well, I never said this would be a weekend ordeal! More as it happens........ :lurk:

You still have room for a car in your garage? :3: Congrats! :laughing6-hehe:

SEBSPEED, on 20 March 2010 - 08:24 AM, said:

You still have room for a car in your garage? :3: Congrats! :laughing6-hehe:

It's not like I have a choice. It's up on jack stands with no engine, rear end or front suspension. Not going anywhere soon.....

buellosaurusrex, on 20 March 2010 - 01:55 PM, said:

SEBSPEED, on 20 March 2010 - 08:24 AM, said:

You still have room for a car in your garage? :3: Congrats! :laughing6-hehe:

It's not like I have a choice. It's up on jack stands with no engine, rear end or front suspension. Not going anywhere soon.....


Ah, so you have a car-shaped table. I had one of those once. :biggrin:

SEBSPEED, on 20 March 2010 - 02:05 PM, said:

buellosaurusrex, on 20 March 2010 - 01:55 PM, said:

SEBSPEED, on 20 March 2010 - 08:24 AM, said:

You still have room for a car in your garage? :3: Congrats! :laughing6-hehe:

It's not like I have a choice. It's up on jack stands with no engine, rear end or front suspension. Not going anywhere soon.....


Ah, so you have a car-shaped table. I had one of those once. :biggrin:

Actually, it does double-duty as a parts shelf.... :fing02:

Merged the topics for you! :fing02:

BR

BaileyRock, on 20 March 2010 - 06:37 PM, said:

Merged the topics for you! :fing02:

BR

Thanks!

The Frame Game
True to my word, I was able to spend a few hours working on the Septic ‘ceptor this weekend. I started out by playing The Frame Game (for those of you who remember the Sixties…..’nuff said!). A couple well-placed holes in the pooched-out area and (not to keep bringing up the sixties, but…) “up from the ground came a bubbling pool”. Well, I’m not Jed Clampett, and it wasn’t “Oil, that is. Black Gold….Texas Tea.” No, it was black, alright, but it was more Doobie Brothers style….”Oh Black Water, keep on rollin…”
Well, after draining perhaps as much as half an ounce, (puddles are hard to measure) it stopped. And then I started playing The Frame Game.
First I wire-wheeled off the rust and loose, flaking paint. Then I picked up the largest ball peen in my collection and like those dancin' jailbird friends of Elvis, “began to wail”. Justice came swiftly, rather like Texas lynch mob, and once the metal started flattening out, it didn’t take long for the rest of it to get in line and follow suit. A quick dressing with a Rol-Loc disc, and you would never know it was ever pooched. A little filler, and it will look good as new.
But now we get to the hard decisions. Yes, I’m sure I could find some matching rattle-can silver to hide the evidence. But, is that really what I want to do? Stripping this thing down to the bare frame will certainly add a ton of work and extra time. On the other hand, it will leave me with a finished product that would look as good as new. I’ll have to mull this over for a bit.
Onward…I remove the left muffler and pipe, as it is already loose. One finger-tight bolt and the whole shebang slides right off. The right one is frozen solid at the collector. Hmmmmm. I soak it down with a little AeroKroil and go at it with the heat gun. Still nothing. So I move on to the front fairing.
Copious amounts of CarboSol on a rag work wonders on the glue residue on both the seat cover and the front fairing. Soon the front fairing lies gleaming under the shop lights. Too bad I’m not a big fan of red. Still, I now have a clean slate to work with! Same with the seat; the residue comes off with a little CarboSol and a lot of elbow grease. After about 15 minutes of this I’m getting hot flashes and seeing little pink bunnies dancing across the floor…..hmmm. This might be a good time to take a break, grab a cup o’ joe and get some fresh air, no?
Being the stingy sort, I don’t offer to share my joe with the bunnies, who must have been offended, as they all seem to have left. Just as well….there wasn’t enough to go around anyway.

