Topic: Terry's POS 1969 Suzuki T350 Redneck Reincarnation.

[Terry in Australia]

Well I love it when a plan comes together. Why the kick starter wasn't engaging had me scratching my head, as I'd had the kick starter assembly apart several times, so when I dragged myself outside into the cold and popped the RHS exhaust, footpeg and brake lever off and then the clutch cover, I was surprised (but fairly happy) to see that the spring loaded kick starter "pawl" was in the closed position:

T350 15 Jun 2021 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Hmmn, it should have been poking out at 45 degrees. I removed the pawl and the spring assembly, and could immediately see the issue, where did the spring go?:

T350 15 Jun 2021 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr   

But then I realised that the spring was completely compressed, and stuck in place as the metal slug was slightly peaned over where the spring was supposed to move freely over it, it was instead, sticking. The problem is more obvious in this pic:

T350 15 Jun 2021 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

No biggie, I ground a little off the slug, and did a test fit, and it was good to go. This looks better:

T350 15 Jun 2021 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Okay, so I reinstalled the clutch cover, brake pedal, footrest and exhaust, refilled the gearbox with oil, and wheeled it out into the driveway. Happily the kick starter engaged nicely, and I gave it a couple of kicks with the ignition off, then switched it on, and woohoo:

[PeWe]

Another bunch of old parts back to be a fine running bike!
Congratulations Terry!

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Per, I'm a happy boy! If you look closely at the vid, you'll see more smoke coming out of the left pipe than the right. I took a look at the oil lines and I can see that the left side has red 2 stroke oil all the way to the engine, whereas the right side must be blocked, so lucky I took Simon's advice and ran 2 stroke oil in the fuel.

Tomorrow I need to pull the RHS carb to adjust the float level (you can see some fuel has dripped onto the driveway) and while I'm at it, I might pop off the little oil banjo fittings on the RHS of the engine and see if I can push some oil thru with a syringe I bought at my pharmacy on Sunday's shopping fest.

[PeWe]

Yes I saw that and guessed that the oil feed worked better on the smoking side and you had oil in the fuel.

Oil mixed fuel seems to be very important after rebuild and storage.

Possible to always use a minimum amount of oil in fuel to minimize the consequence of eventual oil delivery failure?  Like 2%.

[PeWe]

2 stroke bikes are fun to see together with the other classic bikes.
I saw 2 very good looking  bikes in mint condition 2 years ago.
1. Suzuki T500 Cobra 1969 in amber color. Super restored to better than new. Hand pump placed on frame. The owner had worked hard to find one.

2. Suzuki with very interesting triangular shape of the head. Ram air.
I do not recall the displacement. Maybe 3 cylinders or 2. Between 250-500cc. I think this was a mint survivor.
Both had nice even and not that smoking bubbling sound.

[grcamna2]

'Fire in the Hole'  You got'er running Terry !  I like that diamond-pleated seat cover:is that an orig. Suzuki seat ?
I watched the vid and looked at those engine parts that you weren't able to use..
Will you be able to save the original cases or any other stuff ?

[Alan F.]

You must be on top of the world right now Terry!
Watching the video what really got my memories going was when you were standing on the left side of the bike and a little gust of wind from behind brought the smoke back over the bike. I remembered being 8 or 9 and the feeling of that warm smoke and slightly stinging eyes and that grand smell of a well running 2-stroker.

I didn't expect to trigger any memories, but wow!

[RAFster122s]

Congrats Terry!

[MauiK3]

This great video got me thinking. There aren’t many (if any) forums as good as this one, I wonder if the powers that be could devise a “non sohc bike of the month” for projects like this, it may not need to be monthly but at least a way to recognize members for saving another great vintage bike from the scrap heap.

Great job.
The wedge head Suzuki’s were three cylinders and I think they were 380 and 500 cc’s or so. They were really great bikes.

[grcamna2]

This great video got me thinking. There aren’t many (if any) forums as good as this one, I wonder if the powers that be could devise a “non sohc bike of the month” for projects like this, it may not need to be monthly but at least a way to recognize members for saving another great vintage bike from the scrap heap.

Great job.
The wedge head Suzuki’s were three cylinders and I think they were 380 and 500 cc’s or so. They were really great bikes.

Yes ! 

[seanbarney41]

Suzuki actually called it "ram air", although it was just extra cylinder head cooling, not induction.  Was available on GT380, GT550 model triples...maybe even one smaller displacement twin.

[Alan F.]

This great video got me thinking. There aren’t many (if any) forums as good as this one, I wonder if the powers that be could devise a “non sohc bike of the month” for projects like this, it may not need to be monthly but at least a way to recognize members for saving another great vintage bike from the scrap heap.

Great job.
The wedge head Suzuki’s were three cylinders and I think they were 380 and 500 cc’s or so. They were really great bikes.

Yes ! 

Seconded!

[seanbarney41]

Also, pretty sure Suzuki triples oil their crank bearings with the oil pump, so no, they won't live long on just pre-mix.  I am not sure about the older T model twin cylinder bikes, but it is critical to find out!

