Topic: '72 CB450 Restoration Thread (GoManGO!)

[fendersrule]

I took apart the break panel. This will be my third time rebuilding a brake panel. Too easy!

[fendersrule]

Oh yea. Check out them Hagon's!

[fendersrule]

MoMo approves?

[Stev-o]

MoMo approves?

I'm sure he does, I sure do.  Nice work.....

[fendersrule]

All done!

[MoMo]

MoMo approves?

I'm sure he does, I sure do.  Nice work.....

The Official MoMo Stamp of Approval has been henceforth issued to one FendersRule... MoMo the XXXVI

[fendersrule]

I've given up on trying to polish the spokes. I got them looking clean, but I think that's as good as they're going to get.

Everything so far that's mounted to the bike is 100% perfect. It's just hard to finally start bolting on stuff that isn't perfect....like 40+ year old spokes. I've even went as far to use a dremel and a wirewheel, lambswool and metal polish on a drill, etc. They're just not going to look new again.

Besides, these rear wheels get messy pretty quick. Oh well. This bike is a good candidate for Comstars in the future.

Front fender is ready for 2k high build and blocking.


Tank is about 70% there. Side covers are about finished. Headlight bucket's gouges are filled in. Rear fender is all that I haven't started to fill. Once the filling is done, the rest is pretty much cake walk!

Still left to do:

1) Order brake caliper piston. Mine has too much pitting.

2) receive sprocket cover plate and get that blasted/powdercoated

3) Blast and powder coat fork legs and brake caliper body

My goal of having a rolling chassis this weekend is about two weeks off.

[MoMo]

Even if you get the spokes looking half-decent after a couple rides in bad weather the spokes will deteriorate.   Have you ever relaced a wheel?  New spokes are the only way to go,but (since you are not going with a concours restoration) stick with what you have...Larry

[fendersrule]

Thanks Larry...I agree with you. Spokes are just about a lose-lose scenario for cleaning. I spent 5 gruesome hours on my CB750 spokes. They still look "good", but they certainly do deteriorate. I plan to never touch them again. The bike still looks fantastically clean, even not having shiny spokes, so I just need to look past that.

In case you all are wondering how the engine is coming along:





Please god I hope he knows what he's doing!

[fendersrule]

Panels are about ready for wet sanding.

I had some primer problems on the tank, so I had to do an extra round of blocking.

I expect that these panels will be dropped off at the paint shop in about 10 days.

[MoMo]

Motor looks fantastic. Have you connected the cam chain?  I used to have access to the special Honda tool but no longer do...Larry

[fendersrule]

Seat is recovered. Pan has epoxy/acrylic for maximum durability. Just need to add the strap. I like to replace those ridiculous phillips chrome bolts with allen bolts. They usually always will rust, and we know that rust and phillips don't mix.


Shot the bucket today.


Priming has officially finished. Ready to wetsand all panels and drop them off.

Let's hope my color scheme works...

[fendersrule]

[Stev-o]

Seat and bucket look great. Who is painting the tank?

[fendersrule]

I usually take care of solid colors myself, but since Sunrise Flake is an advanced color, I'm going to bow out to a professional on this one.

[Carver]

Very nice so far, curious as to what you're budget for this is because the 450 dohc was my first bike as well and I love it to death. I plan on doing a frame off resto of mine and was wondering what to expect cost wise. I miss my 450 more by the day  super fun bike.

[fendersrule]

Great question. I lost my detailed response.

In short: lots of variables will determine the cost of the restore. Do you want a "show" bike? I did. What was the condition or problems before? Mine slipped out of first gear and required some new tranny forks. I replaced most everything. Powder-coated as much as I could. Replaced things with NOS when I could. No rattle canning on anything--all professional work. Upgraded to roller steering bearings, swingarm bronze bushings, etc. New tires, brakes, etc. It was in good condition before (a rather complete find!).

My restore cost is going to be $3,500 or so. Not cheap, but the CB450 is worthy to me. It will replace my CB750 for general riding unless I'm heading on a road trip.

[Carver]

Great question. I lost my detailed response.

In short: lots of variables will determine the cost of the restore. Do you want a "show" bike? I did. What was the condition or problems before? Mine slipped out of first gear and required some new tranny forks. I replaced most everything. Powder-coated as much as I could. Replaced things with NOS when I could. No rattle canning on anything--all professional work. Upgraded to roller steering bearings, swingarm bronze bushings, etc. New tires, brakes, etc. It was in good condition before (a rather complete find!).

