Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

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suzsmokeyallan
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:33 am

Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#1 Post by suzsmokeyallan » Fri Jun 17, 2016 10:06 pm

I work on a few models of the older Suzuki gauges, including ones for the Gamma. Heres some photos showing some Gamma gauges during and after restoration.

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Cups are media blasted of all old paint and repainted. Here you see white applied to the interiors, the factory never painted them this good. The flash is creating a reflection in the base that looks like a paint run,,LOL

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Once the white is dry the cups are then prepared for the black exterior finish.

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Faces of temp and fuel/temp gauges after restoration work has been carried out to the mechanisms

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A close up view of a restored speedometer and tachometer gauge.

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A close up of a restored temperature gauge.
Last edited by suzsmokeyallan on Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The list:
68 Suzuki U70
69 Suzuki T500 MKII
72 Suzuki GT750
74 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki RE5
76 Suzuki GT750
76 Suzuki TS400
81 Suzuki GSX1100
86 Suzuki RG500 x2
88 Honda CR500
92 Honda CBR900RR
98 Suzuki GSF1200 x3
15 Kawasaki Ninja H2

silverstrom
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Posts: 3236
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:36 am

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#2 Post by silverstrom » Sat Jun 18, 2016 12:09 am

Very nice Allan. Are the gauges easy to open? Not like the RZ gauges?

suzsmokeyallan
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:33 am

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#3 Post by suzsmokeyallan » Sat Jun 18, 2016 1:02 am

Compared to some other models of gauge I work on, the RG gauges fall into the "average" category as do the RZ500 ones. Heres some photos of gauges needing a lot more than simple restoration with a few "before and after" photos shown.
This work is very time consuming and requires a lot of care and patience, especially when you have each gauge completely stripped down to the sum of its components. Remember, there are no spare parts with the exception of glass lenses you have to have cut to size, so you are working with what you are given.

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1974 to 76 Suzuki GT750 gauges showing years of weathering.

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Now fully restored, even the glass lenses were reused since they had no scratches in them.

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This GT750 speedometer I bought to see if it was capable of being restored.

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Here is the same gauge now after being fully restored. The only parts I used were a new glass lens and a trip knob and boot I had spare from a scrap gauge. The photo is inverted so you can see the case where the damage was.

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Now looking like new again right side up.

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GT750 gauge cases with dents showing once the paint was removed.

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GT750 gauge cases with the dents removed and in bare steel now ready for the textured finish.

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GT750 restored cases and bezels with fresh paint curing.

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1974 to 76 GT380 gauges as they were before work started. The lenses were clear acrylic originally that have been destroyed by 40 plus years of weathering.

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The case and lettering brought back to like when it was new.

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Bracket and warning panel restored

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Gauges now completed
Last edited by suzsmokeyallan on Sat Jun 18, 2016 3:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
The list:
68 Suzuki U70
69 Suzuki T500 MKII
72 Suzuki GT750
74 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki RE5
76 Suzuki GT750
76 Suzuki TS400
81 Suzuki GSX1100
86 Suzuki RG500 x2
88 Honda CR500
92 Honda CBR900RR
98 Suzuki GSF1200 x3
15 Kawasaki Ninja H2

silverstrom
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Posts: 3236
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:36 am

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#4 Post by silverstrom » Sat Jun 18, 2016 2:23 am

You do good work Mr.

User avatar
tacky1
Posts: 1248
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:30 pm
Location: Bay Area. CA.

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#5 Post by tacky1 » Sat Jun 18, 2016 3:54 am

Beautiful work. What a transformation.
1985 RZv500
1984 RZ500 Hybrid
1986 RG500 Walter Wolf
1986 RG500 Skoal Bandit
1984 RZ350
1984 RZ350 Hybrid
1981 RD350LC
1981 RD350LC Hybrid
2009 CR500AF Supermoto 250X
2007 CR500AF 250X
1988 YSR50 (2)
1989 VFR750R RC30
1984 GPZ750 Turbo

vin97
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2014 8:31 pm

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#6 Post by vin97 » Sat Jun 18, 2016 7:03 pm

amazing.

User avatar
tacky1
Posts: 1248
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:30 pm
Location: Bay Area. CA.

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#7 Post by tacky1 » Sat Jun 18, 2016 8:05 pm

How do you restore the black on the surround!! That is just amazing, I have some with scratches, I was going to sand them down and paint them with plastic paint, But then I would loose the texture that originally came on the surround.

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1985 RZv500
1984 RZ500 Hybrid
1986 RG500 Walter Wolf
1986 RG500 Skoal Bandit
1984 RZ350
1984 RZ350 Hybrid
1981 RD350LC
1981 RD350LC Hybrid
2009 CR500AF Supermoto 250X
2007 CR500AF 250X
1988 YSR50 (2)
1989 VFR750R RC30
1984 GPZ750 Turbo

suzsmokeyallan
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:33 am

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#8 Post by suzsmokeyallan » Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:02 am

A lot depends on what the material is made of, hard or pliable plastic, and its texture. Also, what model of bike are you referring to here, and I'd need to see some photos of the case in question etc.
Bear in mind I do not give out trade secrets about my restoration work as that's basically taking business away from myself.
The list:
68 Suzuki U70
69 Suzuki T500 MKII
72 Suzuki GT750
74 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki RE5
76 Suzuki GT750
76 Suzuki TS400
81 Suzuki GSX1100
86 Suzuki RG500 x2
88 Honda CR500
92 Honda CBR900RR
98 Suzuki GSF1200 x3
15 Kawasaki Ninja H2

MK
Posts: 487
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:54 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#9 Post by MK » Sun Jun 19, 2016 9:12 am

Perfect work dude !
Bye
Martin

suzsmokeyallan
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:33 am

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#10 Post by suzsmokeyallan » Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:48 pm

Thanks..
The list:
68 Suzuki U70
69 Suzuki T500 MKII
72 Suzuki GT750
74 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki RE5
76 Suzuki GT750
76 Suzuki TS400
81 Suzuki GSX1100
86 Suzuki RG500 x2
88 Honda CR500
92 Honda CBR900RR
98 Suzuki GSF1200 x3
15 Kawasaki Ninja H2

RC45
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Posts: 1713
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:18 am
Location: Houston, Texas.

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#11 Post by RC45 » Tue Aug 16, 2016 7:47 am

suzsmokeyallan wrote:A lot depends on what the material is made of, hard or pliable plastic, and its texture. Also, what model of bike are you referring to here, and I'd need to see some photos of the case in question etc.
Bear in mind I do not give out trade secrets about my restoration work as that's basically taking business away from myself.
So how much do you charge for a gauge restoration?
CBR1000RR SP2 HRC WSBK
TZ500V/OW53 Track bike
YZR500 OW81 Clone
OW69 Daytona 200 Replica - 784cc Monster
NS400 Track Bike
RS250R NF5
TZ250T 2KM
TZ250B 3YL
TZR250 3MA Track Bike
427ci C5 Z07

suzsmokeyallan
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:33 am

Re: Restoration of RG400 & 500 gauges.

#12 Post by suzsmokeyallan » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:03 am

What model of gauges are you referring to.
The list:
68 Suzuki U70
69 Suzuki T500 MKII
72 Suzuki GT750
74 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki GT750
75 Suzuki RE5
76 Suzuki GT750
76 Suzuki TS400
81 Suzuki GSX1100
86 Suzuki RG500 x2
88 Honda CR500
92 Honda CBR900RR
98 Suzuki GSF1200 x3
15 Kawasaki Ninja H2

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