Topic: SL350 Refurbishment Thread

[fendersrule]

I don't care much for this bike nor do I know much about it, but I wanna ride it! For only $100, it's a no brainer scoop-up.

Gas actually smells pretty good and doesn't smell foul. I'll probably attempt to start it with the gas that's in there now.

Looks to have around 12,000 miles.

Fairly good shape. Left fork is leaking bad around the seal. Missing side covers. Otherwise, I can't see too much else to scoff at. I got a charge on it right now, but the battery may be shot. After 10 minutes of charging, I get zip electricity. I'll have to further diagnose when I'm not sick and feeling ill.

Wonder if Frankenman can make me some side covers for it?

[fendersrule]

I've never seen frozen carbs before. This one has em! Just pulled the carbs off and stuck them in a box for the time being. I need to disassemble, and then soak them.

[MoMo]

If you got a title with that you got one heckuva a deal. I sold an SL350 with a broken kick start gear for 650...Larry

[TheDM #196]

I've never seen frozen carbs before. This one has em! Just pulled the carbs off and stuck them in a box for the time being. I need to disassemble, and then soak them.

My CB400F sat once for about 4 years and mine froze. It was the slide springs in the linkage that stuck. I took them off to clean them and was working the throttle with the bowls off to figure it out and there was a dink noise and a puff of dust out of the linkage and voila free.  I thought it was weird too.

[fendersrule]

I think this is the same bike:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Other-1970-honda-sl-350-3300-original-miles-stored-for-34-years-100-original-/331023994315?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item4d12914dcb&vxp=mtr#v4-37

maybe I have the rare version too? It does have the electric start...

My plan is to:

* Replace Battery
* Deep clean carbs
* Replace fuel line
* Replace fork seals
* Get a set of franken's side covers
* Clean it up real good

And probably sell it. According to that eBay listing, I shouldn't have a problem getting $2,000 for this little gem. Yep, it has the title!

[MoMo]

Also, are the exhaust pipes rotted out on the bottom?  Good exhaust pipes are exteremely rare and command quite a bit of money...Larry

[fendersrule]

There really isn't any rust on the bike..it's an Idaho bike. The usual surface stuff here and there. Pipes look fantastic.

The choke was also stuck. With some PB blaster on the plates I finally got them to move freely.

I suppose I can just disassemble them, remove the gaskets, jets, and then let em soak in vinegar?

First step is to get her running.

Again, gas smells fine. Oil looks pretty good. I'll grab a battery for it sometime and then check the compression later.

[Mr. Mike]

For a hundred bucks, you're a winner! Other than the usual things you've mentioned that need attention, you can now afford to $pend a few more. It's actually a nice find in my opinion.

[toytuff]

Well, I almost bought one here in town. Called the guy, set up an appointment and he never called back. Sent text, left voice mail. Two weeks ago.

Screw him, won't beg to buy your bike.

tt

[fendersrule]

The right exhaust has an inch hole, but no rust around it. I figure I can butt weld that. Left exhaust is perfect.

[Greggo]

The right exhaust has an inch hole, but no rust around it. I figure I can butt weld that. Left exhaust is perfect.

If I'm not mistaken, that pipe with the hole in it is worth more than your purchase price.  You did well

[754]

First year has the cv carbs and if you say e start. They soon did not have that. Dont screw the bike up, it worth loot as is..
Forget the frankencovers...no way No how.. You dont have a grasp of the tooling costs.. On that sort f thing..

[MoMo]

The right exhaust has an inch hole, but no rust around it. I figure I can butt weld that. Left exhaust is perfect.

If I'm not mistaken, that pipe with the hole in it is worth more than your purchase price.  You did well

You're right about that exhaust price Greggo.    The one I sold with a bad kick start was in exceptional cosmetic condition save for one hole in the right exhaust and I got 650 ...Larry

[fendersrule]

Done some minor things.

* Rebuilt the carbs and repainted them
* Replaced throttle tube and grip
* Replaced tool bag
* Replace kick-starter rubber
* Replaced right foot peg rubber
* Set timing.

Tensioner maintenance and fork rebuild are the next items to tackle. Oh, and the exhaust patching.

