Topic: Maui Z1 1973

[craz1]

If it just the leads you can repair. Its a good idea to replace that rubber grommet anyway. You can buy a replacement. Cut it so the splice is just around the corner near the starter. What I do is remove the cloth covering which tends to wick oil all the way until it starts dripping on the outside of the cover. use heat shrink where it goes through the cover grommet. If its just the leads that wore through you should be able to slide heat shrink to that spot. Once you have the new grommet in place you can solder and heat shrink the splice. Put the splice in a spot where it will not bend. The grommet has always leaked on the Z1. People have tried all sorts of stuff to no avail. The trick is to remove that wicking cloth cover and use the heat shrink. Before I install that cover I use a product called bellows adhesive. Its used in the marine industry and works very well. so right before you seal the cover slide the new rubber up a bit and coat the wires with the adhesive on both sides of the grommet. Then slid the grommet back and forth on the wires until the inside of the grommet and outside of the wires are coated with the sealant. Use a little sealant on the sealing edges of that grommet. I would do the same to the new stator. Some of the stators have that cloth cover. Remove it at the grommet and use the sealant.

https://www.amazon.com/MERCURY-92-86166Q-1-Bellows-Adhesive/dp/B001HX9WVM/ref=asc_df_B001HX9WVM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312634019511&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7715563962960577278&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029625&hvtargid=pla-571139943288&psc=1

[MauiK3]

Great advice. The wire checked out ok but is abraded some. Still deciding.

[RAFster122s]

The points wire on bikes like the S90 used an asbestos cloth tube to insulate the wire from exhaust header heat. DrATV.com carries it. Often the cloth wire coverings in high heat areas were asbestos impregnated cloth. Oven and electric clothes dryer wires were asbestos insulated wiring as well...

[MauiK3]

Got some goodies in the mail.
Working on the stator problem, I have a new grommet, just have to decide to fix it.

[Stev-o]

I’m looking at Hagon and Ikon to see if they make something close to stock looking. I have Hagons on my K3, they seem to be good shocks and I think they are in Australia? Or is it Ikon.

Ikon is in Australia, Hagons are assembled in the U.K.

[grcamna2]

Nice looking exhaust pic Steve. 

[MauiK3]

A question for Z1 owners
I’m putting together the valve cover. The attached photo shows piece 26, Clamp, ignition cord.
It shows a location for one but the parts list says 4 are needed. My bike had none so I’m guessing the 4 go on the 4 rearward facing holes over the exhaust cam?
Assembled the clutch and started on some handlebar stuff.
I’m going to tackle the wiring harness soon.

[Stev-o]

A question for Z1 owners
I’m putting together the valve cover. The attached photo shows piece 26, Clamp, ignition cord.
It shows a location for one but the parts list says 4 are needed. My bike had none so I’m guessing the 4 go on the 4 rearward facing holes over the exhaust cam?

Hey Steve...my bike has 4 "clamps" [#24] for spark plug wires on the front of the intake cam cover...not shown on this fiche

https://www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-z1b-1975-usa-canada_model14521/partslist/61207.html#.YaVS2NDMJPY

Part 26 is a clamp for the wiring harness, my bike does not have that.

[MauiK3]

There sure were lots of changes.
I'll put 4 on.
I'm using Marsden, Brookes, Kawasaki shop manual for that year, Kawasaki parts manual for that year and a book about restoring Z1's that concentrates on I think a Z1B.
It's still sometimes hard to find specifics.

[ekpent]

  Was just going through some pictures and forgot one of my good friends had to move a stash of Z1 parts in a trailer from a guy who was moving. I've got some of his parts stashed in my building and he has more in his attic and garage. Engines (one 73 not pictured),tanks,frames and who knows what else. I should gather it all up in one pile,buy it and see if I can build one or two from scratch  This is  his Z1a in my place that he still has after 40+ years but he can't ride anymore due to bad shoulders etc..

[MauiK3]

Nice pile of parts, especially if the frame(s) are titled.
Of course buying them like that isn’t cheap, no matter how little you pay, if you are going to put one together.
It’s sad to see what happens to so many.
If there is a 73 frame and engine in there go for it!
By the time I’m done with mine it will have cost a bundle but it will be a pretty nice Z1 and not something that you see everywhere, especially out here in the Pacific.
Everything that is neglected here just melts away.

[Terry in Australia]

I’ve discovered what you mean Steve, my mate Davey died in July and his widow Linda asked me if she could send it down to me from Cairns to sell for her? I said sure, and when she told me how much she wanted I’d decided that I’d buy it for myself.

