A restoration?

[fintip]

As if it's a sign... There's just happens to be an FJ11 '85 right in my neck of the woods. (At least, my neck of them when I'm in the US... Out of the country for a while at the moment.)

One problem. It's in pieces. http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/3215941327.html

Now I've come a long way in the last 8 months; from knowing nothing, to having rebuilt carbs, swapped tires, forks, broken apart dials, troubleshooted various electrical problems, and replacing a clutch, to name some of it. That's a lot, but it's not quite disassembling or reassembling a bike from its individual pieces.

Part of me says it is crazy. Part of me is almost drawn to the idea. In the end, it can't actually be *that* hard, right? And I could rebuild/clean up pieces on the way.

On the other hand, it looks a little rough. On the other hand, what would you replace/upgrade if you were putting the bike back together from this point?

Just tell me I'm foolish and I should offer the guy $100 and have the parts as spares for the future or something, so I don't have to think about it anymore. Put my mind to rest.

[ribbert]

As if it's a sign... There's just happens to be an FJ11 '85 right in my neck of the woods. (At least, my neck of them when I'm in the US... Out of the country for a while at the moment.)

One problem. It's in pieces. http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/3215941327.html

Now I've come a long way in the last 8 months; from knowing nothing, to having rebuilt carbs, swapped tires, forks, broken apart dials, troubleshooted various electrical problems, and replacing a clutch, to name some of it. That's a lot, but it's not quite disassembling or reassembling a bike from its individual pieces.

Part of me says it is crazy. Part of me is almost drawn to the idea. In the end, it can't actually be *that* hard, right? And I could rebuild/clean up pieces on the way.

On the other hand, it looks a little rough. On the other hand, what would you replace/upgrade if you were putting the bike back together from this point?

Just tell me I'm foolish and I should offer the guy $100 and have the parts as spares for the future or something, so I don't have to think about it anymore. Put my mind to rest.

I justified buying a second bike the same way, a cheap and ready supply of spares. It was similarly dismantled, stored in 3 locations in buckets and tubs and I had to drive a 150kms to pick up the engine.

All I had to do when I got it all home was inspect and inventory all the parts and store them.

Yeah, right!!!!  A second hand battery from the wreckers, a $20 ebay fuel pump and a week later I was riding it around.  Well, I had to see if the motor was any good didn't I.

It's very comforting having a complete bike for spares sitting there and recently I put the motor from it into service in my good bike while I do some work on the original.

Should I need any parts, there is no down time while hunting around for them and I can then replace them at my leisure or when they became available at a reasonable cost and then keep the other bike complete.

Now I'm repairing all the plastics, then a paint job and then........

IT'S A DISEASE!

Noel

[ribbert]

I just realised you don't already have an FJ.

Buying a basket case like the one in the pictures without a reference could be a bit much.

FJ's aren't that expensive, buy a rough but complete one if you want a project or don't want to spend a lot.

If you're in the market and still undecided on a year, forget about colour schemes and fairing shapes, the '91-'93  models have a long list of goodies absent on the earlier models.

Not knocking the earlier models, many members have both, but like any evolved model run, a lot of things get upgraded and improved on the way through, much more than cosmetics.

Noel

[fintip]

But that's so tempting! Surely it can't be that hard to put together, no? I mean, I've basically pulled my bike completely apart--though never all at the same time--except for removing the engine, which I know isn't THAT difficult. (It's a hell of a lot easier than a car engine, you know?)

Does the Haynes (is there a Haynes for this one?) go through disassembly/reassembly at the start like it does for my XJ?

And money is indeed an issue for me. I am exceedingly budget-conscious, having very little money. But I also have to say, it sounds like a pretty cool 'thing' to put a bike together from pieces.

What would be the right price? Could I aim for $200 or less?

Does that tank look like it has ANY hope, or should I just budget in $150 for a replacement off of ebay?

What upgrades would you make if you were putting it together like this? Go ahead and replace the shocks or something for instance?

[ribbert]

But that's so tempting! Surely it can't be that hard to put together, no? I mean, I've basically pulled my bike completely apart--though never all at the same time--except for removing the engine, which I know isn't THAT difficult. (It's a hell of a lot easier than a car engine, you know?)

Does the Haynes (is there a Haynes for this one?) go through disassembly/reassembly at the start like it does for my XJ?

And money is indeed an issue for me. I am exceedingly budget-conscious, having very little money. But I also have to say, it sounds like a pretty cool 'thing' to put a bike together from pieces.

What would be the right price? Could I aim for $200 or less?

Does that tank look like it has ANY hope, or should I just budget in $150 for a replacement off of ebay?

What upgrades would you make if you were putting it together like this? Go ahead and replace the shocks or something for instance?

No, they're not that hard to put together, IF you pulled it apart, OR if you have another bike for reference, AND if it's all there. There a lot of FJ specific parts that you wouldn't know were missing until you needed them and if they were missing you wouldn't know what they were. And what if the motor's trashed.

$200, $100 even free is too much as restoration project if it's incomplete and in poor condition.
You would very quickly spend more than you could buy one for.

[fintip]

I mean, assuming the guy isn't lying and it is complete and was a running bike that he just wanted to paint (a big if, I'll deal with that later), how much money would I really need to spend?

Tires: $150-$200
Tank: $125-$175
Brake lines and fluid: $40
Caliper rebuild parts: $40-100?
Seat reupholstry: no idea? I would DIY, but I'd have to look it up first. Would probably have some fun with it.
Paint: $50-100?
Suspension upgrades: maybe? no idea on cost.
Chain: $50~? Haven't had a chained bike in almost 10 years, that's what they go for isn't it?
Brake pads: $30-$50
Clutch Friction Plates: $50
Gaskets (clutch, valve-cover): $75

That adds up to like $600-$800, and it'd be a very happy bike but a lot of work. If I got it for $100-$200 initial payment, it'd still be a relatively cheap bike, not counting the cost of labor. On the other hand, having it already apart saves me the trouble of doing that myself. I get to deep clean it before putting it together and paint it.

Worst case scenario I clean up the carbs and engine and part it out on ebay, no?

[fj11.5]

just buy it, , if the project dousnt work out, sell the parts on here 

[fintip]

Yeah, now that I've had 24 hours, I think I've decided against it. Still might buy for parts, but I doubt the bolts are all there and it looks like some other small parts are missing--baffles, a header, etc. I think I'll offer him $100 and explain where I'm coming from and see what he says.

[fj11.5]

you could tripple your money in one sale ,   , actually , if the lower torque arms are the same as 84 I would buy those ,

[fintip]

Well, the guy sold the frame and title, but nothing else. Definitely a parts bin now. How much should I offer, given the parts condition? If he has a complete fairing set, a rack of carbs, and suspension, it should be worth at least $75 (given their condition), right?

[fj11.5]

hell, I'd pay $300 just to get the parts  , so if you get them for under a hundred that's a bargain

[Tiger]

hell, I'd pay $300 just to get the parts  , so if you get them for under a hundred that's a bargain

+1 on fj11.5...infact anything under $300.00 and your doing really well

John.

[yamaha fj rider]

Buy it at $300.00 or less. You will make $$$$$.

Kurt

[Dads_FJ]

I parted out an fj1100 which hit a deer, and got $100 for just the carbs.  I purchased the wrecked bike for $350 and more than made my money back and still had the low mile engine to use in my own bike.