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I picked this up from a guy in Lostock Lancs. The advert read "Suzuki GT380 complete £150 no time wasters", so I phoned him and went to have a look the following night. It was pouring with rain, and by the headlamps of this guys van (no lights in the garage, no floor either just dirt) I had my first look at what turned out to be two GT380's.
One had had the frame cut down to make a low-rider! It was very far from complete, just a frame (which was now no good), wheels and engine. The other pictured left and below, was almost complete, but in a right state. Anyway I thought for 150 quid I can always strip them down and sell the parts. When I got them home and had a good look, it was obvious the one with the cut down frame was just for the scrap yard. I stripped off the forks, wheels and took out the engine the rest was thrown away.
This was 23 January 2003. You can't really tell from the above pics, but everything was rusty and worn out.
4 April 2004. The engine as it came out of the frame.
8 May 2005. The engine casings have been blasted to clean them up, and the gearbox has been rebuilt.
Left: A shot of the engine internals going back into the cleaned casings.
19 February 2006. The console has been rebuilt and refitted.
The seat was absolutely shot and had to be replaced, as can be seen in this before and after shot. Things are coming together, the console and seat fitted to the frame.
3 June 2006. The engine back in the frame minus the head and barrels.
Right hand cylinder barrel before cleaning.
Centre barrel
Left barrel before cleaning.
5 April 2007. The three cylinder barrels have been thoroughly cleaned and have been painted with very high temperature (500c) paint.
Below: Cylinder head before and after.
5 April 2007. Three photo's of the engine with the head and barrels fitted
26 April 2007. The clutch has now been refitted
A couple of before and after pics.
28 May 2007. Made a good set of carbs out of two not so good sets.
2 September 2009. Had a bit of time to spend on Old Smokey just lately. got the oil lines connected.
4 September 2007. Carbs are back on.
4 September 2007. Air box is on, and she is starting to look like a bike again.
Will it ever look like this?
2nd May 2009
It was at this point that things started to go badly wrong! Firstly the oil pump leaked, so I replaced it with one from another engine and that one leaked. I then filled the gearbox with (luckily) Tesco's finest cheapo engine oil, the stuff you wouldn't run a lawn mower on. The intention being to drain it and any c**p that might still be floating around in the engine. Then fill with expensive oil before starting for the first time. Unfortunately before I got as far as draining the oil, it leaked out all over the garage floor. So I decided to replace the already new gasket on the clutch case. Not a problem I thought, while re-timing the ignition using the kick starter to turn the engine. The kick starter decided not to return to the top. The cure for this is the engine has to come out, and the crankcases have to be split. So if the following photo's look familiar, it's not double vision.
I had sent my mate Andy a text telling him what had happened, he's a bike mechanic. I thought he was at work Saturday morning, but half an hour later he turned up.
Old Smokey went from this to this in a couple of hours.
Back to square one, just look how much c**p had come out.
Andy decided the best thing would be to take the engine to his place to work on.
16 May 2009. So off we go again! Look familiar a box of bits that are the engine?
Andy started rebuilding the engine again at his place. The gearbox was done, but he found the bores on all three cylinders were different. Basically the previous sixteen owners have thrashed the living daylights out of the engine and it has siezed on more than one occassion.
So the plan of action is to rebore the barrels again (but this time they will end up the same size). Fit new oversize pistons and rings, and hopefully the engine should be spot on.
1 June 2009. Andy has been working hard re-rebuilding my 380 engine and gearbox, he has mounted the electronic ignition and he assures me it will run again.
Saturday 27th June 2009. The rebuilt (again) engine is back in. Andy has got everything connected, the electronic ignition is in just needs a few bits and pieces doing and we are ready to see if she will start.
Decided to put the exhausts back on, can't start it without them. They look abit rough because the chrome isn't brilliant, but they will do for the time being.
Centre cylinder first with two inner silencers. Starting to look like a 380 rear end.
Two outer exhausts next one silencer apiece.
Now that's what the arse of a 380 should look like!
Harry Potter works majic in GD's garage
23rd August 2009, I had a visit from Harry Potter today (alias Andy Fyfe). He arrived waved his majic wand, and in a cloud of smoke Old Smokey burst into life.
