Author Topic: CB550 Gulf road race build 592cc (Read 78563 times)

Bluegreen · « **Reply #50 on:** December 13, 2012, 09:33:46 PM »

I wish I found this thread earlier, I was on Oahu in May. I could have scraped some crud for you

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #51 on:** December 17, 2012, 03:15:03 PM »

Haha. Well in May it was still happily running

Blackandsilver · « **Reply #52 on:** December 17, 2012, 03:25:07 PM »

This bike is rad.

Win some lose some, it's all the same to me.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #53 on:** January 19, 2013, 04:40:25 PM »

Been a while since I updated. Not much to report progress-wise, but I do have some big changes to my plans.

Decided to upgrade to oversized intake valves. Mike (MRieck) has bored the valve seats to accept them. I've also decided to upgrade to his stage 3 porting, since I'll be doing new guides, valves, WebCam 358b grind, and a Serdi valve job anyway.

As described by Mike:

"Requires removal of valve guides. Extensive reshaping of both intake and exhaust ports.
Epoxy reinforced intake spigots. This head will require new guides, guide honing and a Serdi
valve job. Basic price minus guide and valve seat work….please take note!!! This head
performs best with oversize (33.5) intake valves and cams with lifts .360 and over. A great
performing street head with 836cc and larger…..This head kicks ass…..no disappointments no
matter the displacement (400cc, 500/550cc, 750 etc.)."

I can't wait to start tuning this thing once I've gathered and reassembled all the parts. I'm anxious to see what numbers it pulls on the dyno, but more importantly, how much it will kick my butt dyno's ass.

My swingarm is still with Mark (HondaMan). The weather hasn't been cooperating with him

I've opted to go with the harder swingarm bushings since I'll be putting down lots more power than stock. It requires zealous commitment to the swingarm bushing lubrication schedule, as they're not oil-impregnated. I have no issues with that.

As for the color scheme... It depends on how much $$$ I have to sink into my El Camino, but if it's not that much more, I might consider getting a custom alloy CR750 tank and seat made to fit the 550 frame. Everyone's always posting CR750 pics and videos in my motorcycle facebook group, and every time I see one, I think how cool it would be to have a CR550. If I go that route, I may stick with the old Honda livery, or have one of my friends draw me out a rendering for it in Gulf livery. The way it's going now, I may have to forgo that and stick with my original build idea.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #54 on:** January 20, 2013, 07:40:51 PM »

Mike reported back to me that he's working on the porting today. Getting ever closer to putting it back together!

In the mean time I'm working on this El Camino, and it's pissing me off real good. Every single thing I've done to it has been incredibly difficult or caused another problem, except replacing the front calipers.

SF · « **Reply #55 on:** January 23, 2013, 01:06:22 PM »

good start 8)buzz helped me go in the right direction

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #56 on:** January 28, 2013, 10:25:59 PM »

Got another update from Mike. The porting, headwork, and boring should be done and ready to ship back in another two weeks. I'm super excited I can finally start working on the bike again.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #57 on:** February 16, 2013, 01:16:56 PM »

Got some preview pics from MRieck.

Bought a crankshaft from the mainland and it will go straight to APE for lightening and balancing.

My swing arm with HondaMan should be done very soon. Once I get that back I can start getting stuff powdercoated.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #58 on:** February 16, 2013, 04:20:40 PM »

As usual, Mike's work looks beautiful.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #59 on:** February 16, 2013, 05:02:19 PM »

Thanks, I'm very glad I went with Mike's service.

SF · « **Reply #60 on:** February 16, 2013, 06:19:20 PM »

that looks sooo nice! just gota save up the $$$ and im sending him my parts too. jealous dude

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #61 on:** March 02, 2013, 09:25:39 PM »

APE will be receiving my crank hopefully Monday. 3-4 weeks after that it should be done.

Just waiting on my invoice from MRieck. About a week after that I should be receiving my parts.