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Suffering From Exhaustion and De-Pression No, no, not me. The Interceptor! What I mean is��well let me start from the beginning. Went back over to the shop today with the express mission of: Pulling the carbs off Pulling the exhaust header off Running a compression check (a.k.a. �Lie Detector Test�) I started off with the compression test. Now, mind you�.this is an engine that hasn�t run since Noah landed the Ark on the mountain top. So, what I get, cranking with a fresh aircraft battery (zing!) is this: #1: 50 #2: 80 #3: 145 #4: 140 In other words, the guy failed the Lie Detector Test. (It�s got good compression!) Yeah, and I�ve got a bridge I�d like to sell, too. Again, no surprise on my part. I�ve been down this road before, and factored this possibility into the price I paid. The good news; The oil pressure light extinguished when I turned it over. So, I guess the opposite of compression is De- pression�.right? That out of the way, I turned my attention to the carbs. I had �em out in roughly five minutes? Not a hell of a lot holding them in. I couldn�t help noticing the linkage was missing several of the buffer springs as I pulled them out. And, what else, I wondered aloud? I think I�m on the right track by tearing them down, regardless. Any other missing pieces should show up somewhere down the road. Better now, than actually ON the road! Now, as for the exhaustion part�..I had decided earlier to drop the V&H header and sandblast and recoat it with ceramic header paint. This has always served me well in the past. It wasn�t until I went through all the hassle of removing the rear heat shield, moving the oil cooler and radiator for access to the front head pipes, removing the coolant catch can and breather line for access to the rear head pipes, and popping everything loose that I realized the rear pipes are slip fit into the front pipes. What I mean is, they were slip fit in ORIGINALLY. What they are now is known in scientific circles as ferrous fusion. The fact that the slip joints are in a place where you can almost see them standing on your head with a flashlight doesn�t aid in extraction, exactly, either. �What we�ve got heah, is a failyuh to extricate. Some pipes, you just cain�t reach.� Not exactly sure how I�m going to approach this one. I hosed it down with copious amounts of AeroKroil and covered it up for the day. This is how projects go��I know this. I�m not surprised, nor should I be. At my business, we have two sayings, both which apply to this particular project thus far: 1) Improvise, adapt, and overcome, and: 2) Beat it to fit; paint it match. On a cheerier note, I noticed more rust and chipped paint on the frame near the battery box. I�m leaning more and more towards a Rip N� Strip every day. We�ll have to see��

�To be overcome by indecision is to make a decision anyway, by default�

Resuming work on the Interceptor today, I had decided before making any decision on pulling down the frame, that I should try to determine whether the engine might need head work or not. So, I trundled off to the shop with compression tester in hand, intent on borrowing the hose from my direct compression tester to use on my differential compression tester. (Long story short; the differential is set up via various adapters for 18mm aircraft spark plug threads). I figured that rather than dink around screwing/unscrewing adapters, I�d just substitute the shorter DC hose, which was already set up for the Interceptor plugs, which I did. I was mystified to get a differential reading of 80/80 on both weak cylinders, with no air coming out either exhaust port, intake port or through the breather. Strange, but seeing as how it was good news, I didn�t question it and moved on to pulling the battery box and inspecting the frame corrosion, which appears to be superficial only. I got to the point where I needed to pull the trigger on deciding if I was going to strip it down to the frame�.and chickened out, opting instead to work on the carb bank for the CB550 Four instead, which killed the rest of the afternoon. The frame on the Interceptor is really not that bad; it could probably be spot-touched�..and do I REALLY want to pull all that stuff off and wind up with a big box of parts? Well, yes and no. Part of me shrieks �Do it! Do it!� (that�s the anal part), and part of me says to just touch it up, once the fairings are on, nobody will know the difference��which in itself, is true. I have this problem with wanting everything just perfect.�..and then my mouth writes checks my ass can�t cash. And so, the projects never get finished. I�ve seen this scenario play out more than once before. Common sense tells me to ponder on it a bit more; haste makes waste. Besides, the CB is much closer to completion than the Viffer anyway. I made the right decision switching off to the carbs, I think. Besides, the headers are still tightly locked together.
So last thing before leaving, as I�m putting away the tools, it strikes me again that it�s odd that there was literally NO leakdown on 50 and 80 psi cylinders��and suddenly it hits me! There�s a valve core in the DC hose, you idiot! D�oh! Yep; sure enough, out of sight under the adapter. Well, by this time, it�s getting late in the day and I�ve already cleaned up, put plugs back in, and covered up the bike. I decide I�ll come back tomorrow and check it again (correctly this time!)

