Topic: CB550 Gulf road race build 592cc

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

When I've seen that show I never remember seeing Magnum w/ any local Hawaiian  women ? only haole wahine's.

I guess Magnum missed out on the Kama'ainas.

[Dimitri13]

Indeed he did.

Gonna go talk to a few painters tomorrow. Hopefully they can help me out.

[Carver]

I'm going to need you to uhhhh, finish building this so I can see the end result, please?

[Bankerdanny]

Ok Dimitri, it's been over a month. Anything new?

[Stev-o]

Ok Dimitri, it's been over a month. Anything new?

+1.  Stalled project?

[KrautKoffin]

Herro?

[Dimitri13]

Been working a lot. Issues one thing after another. This one was the last straw. Taking a break to cool down (and build up some funds). I still have too much to do. Need spokes and tires just to get it rolling. Need cables. Need a seat, upholstery, paint. Need several gauge parts. Need dual disc parts. Need need need. All costs money.



Been doing photography, both film and digital, to occupy my spare time.

[Stev-o]

stripped?

[Dimitri13]

Yes.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Been working a lot. Issues one thing after another. This one was the last straw. Taking a break to cool down (and build up some funds). I still have too much to do. Need spokes and tires just to get it rolling. Need cables. Need a seat, upholstery, paint. Need several gauge parts. Need dual disc parts. Need need need. All costs money.



Been doing photography, both film and digital, to occupy my spare time.

All cost money. You got that right.

Q: How fast do you want it to go?
A: How much do you want to spend?

[SF]

You can beat on her when she's done! Can you chase the threads?

[MRieck]

Unfortunately I have run into that problem too. It happened after bead blasting a 750 cover. Bead gets stuck in those large thread. I mean I cleaned it but you have to get in there with a toothbrush, bronze gun brushes etc and plaenty of brake cleaner and compressed air. The caps screwed in OK but jammed like hell when I tried to remove them (which was right after I finished painting it)

[Dimitri13]

I have a feeling it was powdercoat. I blame myself. I should've cleaned the threads before I put it on. Once it was on I was too lazy to take it off and clean them.

[Trad]

Such a bummer. I have several extra valve covers if you are in need of one.

[Dimitri13]

If I can't fix it within reason, I'll be looking for a 77-78 cover if you have.

[SF]

Dimitri how you making out with that cover?


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[Dimitri13]

Managed to get it mostly un#$%*ed.

[bwaller]

Managed to get it mostly un#$%*ed.

  

The threads don't need to be pretty, just hold the cap.

[Dimitri13]

Been real busy with work, my woman, photography, and bowling. Not much time to get in the garage. Will find some time though. Also working on my other two projects. Vette needs some attention. Ranchero needs some suspension worked. Went curb hopping a couple weeks back. Bent the LCA, destroyed the tie rods, bent a wheel, and shredded a tire. Tires and wheel replaced, waiting on other suspension parts. Also working on timing/ignition issues. Have a cheap quiet gear drive coming, timing chain stretched 15°+. Waiting on a replacement vacuum advance, the one I ordered already was too big.

[Dimitri13]

Adjusted the valves. Couldn't find my M5x.8 tap. Found it. Had to clean out the threads of one of the points plate mount threads.

I think I'm going to pull out the harness today or tomorrow and see what I can do with it. It was rebuilt last year, thanks to my dad. One day I'll have a minimal harness, simplified with one of those fuse block thingies.

[SF]

How's the project coming along?

[Trad]

Back from the dead! I want to know what's going on with this build. haha

[Dimitri13]

Well, work really ramped up, so I had even LESS time. It's still tucked in my garage. It still needs all the things I said it needed last year.

Now I don't have work. Sucks, but now I have time. I spent most of that time getting my other projects done. Ranchero is back on the road. Truck is roadworthy but not registered yet. I picked up a Chevy Astro that was sitting in a garage for 8 years, and got it back on the road. Now I don't have any other projects, I can focus on this one again.

