Well, I thought I would show my restoration and introduce myself all at the same time. I'm very new to motorcycles. Like most people like me, I have wanted one for quite some time, particularly a classic Honda. There may be some things I get wrong along the way, but you gotta start somewhere, right?
I live in the Dallas, Texas area. CBs are getting harder to come by in these parts, at least in somewhat decent condition anyway. I found this one in Houston on craigs, spent the night and picked her up in the morning. It turned over after a push start, but wouldn't idle. Everything else appeared to be solid. No oil leaks, no weird smells or clouds coming from the exhaust. It hadn't been registered since 86. The forks seemed to be in good but rusty shape. No pitting or rotting to speak of. I thought, why not? And back home in the bed of my truck she went. A buddy of mine (who is also new to bikes) found one in Memphis. His is a 76 550 F, it was wrecked, but turned over and idled. It had nothing but cosmetic damage and twisted forks.
So, after 5 days of locating and running the roads, we had two bikes in the back yard under a makeshift lean-to that we made out of a tarp. After 3 nights of turning wrenches and swatting mosquitoes, we had bare frames and wrapped motors, setting on 4x4 pallets.
I've looked at countless photos on the web. I love the cafe look, but I also like bikes that walk the fine line of cafe and classic. I want the bike to maintain its natural beauty, but bring it into the 21st century at the same time. Here is what has happened so far:
I was able to get a shop manual which has helped me by leaps and bounds. I ran into some infamous difficulties along the way. First of all, the oil filter housing bolt looked as though someone took an impact wrench to it and stripped it, making it very hard to pull out. I eventually had to cut into the housing with a dremel, just so I could turn the bolt with a pair of needle noses. I'm not too shook up about it because I plan on getting an aftermarket adapter for a chrome filter. Of course the screws on the left side cover, were totally stripped and needed a puller I got for $8 at home depot. The clutch cable was crimped into place which was a bear to get out. The engine came out with no complaints. I plan on powder coating the frame and wheels, and new handle bars. I tossed the air box and am going to go with some nice aftermarket filters.
The harness is in OK shape. I'll probably opt for building a new one or getting one built. The over abundance of electrical tape is starting to irk me a bit. The first stupid mistake I made was with the tank. I was prepping it last night for stripping and priming. I took the emblems off and went to work on the brackets beneath, that are basically bolted on from the inside of the tank, little to my knowledge at the time. I couldn't just let them be because there were copious amounts of rust under them, so much so that there was no longer any paint. I couldn't just prime and forget. So I went to lightly prying. Moments later, I have part of a tab and a 6mm size chunk of the tank in my hand. My stomach dropped, to say the least. You live, you pay and you learn I suppose.
My questions:
Is there a way to simplify the wiring harness, such as new capacitors and possibly a smaller circuit board. I'm planning on opting for a KOS two in one instrument panel.
Is there a way to repair a 6mm hole in the tank without using JB or bondo? In other words, can it be welded in an almost seamless way? Finally, is it possible to make a CB tank completely smooth, ridding it of the intense indentions, made by the factory prior to attaching the emblems?
I need an expert opinion on the swing arm. Should I toss it or get it smoothed out. It looks as though the previous owner was running it with a loose chain.
Thanks for reading. Any recommendations and advice are much appreciated, especially when it comes to the motor. I will update as the project progresses.