And so, I do. My, how the results differ when you�re wearing your Thinking Cap.
#3; 25/80, and blowing up a hurricane out the intake valves. I spray in a spritz of LPS 2 and am rewarded with an oily mist in the face. OK, we have some leakage here.
#1: 20/80, with a slight hissing out the intake. The LPS 2 test reveals a few bubbles, not as severe as #3 though. But I hear air escaping deep with the bowels of the motor. I pop the oil dipstick and am greeted by oily gale force winds. OK, some ring blow-by here? I guess�
Of course, I need to take into consideration that the valve clearances may be too tight, not allowing the valves to fully close. It could happen. Also, rings can stick. I�ve seen mortally wounded engines miraculously come back to life after a good flogging and an oil change. Either way, we�re likely looking at some engine work.
Looking over the frame again, I�m torn between tearing this thing down, as I want to, and simply cleaning it up, as common sense would dictate. I call my cohort in crime (my brother, who also has a vested interest in this project) and we powwow, and both come to the conclusion that we would rather have it done right, than done quickly. I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders; I�ve given myself the green light to carry on. The teardown will continue as planned, and Damn the torpedos�.Full Speed Ahead! Let the games begin!

buellosaurusrex, on 28 March 2010 - 10:24 PM, said:

Damn the torpedos�.Full Speed Ahead! Let the games begin!

[best Montgomery Burns voice] Exx...cellent! :fing02:

Since you're going on ahead, make your life much easier by bagging & tagging all the parts you take off, especially the hardware. You might think that you'll remember just where an oddball fastener belongs just because of how odd it is... that's how you develop head scratchers later. Take lots of pictures, make use of sandwich baggies for small parts and fasteners, and put those and their associated parts into storage bins from the dollar store. Voice of experience here, it helps out immensely!

No, I have not given up. I've shifted my focus (temporarily) towards another project bike (CB550 Four) I picked up last November, and is much, much closer to completion than the VF'er is.....the sale of which, upon completion, should serve to finance Project Phoenix quite well. Progress will continue, but just not as focused as when I started...hang in there with me, 'kay?

Quick update, in case you were wondering.....
I haven't done a damn thing on the Interceptor since I last posted. It's been a busy summer with work and relatives and two other project bikes all trying to share the same wallet, as well as my regular bikes. The Interceptor ain't going anywhere, though, the time will come when the other projects are gone/sold/finished and then I'll really get cranking. In the mean time, I'll post updates as they come, and pictures as they happen.
I am NOT :beatdeadhorse:

So, what am I working on this week (for a customer) but a VF750C (Magna) which seems suspiciously similar to my Viffer (in suspended animation) .......and I'm getting the itch to start in on it again. I'd made the previous commitment to myself not to really rip into 'er until I was ready to go at it full-throttle, but I'm known to be a damned liar in some circles...
Pulling the rear head in the Magna for a valve-lapping job was not the easiest thing I've ever done, but it gave me a taste of what the innards of my 'ceptor are like.... (the engines are strikingly similar, save for the shaft drive on the Magna.) ...and how I'm evidently gonna have to yank the rear head on THAT motor. Oddly enough, I can't WAIT!
Something about this machine keeps beckoning me. I'm doing my best not to mess with it at the moment, but The Force is strong with this one.... :bliss:

[image: View Post]buellosaurusrex, on 14 September 2010 - 11:46 PM, said:

