Topic: 1972 CB750 Steampunk(ish) Bobber Thing

[KrautKoffin]

I had vague plans of getting it going just as it stands, but after a brief look-over I think I'd rather open it all up and see exactly what I'm dealing with. So it'll be a full tear-down and rebuild from the ground-up (it'll need to get down to bare frame to hard-tail it anyway). Given all my tools are in boxes, and I don't have a workshop, I'll just be fiddling about with little small bits and bobs I can do. Currently I'm designing the gauges, generally making plans/designing, and ordering parts as I need them. I reckon I'll have the gauges mostly sorted in the next few weeks so there will be at least a taste of what I'm about, then maybe we can start throwing some informed judgement around...

keeping my eye on the for sale thread titled: "Steampunkish project for sale"

[Noddy78]

keeping my eye on the for sale thread titled: "Steampunkish project for sale"

Off you #$%* to the For Sale threads till then, then eh?

[Noddy78]

You will need a running motor, so why not let us all help you with that starting now ?

Hey you got a frame kit, so entire topend can be worked on still in the frame.

Yep, thanks guys. As much as I'd like to be able to approach it methodically, the lack of workshop and tools means what I can do at the moment is limited until we find our house. But rest assured I will be here to ask all sorts of numb-nuts technical questions when the time comes, as promised in the very first post... all those long weeks ago...

[KrautKoffin]

keeping my eye on the for sale thread titled: "Steampunkish project for sale"

Off you #$%* to the For Sale threads till then, then eh?

I'm just calling my shot from the start. Prove me wrong.

[DustyRags]

Noddy, I think you owe it to the peanut gallery to include at least a decorative anchor on the bike to show your pride in completely derailing the whole forum into frothing splinter groups.
Noddy, how can we help your unholy homunculus come to life?

Thanks mate, don’t suppose you’ve got a decorative anchor laying about I can use?

Do I? Well, not exactly. But what I DO have is a brother who works at a salvage yard in Berkeley. So: WILL I? Oh, you bet your sweet left testicle I will! 

I'll track a few down and get pics for you so you can choose what you want. Shipping to Australia is on me (if it's not completely insane). 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Noddy, I think you owe it to the peanut gallery to include at least a decorative anchor on the bike to show your pride in completely derailing the whole forum into frothing splinter groups.
Noddy, how can we help your unholy homunculus come to life?

Thanks mate, don’t suppose you’ve got a decorative anchor laying about I can use?

Do I? Well, not exactly. But what I DO have is a brother who works at a salvage yard in Berkeley. So: WILL I? Oh, you bet your sweet left testicle I will! 

I'll track a few down and get pics for you so you can choose what you want. Shipping to Australia is on me (if it's not completely insane). 

How messed am I?  I actually Googled "decorative anchor" and got all kinds of results.  Most of them are wooden.  I think if noddy actually was going for an anchor, he could cut one out himself, but I think I am confusing nautical with noddy-cal or even steampunk!   

Noddy,
With the limitations of moving, you may still want to remove the frame splice and take an impact driver to remove the valve cover, to begin to see the condition of the motor.  Heck, you could take down the entire top end of the motor now, to find out what needs replacing and get an engine parts list together.  Just saying!

[Noddy78]

I'll track a few down and get pics for you so you can choose what you want. Shipping to Australia is on me (if it's not completely insane). 

Heh, thanks mate, I was only kidding about the anchor though, tempted as I was... If your brother does come across a brass fire extinguisher or anything in the carbide/acetylene lamp category please do take some pics and let me know though!

With the limitations of moving, you may still want to remove the frame splice and take an impact driver to remove the valve cover, to begin to see the condition of the motor.  Heck, you could take down the entire top end of the motor now, to find out what needs replacing and get an engine parts list together.  Just saying!

That's not a bad idea at all mate, I might just do that. Cheers!

[DustyRags]

I'll track a few down and get pics for you so you can choose what you want. Shipping to Australia is on me (if it's not completely insane). 

Heh, thanks mate, I was only kidding about the anchor though, tempted as I was... If your brother does come across a brass fire extinguisher or anything in the carbide/acetylene lamp category please do take some pics and let me know though!

Nope, sorry, anchor it is. The wheels have begun turning. 

Although if you want, I can go root about a bit and see if I can find anything that'll shine up nicely.

[vfourfreak]

With the limitations of moving, you may still want to remove the frame splice and take an impact driver to remove the valve cover, to begin to see the condition of the motor.  Heck, you could take down the entire top end of the motor now, to find out what needs replacing and get an engine parts list together.  Just saying!

That's not a bad idea at all mate, I might just do that. Cheers!
[/quote]

That's a start, or even let us know if the motor turns over on the kickstart. Also if you can, move the bike back and forth while shifting up and down the gears so we get an idea if all is free inside. Have you drained the oil or was that photo just signs of a leak ?