HondaMan should be done very soon with my swingarm. After much conversation with Mark, I've decided to ditch the velocity stacks and will be running the stock airbox. I'm now looking for an air filter that fits on the end of the bladder (chamber) for higher airflow, but still keeping the "still" air with chamber and built in stacks. This means I'll be using the side covers, so I won't have to relocate the battery (but I will still be using a small gel battery) or electrics, allowing me more freedom on the seat. I'm still deciding between a standard hump cafe seat (staying with the DCC Thruxton seat I have), a flat or upswept brat style seat, or a flat tracker seat. I may combine these and have a brat seat with a removable cafe cowl or flat tracker cowl, allowing me to take a passenger if I so desire (if my girlfriend so desires, I should say). It also seems like I'll have my work cut out for my tuning the ignition advance curve for the combination I'm running. Should be fun I guess.

Talking to a member here about machining an oil filter sandwich plate to run a spin-on filter and an oil cooler. Will be going with an Earl's 10-row curved cooler, as per bwaller's recommendations.

Still have a big order to place with CycleX. One with Slingshot Cycles (a member here). As well a few other vendors.

I forsee this thing coming together and at least running in the next 4-5 weeks.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #62 on:** March 11, 2013, 11:38:57 PM »

Plans have changed a hair.

The headwork and swingarm work are done and I'll be paying for it in the next couple days, so I'll be getting that back in the next 1-2 weeks.

The swingarm, frame, and triple tree will still go out for powdercoating as planned.

The crankshaft is still in line for lighten/balance.

I'll still be getting the essentials, like the oil cooler stuff, fork tubes (mine are bent and rusty), steering bearings, brake lines, etc.

What HAS changed though is that I'll be forgoing any non-integral cosmetic work. Stuff like a reworked seat, (professionally) painted bodywork, shiny new wheels, gel battery, etc. This has become a two-part build I guess. First part being getting it running and tonning, second part is making it look the part. Not that it's going to look like a hackjob, I'll still try my darnest to make it look nice like someone actually cared to do so, it's just I'll be doing cheap or DIY stuff. This will give me a chance to practice bodywork, wiring, fabbing, welding, etc, so not all bad.

The reason for this change? My El Camino. The safety inspection expires the end of this month. Once I get my failed inspection, I'll have another month after that. What needs to be done you ask?
Exhaust. Leaks like a sieve.
Tires, 13 years old and bald, feels literally like a boat in the rain.
By extension, rear wheels. Sizing up to 15x10s because the fenders were flared by the PO and 15x8s look weird.
Rear brake lines. Rusted through and non functional, likely blew out because I made them actually work.
And if they check, almost every part of the front and rear suspension. It has probably 4" of side-to-side play just by pushing on it.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #63 on:** March 12, 2013, 12:09:53 AM »

Sounds like your El Camino is a money pit you can't afford to sink money into. Unless there is an undying love and deep pockets for that car it would be very $$ to do all it needs on a budget.
Unless you have money for new wheels and bigger rubber then you would be better off walking away from it, running away from it.

You will need new brake lines, new wheel cylinders, new drums or turned the ones you have.
Good tires all around will be $600+ if you can get them installed cheaply.
Throw in new proportioning valves or the like and it gets up there in a hurry. Front suspension and then you need an alignment. What kind of steering box does it have, is it solid. If not you might have a worn pivot arm allowing vertical deflection on the passenger side which means you need either a new one or a new bronze (usually) bushing pressed in there. Upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends or center link ends?

Do you know how to flare brake lines? Had any experience bending brake lines? What kind of flares does it need? Single or double flare? If a double (bubble) flare then they are much harder to make yourself and mistakes mean lots of replacement lines.
Some machine shops or old school NAPA like shops can flare lines for you, but it really depends on your area. Lots of places quit doing it because of liability problems.

Get in an accident and be cited at fault and the other person's insurance company would start dissecting your car these days and all the safety violations would end up with you having huge liability issues.

Suspension and brakes can make the exhaust $ look like a night out for ice cream.

Good luck!

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #64 on:** March 12, 2013, 12:35:02 AM »

Well the Elco is a project. I'll be restoring it in some form (original, restomod, street rod, etc, not sure which. Who knows, I may even build it for autocross), and since it was dirt cheap I have no problem dropping some $ on it. It's not that it's going to stretch or drain my bank account, it's just going to shift how I spend money for a few months. But it won't interfere with my quality of life or the CB's essentials.

