'84 VF500F Restoration complete!

Great job! Very nice work!

 

For the bodywork, it took almost an entire year to slowly find the right pieces on ebay. Looking EVERY DAMN DAY. Two of the pieces need improvement. My left side cover is missing a mounting tab, I just recently found another one that meets my spec so it's on the way. The front fairing also has a scuff on one side- for now I've covered it up with a close match on paint. In both of these cases the seller wasn't completely honest about what they were selling, but I have very little room to complain since it's not like someone can just fabricate a brand new OEM piece.

The tank is an odyssey all it's own. Ebay (every day), junkyards (monthly), national craigslist search (weekly), kijiji, local classifieds- you name it. I passed up on a NOS blue '84 tank once. As it turns out, I found a guy on craigslist in Massachusetts who had one of every year up for parting out. I think I even recommended him to this board for parts- Rascal's Cycle Salvage. I feel like I got the last '84 red tank in the universe that hasn't been changed. When it arrived the tank was in perfect condition, decals intact and no dents, but the red had done exactly what red does in prolonged sunlight. Honda car owners call it "Milano Pink". I dropped it off to the shop the very next day, and they had a real hard time figuring out how they were going to do what they did- the consensus was that decal was impossible to re-make. I told them that if they could manage to reproduce the decal I knew a whole board of people that would probably buy one.

It's been a long-term patience exercise, but I had plenty on the bike to keep me busy.

Squirrel, I think the reason that the VF500Fs don't respond well to you and drop their valves is that they don't appreciate verbal abuse. :-D

 

Okay, I've made a progress photo gallery here on flickr:

VF500F Restoration - a set on Flickr

What I noticed when I was going through the pictures I had was that there were very few pictures of me actually working on the internals. I think it has to do with me doing it during the day when there was no-one to take pictures, me having small hands and being able to do all my engine work in-frame, and the novelty of having a hobbyist-mechanic wife wearing off for my husband.

Basically, what I posted is what I got. I'm kindof disappointed that there isn't more.

 

Fantastic job!

 

Wow! This is awesome. This was the Interceptor I fell in love with so many years ago. Great Job.

 

Fantastic example!!!! Well done, that tank looks factory fresh, your painter is a god.

 

Hey, this is the first time I've ever gotten the Orson Welles clap!

Y'all know I couldn't have done it without this board, even squirrel and his unhealthy 500 skepticism had a part to play.