So, what am I working on this week (for a customer) but a VF750C (Magna) which seems suspiciously similar to my Viffer (in suspended animation) .......and I'm getting the itch to start in on it again. I'd made the previous commitment to myself not to really rip into 'er until I was ready to go at it full-throttle, but I'm known to be a damned liar in some circles...
Pulling the rear head in the Magna for a valve-lapping job was not the easiest thing I've ever done, but it gave me a taste of what the innards of my 'ceptor are like.... (the engines are strikingly similar, save for the shaft drive on the Magna.) ...and how I'm evidently gonna have to yank the rear head on THAT motor. Oddly enough, I can't WAIT!
Something about this machine keeps beckoning me. I'm doing my best not to mess with it at the moment, but The Force is strong with this one.... :bliss:


You don't have to wait to go whole-hog, just make sure you bag&tag your parts as they come off, and take pictures as you go. My build's been in progress for 8 years... I'd be lost if it weren't for a little organization of parts.

Got something in the works.....can't tell you yet; it's a secret! :cheerleader:

[image: View Post]buellosaurusrex, on 15 September 2010 - 08:22 PM, said:

Got something in the works.....can't tell you yet; it's a secret! :cheerleader:



[image: Posted Image]

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 16 September 2010 - 06:11 AM, said:

[image: View Post]buellosaurusrex, on 15 September 2010 - 08:22 PM, said:

Got something in the works.....can't tell you yet; it's a secret! :cheerleader:



[image: Posted Image]


I can tell you......TOMORROW :cheerleader: TOMORROW :cheerleader: TOMORROW :cheerleader:

One way or the other :fing02:

And just for you, Seb..... Pictures.....IF I GOT 'EM!

You tease. :computer-noworky:







:laughing6-hehe:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 17 September 2010 - 09:37 PM, said:

You tease. :computer-noworky:







:laughing6-hehe:


:biggrin:

:pissed:

Well, ya win some....ya lose some. The "big news" I had for ya's was this: I had another Interceptor lined up (parts bike/donor bike) that I was supposed to pick up after noon today. I made arrangements; the trailer is still hitched to my truck. The guy called this morning and said another buyer showed up on his doorstep, cash in hand, at 7:30AM and wouldn't take no for an answer. Oh well.....no use beating a dead horse. :beatdeadhorse:

Sorry Seb..no pictures. :angry:

With me, (as it may be for you, as well) motorcycles are like babies...there is no such thing as a "bad" one. Some may be sickly, cranky, temperamental, weak, etc, but in the end, they're all good....(until they grow up, in some cases!)
I would (and do) take any motorcycle, given the right price or conditions. So would most of you.
But, my personal bikes? What's up with that?
There's a special quality, one that attracts me to each of my "keepers", bordering on ...ummm...lust. A physical design that delights the eye and beckons me to throw a leg over It's the difference to me, between a painting and a Monet. Music or Beethoven. Chevy or Ferrari.
The VF750F has that quality...that look, something in the lines of the machine, told me, in no uncertain terms, that I MUST possess this machine! I may sell it, when all is said and done, but not before I've ridden it; melded with it, and conquered it.
Just thought I'd mention it......... :fing02:

Sigh.....ever notice, like when you have a headlight out, how many vehicles with a headlight out become glaringly obvious? Yeah, me too.
And so it is with Interceptors.
I have seen, and passed on, so many really nice 750F's over the last 6 months, it's disgusting. Many of them for $1500 or under. Kinda makes me realize how NOT of a good deal I got on mine. I know that by the time it's all back together and running (with fresh paint and good plastics) that I'll have far more into it than if I'd simply saved my money and bought an untouched original.
I could (I should!) part it out right now and put the money towards a running VF with original paint.
I should. But I won't.
How this "save the kittens" crap got started is beyond me. It defies common sense, and logic. (And Economics 101, as well)
But, I do it anyway. Why; I'm not sure. Maybe it's the thought of saving a "goner" from the scrapper. Maybe it's the whole underdog thing. Or, maybe (more likely) it's the challenge of proving I can do what someone else said I couldn't......
Pretty soon I'll have to stop talking and bring something to the table, guys. Soon...

