Topic: 1972 CB750 Four K2 -- Rebuilt to NEW OLD STOCK -- PIX ON PAGE 50

[edwardmorris]

Hmm, all good points, thanks all! Based on my situation, which is the bike came with wrong year gauges to begin with so I know its not original mileage, then the DMV screwed me over saying they can't remove the NOT ACTUAL from the title because the original title doesn't have the miles printed on it, so that's not going away, I think I will just reset them and go with "since rebuilt".

Follow up question: Since I now have two sets, the correct K2 set that will go on my bike, and the later year set that came with it, I was going to rebuild them both and sell off the extra set. What's a better selling point, rebuilt and reset gauges or just rebuilt gauges? The extra set has around 14k on it if it matters....

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Raffi, Holts makes a nice engine enamel which matches the OEM color and is easy to use. make sure that you etch-prime the aluminum first though, if you don't, it will come off pretty quickly.

When you say that you're going to restore your gauges, will that include refilling the damping pots with oil, replacing all of the perished rubber parts, etc? Marcel from 750gaugefaces.com does a complete rebuild service which makes the gauges look and work like new, but so many folks here just replace the faces and don't touch the 40 year old mechanicals, which is pretty silly, IMHO.

If you do a full restore on your gauges that you intend to sell, make sure that you explain what you've done in your description, and you should get some pretty good money back for them, folks want gauges that not only look like new, but work like new also. Cheers, Terry.    

[edwardmorris]

When you say that you're going to restore your gauges, will that include refilling the damping pots with oil, replacing all of the perished rubber parts, etc? Marcel from 750gaugefaces.com does a complete rebuild service which makes the gauges look and work like new, but so many folks here just replace the faces and don't touch the 40 year old mechanicals, which is pretty silly, IMHO.

If you do a full restore on your gauges that you intend to sell, make sure that you explain what you've done in your description, and you should get some pretty good money back for them, folks want gauges that not only look like new, but work like new also. Cheers, Terry.

Hey Terry, nice to see you're still watching over

The plan with the gauges is a thorough rebuild, and any replaceable parts I find are going to get replaced. The correct K2 set I have needs the damper fluid, so I will fill that up, but the extra K4+ set doesn't have the damper fluid, I think it just needs to be lubricated slightly so I'll just do that. The covers themselves are painted and ready, new faces are on hand too, and the bases got rechromed for the extra set. The correct K2 set came with NOS bases so I'm set for my bike, just have to put the extra set back together to keep funding the bike. The glass covers are spotless on both sets as well, and the crimp rings have been rechromed too (I took extra care to get these off intact for reuse). I will start putting them back together and post up some pix like you've suggested. I think pix of the teardown are early on in this thread but oh well, I can redo when I get to the point of selling them. So going by the look and work like new logic, I'm assuming resetting the meters is alright?

[edwardmorris]

Also, big thanks to @The Other Derek, he sent me the correct size rivets to install the new VIN plate, gotta love the SOHC community.

[edwardmorris]

While on hold, figured I'd get this out of the way. Input is appreciated

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=139207.0

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Silver. Not enough of it lately.

[calj737]

Nothing says special like "red". After all, these were performance machines for their day!

Tweakin's Goldie, plus the lot of last months BOTM candidates all looked fantastic. Been interesting to see which would have taken the popular vote had Nvr2old come along and swept up 

[edwardmorris]

CB750 Racer fan, greenjeans made a ood point in the poll thread, really not much contrast when you look at all the chrome and aluminum surrounding it and now that I think about it, I agree.

Calj, it seemed that KC's gold K2 was the winner by popular choice, missed out by just one vote, and drew lots of praise even after the poll closed.

[edwardmorris]

Well, hate to bump a project thread on hold, but I didn't want to start a new thread for this.

Its decided by now that I'm going with a Candy Gold Custom yamiya kit, but that doesn't come with a gas cap and the latch or petcock, or anything basically. I could find a NOS gas cap pretty easy but I can't find the press release latch anywhere. The closest are all replicas for $100+

Then there are the NOS key lock type latches that are somewhat cheaper, but not sure how stock they'd be for a resto...would it look off or was it common in the 70s to use the lock latch instead of the push to release one?

[MCRider]

Well, hate to bump a project thread on hold, but I didn't want to start a new thread for this.

