Yamaha XS750E Restoration

[Triple]

Ok, I did start another thread titled Yamaha Triple v2 for this bike, but I've got some other plans for that thread - a 1980 XS850 Triple which I think is a better starting point for my plans

A certain RD250 restoration thread has been the decider for me to restore instead of modify this bike.

This 1978 XS750E was aquired not running, believed to have a blown head gasket and no compression. It was complete but was to become a parts bike, until I spotted some .25mm oversize pistons and rings on ebay, which were going for a good price - and of course I won the bidding.

I stripped the bike, and sent the engine parts to Hamish Engineering in Welshpool to recondition the head, rebore the cylinders for the new pistons and check over the bottom end before I reassembled it with new main and big end bearings.

Frame and a couple of other bits and pieces were sent to R&L Powder Coating in Osborne Park.

Stripped frame - brush painted in a lovely shade of white


Back from the powder coaters -


Engine bottom end after removing the head/cylinders/pistons etc -

The bottom end is now together with new crank and conrod bearings and new seals where required. I've also put in an XS850 transmission which is made slightly better than the 750 transmissions, nothing much else at this stage though...



I've sorted a bunch of parts to go in for either painting, powder coating, re-chroming or re-zincing.

And last pic for today showing some spare parts, and the original colour scheme I'll be keeping for the restoration -


Hopefully over the next few weeks I can show you I've done something productive

[Graelin]

It's been many years since I have seen one of these and will look very good kept in original colours.

[Triple]

Graelin you've seen my other XS750 on a couple of rides before!!

Anyways, ordered a bunch of parts from Cullys Yamaha today, dropped off items for powder coating and some for cadmium plating.

Then I went in to A&M Bolts and Nuts in Bassendean and tested the patience of the guy working there, by ordering lots of different sizes of stainless bolts/nuts/washers etc to suit the project.

[darkfibre]

Did any of the XJ750 seca parts fit the XS series? I have a complete front end including discs, calipers etc....
Freebies if useful.

[Triple]

Hmmm maybe, I'll PM you later...

[DJ Vieyra]

Hi triple,

Good to see another project alight.

The tank that you have in the photo above, have that got leg indents on the left and right side? I have one on my XS750 that is just rounded, but I want to change the look, so wondering if I can view at anytime.

Also if you need anything bead blasted, my brother in law works at Westrac and I get done for free, so let me know and maybe we can do a deal.

Thanks mate and talk soon!!

[Graelin]

[QUOTE=Triple;1964714]Graelin you've seen my other XS750 on a couple of rides before!!

Funny I can remember things from long ago but now what was I going to say?

Yes the first one of those bikes actually got into NZ before the official NZ release. These bikes were a big thing back then and Discombe motorcycles in Cambridge bought one in Australia disassembled it and brought it in to NZ as parts beating the rules at the time so they were the first to have one on display.

Looks like there will be a few more old Yamahas out on the roads soon. I am painting mine tomorrow.

[DJ Vieyra]

Here is one of my XS750 wheels after sandblasting!!

[D.J]

This is looking good, I'm looking forward to seeing the rebuild, take plenty of photo's please (I know I forget to )

[Triple]

double post

[Triple]

Have done a few things this week...
Picked up a few things from the powder coaters, and also from the plating shop.
Also a pile of bits that I ordered from Cully's Yamaha (piston clips, seals, rubbers)
The cadmium plating does look great, but I think next time I'll just go with zinc plating due to how it looks next to the various stainless bolts etc that I've got.

New steering head bearings are in. Triple clamps are decorated with the new stainless fasteners I picked up last week. Some screws and washers were missing though, 2 thieves had snuck into the shed and run off with the bag they were in....


Idea I 'borrowed' from Mr Black Rider - drawfiling the markings off the bolts and then polishing...


Powder coated battery box, few new rubbers here and there. Some spray on tyre shine cleans up the old rubbers and makes them soft again



I was looking for some replacement shocks, to replace the leaky, rusty Factory XS750 KYB shocks..


I'm going for the Factory look for this restoration, so I worked out the late model Triumph Bonneville shocks, also made by KYB, look almost identical to the factory XS750 shocks, just a little bit more chrome and slightly longer. So I got this 1000mile set for $15 from Ebay USA (plus post which wasn't much)



Now I'm just having some trouble getting the old bearing shells out of the swing arm, hopefully get that done tomorrow, then the swingarm will go in with new bearings and seals and maybe I'll even get the shocks, a back wheel and center stand on!




btw I found the bolt stealing culprits, I found a few bolts scattered around the yard, the rest were probably eaten!

[Triple]

Picked out my ugliest looking set of carbs. Will be getting them vapour blasted shortly.

Started with:



Ended up with


Insides actually looked pretty good/clean. Black shit everywhere though from flaking paint though. Will probably drop them in an ultrasonic cleaner anyways after being blasted. And lastly will screw them together with stainless fasteners.

[brethren22]

great job triple! very methodical and organised. looking forward to seeing those carbs back to original finish

[Jamathi]

beatifull, classic!

[El Skitzo]

Gee that frame looks good with a fresh gloss black finish!

[DJ Vieyra]

Looking Good triple. I have got a spare carb for my XS750 if you need parts, just PM me and will arrange.

[Triple]

Thanks mate but I've got a few spare working sets plus various other spare parts. First rule with old bikes is keep all the spares you can

This set was my worst cosmetically hence the reason why I dropped them off today to get vapour blasted, should be looking mint when they've together again
New throttle butterfly seals are on the way, bowl gaskets, fuel line tee's, couple of other things. I'll test them out on my running Triple once they're ready!

[Triple]

I went and picked up the carbs today from the blaster and wow they look great! No pics yet though, will get them soon. Just waiting for the new throttle shaft seals to arrive.

Other than that, I did get the rings on the new pistons. Will be getting them together with the rods/bottom end soon. Just need to paint the engine cases, cylinders and head, and it hasn't been good painting weather lately!

heres the assembled pistons and the freshly bored cylinders (.25 over)


Reconditioned head and new genuine gaskets


Painting tomorrow hopefully!!

[Triple]

Check-check-check check it out!

Carbs after vapour blasting....




New Fuel tees, new choke plunger seals, new throttle shaft seals and butterfly screws. Have new float bowl gaskets around here somewhere too


Bunch of stuff re-zinc'd by Premier Plating in Bentley


Throttle return springs etc installed





But I forgot to buy the new stainless screws which means I can't finish putting them together!!



Besides that, swing arm is now in with new bearings and seals.
Head and cylinders have been painted PJ1 gloss black with the outer fins polished off which also looks sweeeeet. Didn't have the camera with me so those pics will have to wait until later.
Crankcases will be painted shortly and bolted into the frame and the rest of the motor assembled in frame.

Until next time..............

[darkfibre]

om nom nom nom

What size stainless screws are needed? I have an almost spare full 4 cyl carb set as well as some extras bought by the 100's
Happy to give you a bag full, and you can replace then at your leisure.

Carbs should be in one piece man.