And another GL1000, my 5th so.... Johnny 5!

jonesn7

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The Time Warp Vintage Motorcycle Club has a 2020 challenge of getting 20 bikes out of the garage/basement/barn/woods, and getting them back on the road. Must be 25+ years old, and in June must complete a ~50 mile ride with the others. Throw $50 in the pot by January meeting and when we do the ride, all that complete it will have their names in a hat for a drawing to win the pot. I think it is over 10 bikes already. I didn't have one to enter (many of these guts have several), so began looking. Finally last Satyrday I drove to Kentucky and picked up this sad '78 GL1000 GoldWing. His dad last rode it 9 years ago, then parked it in a barn. The last two months it has been setting under a plastic tarp in the woods.

So far I've stripped the Vetter stuff off, pulled the covers, shelter frame, carbs, controls, and much of the electrical system. It will need complete frame-off, but looks like only the carbs need attention on the motor. Of course, turning the carb rack over reveals 5 different screw varieties out of the 16 bowl screws. And I am humbled by the motorcycle electronics genius that combined wire nuts and Scotch-loks to tie in lamp cord in the system.

If nothing else, it should keep me busy this winter!
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Can't wait to see what you end up doing with it and Good Luck on the challenge.
 
While waiting for it to warm up so I could change the oil in the Equinox, I pulled the exhaust, wiring harness, front brake lines (trash), crash bars (also trash) and inner rear fender.
 
Radiator removed, belts changed, oil (~2 quarts, but clean looking) & coolant (~a pint) drained. Oil filter removed (no spring on cartridge, but at least not one on the wrong side). No one carries the CH6009 oil filter around here anymore, so instead of forking over $14 for a K&N, I ordered 4 on Amazon for $16.99 (total). Bought some 15W40 Delo that I plan to cut with some Marvel Mystery Oil for this fill as it wil be for checking compressin and storage until ready to try starting. Bargaining with wife to get a space on the other side of the basement to store the '79 so I'll have enough room to pull the motor on this one. She is concerned that it might disturb her "systematic hording".
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Got the pistons out of the front calipers using the grease gun method. Both pistons will need replaced. The right front was a mystery. I'm not a great mechanic and have pulled some boners, but I wonder if a PO ever realized why that caliper didn't work? This was installed as a banjo bolt.
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I had a GL 1000 back in the day...

Thats been a few years ago.

-Bear
 
4into1 order in today. Drained the oil, pulled the filter, jacked up the front (rear is on jack stands) and pulled the front wheel. Then lowered and strapped the engine to the dolly, pulled the jack stands out and then pulled the forks out of the trees. Evident now that steering bearings need replaced, so put them on order along with fork seals and a push throttle cable (why do they always go and not the pull?) Tomorrow, need to disconnect the drive shaft and pull the swing arm. That should leave unbolting the engine frome the frame and pulling the frame off. Then I can start the carbs (looking forward to trying the new 10 liter US cleaner).
 
You do enjoy a challenge; else why choose one of the more complex bikes to attempt rehabilitation? Once a girl has been abused like that, it's difficult to get her to trust men again.

jack vnes
 
Discovered the carb rack on this '78 is actually from a '77. Got the piston out of the rear MC and the rest looks Ok. Helicoil kit came in so I can repair the 15 out of 16 float bowl screw threads that had sheet metal or wood screws in them. Took the frame and a '79 frame to a buddy's who will cut the center stand mount cross member from the '79 and weld it to the '78 ('78s was rusted and split).
 
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