So, what did we learn from our little session with the Interceptor's younger (and slightly "retarded") brother; the Magna?
Ummm...we learned that any liquid-cooled bike will leak coolant, given the chance. More than once. Three times, in fact; from one of the coolant manifolds (front head). Yes, it is damn slippery, a bitch to get off the lift and the floor and my tools and...when you step in it, it stays on your shoes so that when you go in the house to take a whiz, it gets on the carpet and stuff. There is a reason I like the big air-cooled Fours.
But nevermind all that. I did get the Magna up and running. I had a bitch of a time getting the valve keepers back on without a valve spring compressor, even tho they came off fairly easily. So much, in fact, that I ordered a valve spring compressor from Motion Pro....I know I'm gonna have to do the valves on my VF anyway, and why fight it? It's really nice....
A simple lapping of the valves took the compression right back up to where it was supposed to be. And then I broke one of the plastic tees for the carb bank, but that's another story. All in all, I had the carb bank off three times, and the water manifold off three times as well. Harumph.
The VF, with it's perimeter frame, looks like a much easier machine to work on, as the carb/airbox cluster can be lifted straight up and out. The Magna has to come out from the side, and even then requires a half-stick of dynamite to get it out. Don't ask me how the tee got broken.
At least I got to get familiar with the innards of the Vee-Four, even if it was the retarded version. I used to think the Magna's were sort of cool, years ago...now I wouldn't own one if you gave it to me. If the Interceptor is a gunfighter, the Magna is a dork with a water pistol.
Full of glycol.
You can keep 'em.
Can't wait for warmer weather, tho...I'd love to get going on this thing again.

Sorry, but I lol'd... :laughing6-hehe:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 22 January 2011 - 08:57 AM, said:

Sorry, but I lol'd... :laughing6-hehe:


Which part? :huh:

Oh, did I mention I picked up a GS1000? I thought not.
Not that this would be the appropriate forum to discuss this in either.
But, I did, and I will. Both.
I got this phone call from my friend Kenny, see....

(reprinted from another place, another time)
Beginnings…….August, 2010 © 2010

Egads!…..What have I done!!?

