Topic: '78 CB750K Cafe Build - Money Pit!

[Trad]

I would just leave it as is. No finish to chip or anything. I doubt the vapour blasted finish is anything but ideal for powder coat adhesion. Looks killer regardless.

[iron_worker]

The finish will oxidize back to a dull grey if you don't protect it with something or polish it regularly.

IW

[callmejarob]

So many conflicting thoughts on the finish!  Dan, the vapor blaster, said most people just leave it as is, in fact only one of his customers has clear coated it.  He claims that the vapor blasting seals the surface of the aluminum and protects it from the elements.

I dont want to tape it off again!

[Restoration Fan]

So many conflicting thoughts on the finish!  Dan, the vapor blaster, said most people just leave it as is, in fact only one of his customers has clear coated it.  He claims that the vapor blasting seals the surface of the aluminum and protects it from the elements.

I dont want to tape it off again!

Personally, I think Dan might be full of manure with the part about the vapor blasting sealing the surface.  I'm almost positive that if you do nothing, it's going to oxidize slightly to a different color over time.  I'm no chemist but aluminum itself is not going to be weatherproof without some type of sealant.

Do with it what you want because it's your bike, but if it were me, I'd take it and have it powder coated with a clear coat.

[callmejarob]

So many conflicting thoughts on the finish!  Dan, the vapor blaster, said most people just leave it as is, in fact only one of his customers has clear coated it.  He claims that the vapor blasting seals the surface of the aluminum and protects it from the elements.

I dont want to tape it off again!

Personally, I think Dan might be full of manure with the part about the vapor blasting sealing the surface.  I'm almost positive that if you do nothing, it's going to oxidize slightly to a different color over time.  I'm no chemist but aluminum itself is not going to be weatherproof without some type of sealant.

Do with it what you want because it's your bike, but if it were me, I'd take it and have it powder coated with a clear coat.

Welp, might as well!  I don't want to regret not doing it!  I have to wait a few weeks anyways to have my hardware zinc plated.

[callmejarob]

What should an engine clear powdercoating cost?  And should I leave it disassembled or reassemble it for the clearcoat?

Ive got some custom made velocity stacks (I know...) in the mail and once I receive those I'm sending them along with a few other odd ends to get copper plated.  It wont be to everyones taste but I'm sure excited about the design of this bike!  As long as I keep it fully functional too right?! 

[callmejarob]

Oh and one more question.  Im going to be running the engine pieces through the dishwasher to help ensure I got all of the beads out of it (ill hand clean the galleys and threads still too) and was told to use a rust inhibitor too.  Thought on a rust inhibitor?  Pass on this?  Brands?

[callmejarob]

So I ran half of the parts thru the dishwasher this morning, as a precaution I ran the dishwasher on the pots and pans cycle twice before hand to make sure it was clean with no residual soaps.

WELP!  The dishwasher totally FUKED up my parts.  Even with the pre rinses the must have been some residual chemicals that reacted with the aluminum and totally ruined my finish.  Not sure what to do now, I guess send them back to get blasted again...  I tried to polish with a scotch brite pad but that didn't do crap, besides its between the fins and everywhere....

[Restoration Fan]

Ouch!  I didn't run mine through the dishwasher so I have no idea here.  If you don't want the time, expense and trouble of sending them back out to be vaporblasted, you could always prime and paint. 

[callmejarob]

Yea such a crappy position...  I have about two weeks before I can do anything with the motor anyways because the hardware is being sent off to get zinc plated so time isn't really a concern.  Just the idea another $100-200 to have them blasted again really pisses me off.

[Restoration Fan]

Try taking some denatured alcohol and spraying it on a rag.  Then wipe down a small area HARD with the denatured alcohol.  If that doesn't put the finish back, try doing the same thing with mineral spirits.  It may be possible to get the finish back to the state it was before.

Either that, or if you know someone with a soda blasting kit, try soda blasting them yourself.  It's much cheaper and will produce pretty close to the same finish.  I would think it might even put the finish back like it was after your vapor blasting.

[callmejarob]

I actually have a pretty decent soda blaster and did that prior to vapor blasting but opted for the vapor because soda leaves such a boring dull finish.  Maybe ill try it.

[callmejarob]

Yea Im open to any suggestions!  Because one of the pieces this happened to was the jugs it will be hard for me to sand/polish between the fins to remove all of the aluminum oxide and other tarnish.

Here is a picture of the valve cover.  I can polish off the white aluminum oxide but the finish of the aluminum remains tarnished and dull.




Definitely NOTHING like it was before...:




If nothing else, I'm hoping vapor blasting will return it back to its former vapor blasted glory.  I emailed Dan who performed the blasting service for advice.

[callmejarob]

Oh well..

I spoke with Dan and he said he would vapor blast the parts again for me for free.  Now thats GREAT service, he truly has been great to work with and I can not recommend him enough!

Lower crankcase, valves, and cover are already packed up ready to be shipped to New Mexico again! 

[Restoration Fan]

Oh well..

I spoke with Dan and he said he would vapor blast the parts again for me for free.  Now thats GREAT service, he truly has been great to work with and I can not recommend him enough!