Thats him waving his wand (kick start) with his foot
Thats him again still waving his wand (kick start) and muttering "bl**ding machine it's a dudd".
Lo and behold after the majic incantation " start you f***in b*****d or ill pour petrol over you and set it alight"
Old Smokey after a cough and splutter a fart and a belch, came alive and tried to suffocate us both in a cloud of two stroke smoke.
Actually what happened was, Andy came round had a brew. We both did some jobs on Old Smokey. He connected a battery and after awhile she ran like a big sweet thing. Couldn't have done it without him.
31st August 2009. Managed to do some work on Old Smokey today. tided up some of the wiring, fitted the air filter box and fitted the Ram Air scoop. Doesn't sound alot but took most of the day. Every bolt hole on for the Ram Air was either cross threaded or had the threads stripped, running the wiring so it doesn't get trapped or rub on the frame takes along time and fitting the air box was an absolute pain in the butt.
Beginning to look like a bike again, but unlike last time Old Smokey is a runner. Still alot of work to do before she's ready for the road.
Have decided on the colour! I have found they did a silver 380B with black side panels and blue pinstripe on the tank. The big question now is should I have silver side panels like my old 380M or leave them black?
Its my birthday today 19/09/56 only 23 (plus 30). So instead of socks, socks, socks and more socks! I asked everyone for money, so I could get some shocks for Old Smokey. I could have got original Suzuki shocks, but they were crap with a capital CR. So Ive gone for Hagon shocks like I have on the Beemer. They do the classic with black body, chrome spring and stainless steel shroud. They also do the custom classic with stainless steel body and shroud with chrome spring. No competition really, custom classic it was.
Saturday 26th September 2009
Decided to tackle the front brake today, the idea as usual strip the caliper and fit all new seals and brake pads. What could possibly go wrong!!
This what I started with
I never learn! First off the bolts holding the two halves of the caliper together were so coroded I spent an hour with a heat gun before they would budge.
When they did come apart this was the lovely sight that greated me. Then to cap it all I realised the bleed nipple was broken off. No amount of heating would release it, and stud extractors failed miserably. So I carefully ran a small drill through it, then a larger one until I had drilled it out completely. Ive had some pretty stubborn bolts and studs in my time but this son of a b***h! wasnt moving. So eventually I re-threaded it and will hope for the best.
Been out of action for awhile, you can't do much from a hospital bed.
Sunday 15th November 2009
Old Smokey has now got legs! Got a main stand (at last) from a guy in Holland, and all the bolts spacers etc from Crooks Suzuki. So this weekend I thought I would fit them, it's been a right pain in the arse working on the side stand. I was going to do the front brake, but fancied a battle I knew I could win. Did the stand and shocks instead.
If you look closely at the pic below and on the right, you will see I have fitted my nice new shiny stainless steel Hagon shocks and Old Smokey is standing upright.
At this point lets do a quick summary of all the jobs done on Old Smokey.
New fork stantions, seals and head lamp brackets (including all the collars etc).
New front mudgaurd.
New Speedo and cowl.
New headlamp.
Frame stripped to bare metal, treated and re-painted.
Engine re-bored with new pistons and rings.
New electronic ignition.
Carbs stripped cleaned and re-built.
New rear and second hand front wiring harnesses.
New seat.
New Hagon rear shocks.
New chain guard.
New R/H side panel.
New fuel tap seals and gaskets.
New pistons & seals for front brake.
New ignition switch.
Second hand main stand, plus new spring spacers etc.
Looking back I could have bought a runner in good condition for less than I have spent already, but where's the fun in that?
Saturday 21st November 2009
Thought I would have another go at the front brake today. Managed to get the circlip out, which I had failed to do before. Stripped it cleaned it ready for paint.
Master cylinder painted and re-assembled, but like everything else on this bloody bike it didnt just come apart get painted and go back together. Couldnt get out the circlip that holds the piston in, that was a pain but finally got done. Came to re-assemble it and the fluid reservoir had distorted, so that wouldnt fit. Anyway its done now, lets just hope it doesn't p**s brake fluid all over the place when I bleed the brakes.