Only broken most of my own rules, is all.
Of all the advice I could (and do) give most potential bike buyers, everything I tell them to watch out for, I saw, deciphered, processed, and ignored.
It didn’t start out this way, you understand. (It never does) My friend and fellow “bike mental patient” Kenny had called me, and said a friend of his had a GS1000 give-away. He’d asked Kenny if he wanted it. For free. Kenny said no; he doesn’t do Jap bikes. (He’s a Brit bike nut) but he had a friend (me) who he was sure would be interested…which is like asking Dean Martin if he’d be interested, possibly, in a dry martini…
Ummm…..yeah. OK. Twist my arm.
So, I asked the crucials of Kenny….like;
(1) Does it have a title? (yes)
(2) Have you seen it? (yes again), and
(3) So, what’s wrong with it? (no carbs, no seat, no tank)
This much I can deal with.
So far, so good. I’m interested.
Kenny tells me he can be available along with his trailer some time the following week. Again; so far so good.
Monday comes. I call Kenny. Now things are beginning to drift left of center….
Kenny tells me that now….ummm…the guy wants $100.00 OBO. Hmmmm. I’m a bit peeved now…it was free a couple days ago! What’s changed besides human nature? (read; greed). It does have a title, right? Yes, there’s a title; so I tell him what the hell; I’ll go 50 bucks, and wait to hear back, not expecting much, if anything. In this game, you have to play with table stakes only. I had the 100 bucks, I just wasn’t about to give it all away. Kenny calls right back-He’ll take the 50, says Kenny, and so I set up a time to get it. Oh, and by the way; Kenny says, I won’t be around tonight, but you CAN use my trailer. No charge.
Well, if the School of Hard Knocks has taught me one lesson, it’s “He Who Hesitates Is Lost.” So I call the guy direct, arrange to meet him that very same day after work, Kenny or no Kenny, make hasty arrangements with my son to pick him up at his house for added muscle, “just in case”, and off we go.
It’s not too far…maybe a twenty-thirty minute drive…but I’m not prepared for what we encounter.
Jiminy Jumping Jehosephat in a blue suede suit!…this thing is a rolling effing junkyard! Fast Freddie Sanford himself would run, not walk, away from this one! Not only are the tank, carbs and seat missing, but the side covers are gone as well. The tires are rotten. The plugs are laying atop the engine, plug holes gaping wide open like starving children’s mouths, with pine needles, spider webs, and other organic unidentifiables strewn all over the top of the motor….mostly clustered around the open plug holes. The gaping maws of the intake manifolds lie open and vulnerable. “It turns over”, he says (and proudly, at that!), and invites me to pop it into gear and push the bike. Only one problem with this theory…..I can’t move the friggin’ gear shift lever, up OR down!
The little hairs on the back of my neck are standing up on end now. Big time. I ignore them and shove the shifter hard with my hand; eventually finding first gear, somehow. I grab the bars and shove, and the owner pushes on the rear of the bike, but on the loose gravel drive, we only succeed in leaving a six-foot skid line in the dirt.
He goes to great lengths to explain how he pulled the plugs only last fall (???) and had squirted oil down the cylinders, and “forgot” to put the plugs back in….I’m not buying it.
“Danger, Will Robinson! Warning! Warning!” The voice of Robot from Lost in Space shrieks urgently inside my brain. And in reply, Dr. Smith retorts; “Silence, you bumbling bucket of bolts!”….as if listening to Dr. Smith ever came to any good….
It takes even longer to re-find neutral. Houston, we have a problem…with the shifter. Possible bad shifter forks, shift drum? This thing is a Roach Coach! Walk away, not today, walk away, the voices seem to say…..
Still, I persist. He shows me the title. He tells me his sad tale of woe about buying it off eBay for three hundred smackers and getting “ripped off”. So, spread the cheer around, eh, pal? Share and share alike?
The bullshit is getting really deep now; as if I’m too stupid to figure out I’m buying what he didn’t already part out? No tank, no carbs, no body panels…….?
I hear a pleasant, monotone female voice droning in the background, sort of echo-ey and distant, as if I’m watching a sci-fi flick……”Three minutes to self destruct…” I continue to listen to the guy lay it on thick. He proudly shows us his entire collection of lawn tractors, motorcycles, and other assorted junk, each complete with it’s own biography as to where he got it, how it broke, ad nauseum. I’m realizing right here and now, that this wretched hulk will cost far more to restore it than it will ever fetch on the market; especially today’s depressed bike market. “Two minutes to self destruct…” I should be running for cover, preparing for the blast. Donning the proverbial Lead Suit. The fifty dollar bill is still folded neatly in my wallet…nobody in their right mind would fault me from walking away from this train wreck now….”One minute to self destruct….59…..58….57…”
Go. Go NOW. “RUN FORREST, RUN!”
Now. Now is the time when the hero (or heroine) makes the mad scramble for the ABORT button and punches it just seconds before the whole damn thing goes up in a mushroom cloud. The Klaxon horns are blaring and the voice drones on….”6…5 seconds…4…3…”
I reach for my wallet….”Good-bye.” says Little Miss Cheerful, in that pleasant, monotone voice, the Klaxons screeching in the background as my common sense is vaporized in a blinding flash of crackling nuclear energy and searing white heat that makes Nagasaki look like a Black Cat firecracker…….