Kev

[Noddy78]

Yep, engine turns over ok, gears also seem ok. I've drained what was left of the old oil too (the leaks are... prolific). Oil looks ok too. I'm hoping there actually won't be too much untoward in there. When I get a sec I'll pull the top off and see what's what.

[calj737]

Noddy - if no one has recommended it yet, purchase Hondaman's book. It will be invaluable in assisting you with the rebuild on your engine. A well, Branden's "Leak-Free Top End" thread is filled with really good advice.

[Noddy78]

Awesome, thanks mate, that's exactly the kind of info I was after. Bookmarked that thread for later, and will check out Hondaman's book.

[dave500]

you might also want to learn to solder?its easily done with either an iron or small gas torch,you can then join copper/brass/tin and lead together.

[Noddy78]

Yep, definitely planning to do that too, thanks Dave.

[Hon3ybadger]

Yes I can agree on the soldering skills. After I stripped the paint off my tank I had pin hole leaks along the bottom left seam. Metal repair solder and a propane torch mend all kinds of good stuff.

[Syscrush]

Yes I can agree on the soldering skills. After I stripped the paint off my tank I had pin hole leaks along the bottom left seam. Metal repair solder and a propane torch mend all kinds of good stuff.

This is probably understood, but putting a torch to a tank that has contained gasoline has the potential to be extremely dangerous.  Do some research online about proper ways to clean & purge a tank, even if you're just going to solder it.

[Hon3ybadger]

Well yes, I left that part out because I assumed If you know how a torch works and what a gas tank holds you'd be smart enough to be careful.

[70CB750]

Here you go, steampunk corkscrew for inspiration:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/wSuH9u0kvhU?rel=0

[bwaller]

If you solder a tank use an iron. I have several (non electric) antiques with different sized tips. They work better than using a torch and keeps an open frame away from blowing the tank across the shop! 

[tortelvis]

Yeah, customising motorcycles is just fad, it'll never catch on... Though I get where you're both coming from, and I actually agree for the most part, but I ended up getting this particular bike because it had already been pretty messed with, it's in no way original condition. If it had most of the original parts and I felt it would make a good restorer for someone, I would have passed on it and let it go to whoever is that way inclined (though there's be no guarantee of that). I appreciate a good restoration as much as the next guy, but for me, restoring something so it's just like the mass-manufacturer intended is just not appealing to me. They were made for the masses, restoring it as such seems somewhat... nostalgic at best. Which is fine for those who like that (which is probably a lot more folks than not), but it just isn't me.

I'm a designer by profession, I like being creative, I like taking something old and making it new, rather than just rehashing what's been done. As far as 'value' goes, I'm not interesting in making money, I'm not interested in what it's worth in dollar terms, I'm not interested in having the same bike exactly as it came out of the factory, and it did come out of a factory, 40+ years ago. I'm interested in what it's worth to me. It can teach me new skills, it can be a source of pride for doing something, and riding something, I made and enjoy. Something interesting, unique and hand-made. That's worth far more than the 'dollar' value to me.

I may have joined the wrong board for this kind of thing, but it seemed to me like there was wealth of knowledge about these bikes here and I could learn a thing or two. Which is the whole point of this exercise.

I realise it ain't everyone's cup of tea, but that's ok, as long as it's mine, that'll do me fine. It's those delightful differences that make the world go 'round, eh? And just think, I'm probably adding more value to your restorations... so I'm actually doing you a favour!

Cheers,
Andrew

Spot on. I may not personally love every bike I see but two wheels is two wheels. Had a mate that got on my case for talking old Brit bikes with a Triumph rider at a local hangout one Sunday afternoon. He was of the "if ain't hard-tailed, fingerless gloves, etc., it ain't a proper bike" brigade. I stopped hanging out with him after that. I agree it would be a shame to chop up a nice original but as you say, that's not the case here, so go for it!

[Hon3ybadger]

Here you go, steampunk corkscrew for inspiration:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/wSuH9u0kvhU?rel=0

I counted 125 rotations on the hand crank. That's too much work for a glass of wine. Yet again form over function.

It would be totally automatic if it was designed by a drunk.

[Stev-o]

Did the Steampunk craze die off already?

[dave500]

of course not,steam punk was invented by Robert Stephenson before cafes had been invented yet,man was still yet to discover he could balance on two wheels,punks were still only sperm cells at this point aswell,it wasn't untill the café racer set had kids who didn't want to belong to the old fashioned scene and quadrophenia was just a distant square memory before the way back machine came into play,thus the steam punk theme,how can any populace flooded with the most advanced technology desire to rebel?thats easy,just go backwards!thus steam punk,#$%* us oldies threw away like steam irons and valve radios get a second life on quite modern equipment like Japanese motorcycles,why hasn't this sort of thing taken hold with the hot rod set?im sure theres a whole unexploited world of sales out there?

[Stev-o]

Robert Stevenson?  Isn't he an American baseball player?!

[dave500]

your thinking of steam ball?a game played by two teams trying to take the steam out of each other?