Description
Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
TCC stood for the Turbo Cycle Corporation, and it was created to sell bolt on turbos for motorcycles built by American Turbo-Pak. The founder of TCC was a former Kawasaki USA employee named Alan Masek, and he used his contacts to help develop the first ‘production’ turbocharged bike. Kawasaki’s Z1-R was their top of the line bike but Alan figured he could make a true halo and sell some turbos in the process. The plan was to source bikes from Kawasaki, install the turbo kit, then have Kawi sell the new Z1R-TC through dealerships (but without a warranty). TCC made some money, Kawasaki got bragging rights, and no one had to worry about warranty costs or emissions issues. 500 were built, the first 250 of which were in the stock powder blue of the Z1-R. The remaining 250 were adorned in the iconic black/yellow/red Molly Design paint scheme and boasted some mechanical refinements.
Additional history can be found below:
1. Story on OddBike.
2. Cycle Magazine test, August 1978 issue.
Manufactured in October of 1977, this example is VIN: KZT00D004574.
The seller acquired it three years ago as a barn find from a private party. During his ownership, the seller has covered 111 miles. The odometer shows 2,763 miles.
The seller (who restored the bike) is our friend Johnny Bohmer, multiple Gueinness World Record holder and owner/driver of the BADD GT, the world’s fastest street legal car. We have known him for years and he has listed several bikes with us – he has been avidly racing cars and motorcycles since the early 1970s and has a soft spot for Kawasaki’s. He’s an expert in this model and has the largest collection of “verified” Z1-R TCs available in the world:
He has provided a detailed history on the bike which we are sharing below:
“This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of motorcycle history. Out of the “519” Z1R TCs produced in 1978-1979 by Turbo Cycle Corp., only around 90 are known to still exist today. Many were converted into drag bikes and met their demise through racing, making these remaining original Z1R TC’s sought after and incredibly rare. Of course there may be a “few barn” find verified TC’s still out there but due to the rarity of these motorcycles the bushes have been beaten pretty hard in search of them. It is the consensus of the Z1R TC experts and enthusiasts that the number of “barn finds” would just be a handful if any.
Verification of the this bike was obtained from the Turbo Cycle Corp. “sales registration log” records, including details such as the dealership that sold the TC, frame VIN, engine VIN and original purchaser. It also comes with the original “Z1R-TC REGISTRATION Warranty and Purchaser Certification,” this is a signed and witnessed document that states there is no Warranty. This is verified by the Z1R-TC Turbo Cycle Corp. registration and records to be a Molly TC-2. The frame and engine VIN match TCC’s records. [Iconic Note: the seller has shown us documentation. He asked for it not to be shown publicly but it will be provided to the buyer.]
The original TCC right hand fork ear identification sticker is still in place, and the sale includes the original owners manual and turbo charged supplement manual.
To show the Z1R TC’s performance capabilities, American Turbo-Pak built a total of three Stage “Media Test Bikes” which had numerous performance upgrades to add power and engine longevity. The “Stage 3” option was offered to dealers by TCC as well but the upgrade option was not a success due to the extreme cost ($2,100) on top of the $2,000 turbo kit and only a few were ordered (total price for a Z1R TC Stage 3 complete bike was $7,100). Only a handful of these examples were built due to lack of customer/Kawasaki dealer interest, making this example extremely rare.
This example was ordered by Champion Cycle in 1979 for a customer with additional upgraded items not included in the already upgraded “Stage 3” package, the customer picked it up on 4-24-1979. Items included: “Shim under bucket” valve train and Deep Sump oil pan instead of the “swing gate” hinge upgrade in the stock pan. The “Shim Under Bucket” was good insurance so the shims could not be “SPIT” out under over revving or boost issues which could severely damage the engine. The Deep Sump upgrade added additional volume to the oiling system and eliminated the chance for the oil pump to run dry under hard acceleration as long as the oil level was correct in the sight glass.
The 1978 Molly TC-2 mentioned here is believed to be the only “Stage 3” example left known to exist out of the handful that were ordered by dealers. The (3) “Media Test Bikes” used by TCC for media magazine testing articles were eventually sold off to drag racers and the whereabouts of these bikes is unknown but it is doubtful they are intact or survived. They were specifically set up as “RINGERS” to be used for numerous motorcycle magazine publication testing articles. All of the “Media Test Bike” packages (around 6 in total including the dealer ordered units) were the only TC Z1R’s actually built by ATP in California and were personally test ridden by Jay ‘Pee Wee” Gleason for quality control purposes, Jay was part owner in ATP at the time of the Turbo Cycle Corp. TC builds. This particular 1978 Z1R TC-2 was reportedly used in some photoshoots for Turbo Cycle Corp articles and literature but cannot be confirmed as all the “Molly bikes” looked alike and no specific VINs were associated with media print.