And so, like sheep being led to slaughter, I rolled it into the hardshell trailer and eased the front wheel up into the chock.. I had my son compress the forks as I looped the “S”-hooks of the ratchet straps around the bars and pulled them snug, then secured the rear of the bike as well. He was eyeing me suspiciously, as if I’d suddenly developed a third eye right smack in the middle of my forehead. Grown sons expect their parents to be all-wise, all- knowing. To set Good Examples and not do Stupid Things. I’m sure at that particular moment he was wondering if I’d gone completely off my rocker.
On the ride home, he voiced his suspicions as much. Maybe it was the after effects of the blast, or perhaps the radiation from the fallout, but a vision was beginning to assemble itself in my mind's eye; that of a lean-and-mean stripped down café racer; the sort I’d lusted after but never had the courage to build. I confess; I simply can’t bear to cut up a good restorable classic bike. The urge to restore back to original is overpowering; almost sacred. This pile of bones? Meh…. No regrets. I saddled my ’85 Nighthawk S with the moniker “Lazarus”, because like the Biblical character, he was dead and entombed. Written off as dead. And I brought him back to life. Well, if Lazarus was dead, this thing could be compared to a corpse being exhumed….after five or more years of pushing up daisies!
I dropped my son off at his house, assuring him that the ol’ man was more than capable of off-loading this pile of scrap metal by himself. I’d only brought him along in the first place, ‘cuz, well….you never know what you’ll find. Better over-gunned than underpowered, I always say. I drove it home, rolled it off the trailer and out in front of the garage, left it sitting there all by it’s Lonesome. I had to drop Kenny’s trailer off at his house before dark and got right to it, pulling back in the drive just before sunset. After shifting things (and motorcycles) around a bit, I cleared off the Handy Lift and rolled the patient up onto the operating table and raised it up to about chest-level to view the carnage. And then the hard truth really hit me. This thing looked like the friggin’ Wreck of the Hesperus! “EGADS!” I thought….WHAT HAVE I DONE…..?
Steady, lads…came a voice from within. I know what I’m doin’….this is what I DO. I looked about me and saw not only my three ”riders”; my personal bikes, but also the other two “project bikes” in various stages of completion, not to mention the tarp-covered car behind me up on jack stands sans motor and suspension….and wondered if I’d finally gone off the Deep End. I couldn’t resist getting off a smart-assed crack at myself; “So how’s that workin’ out for ya?” True to form, I ignored the wise-ass within, and picking up my camera, snapped a few “before” shots, then traded in the camera for a wrench….and dug in.



On the bright side...I can use my new valve spring compressor on this one (my Interceptor) as well. :bliss:

GS purchase notwithstanding, back to the topic at hand....VF's. Interceptors in particular.
Since it's apparent one head will have to come off, the obvious question pops up; why not both? In fact, since I now have a decent valve spring compressor, why not just lap all the valves and be done with it?
Why indeed....
So, I guess that's the game plan. After I get the frame done, that is.
I've checked out many of the projects on this forum, and all of them seem to start out with a frame-up strip and painting. Question is, what color?
Granted; the stock silver looks nice. Some of the black frames look pretty bitchin' too. I've seen so many cheap, stock bikes on Craigslist that I'm beginning to lean more towards a custom build. That being the case, I could go just about any color I wanted, black included. Hmmm.....
As for color scheme, I'm thinking maybe black with white trim? That's always a classic look. I'm also thinking performance mods on the engine, as long as I'll have the top torn down. Any recommendations out there?

Thanks for a really funny post - enjoyed it :laughing6-hehe:

Have you got any pictures of the "beauty" online (you mentioned taking some...)?

Frame colour RED - see here: My link
Looks great :biggrin:


cheers,
Steen

[image: View Post]Steen, on 04 February 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Thanks for a really funny post - enjoyed it :laughing6-hehe:

Have you got any pictures of the "beauty" online (you mentioned taking some...)?

Frame colour RED - see here: My link
Looks great :biggrin:


cheers,
Steen


Yep. I'll post 'em tonight.

OK...here we go (deep breath)

Bike(?) on the lift
[image: Posted Image]

One eye shot out...True Grit in action!
[image: Posted Image]

Nice ass...(not!)
[image: Posted Image]

Loooove the bars.....Mooo!
[image: Posted Image]

Well, the rats have to sleep somewhere!
[image: Posted Image]

Anybody hurt in that wreck? LOL!

