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1976 Honda GL1000 Project

3853 Views 68 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  GerGS850g, 
OldNEET
I'd like to make up this bike so that it can be chopper, bobber, cafe racer or even Sushi bar decoration.
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OldNEET
Installed "the racer" muffler. (will paint and add hanger though)
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These are the "core" of HD Screaming Eagle mufflers.
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OldNEET
This is a "before" video of customizing the 1976 GL1000.
Equipped with 1978 engine, Comstar wheels, and Harley FLH mufflers (core).
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OldNEET
"before" rebuilding the meter cluster. All of the painted parts are terrible looking.

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GerGS850g
they would look bad ass stripped and polished.
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Easydrifter
Hi, I had a 78 GL1000 for a lot of years. I got a lot of parts for it off of eBay. It had a lot of miles on it and was in constant need of maintenance. Adjusting the duel points and timing was a trip. They are solid bikes but when I got a 1986 Gl 1200 Interstate I never looked back. You project is looking really cool. 😎
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Easydrifter
A lot of guys back in the day put mags on the 1000s so you could run a 16" tire on the back (much easier to find at the time). It made it hard as hell to get up on the center stand. Mine had Lester mag wheels. Look around if you can find some old mags for it.
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OldNEET
Thanks for interesting info. Probably I won't replace my rear wheel but it should be looking good low rider. I understand the choice of center stand is tricky too. Talking about my CB750, the mufflers select the stand to fit but you have to adjust the road clearance by rear shocks, otherwise it made it hard as hell to get up as you had mentioned.
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OldNEET
Changing some parts makes a big difference. The front half will be almost same image as the stock except handle bar, so this is the point of customization this time. Seat, mufflers, turn signals, and (fender, taillight and license plate haven't been installed yet).

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Easydrifter
Nice, I hope your stator is good. Mine went out and fried the wire connector on the charging circuit so I had to pull the engine out, remove the cover and pull the rotor to replace it. Kinda neat how a piece of the frame unbolts so you can slide the engine out. That's when I really started to get to know the bike. You can test the stator with the engine on the bike and not running, good to check it.
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OldNEET
Easydrifter said:
Nice, I hope your stator is good. Mine went out and fried the wire connector on the charging circuit so I had to pull the engine out, remove the cover and pull the rotor to replace it. Kinda neat how a piece of the frame unbolts so you can slide the engine out. That's when I really started to get to know the bike. You can test the stator with the engine on the bike and not running, good to check it.
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Thanks for your kind reminding. All of the vintage bikes have their charging system problems somehow. Although GL1000 equipped with relatively modern system than old selenium rectifier and zener diode regulator etc, the stator can be aged too. Will check all of these for sure.
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OldNEET
DIY stainless steel muffler hanging strap.
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D
Hahha, very nice. Very "terminator" like! :)
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Easydrifter
Hey, that looks much better than the coke cans and hoses clamps I eventually had to use when the exhaust on my '78 rusted out and started to leak. Not recommended, it didn't work very well.
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OldNEET
Basically it works as same as this.
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OldNEET
The well-made genuine Honda fenders are preserved as they are. This is a commercially available universal fender I cut it to about 2/3 of the length. Still imaging right style tail lamp and license plate.

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OldNEET
Replaced the rubber cushion of the meter that had been totally hardened. The GL1000's meters were intentionally bolted to the center of the meter via a very small sheet metal part, and vibrations were designed to be absorbed by this cushion. In other words, if this cushion hardens, the meter will vibrate violently. This was a different structure from others like CB750 of this era. The brake horse was replaced to short one but the clutch wire is too long for the straight bar handle.

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OldNEET
In order to remove the carburetor unit, it is necessary to rotate right side of intake manifolds and remove the vacuum valve. BTW, there are very interesting modification added to the carburetors. Drilled hole and rubber plug on the vacuum cap,,,, I have never seen this but for easy lubrication?

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Easydrifter
On my first Goldwing the 1000, I left it sitting in a tin shed in Arizona for 2 years while I was overseas. When I got back I had to pull the carbs and they were dry as a bone with hard varnish plugging up the low speed jets. I hope yours aren't that bad.
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OldNEET
Easydrifter said:
On my first Goldwing the 1000, I left it sitting in a tin shed in Arizona for 2 years while I was overseas. When I got back I had to pull the carbs and they were dry as a bone with hard varnish plugging up the low speed jets. I hope yours aren't that bad.
Click to expand...
Have checked and cleaned the bottom parts. The jets and floats are all good shape as well as the main jet needles. My only concern is still the plugged vacuum cap though.
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Easydrifter
I don't recall seeing those plugs on mine but he may have connected vacuum gauges up there? My '78 had screws in the vacuum ports on each manifold that you remove and connect your 4 gauges up (or in my case I had mercury tubes at the time) to synchronize the carbs for the final step in the tune-up.
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