I've done most of the brake system already. New front calipers, rear cylinders and shoes, master cylinder, booster, and a few lines already. The drums are fine, as well as the proportioning valve.

Wheels and tires won't be too expensive. Less than $800. 235/60 up front, 295/50 in the rear. BFGoodrich Radial T/As. Getting aftermarket Corvette Rally wheels for the rear. Will refurbish the two best looking ones already on there (15x8s).

Brake lines are double flared. Since I've done a few lines already, I got the hang of it. Most of the bending by hand, a little with a bending tool. Even got a stock-looking "coil" in there.

As for the suspension, I've already done shocks. Lowering springs will fix the santa fe lean (and have a nicer stance since it's a cruiser). There are full front suspension kits out there, including poly bushings. I plan on doing all the work that I can myself. Obviously I can't do alignments or mounting/balancing, and I've taken into account those expenses.

I bought this thing knowing what kind of work it needed. Like I said, it's a project, as well as a learning experience. By the time I'm done with it, I'll have learned some bodywork (metal shaping, welding, painting, etc) since it's a rustbucket. It'll either be something I'm proud of or a hard lesson learned. Either way, it's here for the long haul (literally, as I'll be using it as a ride support truck and hauler).

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #65 on:** March 30, 2013, 07:25:00 PM »

Got my parts back from Mike. It was worth the wait.

Parts laid out.

New Kibblewhite bronze valve guides.

Serdi valve job. Intake valve seats bored for oversized +1mm valves.

Yep, that's my name engraved there. I was really surprised by that.

Intake runners also ported.

Also engraved here.

Cylinders beautifully bored for 61mm pistons.

Head gasket mating surface surfaced. Both the head and cylinders have been done.

Pistons side by side.

Piston height comparison.

Piston diameter comparison.

Piston skirt/insides comparison.

Beautiful.

Stunning in the sun.

Aaaand a quick mockup. I modified the seat a bit so it sits level and in line (seat is angled a hair because it's heavier in the back. Will sit level when mounted).

Stev-o · « **Reply #66 on:** March 31, 2013, 01:41:46 PM »

Bike porn!

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #67 on:** March 31, 2013, 08:33:05 PM »

What I like about these photos is that they were all taking with my smartphone. Droid RAZR M has an 8MP camera and can even do HDR shots. I'd drop some cash on a nice 12MP+ DSLR (my friend actually has one for sale cheap), but I have too many things to buy already

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #68 on:** April 12, 2013, 03:58:29 PM »

Did some grinding and stuff. Please don't laugh, this is my first time EVER and it will probably come out looking like crap, but idgaf, it's something I did all by myself and I'm damn proud of it.

Also, just heard from my friend that his friend may be doing a swingarm brace for both of us. Hope it pans out

Removed the seat tabs. Side cover tabs will stay on.

Removed the chain guard tabs.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #69 on:** April 12, 2013, 05:36:49 PM »

What's going on with that swingarm?? Looks like it's severely bent.

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #70 on:** April 12, 2013, 05:40:55 PM »

I think it's just the angle. It should be straight. Unless I somehow managed to bend it which isn't... likely.

Tews19 · « **Reply #71 on:** April 12, 2013, 07:12:12 PM »

Great work. God I miss my 550's. in regard to the swing arm, that looks hella bent. Crazy angle if its straight.

MRieck · « **Reply #72 on:** April 13, 2013, 06:41:55 AM »

Just saw this thread Jay....nice pics! You make my work look good!

Dimitri13 · « **Reply #73 on:** April 14, 2013, 10:05:21 AM »

Tews, I miss my 550 too

Been over 6 months since I've ridden it.

Mike, I like that you like my work of your work.

I've been getting parts here and there. Just got a bunch of o-rings and seals.. The 6 rubber pucks, oil pump o-rings, an extra set of tappet cover/manifold o-rings, exhaust gaskets, and I just realized I forgot to get the side cover rubber grommets. Will order OEM points to replace my crappy $20 daiichi (if you know, you know) points.

In regards to the swingarm, it looks straight right? You guys genuinely had me scared.

Vinhead1957 · « **Reply #74 on:** April 14, 2013, 11:04:29 AM »

Looks normal that way

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Author Topic: CB550 Gulf road race build 592cc (Read 78563 times)