It arrived yesterday and I was shocked at what 32 years in tropical humidity does to steel, chrome, leather, alloy rubber and paint, and I’ve pretty much decided to just sell it on to someone with deep pockets who’ll do a complete cosmetic restoration. It’s a damn shame, because it was a magnificent beast when Davey bought it here in 1986. Oh well……

[ekpent]

Nice pile of parts, especially if the frame(s) are titled.
Of course buying them like that isn’t cheap, no matter how little you pay, if you are going to put one together.
It’s sad to see what happens to so many.
If there is a 73 frame and engine in there go for it!
By the time I’m done with mine it will have cost a bundle but it will be a pretty nice Z1 and not something that you see everywhere, especially out here in the Pacific.
Everything that is neglected here just melts away.

I'm probably all talk as my claim to fame is at least buying bikes that are still all together in one piece. As I've gotten older my desire to spend the time on a wrench is diminishing and I would rather just ride. I've already got a running Z1b so that box is checked off. Your going to love riding that early z1 of yours around when you get it done and that is a very special bike. Kawasaki did give Honda a good spanking when they brought that out.  Guess I will show a little more interest with my buddy and help him sell the stuff so he can get a fair price and get it out of his way.

[Terry in Australia]

Keep a close eye on that stuff Eric, if there are any 1972 built parts they're worth sandcast money.

[ekpent]

Noted. Will have to check the serial numbers on some frames and the black '73' engine. Have learned some Z1 stuff following this thread.

[MauiK3]

Most parts on the black engine are hard to get, for example, hollow cams. I was lucky, I had a pretty bad exhaust cam and was able to find a set.
The 73 stuff is hard to find.
By the way, my replacement stator came in. I'm going to use it and save the original. I may try to find a shop to properly fix it.

[Terry in Australia]

Noted. Will have to check the serial numbers on some frames and the black '73' engine. Have learned some Z1 stuff following this thread.

Yep, a lot of Z1-A and B engines were painted black by their owners too Eric so check the numbers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you find some gold. Not too many hidden gems here in Oz, Z1’s were super popular here after the movie “Stone” made them an instant cult icon, and had a resurgence again after “Mad Max”, but were then flogged mercilessly.

Two of my friends were killed on a ‘73 Z1 in 1979, and the other club members broke into the local dump after hours, fired up a backhoe, dug a deep hole and buried Murray’s Z1. It’s probably still there, under a new housing development today.

[MauiK3]

I saw Mad Max but I don't recall a Z1 in it. I'll have to look.
Upon examining the new stator I noticed an odd thing on my old stator. I'll get some photos. It looks like the outside diameter was ground by hand whereas the new stator is nicely machined.

[seanbarney41]

Lol...there are only 2 (out of 20 or so) bikes in the movie that are not z1s.  Well, maybe quite a few are z1000.  But thats like the difference between a k1 750 and a k7

[Terry in Australia]

Yep back then nobody gave a crap about what model “Z” it was, it’s only in recent years that the first model Z1 has become so valuable. The truth is that the production company was loaned 10 new Z1000’s (KZ1000’s in the US) by Kawasaki Australia, most of which were wrecked during filming.

At the end of the movie the bikes were returned and Kawasaki Oz was so pissed off with their condition that they offered the bikes back to Bertrand Cadart who customised them for the movie and was cast in the movie too, for $5K, but as he’d only been paid $5K to customise them, he couldn’t afford to buy them, and he thought that he’d not make any money out of the deal anyway, who’d be interested in buying old movie prop bikes?

There were a few other bikes (including Z1’s) that were bought for the movie, and I believe (but don’t know for sure) that some bikes in the movie were owned by the extras who rode them in various scenes.

[MauiK3]

I took a look at some stills from the movie and there were some BMW's in there too.
Crazy stuff.
Got my wiring harness mostly on and working. It was simpler than my K3 I think mostly due to not having a fuse system aside from the one fuse and on my K3 I struggled with the starter safety switch.
I need a headlamp bulb, I found the sealed beam was blown, I'll get another.
I'm waiting on some things to start more re-assembly.
I've decided to replace the chain guard, it's really rough and the interior is pretty messed up, mostly due to the po running an o ring chain with no spacers.

[MauiK3]

I'm making progress, still waiting on some parts. I need the clips for the spark plug wires, grommets for the tail and rear fender and some other stuff.
And of course, the tank, side covers and tail repair and painting. The parts go to Oahu this week, I have my fingers crossed.

[grcamna2]

That beautiful classic Z1 is coming together nicely Steve.

[PeWe]

Look like a very good almost complete bike!!
It will look fantastic when ready, no doubt about that!

Build threads like this is not good for my echonomy!!

Edit:
Read news here about a snowstorm that will hit Hawaii very soon!!
Perfect weather for bike wrenching!!!  I know!

[MauiK3]

Thank you for the kind words.
I threaded the chain on this morning. What was there was an o ring chain that was not properly spaced so the heads of the trans cover screws showed signs of contact with the chain. I put a new non ring 630 chain on and changed the damaged fasteners.