Author Topic: CB550 Cafe Project (Possible Hard Sell) (Read 20199 times)

davidtime · « **Reply #25 on:** May 14, 2013, 06:17:31 PM »

I bought some small ones from HF. I was thinking maybe a brass brush for the drill. Steel wool was great but I got arthritis in my hands so I only get about a half hour before they get cramped.

Vinhead1957 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 14, 2013, 07:53:31 PM »

I also used a chisel to knock off some of the original weld splatter and a file to smooth some of the welds

davidtime · « **Reply #27 on:** May 15, 2013, 02:39:22 PM »

Well this painting is sure getting expensive. I seem to buy new stuff for it everyday and I am still in the process of stripping. Bought some engine paint today that just doesn't match the blue I am doing on the frame. No other blue that I can find so I guess I need to try another color. Bike was gonna be blue and silver with some blue on the engine but I'm not sure now. Maybe I will just go will the charcoal engine paint or some black, who knows.

Mcwilliams570 · « **Reply #28 on:** May 16, 2013, 09:27:09 AM »

Looking good so far. Have you checked out the cb500t gas tank is a nice looking tank with slight knee indents already in it. Goes onto the 550 with very little modifications.

I used it on my last project.

One I have sitting around my garage if you want to try it let me know.

The only thing I would recommend to you is since you have the engine out why not get the complete gasket kit and replace them. They aren't that expensive and I think it would be better to do it now versus you have it all together and it pukes oil all over your pants and shoes

Matt

davidtime · « **Reply #29 on:** May 16, 2013, 09:37:07 AM »

I have looked into that tank, that was the first one I was thinking of using but I got dead set on this seat pan. I really want the lines on the tail to match the lines of the tank.

Whats the condition of that tank? I might have to take you up on it. The thing I really like about that tank is the knee bends. This tank I have is BORING, no sexy lines!

davidtime · « **Reply #30 on:** May 17, 2013, 02:34:12 PM »

Well I had to take a day and do something other than the frame. I decided to go and purchase a polishing motor. Granted first time I have even tried to polish a thing in my life, I think it is looking pretty good. The piece I am working on saw some abuse from me previously because I was purposely made swirl marks in it to give a brushed aluminum look with a dremel wire wheel. I liked it but did not want the look. Long story short, here it is. Not done but good start IMHO

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #31 on:** May 17, 2013, 02:47:01 PM »

Nice. Polishing is something I keep meaning to teach myself, but never quite get to.

davidtime · « **Reply #32 on:** May 17, 2013, 03:02:34 PM »

Thanks. It's addicting because now I want to polish everything. Not a bad thing though because my paint scheme will go good with polished parts.

The thing I learned about it today is the surface needs to be pretty much free of scratches otherwise the aluminum scratches actually get worse/bigger because the wheel actually pulls metal out.

So first lesson learned and I am sure there will be come to come.

Note to self 600 grit sandpaper first.

davidtime · « **Reply #33 on:** May 19, 2013, 02:45:51 PM »

So I pulled the generator cover to day to polish it and found that the rotor was covered in rust but it had one thin gouge all the way around it. Is it normal to be like this?

davidtime · « **Reply #34 on:** May 20, 2013, 09:55:20 AM »

1 tappet cap and a small screw for carb bowl on a 78 cb550 PD46C carbs.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #35 on:** May 20, 2013, 09:56:01 AM »

Quote from: davidtime on May 19, 2013, 02:45:51 PM

So I pulled the generator cover to day to polish it and found that the rotor was covered in rust but it had one thin gouge all the way around it. Is it normal to be like this?

Pictures are your friend for questions like this.

davidtime · « **Reply #36 on:** May 20, 2013, 10:19:17 AM »

Sorry I was lazy here is a picture.

davidtime · « **Reply #37 on:** May 21, 2013, 12:14:43 PM »

So the frame is now stripped of paint and I am wondering what the best process is when cleaning before paint.

I have no pressure washer but I was going to go down to the car wash and use the wheel and engine cleaner to give it a bath, bring it home and wipe it with denatured alcohol.

I bought rusty metal primer because there are some rust spots on it. Anyone ever used it?

mono · « **Reply #38 on:** May 21, 2013, 12:30:04 PM »

the groove in the rotor is normal, however it's not *supposed* to be rusty. probably a failed gasket let moisture in while it sat. I'd just clean it up with a wire brush and some rust remover (the brand is escaping me) and make sure it's lightly oiled to keep from re-rusting.

As far as the primer goes, the "rust-colored" primer is OK, however most primers will cover the rust with whatever color they are, and ideally you're priming with an appropriate color to the final paint. did i read that you're going with blue? might want to try a grey primer to affect the color less, although if it's good opaque paint it won't be an issue either way.

my suggestion is to use rust reformer primer 1st if that's not what you have. it chemically converts the rust to an inert compound which prevents it from catalyzing more rust -- rust creates rust. if you just paint over rust, the rust will still grow.

davidtime · « **Reply #39 on:** May 21, 2013, 01:29:44 PM »

Reading about the rusty metal primer and the rust reformer, they both do basically the same thing. They stop rust and seal it from any air or moisture but the rusty metal primer sounds like it leaves a better surface for paint to bond.

