Long time between updates....life gets busy I guess

 

 1973 CB350F at Vintage Days in Mid-Ohio this past summer.

Good times. I got quite a few complements on the old bike.

 

CB750F, Finally coming together

The project bike has gone from a rusted out heap to something that actually resembles a motorcycle. It's getting closer, I'm hoping to have the bike running by the fall time. I've sorted the electrics out, now I just need a few minor thing to finish it out and I'll be up and running.

Making progress

Well while the 750 waits on a new wiring harness...I really didn't feel like debugging 40+ year old wires. Not to mention, no matter how much flux, cleaner, and heat, the solder wouldn't take on the old wires.

So 80 bucks later...a new harness is on the way. It's a small price for my sanity (whats left of it anyway).

I decided I'd work on another project that'd been sitting on the shop floor.
Really kinda getting on my partners' nerves. So with that motivation, I figured I'd get the '75 CB400F rolling.

This started as a bunch of tupperware containers, a frame, and a motor...all separate.
Got it off of one of my friends for a good price since he had too many toys and was looking to offload the ones he'd never get to. I lucked out. I really like the 400F.

Exhaust is on

Yay, a small step but it's the little things that eventually add up.
Got the exhaust on. It just took a little massaging the pipes into the exhaust ports.
Should seat nicely once its run in a bit.

New Developments

So after a very long break, house things getting in the way.
(The house owns you, you never own the house)

The really cool 1978 Goldwing is now off to a better place, after making its way around craigslist.

I've finally gotten the engine for the 1976 CB750F into the frame.
This took a bit of doing, and some unfortunate events with broken engine studs. Which required me to pull the engine back out, tear it down again and then rebuild with new studs, cam chain ( cause I might as well) and some non-burnt out valves, and stronger springs.




So a lot of work has happened on the 750 since the last post, there's still a far amount left.
I just need to start working through the immediate list:

Rear Sets
- Fabricating the rear set brackets, I want to avoid having to weld a fixed bracket to the frame

Electrics
- The rats nest that is old electrics, will be meeting a swift end with the addition of a solid sate rectifier / regulator instead of the mess that was the older semi-discrete electrics without the rectifier / regulator in one.

Exhaust
- Well it looks as if the 'Fits 1976 CB750 models' descriptor on the exhaust I want to use is slightly exaggerated. This will require some more looking into, possibly the exhaust studs can be taken out for the exhaust to fit.

hmm a big washer and I don't remember where it goes

Electrolysis cleaning

Yup electrolysis cleaning.
Non-destructive...just kinda slow sometimes. For those curious for the details. Simply apply a low voltage ~ 12 - 24 V DC to the rebar in an ionic solution. There's a product called Arm and Hammer washing soda it works well and is biodegradable and not horribly caustic. The rebar is negatively charged. The engine block ( or metal you want cleaned ) is positively charged. Don't let the + / - touch. Then fill the tank up with water / washing soda and let the electricity do the work. You'll need something with a decently high amp rating ~ 2 to 10 Amps. A large battery charger works well for this.

Making progress I think

So I had my angle grinder with the cut off disc in hand and decided I'd get closer to getting the seat mounted.


Now you see it...Now you don't.





I'm hoping it doesn't come back to annoy me later on in the build. I've also marked off the end where I'll be chopping as well and then putting a brace at the back in the form of a hoop or a straight cross-piece.

And I was decently ambitious, I got the Gordon Frame kit mostly installed. Kinda sloppy on some of the cuts but it gets the job done and it should be pretty decent looking.