From this to this....

[bonester]

In 1999 I traded my 1988 GPz900R in on a ZZR1100. I have regretted selling it ever since and have always wanted it back. Amazingly I found it this week on Gumtree, within 2 hours of my place. The one guy owned it most of the 16 years it has been gone. Very sadly he did an abortionate 'café racer' conversion on it and has buggered it. I have a HUGE job to restore the bike back to its former glory. I'll have to buy a complete bike to undo the evil.

When I sold it, in mid 1999.

GPZNINER.jpg (216.3 KiB) Viewed 13208 times

As purchased back this week

Would be great if I could find a complete but not running GPZ with a couple of hours of Toowoomba too. I'm hoping to do a Dave Marrett on this one.

[BrettZZR]

Shit - so sad...

It's funny but I'm on a number of car and bike forums, and so often some guy proudly posts a blow-by-blow of his project the make his machine awesome amazing blah blah blah. Way too often I land up posting a few years later that if you read his thread backwards, it reads just like an amazing restoration project!!

Good luck with undoing all his 'awesomeness'!!

(-8

[Clarkixlc]

Fuckin hell. The hipster proper ruined her. Good luck mate

[h.b.bear]

just cruel imho

[bonester]

Thanks gents!!!! Not in a rush but am going to have a crack at finishing it by late February. (my birthday) Long way to go.

[bonester]

The cheaper the bike, the further I'll travel to get it too I guess. Nothing on the horizon so far.

[bonester]

Not a very good pic but looking pretty good for a late February completion as planned. Bought a GPZ750R in good condition for parts. Spent a fair bit on new parts too. Runs and rides well. Need to finish painting. Spent a HUGE amount of time on it. Not quite a Marrett resto but OK. May pull apart again in distant future for more complete tidying up.

tankbike.jpg (129.53 KiB) Viewed 13049 times

[Glen]

Holy Crap!

I missed this post originally. Mate , what a crime against humanity it was after the previous dude finished with it.

It's like one of those stories where some poor bugger has been kidnapped and kept in a cellar for 16 years. Nice job rescuing it and good luck with the resto. I love GPz900's

[bonester]

Holy Crap!

I missed this post originally. Mate , what a crime against humanity it was after the previous dude finished with it.

It's like one of those stories where some poor bugger has been kidnapped and kept in a cellar for 16 years. Nice job rescuing it and good luck with the resto. I love GPz900's

I love 'em too! Shouldn't have sold mine!!!!! Can't wait until it is finished.

[bonester]

Oh and I was embarrassed by the way it looked after I painted it black like above. Crap paintjob but better than his....

[bonester]

About 200 hours of work later the bike is done minus the bodywork. Plastics need a lot of welding and tinwork is pretty much done. Passed roadworthy. Registered in the next 3 weeks.

[bonester]

Getting there with GPZ. Been on the road for a few months and done over 5000km so far. Still needs painting and repair of front fairing. MIGHT be finished by Christmas.
Great to have the old bus back and running.

GPZfront.jpg (158.3 KiB) Viewed 12711 times

[javaman]

That bike had been to hell and back!!

[bonester]

Yep. Only original parts in bike are engine, frame,(but not subframe-it was modded) wheels, speedo, mirrors, swingarm, wiring harness and rear disc. EVERYTHING else replaced. Even stands aren't original and had to drop the engine out to replace damaged section of main frame they mount to. Rear shock was modified even! She was buggered big time. Engine worn but it was just as worn when I owned it previously. Rebuild or 1000RX is the plan.
Mid life crisis is a time consuming past time!

[javaman]

Just curious, did you do all the painting by yourself? And if so ... any tips?