Looks like that thing went down with the Titanic. THAT is a true project bike.

Right-O. It's bad enough that I wouldn't even dream of trying to "restore" it...the cost would probably exceed the value by half again. But it's perfect for a stripped-down cafe racer, wouldn't you agree?

err....

nice wheels :biggrin:

BTW - didn't they have double discs up front? That seems like a lot of work for one :smile:

And here I was, hoping you had done some work to the Interceptor... :computer-noworky:

:biggrin:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 07 February 2011 - 10:28 PM, said:

And here I was, hoping you had done some work to the Interceptor... :computer-noworky:

:biggrin:


Seb;
Two feet of snow on the ground
Temps in the single digits
Four foot wind drift in front of the garage door
No heat or insulation

The only thing I'm working on is my flat-screen tan and a bottle of Jameson :biggrin:

[image: View Post]buellosaurusrex, on 07 February 2011 - 11:08 PM, said:

The only thing I'm working on is my flat-screen tan and a bottle of Jameson :biggrin:


Nice!

Haven't heard the flat-screen tan line before. :goofy:

[image: View Post]Steen, on 07 February 2011 - 07:14 PM, said:

err....

nice wheels :biggrin:

BTW - didn't they have double discs up front? That seems like a lot of work for one :smile:


Not in '78. At least, not on this model. But see, in my twisted mind, this is all good. Wheels included. The single disc is much lighter (about half....duh!) :biggrin: the weight of a double-disc setup. The spoked wheels will look killer on a cafe.
The lighter, the better. I'm planning on making the chassis as light as possible and doing some massaging on the motor....something on the lines of this:

http://mycaferacer.com/gs1000.html

Don't want to copy, but I like the look and will doubtless pilfer some of his ideas.

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 07 February 2011 - 11:24 PM, said:

[image: View Post]buellosaurusrex, on 07 February 2011 - 11:08 PM, said:

The only thing I'm working on is my flat-screen tan and a bottle of Jameson :biggrin:


Nice!

Haven't heard the flat-screen tan line before. :goofy:


Probably not. I just thought of it...... :computer-noworky:

And Now...for your entertainment and my inspiration....a really great VF vid I found on YouTube. I am SO hyped!

Sonofa$@#&*!!!!......lost another one!
Had a guy on the line; had an '83 VF750F that RAN...RAN, I tell you....but he was having trouble selling it due to no title. No problem, I tell him, I have just the thing! A titled frame just waiting for the old Swap-O-Rama. Sounds like a plan!
Onliest thing is, I need to scare up $600 bucks. No problem, see; the guy that is "in the process" of buying my 550Four from me (left a $200.00 deposit and I still have the bike locked up tight!!) has promised to drop by with the $800.00 he owes me as soon as his tax refund comes in.
Weeks stretch on....no $$$, no guy. The seller is being patient, but is wearing thin. Call/Text the dude, no answer. Find out the dude has left for Army boot camp......WTF?
I call the seller, relay the info, and tell him, reluctantly, to go ahead and sell it if he can; I can't string him along in good conscience. He does.
Ah, well...whaddya gonna do? Still got my Interceptor, anyway.

First, congrats and thank you for saving another one of these iconic bikes. I enjoy reading your posts, you have a very descriptive writing style. One more piece of advice for you...if you don't already have one, pick up a factory shop manual. It will be invaluable in getting her all back together with all the bits and pieces in the correct places.
And a note on the carbs, these VF750F's use a pair of downdraft and a pair of side draft carbs. Some of the parts inside have different settings (needles, clips and jets) and/or may not interchange. This is where the shop maunal comes in very handy. Also in describing the correct procedure for setting valve lash, because you do these a little differently than most other screw type adjusters.
Best of luck with your project! I'll be watching for updates. Posted Image

Garry