[fendersrule]

Time to put my fabrication skills to the test. Seems easy enough...




Baffles look good...

[fendersrule]

[iron_worker]

You're off to a good start. Seems like you got a great deal on that bike.

IW

[fendersrule]

Cam chain tensioner set. Notice the piece of metal off to the side that I dug out of the tension. Reusing the old gasket as it looked good.

[fendersrule]

Tearing down the forks is next. I hate this job. It's messy. But I guess it's fun.

Don't worry, updates on my fabrication work isn't going away. I chip away at that a little at a time. Making specific bends in steel with home-made equipment requires patience.

Check out this video I made of them. Not very good...
http://youtu.be/Eu8SG63BVSQ

I bet you there's not a lot of fluid in them.

I plan to use ATF in these forks as it's worked well with my other bikes. However, not too sure of the capacity levels for each fork. Anyone know?

[754]

A slapper tool and wood dolly, should get that exhaust patch very smooth..

[grcamna2]

For a hundred bucks, you're a winner! Other than the usual things you've mentioned that need attention, you can now afford to $pend a few more. It's actually a nice find in my opinion.

Yeah ! What a find !! a K0 ! Did you get  it off of CL ? 

[fendersrule]

Forks are removed and drained. Honda made a stupid choice to put a phillips screw in the base of the forks instead of an allen screw like all of my other bikes. This means I'm likely going to need some help to help me remove them with an impact tool.

Now, on to the fabrication work:

With my archaic metal working methods, there isn't a way to bend metal in two different directions. The contour of this metal I made rounded, but it also needs to bend itself inward (it isn't suppose to be straight). Good luck doing this without some good shop equipment. But here's a way:


Mark off where you want to make some slits to where the metal is suppose to bend forward.



A couple minor bends after the slits is all it takes to get the rest of it right. All of the metal matches up. Now it's time for some very slow butt welding. Well, more like tack-cool-tack-cool-tack-cool. Then a lot of grinding and polishing.

I'm sure that this job will turn out great. It's not going to be 100% perfect, but it will be good enough that no one would take notice. And, best of all, no more holes.

[fendersrule]

754- A slapper is a great tool. I don't even have one yet. However, this exhaust has a few dings that you can't get a dolly behind in order to use that tool. It's risky to start stud welding them out because it's not like you can use filler on mufflers. It's almost best to leave the other dings alone, or braze them level. Not sure how Braze would work on a muffler to fill up imperfections. Now is the time to fix any other additional imperfections in them before I drop them off for blasting and coating.

Do you have any ideas of options to remove imperfections without the use of filler? Satin black finish is going to help hide stuff too.

[Stev-o]

...before I get them powder coated Satin black.

Ceramic coating is recommended for exhaust due to the heat.

You dont have an impact driver for the fork screw?

[grcamna2]

Forks are removed and drained. Honda made a stupid choice to put a phillips screw in the base of the forks instead of an allen screw like all of my other bikes. This means I'm likely going to need some help to help me remove them with an impact tool.

Now, on to the fabrication work:

With my archaic metal working methods, there isn't a way to bend metal in two different directions. The contour of this metal I made rounded, but it also needs to bend itself inward (it isn't suppose to be straight). Good luck doing this without some good shop equipment. But here's a way:


Mark off where you want to make some slits to where the metal is suppose to bend forward.



A couple minor bends after the slits is all it takes to get the rest of it right. All of the metal matches up. Now it's time for some very slow butt welding. Well, more like tack-cool-tack-cool-tack-cool. Then a lot of grinding and polishing.

I'm sure that this job will turn out great. It's not going to be 100% perfect, but it will be good enough that no one would take notice. And, best of all, no more holes.

Fenders, That's beautiful restoration work,some purist's would have thrown that muffler out and said "I need a new one",but you're putting the Life back into it that got lost over the 45 years of it sitting somewhere w/o being properly winterized. 

I've had many welders in the past tell me "I won't patch a used muffler(I think that's strictly an 'automotive Only mentality'  )because the metal is TOO thin..." I started patching them myself(I usually braze)after I heard that too many times.These Vintage mufflers have plenty of steel to use and it is ALWAYS possible to patch'em