Lower crankcase, valves, and cover are already packed up ready to be shipped to New Mexico again!

jarob,
If you don't mind me asking, how much does it cost to ship the cases?  I'm just curious because it cost me $78 to ship my rear hub and rim (plus spokes) from Atlanta to Azusa, California to send it back to Buchanan's.  That was 22 pounds and I know for a fact the two case halves alone are more than that from having taken those things apart and put them back together 4 times. 

[callmejarob]

It costs a lot!  Between the cases, jugs, valves, cover, and carburetors it weighed just over 100lbs and took two large boxes.  About $66 each way for all of it. 

This time I am only sending one box with half the case and the valves, it should only be around $30 each way. 

I'm saving money on the vapor blasting though as Dan at Vapor Blasting Solutions charges only a fraction of what his competition charges.  It only cost me $200 to vapor blast the entire engine, ultrasonic clean and vapor blast the carbs, and rebuild the carbs with all new gaskets and jets I provided.  To me thats a steal!

[Restoration Fan]

No doubt.  It definitely creates a beautiful look to the cases.  Despite what you were told though, I'm pretty certain that if you leave the cases with just the vapor blasted finish (ie no clear coating, etc) then you're going to see those cases turn to a different finish over a period of time.

The work and effort you're putting into this bike is phenomenal though.  I'm looking forward to seeing the final product when it's done.  Should be a beaut!

[callmejarob]

Thanks!

And yea with the amount of work and time going into this it would be foolish not to take the extra step and have it clear coated.  I'm already looking into several places around the Dallas area.

I'm very excited to see this come together, if it even meets half of my expectations it will be pretty amazing.  I'm really making sure everything I am doing makes for a practical riding bike too as so many of the cafes are not even good for riding hard.

[callmejarob]

Dan sent me a picture of the "re blasted" valves and they look back to new, thank goodness!




I am moving to a temporary apartment today so I had to move my motorcycle mess out of the garage and into a storage unit while we look for a house to buy.  I decided to make the most of it and picked up a sweet workbench off craigslist for $20 and some shelving.  Its across the street from the apartment and they are ok with me working on my bike in there, so this should work out nicely!















Engine rebuild should commence within a week!  Also trying to get my frame de-tabbed so I can get that painted.  I need to start ordering some more parts now which gets expensive!  Thank goodness for my large tax return, this motogadget stuff adds up!

[Restoration Fan]

Yep.  It all adds up very quickly! 

Good luck on the engine rebuild.  Just remember to have a printed out copy of the 78 manual there with you and probably some good lighting for the interior of the unit.  Take your time, take it slow and, if you come across something where you have a question, don't hesitate to stop & ask a question in here.  It's easier to wait on an answer than to redo something two, or three, or four...or even five times! 

[callmejarob]

Got my engine back and its beautiful!  I've been on a bit of a break with this weather and parts in limbo but I should get my bolts back from zinc plating today or tomorrow and will resume the engine build this weekend! 

I had custom velocity stack made which should arrive this weekend and then be sent off for copper plating.  Also hoping to detab the frame this weekend now that I got my frame hoop in the mail.

I've also been toying with the idea of buying another bike.  I found a beautiful CB200t which would be fun to putt around on or a CB550 locally that runs but could use a freshening.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Got my engine back and its beautiful!  I've been on a bit of a break with this weather and parts in limbo but I should get my bolts back from zinc plating today or tomorrow and will resume the engine build this weekend! 

I had custom velocity stack made which should arrive this weekend and then be sent off for copper plating.  Also hoping to detab the frame this weekend now that I got my frame hoop in the mail.

I've also been toying with the idea of buying another bike.  I found a beautiful CB200t which would be fun to putt around on or a CB550 locally that runs but could use a freshening.

Get the 550. You may like its nimbleness so much you slack on this build.

[callmejarob]

Got my engine back and its beautiful!  I've been on a bit of a break with this weather and parts in limbo but I should get my bolts back from zinc plating today or tomorrow and will resume the engine build this weekend! 

I had custom velocity stack made which should arrive this weekend and then be sent off for copper plating.  Also hoping to detab the frame this weekend now that I got my frame hoop in the mail.

I've also been toying with the idea of buying another bike.  I found a beautiful CB200t which would be fun to putt around on or a CB550 locally that runs but could use a freshening.

Get the 550. You may like its nimbleness so much you slack on this build.

I know that might be a problem!  I had a cb360 before this.  I mist admit I miss having a smaller bike, Im a small guy to begin with.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Personally, I think the 550 has great handling and weight.  I've improved mine with a fork brace and Racetech fork internals, too.  The only thing I wish my 550 had was more power, so that's why I've stayed away from 350s etc. 

[callmejarob]

Finally got to work on the bike!  Spent Saturday rebuilding the oil pump with new parts and assembled the transmission with all new bearings.  This might be a stupid question but this is my first time dealing with a transmission; does the middle shift fork "bounce around" slightly when the gears are spinning?  Also it shifts smoothly 90% of the time but does get caught every now and again when shifting with your fingers and the shift drum end, is that ok? 







Carbs are rebuilt and clean!


New stacks from steel Dragon performance