My restore cost is going to be $3,500 or so. Not cheap, but the CB450 is worthy to me. It will replace my CB750 for general riding unless I'm heading on a road trip.

The 450 was my daily rider as well, super quick bike. Mines about 99.8% original. It has a few after market accessories I plan on keeping (luggage rack and fuel gauge gas cap from the 70's). Everytime it's failed me its been mechanic (me) error. I wanted a cafe racer but man it's completely original except for only the grips and I just can't bring myself to alter it, it needs to be restored. Thank you!

[fendersrule]

Yeah. I tried to get the point across that a CB450 is super quick, but it didn't go over so well here.

Yea, it's expensive. Parts are harder to find for the CB450. Handlebars, side cover grommets, clutch actuator arm, shift forks, etc are super rare. When you rebuild the motor you will have to replace the cam chain. Many will only recommend the Honda one, which is like $150 if I remember correctly. Lapping the valves is a must; our Honda shop did it for a really good price. There's a few things about a CB450 that make it more expensive to restore that you don't realize beforehand. Air cleaners basically have to be replaced (obsolete) unless you have a nice set, so there's many options for that (I'll show you guys what I'm doing for these soon).

I think the recommendation of "price out every thing, and every likely thing that should be replaced, and 2x that figure) will leave you somewhere close.

But in the end...a brand new CB450 is more fun to me than a 750 in town. Of course I'm speaking to the choir!

[Sgt.Pinback]

At any case much morer rarer. At least here in Germany. A long time ago I seen one of them.

This one is gonna be a very nice bike. Looking forward to see more!

[Carver]

Yeah. I tried to get the point across that a CB450 is super quick, but it didn't go over so well here.

Yea, it's expensive. Parts are harder to find for the CB450. Handlebars, side cover grommets, clutch actuator arm, shift forks, etc are super rare. When you rebuild the motor you will have to replace the cam chain. Many will only recommend the Honda one, which is like $150 if I remember correctly. Lapping the valves is a must; our Honda shop did it for a really good price. There's a few things about a CB450 that make it more expensive to restore that you don't realize beforehand. Air cleaners basically have to be replaced (obsolete) unless you have a nice set, so there's many options for that (I'll show you guys what I'm doing for these soon).

I think the recommendation of "price out every thing, and every likely thing that should be replaced, and 2x that figure) will leave you somewhere close.

But in the end...a brand new CB450 is more fun to me than a 750 in town. Of course I'm speaking to the choir!

On honda twins they have a thread on how to refurbish you're old air filters using a car filter. You burn the old one off and glue the new on to the mesh frame to keep the original look.

I think my 450 accelerated a lot quicker than the 750, but maybe its because I can't flirt with the redzone on the 750 because I don't have a tach yet. You could hit like 35-40 in first and just smash through the gears super quick to 90mph in 4th. I used to do that every sunday on my way to work since I was in a small town and everyone was in church when i headed to work, had a mile of just clean roads with no turn ons. man you suck now I miss the 450 even more  I can't wait to start on it in a couple of weeks. I'll let you get back to your thread now. 

[Stev-o]

My restore cost is going to be $3,500 or so. Not cheap....

Whoa....$3500 plus whatever you paid for it? 

[fendersrule]

My restore cost is going to be $3,500 or so. Not cheap....

Whoa....$3500 plus whatever you paid for it?

I've kept the receipts so that I could calculate the actual cost. Here's just some items that come to mind:

$200 (tires)
$130 (mount/balance/adjust)
$1200 (engine rebuild cost)
$400 est. (painter fee)
$250 Hagon shocks
$75 bronze bushings and roller steering bearings
$100 Primer/materials/black paint
$100 seat cover + install
$50 gauge refurbishment
$150 powder-coating everything (I did the blasting)
$50 brake pads/shoes
$100 Honda OEM cables
blah
blah

= $2805. Bike was $650. I know for sure there's more stuff that I bought. Oh yeah, stainless steel brake hoses. Oops. Oh yea, that tool box that I had to replace from eBay. Oh, and also... The little stuff does add up.

Keep in mind the goal is to make a new bike. This isn't a "light" resto by any definition.

[fendersrule]

Here's some updates.

The bike as it sits now:



Most of the last remaining things are on the table:



Just picked up this from my powder coater man. I told him to go for Cloud Silver, and I think he came pretty close. So glad I don't have to worry about polishing forks anymore. He went with a higher gloss black on the caliper:

[fendersrule]

Rebuilt forks. Installed them.