TT500 restoration project

**Wired1** · 23rd February 2008, 10:08

I've just bought a 1980 TT500 in a sad state with the intention of restoring it and eventually racing it in the VMX. I have probably paid a little too much for it but I have been looking for some time and there just aren't any out there for what I paid for this or that need restoring.
The 1980 has all the good stuff like the alloy swingarm, improved front rake (well it looks cooler), as well as the old favourites like the alloy tank and that awesome sounding motor.
I am still finishing a couple of other projects so this one will take at least a year to complete, maybe longer. First I need to finish my second TT250 and put the XT550 back together so I've got something to ride - plus I desperately need the bench space!
Anyway, the before photos are below and here is a short list of the most obvious parts I need:
- 2 x rear shocks (I think the wooden monoshock is going to be a bit hard)
- seat foam or spare seat,
- exhaust pipe, even a crappy one to copy would be good,
- workshop manual!
- spare set of wheels (for road tyres?)

**Squiggles** · 23rd February 2008, 11:30

Originally Posted by Wired1

- 2 x rear shocks (I think the wooden monoshock is going to be a bit hard)

Yer, get adjustable bamboo jobs

**Wheeliemonsta** · 25th February 2008, 08:59

Originally Posted by Wired1

I've just bought a 1980 TT500 in a sad state with the intention of restoring it and eventually racing it in the VMX. I have probably paid a little too much for it but I have been looking for some time and there just aren't any out there for what I paid for this or that need restoring.
The 1980 has all the good stuff like the alloy swingarm, improved front rake (well it looks cooler), as well as the old favourites like the alloy tank and that awesome sounding motor.
I am still finishing a couple of other projects so this one will take at least a year to complete, maybe longer. First I need to finish my second TT250 and put the XT550 back together so I've got something to ride - plus I desperately need the bench space!
Anyway, the before photos are below and here is a short list of the most obvious parts I need:
- 2 x rear shocks (I think the wooden monoshock is going to be a bit hard)
- seat foam or spare seat,
- exhaust pipe, even a crappy one to copy would be good,
- workshop manual!
- spare set of wheels (for road tyres?)

Gidday Wired1,
Another Ahberg Replica on it's way, is it...?

Good luck with the project, it please's me no end every time I see an older bike about to come back from the grave

Several million points out of ten for style and execution...

Cheers

**bimotabob** · 25th February 2008, 20:20

Hi,

I know a guy with a mint TT500 he has had from new!
Still on the road and has all the hot up parts that used to be available for them like triple clamps etc.
Awesome machines, good luck with that!

Cheers

**Wired1** · 25th February 2008, 20:49

Yeah they sure clean up good. I spotted a restored one in one of the VMX magazines (just looked and can;t find it now of course!) anyway it was a poor man's HL500, had a silver frame and bead blasted engine, looked real sweet. I'm not sure where this one will end up but I will be going for the mint-but-ridden look.

**Badcat** · 26th February 2008, 09:13

Originally Posted by Wired1

I've just bought a 1980 TT500 in a sad state with the intention of restoring it and eventually racing it in the VMX.
The 1980 has all the good stuff like the alloy swingarm, improved front rake

that isn't the original front end - is it?
i have loads of motor bits if you need - including a newly bored unused still wrapped barrel - wiseco pison - reconditioned head etc.
let me know if i can help - the bike will be GREAT!

ken

**Turtle** · 26th February 2008, 10:21

Great to see these bein restored and even better sein them on the road...I have the yellow tanked TT (needs resto) and 77 XT (2/3 done).
Shocks are available aftermarket via northern accesories and musket muflers will do you a front pipe.I have several diferent manuals etc.....let me know if you would like anything photo coppied.

**Wired1** · 26th February 2008, 12:52

Originally Posted by Badcat

that isn't the original front end - is it?

I think it's original - anyone know better?