Here's a shot of the Astro, in all its "barn find" glory. I'm surprised those wheels held air and survived the 10 mile tow home. Could possibly be a bike hauler as well.



For now, I need (links here mainly for my own reference):

Spokes. http://www.buchananspokes.com/products/spoke_kits_honda_cb.asp
I'm having trouble finding spokes specifically for a cb550 with an 18" front wheel. I measured the spoke hole diameter, and it's roughly around .281" (can't get an accurate measurement, but it's definitely not .250"). Buchanan sells spokes with those measurements for an 18", and it seems like they'll fit? KHON505SS. Only problem is they don't have spokes listed specifically for a standard 550 rear. Is the 750 rear with drum they list compatible? KHON601SS is the part number.

Tires. Avon AM26.

Seat. http://gftpstore.com/Harley-flattrack-seat-HDXR750-HDXR750.htm
Still want to go with a flat track style. Any reason this won't fit?

Brakes.
I still want to do dual disc. A friend had a set but sold it before I realized I wanted it. What exactly do I need? Just another caliper, hanger, and? I already have the SS lines for it.

Cables.
Is there anyone that sells "pre-made" cables for clip-ons? Last time I checked, there wasn't. If that's still the case, who should I contact for custom length cables? And does anyone have a recommendation on what length they should be?

Paint.
Still going with the gulf livery. Frame is already powdercoated orange, so there's no turning back from that.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Spokes
The drum of the 750 is NOT identical to the drum of the 550.  I am not sure whether the diameter of the hub at the spoke holes is the same.  You should call Buchanan's directly and speak with one of their technicians.  You could provide precise measurements of the diameter of your hub at the spoke holes.

Seat
Anything can be made to fit, and there's no reason why a Sporty seat should not fit over the Honda 550 frame rails.  Do you know how the Glass from the Past seat mounts? Are there built in mount points? You should find out. You may need to fabricate some brackets to bolt onto the seat.  The other challenge will be upholstery so you don't have that open curved metal from the tank wanting rub against your family jewels.  You can build up some foam to bridge that gap.

Brakes
You need a complete second brake caliper and bracket.  PLUS, you will need to either countersink the mounting holes (for the original mounting bolts to fit) or get longer mounting bolts.  Godffrey has everything you need, if you want a ready to mount package.

Cables
You can buy shortened cables from Motion Pro.

[Dimitri13]

Spokes
The drum of the 750 is NOT identical to the drum of the 550.  I am not sure whether the diameter of the hub at the spoke holes is the same.  You should call Buchanan's directly and speak with one of their technicians.  You could provide precise measurements of the diameter of your hub at the spoke holes.

Seat
Anything can be made to fit, and there's no reason why a Sporty seat should not fit over the Honda 550 frame rails.  Do you know how the Glass from the Past seat mounts? Are there built in mount points? You should find out. You may need to fabricate some brackets to bolt onto the seat.  The other challenge will be upholstery so you don't have that open curved metal from the tank wanting rub against your family jewels.  You can build up some foam to bridge that gap.

Brakes
You need a complete second brake caliper and bracket.  PLUS, you will need to either countersink the mounting holes (for the original mounting bolts to fit) or get longer mounting bolts.  Godffrey has everything you need, if you want a ready to mount package.

Cables
You can buy shortened cables from Motion Pro.

Thanks. Was gonna give them a call if I couldn't just "click and pay." I'll check into the measurements. The rims I have are supposedly Borrani wheels that aren't stamped with the name and not in a fancy red bag. Or so the ebay seller claimed. They're WM3 18" 40-hole shouldered rims.

I'm not too worried about mounting and fitting the seat. The guy that's doing paint does high end chopper builds, so he's familiar with customs and fabricating. I'm just worried if the frame rail brace is in the way or anything.

I'll check out Godffrey's site. I wouldn't mind ditching my current caliper, since I've had trouble with it in the past.