My 550 Seca (Warning, Photo heavy)

After being on this forum for almost a year, I finally found my photos of my Seca when I first got it, so I'm finally going to post some photos of it.



XJ550RJ & CM400A
December 2004 - Just got both bikes home and assessing just what I'm in for. I figure I'll restore the Seca and sell the Honda.



All the electricals and lights still worked, but the crankcase was full of gas.



Needed a new battery and carbs rebuilt to start.



Aside from the rattle can paint, the bike doesn't look too bad from this angle. Seat was reupholstered with non-stock vinyl but looks nice.



To get the Seca I had to take the Honda also.



Note faded gauges and corroded brake master cylinder.



Notice no clutch cable.



Nothing a bit of paint and polishing can't help.



Note the "wonderful" rattle can finish on the tank.



Under the seat on the Seca. Yes that is an original factory fuseblock.

The bike sat for a couple of years while I started collecting parts off of ebay. The following photos are of the bike as it is today, November 2008 and still very much a work in progress.











550 Seca as of November 2008. Yes, it is a bike of a different color. The front fender and the seat fairing are the only panels that match as they are the original ones from the bike.



I had just stuck the front fairing on for the photos. I will not properly mount it until I refinish it in my chosen paint color and rebuild the front forks. Here are some shots of it as I actually ride it right now.









I have put about 1,000 miles on the Seca in it's current state. I'm starting to refinish the extra body panels so the bike should soon look markedly different.



The bungie cord is only there to secure a small duffel bag to the back when running errands. Thanks to the kindness of one of the XJers here I do now have a luggage rack to install on the back once I get it powder coated.



I bought another tank on ebay in hopes that it would have less rust in it and also because it already had the badge recesses filled in. Unfortunately once I received it I found that it had as much or more rust in it as the original tank. Oh well...

I will be painting all the body panels Indy Blue to match my MINI Cooper S. I will try a bit of polishing on the engine but I may just go gloss black on it. I also plan to change out the front turn signal to the smaller stock ones and may get the seat recontured and reupholstered later on. I'm working on retoring the badges and side covers right now and will post how-to photos soon.

 

Here's a few more...



Replacement gauges - Another ebay find, this cluster still has the red markings on the speedo and tach. Although I will be keeping the bike in a garage, I may make a gauge cluster cover to put on when I'm away from home to keep the replacements from fading also. Note that I have already refinished the ignition switch cover.



Close-up of switch area. The switch cover was cleaned up and painted with Krylon Fusion gloss black spray paint. The Yamaha lettering was picked-out with a silver paint marker and then the whole piece sprayed with Dupont A-7480S automotive clear acrylic out of a spray can.



I just keep the keys to the bike and garage on the key ring. The cone key fob is a bit bulky but easy to find if dropped.

 

i love how mulicolored it is! lol how much did that instument cluster cost you?

 

If I recall correctly I think I got lucky on ebay and got it for $15 or $20.

Repeat after me: ebay is your friend...

 

a little time on ebay

a few bucks for parts and look at what you get!!!


kinda makes me think of...






uh




hmmmm





ah!



:lol:

 

looks like it's coming along great can't wait to see it when it's done

 

Remember, ebay is your friend!!!

But don't forget Chacal for all the hard to find bits. At least his parts are new.