Its decided by now that I'm going with a Candy Gold Custom yamiya kit, but that doesn't come with a gas cap and the latch or petcock, or anything basically. I could find a NOS gas cap pretty easy but I can't find the press release latch anywhere. The closest are all replicas for $100+

Then there are the NOS key lock type latches that are somewhat cheaper, but not sure how stock they'd be for a resto...would it look off or was it common in the 70s to use the lock latch instead of the push to release one?

Jker Machine = press release latch.
http://jokermachine.com/products/cafe-racer/honda-cb750-parts/cb-gas-cap-latch.html

The key lock latch was a recall item meant to replace ALL press release latches. So they are authentic, but no one wants one.

[calj737]

Calj, it seemed that KC's gold K2 was the winner by popular choice, missed out by just one vote, and drew lots of praise even after the poll closed.

So basically you're saying, "I'll take the first place loser"? Or was it the second place winner?

Kidding of course. They are all stellar colors, as were the restos last month. Me, I'm very partial to the Blues, but that's a personality disorder. Tweakin's GT is a fabulous looking bike, and I agree the silver on your bike would look anemic. Red is always gorgeous, but perhaps more "lively" than the ultra-classic you are building. Which, makes Gold a golden choice, pardon the pun.

Watching the mailbox for your package. Next week I'm guessing from your earlier note.

Peace-

[edwardmorris]

@MCRider: Thanks for that link Ron, I do like how the key latch looks, but for this one I'll be going with the Joker repro

So basically you're saying, "I'll take the first place loser"? Or was it the second place winner?.........

It wasn't just me saying that 

All great bikes though, and yes, the blues look pretty great as well. If I can find another cheapo K2, it will definitely be a Silver kit but non stock. I have some ideas to improve the contrast with the silver tank, BUT, one bike at a time

[edwardmorris]

Anyone know of a place/seller that makes repro idiot lights plates? I found one on ebay from Germany, but he doesn't have the odd ball K2 plate (Flash/Neut instead of Turn/Neutral). Didn't see them on yamiya either...

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Anyone know of a place/seller that makes repro idiot lights plates? I found one on ebay from Germany, but he doesn't have the odd ball K2 plate (Flash/Neut instead of Turn/Neutral). Didn't see them on yamiya either...

Yamiya has the Turn Oil Neutral, etc.

http://www.yamiya750.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=144_72&products_id=193

[edwardmorris]

Yamiya has the Turn Oil Neutral, etc.

http://www.yamiya750.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=144_72&products_id=193

That isn't right for the super early K2s unfortunately. Mine cleaned up ok, but you can tell it looks beat up next to all the new powder coat all around it, so I was hoping to find a repop.

[Terry in Australia]

I don't think I've ever seen one with "Flash" on it Raffi, I'll have to check out the ones in my garage and see. Cheers, Terry.

[edwardmorris]

I don't think I've ever seen one with "Flash" on it Raffi, I'll have to check out the ones in my garage and see. Cheers, Terry.

Yea Terry, only a small handful of the very early K2s had them, Mark's book has the specifics on when they changed but I don't remember. The only other one I've seen was at one of Bill Benton's stove top sales. I wonder if he still has it, I can't recall if it was in better shape than mine.

August is here, time to speed things up if I plan on riding this season. Back to crazy work hours and doing little bits in between. Sundays are the only focused build time I have. Polishing is on hold while I wait for a missing compound from Eastwood, maybe it'll get here before this weekend so I can get some of that wrapped up. Very close to acquiring a dent free alternator cover so that should wrap up all the aluminum polishing tasks.

I bought a good set of 657A carbs from Bill, started tearing those down, will grab the ultrasonic cleaner and clean them up next week. Also started rebuilding the gauges, just waiting on finding the face screws to wrap that up (yea I know, everything is all over the place right now). What I'd like to make progress with is the engine. I bought a cheap oven off of craig's list and cleaned it all up. TIme to psychotically clean the crankcases, jugs and the head, then prime and paint. Whatever I get done, some pix and progress this Sunday.

[calj737]

Hey Ed, when you go to paint the engine cases, after you clean them thoroughly, pre-heat them for about 30 minutes. This will help drive any final impurities from the alloy before painting. Adhesion assured with this little technique.

[edwardmorris]

Hey Ed, when you go to paint the engine cases, after you clean them thoroughly, pre-heat them for about 30 minutes. This will help drive any final impurities from the alloy before painting. Adhesion assured with this little technique.

