Currently restoring my '85 ZL900 and wondering if someone can help me with a few details. Are the valve cover fins and writing to be exposed aluminum, or is the whole valve cover blacked out from the factory? Second questions are the carbs to be all blacked out (flat black?) and the screws left unpainted or were the screws painted black as well? Thanks guys!
Restoration Questions
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87kawzl
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Yes, the fins and lettering boss are raw aluminum on the engine.
Not quite sure on how the carbs came but I would assume that the slide and bowl screws were chrome, the ZL1000 carbs are raw. Others may chime in. We like pics!
Not quite sure on how the carbs came but I would assume that the slide and bowl screws were chrome, the ZL1000 carbs are raw. Others may chime in. We like pics!
R. J.
Supporting Member
If you are intrested I have all the decals/stickers for the ZLs. https://www.zl-oa.com/community/threads/eliminator-reproduction-decals.24840/R.J. That's great that you made those and mine are all in great shape however I would take a couple of the airbox stickers. I also was close to remaking the front shock sticker and hypoid oil sticker until I got lucky and found some in a haystack and bought them all. I have some of the hypoid oil stickers on Ebay right now. Let me know how you would like me to pay for the stickers (Venmo?) and I'll get you what you need for the air box stickers.
87kawzl....here's a couple of pics for ya. I've done a lot more than meets the eye (rebuilt every master cylinder, calibers, water pump, radiator tube seals, brakes, clutches, oem cables, shocks, switches, adjust valves, days of removing all the aluminum pieces for orbital polishers, etc.). The wheels were the worst since I had to use 3 different compounds and to bring them back. I looked I came out of a coal mine when I was done with the wheels. Tons of other things have been done but it's simply too much to list. I bought this very bike in 1989 with 2500 miles on it. I was 18 and I put on the Super Trapps, jetted it and poked a few holes in the airbox and started racing. The best it every ran was 11.38. I sold it 3-4 years later since I started racing a 750 GSXR. The bike always stayed local and one of my good friends had it the last 17 years and it had been sitting 10 years in his garage and after a few beers (maybe more) I bought it back knowing it all needed to be gone through. It still has less than 15,000 miles on it. I'm down to rebuilding the carbs and attempting to get that dang valve cover to seal properly however I found an old article on here referencing some different bolts which I have coming. Looking forward to riding it years later
.
I would also like to throw out aa special thanks prfixer for helping me source some of the parts I was looking for getting me on this website! Thank you very much Dave!
87kawzl....here's a couple of pics for ya. I've done a lot more than meets the eye (rebuilt every master cylinder, calibers, water pump, radiator tube seals, brakes, clutches, oem cables, shocks, switches, adjust valves, days of removing all the aluminum pieces for orbital polishers, etc.). The wheels were the worst since I had to use 3 different compounds and to bring them back. I looked I came out of a coal mine when I was done with the wheels. Tons of other things have been done but it's simply too much to list. I bought this very bike in 1989 with 2500 miles on it. I was 18 and I put on the Super Trapps, jetted it and poked a few holes in the airbox and started racing. The best it every ran was 11.38. I sold it 3-4 years later since I started racing a 750 GSXR. The bike always stayed local and one of my good friends had it the last 17 years and it had been sitting 10 years in his garage and after a few beers (maybe more) I bought it back knowing it all needed to be gone through. It still has less than 15,000 miles on it. I'm down to rebuilding the carbs and attempting to get that dang valve cover to seal properly however I found an old article on here referencing some different bolts which I have coming. Looking forward to riding it years later
. I would also like to throw out aa special thanks prfixer for helping me source some of the parts I was looking for getting me on this website! Thank you very much Dave!
R. J.
Supporting Member
OK. I'll get out some ait box decales and post up pics. Post up some pics of the front shock decale.
Fern
Supporting Member
R.J. That's great that you made those and mine are all in great shape however I would take a couple of the airbox stickers. I also was close to remaking the front shock sticker and hypoid oil sticker until I got lucky and found some in a haystack and bought them all. I have some of the hypoid oil stickers on Ebay right now. Let me know how you would like me to pay for the stickers (Venmo?) and I'll get you what you need for the air box stickers.
87kawzl....here's a couple of pics for ya. I've done a lot more than meets the eye (rebuilt every master cylinder, calibers, water pump, radiator tube seals, brakes, clutches, oem cables, shocks, switches, adjust valves, days of removing all the aluminum pieces for orbital polishers, etc.). The wheels were the worst since I had to use 3 different compounds and to bring them back. I looked I came out of a coal mine when I was done with the wheels. Tons of other things have been done but it's simply too much to list. I bought this very bike in 1989 with 2500 miles on it. I was 18 and I put on the Super Trapps, jetted it and poked a few holes in the airbox and started racing. The best it every ran was 11.38. I sold it 3-4 years later since I started racing a 750 GSXR. The bike always stayed local and one of my good friends had it the last 17 years and it had been sitting 10 years in his garage and after a few beers (maybe more) I bought it back knowing it all needed to be gone through. It still has less than 15,000 miles on it. I'm down to rebuilding the carbs and attempting to get that dang valve cover to seal properly however I found an old article on here referencing some different bolts which I have coming. Looking forward to riding it years later
I would also like to throw out aa special thanks prfixer for helping me source some of the parts I was looking for getting me on this website! Thank you very much Dave!View attachment 47902 View attachment 47903 View attachment 47904 View attachment 47905 View attachment 47906
The ZL is looking FANTASTIC!. Nicely done.
That is so cool that you were able to buy back the ZL from your friend after all those years. You're giving the ZL much well deserved love.
87kawzl
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Most of the regulars here know exactly the time put in to all the little details needed when going through a bike top to bottom. Looks like a show stopper!
paulfun
"King Of The 1/4mi (Internally Stock)"
The valve cover is all black from the factory. The carb screws were also all black when the bike was new.
I was the original purchaser of my first ZL9 back in the day. It was an 85. I am also the current owner of an 86 that has never even had its first valve adjustment so it’s basically as delivered except for the Supertrap slip ons and it is the same as my 85 was. Valve cover all black and carb screws black from the factory.
I was the original purchaser of my first ZL9 back in the day. It was an 85. I am also the current owner of an 86 that has never even had its first valve adjustment so it’s basically as delivered except for the Supertrap slip ons and it is the same as my 85 was. Valve cover all black and carb screws black from the factory.
Nice job on that 9!!!