As some of you will know, any project I take on comes to the road as best it can be for a home mechanic.
The "Goose" is no different. First off I will be taking the fastest route to get her on the road, not doing it on the cheap, just getting her where I can drive and enjoy rather than a long period of downtime. Same as I did with "Miss Fireball". She is now a fully mechanically sound Series 1 XJ6.
Goose needs at least as far as I know a rear brake rebuild, not a big issue. Just a PITA pull down to see where to start. IRS out doesn't scare me as I have been there with the XJ6.
Probably a few weeks away from starting, you know the go, working nights, pool replacement etc, etc. Will get to it when I can.

 

Nice, nice , nice and more nice.......................................Looking forward to your build.

lve got major shop envy, i have to make do with the Dining room. l see you like a Kawa, me too. Heres my 1999 ZX7 hybrid with a built to Denco 120hp specs now 810cc 1974 Kawasaki H2 triple motor, needs some more ''street friendly'' pipes. lts a interesting ride

 

Very nice cars and very nice shed!

 

That's a nice workshop! Having a comfortable, out of the way place to work on our cars is a big help. I'm almost finished hanging the plugs in my XJS , only need to button up a couple of little things. It's taking me the better part of the weekend but is oddly satisfying. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts. Good Luck!

 

Excellent post!

 

Man that is one hell of a shed, nice.
I have a similar liking to bikes but Suzuki's... GSXR11 / RG500 / Katana.... all early 80's

Looking forward to seeing you tackle the rear brakes.. I like your XJ6 - I have seen your previous posts when working on the Goose.
Keep the pictures coming!

 

That hyrid is an awesome looking beast. One day I would love to build something like that from a Suzuki 500 2 stroke.
The shed is new, only got power in it a few days ago. Still a fair bit of work to do to get it where I want. Most of my tools etc are still packed in boxes from the move.
Every project before that was done in a double garage with no where near enough room.
Only one oil change on the XJ6 done in there so far.

 

Hi Clarke

That Shop of yours is Awesome!

What are the dimensions and where can I get one?

Cheers

Alex

 

Dukejag, Alex, In answer to your comments. I'm a Suzuki nut that some how ended up with a bunch of Kawasaki's (5 at the moment). Had 7 GSX1100ET's, Katana's etc. I have had 17 1980's GSX's from 1980 through to 1988. Even new GSXR750's in 85' & 87". The empty bay under the Suzuki Banner scares her indoors, she thinks I will have to fill it. ..........maybe a 1981 Katana 1100 will do? Or a TL1000R in blue & white, or a 2005 GSX1400, the possabilities are endless

Alex, shed is 19m x 7m. It is about 15k over budget but have been planning it for 20+ years. I get to build one shed in this lifetime and I'm making the most of that opportunity. I'm done curling up under a car in a double garage with my legs pressing on a brick wall.

Fireball & Goose have had their years of climbing that hill into Chateau Fireball for servicing and work. Now they get pampered in a decent workshop.

Five years ago Grant Francis loaded the Blue Goose onto a trailer and posted her 2100 km to Paul in Brisbane where she ended up in my garage getting prepped for Road Worthy Certificate and Queensland registration.(which was easy because the car was good and a mate did certificates at the time). Since then Fireball & Goose have had many outings together. When Paul came to a piont in his life where he didn't have the time care for the Goose I jumped at the chance to be her minder.

 

That is one scary driveway, I have similar but down in to my double garage where my legs are pressed against walls when doing a oil change.
20 x 7 garage - what a dream. I to one day declare I will have a shed like that.
I to have had many GSX1100's - decided that my current 3 are my forever bikes.
All very modified - Kat has wire wheels, 1230 EFE and flat-slides.

 

Hi Clarke

Serious Workshop envy going on here!

Mine is 21ft X 21ft which I built myself for £250 and its still not big enough

Can't believe its 5 years since the 'Goose' was delivered, where on earth has the time gone, it seems to have flown

Hope you will do a write up on dropping the IRS as the one on the 'Ice Princess' is still on the to do list but should be a bit easier with the Car Lift if I can manage to get it working again

Good luck with the 'Goose' I'm sure She's in good hands

Alex

 

Alas, the Jaguar fairies did not come while I was working 12 hour night shifts. Shed is a bit more sorted but not quite ready for me to do some serious work. Beer fridge is in and tools in thier place. Nearly time to get serious and start the first project in the new shed.
Problem is being a new property to us I also have "out side the shed" issues to deal with. My plan is to keep shed business to early hours, ie, 4-10 am, and do yard & house stuff later in the day. Keeping her indoors happy while I get to play in my new shop.

 

Scary driveway indeed, quite a few near misses happend there. Including backing out in the XJ6 and having no brakes.
The ZRX11 and XJR13 are my keepers. XJR because it is the last big bore naked bike to be sold in Australia. The ZRX because it is the best alround package I have ever owned. As far as Suzuki goes, I really want a 1981 GSX11 or Katana. (Original black piper) if I ever find one.

 

Clarke
It was bad enough seeing that magnificent workshop, but that fridge full of beers is just more than we can stand!
I take it that the Grant Francis "beers per job" calculator is attached to the door?

 

Greg, no need to attach the calulator. We all know down here how the equation works.....if the beer is empty it's time for a new one. If you need time to think or take a break, time for a new one. Easy!

I ordered parts today without even looking at goose to see what is needed. I thought I would start with the essentials and go from there. I think what I have ordered will be all I need to get on the road.

rear rotors
pads
caliper kit
pistons
hand brake pads
return springs
forks
fork bolts
2 x oil filters
air filters

And an engine crane to save my back.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/samf...ane/1228316136

This is going to force me to start the job. Once I have parts I can't just leave them sitting on a bench.

 

Well done on the crane, old age is a mongrel, mm.

I cannot think of missing items, except the beer, but thats probably on Phil's list.

The output seals were always dry on the Goose, and I suspect they still are???

 

Only leak I could see putting the IRS back was from the breather. Paul left it lying on it's back for a year or more.

& Dr Phill will make sure we are sorted.

 

engine crane .... are you planning on pulling the engine ? Now the thought is enough to scare me in to mental heath issues!
Hope you don't mind, but as you have some bike pictures I thought I would add a couple.


1230 EFE with 36 flat slides. 10yrs building...seat next to upgrade if the kids ever finish school $$$$$$$$$$$


An old picture of my RG500 .. currently getting an engine rebuild and new white rims ..17inch and bigger brakes. Same forks etc like the Kat.

 

Dukejag, don't ever worry about adding pictures or "thread drift" in a thread I started. I'm the worst offender for it . Especially in my threads.

If only my bike fleet were Suzuki's. My first 20 odd bikes were Suzuki.
Not planning on pulling an engine anytime soon, but just recently moving from the city to rural I don't have mates close by to call on for heavy lifts. Crane will come in handy for moving all kinds of things around in the shed. First plan is to use it for working on the IRS.

A bit of forward thinking the day I picked it up got my 130kg drill press moved from the back shed to the new shed real easy. I strapped it to trailer and used it to move drill press before I unloaded it.