Yep, learned that from the guy who lived dangerously, aka Nick

[edwardmorris]

Hi Ed, Gordon here. I've had dozens of cases, heads, and cylinders beadblasted over the years. You have to visualize that the blast material is sandpaper inside your engine. You have to get it out. I have a large plastic storage bin that will hold a crankcase.
 
I start off with a very high-pressure nozzle and wearing safety goggles, I blow into every hole, crack, and corner. Do not run the tap through the holes unless you have a damaged one - the tap removes tread material. Make sure every threaded hole is clean.

I then soak the casting in solvent (I use gasoline outside, but it's not proper nor safe) and I rock the bin side to side, soak some more, rock, soak, rock - until every piece is what I think is pure metal. I then remove it and blow with high-pressure again.

Lastly, I fill that same bin with hot-soapy water. I mean I get buckets of hot water out of the tub faucet and Dawn dish washing soap and soak/aggitate those castings again and again. I then take them to an outside drain and lay them on the bin's lid and run my garden hose over them and then blow again with the high pressure. I let them dry and and only then do I feel they are ready for assembly.

Please note that even after all this cleaning, the first oil change is something I do at 100 miles. There will still be some media in the filter.

Best Regards, Gordon

WOW, Gordon is right.

The shop that blasted my cases assured me that they blew each and every hole with a high pressure nozzle and then hot chamber washed it with degreaser and detergent after blasting and there was no media left. Psst, clueless.

I took the cases, jugs and the head to my local auto shop and borrowed their gigantic compressor. Took my fine tip nozzle and had at it for a while and what do you know, crap flying out of threads, cavities and other inconspicuous locations. ANYONE DOING THIS, ALWAYS USE FULLY SEALING SAFETY GOGGLES, not the the fancy shmancy slip-ons, don't ask me how I know.

After a while, crap stopped flying out so I came back home and turned a high pressure washer on them. I just stuck the hose at the oli lines and watched a fountain blast out the other end. So I'm half way there. While I may not do the gasoline soak, I think I will run mineral spirits through it all then do the hot water Dawn soap treatment, followed by liberally spraying denatured alcohol for a thorough clean and drying.

Just glad to have made some progress, time to wire up that oven I bought and see if I can get the paint at least started this weekend.

[Terry in Australia]

Good job Rafi, I'd skip the gasoline dunking just out of fear, but certainly high pressure washing and soapy water flushing and rinsing, for sure. Once the cases are squeaky clean, mask off what you don't want painted, etch prime the cases with a zinc rich etch primer (not a heavy coat, just a light etch) and then a couple of light coats of good quality engine enamel.

Let them air dry for a couple of hours (or overnight, even) then bake them in your oven (put them in with the oven cold, and let them warm up together) at around 200 deg F, for a couple of hours, then switch the oven off, and let them cool down together. (overnight is good) By baking them in your oven, you shouldn't have to worry about messing up the (still soft) paint if you spill gasoline on it. Cheers, Terry.  

[edwardmorris]

Thanks for the pointers Terry!

In between shifts today, I managed to temporarily wire up the electric oven, scariest bit of electircal work I've done so far with those large #8 wires and dual 120V lines going to it. Oven fired right up and since I cleaned it so vigorously while it was still in the garage, there is no stink in the basement

Was hoping to find some VHT self etch primer and not a damned store in the area has it. Most of them have the engine enamel but not the primer. I could either wait a week and order it online, or go with Duplicolor's self etch primer. Has anyone used it? How well would it work out if I went with the Dupli primer and VHT paint?

[Terry in Australia]

That'd probably work fine Rafi, give it a shot mate.

[edwardmorris]

That'd probably work fine Rafi, give it a shot mate.

Lying bastards! Made me drive out to the store and no sign of the duplicolor one either! This should be my pissed of thread post.

I'm just going to order it online and get to it next Sunday. On a brighter note, Eastwood sent over the missing compound in the aluminum kit I had ordered from them, so I'll try and get some polishing done as I make time.

[edwardmorris]

So some progress today, new primer and paint arrived so the cases will hopefully be done this weekend.

I finished plating the two largest pieces left. My chain splash guard was pretty badly rusted, severe pitting. Letting it soak in evaporust for three nights took off most of the rust but the beating is hard to hide. Even after zinc plating, it didn't polish out very nicely and the shadows are pretty visible. The chromate conversion worked out ok because despite the shadows, the zinc got on there alright and the psychedelic colors show. Its hard to depict in pix, looks a lot better in person with natural light. Overall, the finish matches closely to the new sprocket.