I am actually using a light grey primer because I thought that the paint was going to be a little brighter but it is darker than I thought. Laid out a sample today, lighter than I wanted but I did find the same color engine paint that I am using on the head and the jugs. I am using the Dupli Color paint shop finish system for the paint.

I use a sprayer for all of my wood working project, hopefully I can be as good with the bike.

I will go ahead and use a wire brush and oil on that rotor.

On another note I need to know if the 2 empty holes on the lower side of the rocker cover are supposed to have bolts.

davidtime · « **Reply #40 on:** May 23, 2013, 10:09:39 AM »

Finally got the whole frame stripped and primed. I am going to dry sand with 320 unless someone tells me a better idea. First timer and I want it to be a good paint job.

bare.

primed

How long should I wait to sand? I was thinking 48 hours because it is % humidity right now and thunderstorms tomorrow.

davidtime · « **Reply #41 on:** May 27, 2013, 01:38:24 PM »

Finally got the frame and swing arm painted. I couldn't imagined a more perfect blue. Its exactly what I wanted. I am not looking forward to ever doing another frame, but I already want to start another project.

Now I'm just waiting on the 500 tank and then I will get that and the seat and headlight bucket out of the way.

Still unsure about color for the triples (black, blue or polished), fenders (thinking chrome), kickstands (thinking black), forks are going to be polished.

Still need to figure out what I'm doing for side covers. I'm not not sure if I am going with originals or aluminum.

davidtime · « **Reply #42 on:** May 29, 2013, 12:25:02 PM »

Well I ran out of bench room in my shop so I had to throw another together today so I can start working on the engine. Thought I would post a picture of the prettiest bench I've ever had.

This top was a table that I invested 12 man hours into to restore and then my garage suffered a minor floods during the last heavy rains and it got water damage.

Next up

mono · « **Reply #43 on:** May 29, 2013, 01:15:57 PM »

im pretty sure those 2 holes on the top rear of the engine are supposed to be empty. i seem to recall having them on mine also.

and NICE PAINT JOB! and really nice bench!

jtran000 · « **Reply #44 on:** May 29, 2013, 04:37:54 PM »

Hi hi,

Any info on you you prepped an painted the frame? Did you just let it air dry?

davidtime · « **Reply #45 on:** May 29, 2013, 04:40:15 PM »

Thanks, somebody told me the same thing on the holes so it must be right. I was thinking of putting epoxy on the bench so it stays that way but I already put stuff on it.

davidtime · « **Reply #46 on:** May 29, 2013, 04:50:04 PM »

Quote from: jtran000 on May 29, 2013, 04:37:54 PM

Hi hi,

Any info on you you prepped an painted the frame? Did you just let it air dry?

Stripping it I used mar-hyde extra strength paint remover #2811 for most of it, let me tell you that stuff works wonders 2 minutes and ready to brush the paint off with a wire brush. Before I was using the aircraft stripper by rustoleum and hated every moment of it.

I laid 3 coats of rusty metal primer over the bare frame, I used rustoleum acrylic enamel (3 coats) and followed that up with 3 coats of acrylic enamel clear gloss followed by 3 coats of clearcoat. All done with rattle cans and the coats progressively got thicker each coat waiting 10 minutes. I did so much clear so the paint would have depth to it. This was all automotive paint in cans.

I did miss a couple spots and just sprayed those small spots. It was all air dried and it probably won't be cured for a couple days.

davidtime · « **Reply #47 on:** May 30, 2013, 11:20:13 AM »

I took these pictures this morning. I feel like the engine looks really good inside, I would think that this old of a bike would have sludge build up in the valve train and in the breather manifold. These look spotless. The reason for this post is I wanted to get some thoughts on what I see and know.

1. Tappet cover gaskets look and feel fresh and so does the breather cover gasket.
2. The bike has 14,000 clocked miles
3. The screws for the motor are all stripped to some extent.
4. And the only leak coming from the motor is a weeping head gasket. Re-torque maybe.

Am I the only one thinking that these thing has been gone through recently?

davidtime · « **Reply #48 on:** May 30, 2013, 04:43:32 PM »

Side tracked. Again I got to this some stripper and a brass brush and I like it.

davidtime · « **Reply #49 on:** June 03, 2013, 04:00:24 PM »

Here is a really bad picture of things I have been polishing. I think I got compound on my lens.

Ordering some gaskets today to get the engine ready for paint. Tank is getting shipped Friday. So hopefully by next week I will have all of the front end and spoke clean up done.

I guess I should think about tires.

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Author Topic: CB550 Cafe Project (Possible Hard Sell) (Read 20199 times)