Author Topic: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY  (Read 2484 times)

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Offline shawn57nomad

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This has been a great experience so far and is my first motorcycle.  I would like to thank all the members here for sharing their vast knowledge and being so gratuitous with parts for this budget minded guy.  Ha!  4 kids and my lovely soon to be wife make this all possible behind the scenes.  It begins as a neglected and non running motorcycle with 37,XXX miles on the odometer and in definite need of some love and missing parts!  Ha!  It runs and rides now and will post pictures as is now and will follow up over the next few weeks with the build process and more photos.  Thanks to all! 
« Last Edit: October 02, 2015, 10:08:30 AM by shawn57nomad »

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2015, 08:36:21 AM »
The above picture was then as it sat the day she helped me unloaded it. (my mistake)  Coolest thing was that she picked it up and brought it home and it was a family secret long before it came home!  Sneaky devils!

Offline flatlander

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2015, 08:40:19 AM »
looks like you have the same model year and colour as me. look forward to more pictures.
the integrated ale dispenser is a great idea!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2015, 08:41:47 AM »
Lots of missing, bent, broken and non functioning parts to say the least.  The saddest thing for me was that the factory muffler was all hacked up with a grinder from the PO who had las registered the bike in 1994.  The varnish in the carbs and crappy liner job in the tank tell a small portion of this story along with it being laid down hard on both sides in it's previous lives of ownership.  It's much better now!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2015, 08:45:18 AM »
That 10lb tank is at the back of the garage for the time being as it's in terrible shape, horrific in fact!  Ha, but I'm a patient man!  The current tank is a correct F tank I believe from another bike from which I purchased a lot of parts from in one visit, not knowing the guy had sold a café 550 I looked at the previous year and I took the whole lot home.  Sans $400!  I was only after the tank!   ;D

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2015, 08:46:07 AM »
Yes the occasional Ale is a helping hand or is it for the hand that helps!?? 

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2015, 08:53:02 AM »
The good news is that you are in Nebraska, so you will have a good winter build season to get it back in shape. 

Download a copy of the factory service manual -- http://manuals.sohc4.net/cb550/

Perform a 3,000 mile service on the bike to get the bike back into running condition.  You will also need to ultrasound clean the carburetors and more likely than not rebuild and synch them.  The tank should be flushed, cleaned and de-rusted.

Your brakes will need to be serviced and possibly rebuilt.  Replace your bearings (wheels, headstock) and swingarm bushings (with bronze bushings).  Go through the electrical system and test it with a multi-meter for shorts/breaks. 
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2015, 08:56:51 AM »
Cleaning first and disassembly and rebuild of all but the engine in the last 6 months or so in my apartment garage and stove top.  My fiancé is the best!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2015, 09:13:31 AM »
Yes, ah, dreaded and delightful winter indeed!  Ha!  I do have manuals- downloaded and Clymer.  Great info.  I did clean carbs but had to source a new set.  Got a new to me set and rebuilt them myself from harisuluv, great guy!  Service done and all left to do is arrange swing arm rebuild with Hondaman and front wheel bearings, but have parts on shelf. ;)  Carbs were bench synchronized and balanced 4 weeks ago with a life long Brother from my service days in a 20 hour bender after a full day of work for both of us then back to work again after all settled in.  Too fun and tiring too boot!  New tank was clean as a whistle and a K tank I received in the deal is being modified at a buddies house, but done in due time. Pictures coming...  Caliper rebuilt, master cylinder rebuilt, Dual disc conversion in the works (thanks CalJ...I think that's right), new chain and sprockets, NOS indicator cockpit, replaces non functioning guages, all cables, rear bearings, head bearings, rebuilt forks in that 20hr bender, new rubber and such, all electrical cleaned and greased...long list and more to do.  Oh, new seat recover from my little brother who's the Dyno guy at Okoboji Classic Cars in Iowa.  He had a super good job done with just two pictures to go off of and it was a gift as well!  Love him!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2015, 09:17:07 AM »
more photographic history...

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2015, 09:22:45 AM »
more filth!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2015, 09:30:35 AM »
Poor tank!  Rust outside and pin holes everywhere!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #12 on: October 02, 2015, 09:35:45 AM »
We'll be getting to the good stuff soon that tested some of my patience.  Heeheehee.

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #13 on: October 02, 2015, 09:41:10 AM »
This project isn't finished quite yet because I am not completely sure where it'll end up, but I do know that it will come apart again once it is all sorted out for spit and polish.  Excited for that!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2015, 09:48:32 AM »
I'll continue with the pictures and fill in the processes and struggles after.

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2015, 09:55:55 AM »
Notice that some proprietary parts have somehow grown legs probably long before it reached my clinic to bring it back to good health, Hahahahaha!  Please feel free to comment and suggest as I hop along.  Yay, unobtanium petcock!!!  Good thing the newish tank had a good one that functions properly.  Whew!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #16 on: October 02, 2015, 10:00:36 AM »
Let's see, where did I put that?  Hmmm, oh there it is.

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé.
« Reply #17 on: October 02, 2015, 10:07:32 AM »
Ah debotchery and Chen Shin to match!

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #18 on: October 02, 2015, 10:44:07 AM »
More old and dirty!  "Will it ever end?" I thought, "Mmm YES".  Any thoughts on the Rectifier pictured?  Add in the bad #3 & #4 main jet towers, but harisuluv set me up with a very nice rack of replacement 069A's!  Thanks James!   I unsoldered and moved Main fuse to spare location for now to keep the bike moving along until I purchase an ATO style fuse holder.  James even sent new top cover and bowl screws along with a shiny throttle spring!  I'll spare everyone the Carburetor carnage an jump to the harisuluv set cleaning and reassembly.

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #19 on: October 02, 2015, 10:45:31 AM »
New carb rack!

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #20 on: October 02, 2015, 01:49:20 PM »
Get yourself a solid-state reg/rect.
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline Stev-o

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2015, 02:26:42 PM »
Looks good!?  You have the old carb rack?  Looking for carb parts as I also have a '76 550F.
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #22 on: October 02, 2015, 05:12:18 PM »
CB750 Café RACER Fan-  Can you recommend a Reg/Rec?
Steve-O- What parts are you looking for?  Saw a while back you were looking for a grab bar, still looking cause I have one?  The ears for signals may need straightened though.  I can send pictures if you like?

Offline Stev-o

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #23 on: October 02, 2015, 07:14:45 PM »
CB750 Café RACER Fan-  Can you recommend a Reg/Rec?
Steve-O- What parts are you looking for?  Saw a while back you were looking for a grab bar, still looking cause I have one?  The ears for signals may need straightened though.  I can send pictures if you like?

Found a grab bar but looking for OEM brass carb parts. Was your original carb rack salvageable?
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline shawn57nomad

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Re: 76 CB550F. A "project" gift 2 years ago from my fiancé. PICTURE HEAVY
« Reply #24 on: October 02, 2015, 11:15:17 PM »
Stev-O What are you needing brass wise?  I'll see what I have.