Hello All
I've acquired, over time, two 400/4s. They're nothing to write home about but they're both complete bikes and less of a project than some I've been reading.
I just attempted to post a pic here of them but ?? bit of a Luddite so basically have no idea how to post pictures on forums...I'll figure it.
Bike 1. Ages back, I was sitting with a friend and his friend called.."Want to buy my 400/4?..er nope, 7 bikes already but he will". I will? I will. Never mind that I haven't got a bike licence..for £200, who wouldn't buy a bike. Never allowed to have one as a kid.."Death machines". Money spent, licence acquired, MOT acquired but as I drive back from the MOT, the bike's doing 20mph max and I've got the whole of South London up my jacksie cursing and blearing away on their horns.
Dry(ish) stored it in various places. I pull the carbs and only manage to damage the seal on one of the needle jets, so it leaks fuel from the over flow..basically I fart around damaging small parts and making more work Friend says..capacitors.
The chrome's never been great, (eg there was originally chrome, and steel, on the front mudguard where the fork bracket is..I got a bracket shaped hole..with a sticker over it..fibreglassed it in the meantime).
I got otherwise busy. So the bike rests in my old dad's basement..me and him manhandled it there (him muttering "death machines"..found out he used to drive his brother's BSA in the early 60s), through a 4 foot by three foot door down 4 steep steps..he's 75, fit but I'm thinking "argh, don't you die on me".
Bike 2. Next up, I think "got to sort it". So bike 2 comes along..because I think, donor bike..One bike stock and one bike maybe cafe racer. Also I ended up on ebay looking at a full 400/4 with it's rocker cover off due to a camchain adjustment that started 17 year ago, then ended up in the shed because it started to rain on the day way back when. Really nice fellow, I bid, never expected to ended up with it plus a couple of useful manuals. Carbs have been removed, motad exhaust removed and in good nick (for UK).
Finally I've started...I've stripped the the second bike. I am not mechanically minded but emboldened by recently starting to sort out my mothballed narrowboat BMC 1.5 diesel and my Renault 5 blown head gasket and the thought that , at close to 50, I need to start being more proactive and probably should stop farting around.
I took the pictures and videos as I went on a newly acquired smartphone (donated from brother)..I can barely use a dumb phone.. I have only one WTF moment when I'm starting to get the engine ready to remove from the frame.."clunk"..a nut hits the floor from "I do not know" where?
Everything else fine apart from I got internal bruising on my knee (and slow healing) because the engine's bleeding heavy and I hadn't seen the post about lying the bike on it's side etc. until after the event.
I've started cleaning of the mud, grease and crud from the mudguards and frame. Started to clean up all the chrome. Ready to strip the paint where need be, aiming to de-nature rust with phosphoric acid (done this on various bits of the narrowboats) ready for prime and repaint (a place in Birkenhead does 81% phosphoric in litre amounts..only ever used 30 odd% but they put it in cola so can't see a problem).
Also started to think about the mod for the non stock bike. Took a saw to the old seat foam (needed re-covering anyway) and carefully cut 2 inch off the top profile of the foam so, when I re-cover in leather, I'll have taken off the back bump and lowered the profile. I was eyeing up a knacked, old tan leather jacket I have, but my gf stopped me ("you love that jacket")..so it's ebay again..got my eye on two tan leather tub chairs..use the seat cushion leather, reupholster the cushions (and the chairs go on the boat).
Now, the engine of bike 2, the dismantled bike that 17 years ago was due a camchain readjustment.
I dropped the oil out of it..offish white for a second or two then black.
I've got a pair of cb250n comstars and looking at cb400n forks mud guard and back brake. Even if they are low maintenance running gear for now whilst I consider new 400f rims/dechrome and powder coat the old rims and re-lace.
So that's kind of where I'm at.
This project will take a long time..this tends to happen with me..I've had a narrowboat since 94. Got it as a shell, put the engine in, made it liveable, haven't finished it. Got another one..guess what..made it liveable, haven't finished it.
So I was reluctant to even post because people on the posts put me to shame with their expertise and speed of action. Was just tempted to be in the background but thought...Comstar wheels, I need to check this set up...Hone or not hone.. then got carried away. Posted on Project shop, went to SOHC/4 tech questions and now introduced myself..going to have to have a lie down.
Vivvov