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys, yep it's great to have it running now, and I'm glad the kickstarter issue was such an easy fix, and my right shin is happy too, I don't want to smack it into the footpeg again.

Suzuki used the "Ram Air" head on their later GT125, GT185 and GT250 twins, plus the GT380 and 550 triples. The T500 was re-designated as the GT500, but didn't get the ram air head. There was no GT350, which was an error on Suzuki's part, as the T350 was very competitive against Yamaha's R5 (forerunner of the RD350) and could have been successful against the RD350 both on the track, and in the showroom. The GT380 was a pretty little bike, but it produced less BHP than the T350 twin, and was a good deal heavier, so was never considered competition for the RD350. A bit like the CB350 twin vs CB350F.

The Suzuki "Posi-Force" lubrication system is just a drip feed system that delivers oil directly to the two outer main bearings, and the gearbox oil lubricates the centre bearing. While I'll get the oil pump working I'm not worried about running it on pre-mix for short periods, two strokes have been run on pre-mix since the invention of the two stroke engine without issues, and running pre-mix ensures that an engine like mine that hasn't been run in many years is getting some much needed lubrication on start up.

I'll pull the RHS carb off today to check to make sure the float isn't hanging up in the float bowl like the left one was and to re-set the float level, if necessary. While I'm at it I'll pop off the little oil banjo fittings and see if I can get some oil moving thru them. There's a little spring and ball bearing at the banjo in each oil line, so I guess they might be blocked, so if oil doesn't flow through with gravity, I'll try pushing some thru with the syringe I bought on Sunday.

Anyway, it's a bike again, not a rusty pile of poop, and I'm looking forward to riding it soon. My spark plugs have just been delivered, they're the correct plugs for the little Suzy and one grade hotter, so I'll fit them today as well.             

[grcamna2]

You going to run B7HS Terry ?

[Terry in Australia]

Yes mate, the B8HS were all I could buy on Sunday, but B7HS are correct for my bike. I bought a box of four, so I'll have enough to keep me going for a few years, B7HS are next to impossible to find here.

[grcamna2]

Yes mate, the B8HS were all I could buy on Sunday, but B7HS are correct for my bike. I bought a box of four, so I'll have enough to keep me going for a few years, B7HS are next to impossible to find here.

The B8HS are what the Yam. RD350's take stock.Terry,you could run your bike wide-open when you're ready with a pair of those.I may have a pair or two of new NGK B7HS plugs sitting in a box in storage.

[Terry in Australia]

Yes mate, the B8HS were all I could buy on Sunday, but B7HS are correct for my bike. I bought a box of four, so I'll have enough to keep me going for a few years, B7HS are next to impossible to find here.

The B8HS are what the Yam. RD350's take stock.Terry,you could run your bike wide-open when you're ready with a pair of those.I may have a pair or two of new NGK B7HS plugs sitting in a box in storage.

That's actually good to know Bill, because when I was looking around for spark plugs I pulled the plugs out of my 1969 Yamaha SD6, one of them wasn't correct (looked like a car spark plug that someone had just screwed in to keep the spiders out) but the other was the B8HS that I figured was close. I'll put the new ones that I had in the Suzuki back into the little Yam.

Geez, I'd almost forgotten about the little Yamaha, I might put it together next, it's still in original paint (but in a million bits, with some missing) so I'll get the frame blasted, give it a quick coat of Rustoleum, and do another redneck restification before I forget about it again!

[Terry in Australia]

I rode it. Woohoo! OK, I'm getting ahead of myself, so I'll back up. So my plan was to swap in the new spark plugs, and remove the right hand side (RHS) carb as it was dribbling, and pop the oil line banjo's off for the RHS bearings to see if oil was flowing. I installed the plugs, then thought about the side stand and the centre stand  not having a spring, so ratted thru my Honda parts bins, and found a centre stand spring for a CB750, to see if I could use it on the centre stand on the T350.

It was close, but a tad too long, and the end of the spring was at right angles to where I needed it pointed. No biggie, I heated the "Rat's tail" on the spring to red hot, and reshaped it. It looked great, but I didn't have the strength to pull it onto the spring "eye" with my spring hook, so as I was giving up I tried it on my sidestand, and it was a perfect fit. Bonus! OK, so it was starting to get dark(ish, still plenty of light, but running out of bike fixing time) and I wanted to see if it'd start, and bugger me, it started on the first kick, woohoo!

It also looked like the red two stroke oil was making it's way towards the RHS bearings, and interestingly, the RHS carb wasn't leaking (2 strokes are notoriously hungry for fuel, so it might be that the engine's sucking it down faster than it was filling the float bowl) so I had a brain fart, why not go for a lap? Good idea! I donned my open face helmet and was already wearing my rubber mechanics gloves, so didn't worry about bike gloves, snicked it into first gear, let out the clutch......... and stalled it. Poop.

Using my left foot, I kicked it in the guts, and it fired right up again. I gave it a bit more throttle and eased out the clutch, and this time it was fine. I gave it the berries in first and second gear (no speedo, so no idea how fast I was, or wasn't, going) and the front got very light, woohoo! I popped it into third, then remembered that my rear brake didn't work at all, and my front brake and tyre were iffy, to say the least. I hit the first speed hump (my street has 2 "full width" speed humps) and there was a crunch and a bang underneath, but it didn't seem to worry the engine, which was running fine. Next speed hump, "Bang/Crunch!" again, WTF?