This motorcycle was disassembled and gone through with a majority of the parts being replaced or refurbished, the project took over a year to complete. A tremendous amount of effort went into the engine restoration. Many other small ancillary items/parts have been replaced all over this motorcycle that are not listed. It runs and rides like new and is in “Museum Quality” condition with great detail taken to balance the preservation of the legendary, ultra-rare Stage 3 upgrades, with the addition of some modern electronics along with a Mikuni HSR-42 carburetor for rideability. It is fully sorted, new battery, oil and filter changed and ready to ride or show.
Restoration and upgrade items listed below:
-All body work was removed and meticulously stripped, and repainted with a museum quality paint job performed by Ravenswood Paint and Body with Factory colors and replacement Molly Graphics Decals
-Please note, a majority of the photographs do not show the OEM Shinko-Lite windscreen with rubber edge. In the photographs you will see the correct windscreen was re-installed on this TC. There is a small scratch on the front left side of the original windscreen, but it is barely visible, and does not interfere with the rider’s visibility.
-Front forks fully gone through with new seals, oil, etc. Front and rear brake calipers fully rebuilt with new brake pads all the way around, front and rear master cylinders fully rebuilt. Front and rear wheel bearings and swing arm bushings replaced. OEM Z1R Rear Shocks fully disassembled and restored. Brand new period-correct Dunlop front and rear tires with new tubes and rear rim locks
-OEM fuel cap like new condition
-Original center stand in place
-New early style grips (not OEM)
-Starter motor rebuilt
-TC-2 RayJay F-40 Turbo disassembled and gone through
-All bodywork and plastic including inner fender skirts unmolested and have no broken or elongated mounting holes. Custom drag race seat on original Z1R seat pan with under the seat mounted kicker. The seat pan is in “like new condition” was reupholstered by ATP.
-Stage 3 30 lb Period correct optional “NOSHOK “tattletail” Oil Filled boost gauge
-Stage 3 ATP/TCC alcohol injection system with carburetor spacer plate, jet, stainless-steel lines and large-style ATP alcohol holding tank.
-Stage 3 1015 cc block bored out to 1075cc, this work was originally done by ATP and fully refurbished as listed below. Steering dampener added by ATP as part of the “Stage 3” package
-Wastegate disassembled cleaned and reassembled with new 6.5 lb baseline wastegate spring kit from William Barber. New Dyna-2000 ignition system set up with 6.5 lb ignition retard pressure switch, timing baseline set at 36 degrees when boost switch is activated Dyna-2000 pulls 4 degrees of timing with a max of 32 degrees timing under boost, max boost is set at 10 lbs
The original petcock and Zenith carburetor with air filter assembly have been removed and were replaced with a Pingel petcock and a properly jetted Mikuni HSR-42 carburetor with K&N air filter.
The original Z1R petcock and Zenith carburetor assembly will be included with the sale of this Z1R TC.
FULL DETAILS ON ENTIRE ENGINE BUILD:
-Stock OEM Kawasaki KZ Z1R camshafts
-Stage 3 Heavy Duty APE clutches, springs and pusher bearing
-Stage 3 Stainless steel Manley exhaust valves Tipped .020, also tops of titanium retainers had to be machined down .030
-Stage 3 Stainless steel Manley Intake valves tipped .005 Intake side titanium retainers required no machining
-Stage 3 “NEW”APE Shim under the bucket setup with titanium retainers
-Shim under the bucket valve adjustment as follows:
—Exhaust side #4 CYL .005, #3 exhaust .005, #2 exhaust .006, #1 exhaust .006
—Intake side #4 .004, #3 .006, #2 .006, #1 .004
-All of the valve adjustments were in the 230-260 shim range.
-Stage-3 Slotted cam sprockets
-Intake cam degreed @ 109 cl, exhaust cam degreed @ 110 cl
-Stage-3 1015cc block bored and compression honed for roundness and proper finish allowing for 72mm (1075cc) piston clearance of .0025
-New Wiseco pistons started at 11.1:1 compression ratio, Piston domes machined from 11.8cc to 8.9cc leaving dome thickness of .160
-Two stock base gaskets and one .040 copper base plate were used which left a squish rate of .110 which equaled out to a compression ratio of 7.7:1
-CC head final space 37.4 cc, cc dome final 8.9 cc, squish .110, bore 72mm, stroke 66mm, resulting in 7.7:1 compression ratio
-Stage 3 crankshaft was welded by ATP when the bike was originally built in 1978, upon inspection all welds are intact and the crankshaft along with connecting rods are in excellent condition.
-Stage 3 Deep sump oil pan”
Mechanical Issues:
The seller notes that the “rear seat latch key cover won’t stay closed.”
“Electrical system charges and works as it should minus one item, the turn signals have an intermittent issue.”
Inside of the tank:
The sale includes two keys.
Currently located in West Palm Beach, Florida, this Kawasaki is offered on a clean Florida title in the seller’s name. Have any Z1-R TC stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