**Wired1** · 13th March 2008, 19:12

Update: New clutch and decompression cables, modified new throttle cables, better handlebars, elcheapo rear shocks, tank polished, new front brake shoes, rebuilt front hub and brake, rebuilt rear brake linkages and repaired foot brake, replaced foot pegs with newer ones, made a seat foam and recovered the seat, stripped side covers and repainted to match plastics.
This is of course the original colours used in 1980 (not), well the fenders were such a nice shade of blue and I picked up the front and back for $40 off trademe so I thought WTF, let's go blue.
Replaced the front forks with TT250 ones with air valves I had lying around waiting for a project. They are basically the same 36mm forks used on both bike but without the indent at the top, and the TT250 ones are 25mm longer.
I am hoping to get a set of 1983 RM250 forks this weekend which are something like 44mm and have been used on similar projects by others so the plan is to customise them to fit the TT. The 83 RM was the last drum brake front end so I should still be OK for the VMX racing.

**Wired1** · 29th June 2008, 15:29

Well I've finally got the TT500 going again, well good enough to be riding. I got a bit side-tracked with a TT250 and an XT550. I ended up taking the blue plastics off this and put them on the XT550 so this is now white like it should have been. I put the disks back in the supertrapp that I had borrowed to get my SR400 through compliance, used the rear knobbly off the SR400 (yes really). New points, condenser, new chain & sprockets, cleaned out the carb, pulled the clutch out and freed it all up, new throttle cables, roughly timed it and off we go. It starts reliably on about the third kick now, and doesn't carbon up the plug so I must have got something right.
I've run out of time to take her out this weekend but I took it up the road for a blast and it's a little light in the front on the first three gears, and all the rest of them are there where they should be too. I need to time it better but I need to get a timing light first, one that doesn't need a 12 volt supply!
At least now I have something to ride while I'm working on the SR400.

**Wired1** · 4th July 2008, 19:40

Has anyone done a 12 volt CDI conversion on a TT500 engine? I have just been through all the timing stuff, new points, timing light etc on the mighty TT and it is running sweet but I can;t help thinking how much easier it is on the SR500 - the original plug & play.
The TT500 has the extra gear drive thing in the right hand cover for the points but you could just blank it off or even just remove the points plate. It would have a different setup in the magneto side, different coils and some sort of pickup arranagement. I will eventually get both motors apart but I'm wondering what parts I should be keeping an eye out for.
Any thoughts?

**Pedrostt500** · 4th July 2008, 19:57

DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLL
You have made a nice job of it, From memory there were two coils, a ligting coil and the magnito coil, as for after market CDI the only ones I can remember were one off specials made by an electronics Geek.

**Badcat** · 5th July 2008, 07:59

Originally Posted by Wired1

Has anyone done a 12 volt CDI conversion on a TT500 engine? I have just been through all the timing stuff, new points, timing light etc on the mighty TT and it is running sweet but I can;t help thinking how much easier it is on the SR500 - the original plug & play.
The TT500 has the extra gear drive thing in the right hand cover for the points but you could just blank it off or even just remove the points plate. It would have a different setup in the magneto side, different coils and some sort of pickup arranagement. I will eventually get both motors apart but I'm wondering what parts I should be keeping an eye out for.
Any thoughts?

hey.
i ended up getting an sr500 - but looked into this a lot on my project 500
there's an australian company doing a kit but it's over $1000.
the cheaper way would be transplanting the electrics/CDI and sidecover from an SR500 - but thise parts are hard to find as most xt/tt500 builders have the same idea.
have you tried calling NZ wreckers?

some links:
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/arc.../t-244757.html

http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyelectrex.htm

http://www.eurospares.com/tt500.htm

ken

**Wired1** · 5th July 2008, 09:27

Thanks for those links, the first one in particular. I thought the fly wheel covers would be the same but apparently not. I've got both bikes and I'v got the SR400 motor on the bench at the moment so I might whip the covers off and do a comparison. The basic bits I would need would be the SR500 alternator with the CDI pickup and base plate, the flywheel, CDI unit, 12 volt coil and fly wheel cover. I have a couple of spare XV750 coils so they will work for the coil so I'll save some searches on Trademe and Fleabay and see if I get lucky. Like you say though, everyone else with an early model XT or TT is probably looking for the same bits!

**Badcat** · 5th July 2008, 10:11

yep - sounds about right.
as to the cdi - there was a guy on trademe making them - he was based on the north shore - and used to advertise on ebay aus too.
if i can find any info - i will forward it.

k