My rear suspension isn't so good, I probably need new shocks, but the front forks didn't appear to be bottoming out? Anyway, I continued on in third gear, keeping in mind that I had no rear brake, my front brake was iffy, and my front tyre is 52 years young. The last few hundred yards is a sweeping right-hander where I dropped my Yamaha FJ1200 years ago (wet road, and 8-10 psi in each tyre) There are little "ripple strips" in this bend, and I heard a continual "Bang/crunch/crunch" as I leaned into it. Hmmnn.

Anyway, I rode back to my place, rolled it down my driveway, and it then I realised that............... the centre stand was dragging on the ground! Oops! Anyway, no damage done, and the little suzy is a little beast! By this time there was a little misty rain, so I rolled it into the patio "Winter workshop", and put it to bed.

OK, so I need a spring for the centre stand, a rear brake cable (ordered) the correct headlight rim, (found one in Italy, silly price, have made the seller an offer) possibly new front brake shoes (I'll wait to see how bad or otherwise the rears are, from memory they looked pretty good) and of course the speedo and tach, (need to make a new wiring harness for the idiot lights, and waiting for the rubber mounts) and it's done.

What's next? well, it might be another hotrod CB750, or a Z1, KZ1000, 1969 Yamaha DS6 250, or something else, who knows?    

[MauiK3]

Fun to ride!
Will you keep it?

[PeWe]

A 2-smoke bike is a must to save if lucky to get one!
Perfect when the Global Warming/the end is here people get too much time on radio/TV

Have long nice smoking rides.
But I think it will not smoke that much when trusting the working oil feed.

It might be chemicals to add to the oil for nice smell?
Vanilla, coconut, strawberry, apple....

[BenelliSEI]

Just hearing the video was a reminder of the GT550 (complete with RAM AIR) I sold a few years ago..

As always Terry, most impressed! Congrats on another outstanding job.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys, the whole EPA banning 2 strokes thing makes me laugh, in recent years diesel powered cars have become very popular and so there are probably more smoke belching vehicles on the road now, than there was in the 60's and 70's when there were a lot more 2 stroke bikes around.

My V6 Turbo diesel Ford Territory SUV has massive torque for it's little 2.7 litre (2700cc, 165 cubic inch) displacement, and will blow the doors off 1960's and 70's "Muscle Cars" at the lights, but the amount of black smoke that pours out of the exhaust when I put my foot down is frightening!

Yep I intend to keep it for sure, It does feel small, but it has heaps of grunt so as long as it'll happy cruise at 60-70 MPH with enough in reserve for overtaking trucks etc, it'll be a great little bike. I do like that it's so easy to put on the centre stand, at 320 pounds it's one of my lighter bikes, and as I get older it might become my bike of choice, as long as I can still kick start it. It'll probably be a great fair weather commuter too.

I think I'll upgrade the rear shocks though, the spindly little OEM shocks are at the max spring preload, and I managed to bottom them out going over those speed humps yesterday, so they won't work well on my favourite bumpy back roads. The front forks don't feel as bad, but that might be because there's not much weight over the front end, but I do need to change the fork oil out, as I haven't done that yet, I'll do it when I take the wheel off to put the new front tyre on.

I paid way too much money last night for a "refurbished" headlight rim from Italy, and that's one of the problems when restoring a fairly rare bike, you don't have the availability of parts that you have with CB750's or even Z1's. Oh well, when you're at the stage where you can see the light at the end of the restification tunnel, you accept that if you want to finish the build, you pay whatever you have to, to get it done.   

I sent Keith Davis in the US (the guy that supplied most of the parts for it) that Youtube vid and he was impressed with how quickly it's come together. He buys and sells parts and complete bikes from the area, and his speciality is 2 strokes. He's out on a road trip collecting 5 x Suzuki GT750's, my favourite of all 2 stroke bikes, and I was drooling over the pic he sent me of my absolute favourite model, the GT750K. I didn't dare ask him if he'd sell me the "K", because I know that if he said yes, I'd sell my last remaining kidney to secure it.

It was sunny and dry a little while ago and I was thinking about tying up the centre stand and doing another lap around the block, but it's now overcast and threatening rain, so I won't risk dropping it, I don't have a lot of faith in my 52 year old front tyre or my lack of a rear brake, so I'll leave the little green beast safely under cover.

[Terry in Australia]

Just hearing the video was a reminder of the GT550 (complete with RAM AIR) I sold a few years ago..

As always Terry, most impressed! Congrats on another outstanding job.

Wow that's a beautiful 550 John, one of my friends in my home town had a black one just like yours back in the day, albeit with chrome expansion chambers, and it sounded absolutely wicked. Yes, I'd like one of them too.....

[grcamna2]

Terry,a GT750 'Water Buffalo' might be a fun machine for you.
What type of rear shocks do you have in mind for the 350 ?