Topic: Best way to get an engine looking brand new...?

[736cc]

I average about 7000 miles a year on my bikes (been riding 32 years now, sheesh), and ride them for all their worth, thoroughly spanking them. I avoid rainy days and puddles like the plague, and swear by S-100. Only owned 1 bike that was too nice to ride, that thing had EVERYTHING new and I cringed at the thought of gassing it up, getting carbon in the pipes, etc. Commuting the loooong way on back roads daily to work on a cherry early CB750 is one of lifes great pleasures; playing w/ the throttle and controlling the exhaust note akin to playing a musical instument. Careful regular mantainance includes detailing of dissassembled parts and occassional upgrades to a nicer original part not only benefits its appearance, but it also increases their value, adds to their safety factor AND its good personal therapy. The concept of a motorcycle constantly improving w/ age rather than deteriorating is a good thing. When its time to go for a ride or sell one of my machines, its always ready to go in its best possible condition.

Of course, the wow factor it gets when its parked at a bike hangout doesn't hurt.

[sparty]

736cc,

Now you must come over and clean the drool off my keyboard.  Damn man, how did you ever part with those bikes?  You get to see them in the calendar when you receive it.

Sparty

[736cc]

The way I look at it, finding, restoring and selling collectable motorcycles is sorta like scoring w/ many different beautiful hot women. Taking a very desirable CB750 apart, holding and massaging the parts, then riding it all the way to redline about the next best thing thing to sex

[BobbyR]

My question is where do you get the exhausts? Since they are such a prominent design feature of the bike, any restoration has to begin or end there.

[KB02]

I had an engine glass bead blasted on a kawasaki that I have. It came out looking great. The surfaces are primed for just about anything: polishing, painting, powder coating (The guy who blasted it really wanted me to get it powder coated). I just put it back in the bike as is. I really don't plan on keeping it for a very long time, but we'll see how things go with it. SO far the onoly isse that I have had with the finish is that any greasy finger that touches it leaves it mark... and it is hard to clean out.

[c_kyle]

KB02,

Can you post a close-up pic of your bead-blasted engine?

[BobbyR]

I would not paint the barrels since I think thet will flake off.

You do know that Honda painted them when first built, yes?

Cheers,

I don't think the barrels of my 78 750K were painted. The question is what did they paint them with.  I work for a Japanese Company and the frames come from Japan with a  paint that will reveal stress cracks. That is great except we can't get the paint here. We can't even bring it into the US. So we use a Dupont product for touch ups and repaints. Can you imagine what they wee using in the 1960's and 1970's. Hell, the spray Gumout today does not work as good as Simple Green on Carb varnish.

[DME]

I (and many others) have painted the barrels and head with the same paint as used on the cases.
I used Motip Engine Paint (http://www.motip.nl/?page=23&id=550) with good results.
The barrel and head does not get hot enough to destroy the paint.

Best is to use a 2 component car paint as it has the best resistance against fuel and chemicals.

Cheers
Daniel

[KB02]

KB02,
Can you post a close-up pic of your bead-blasted engine?

Not sure if I have any digital copies of the pictures (plus I just switched computers, too). I'll look and see what I can find.

[TwoTired]

I would not paint the barrels since I think thet will flake off.

You do know that Honda painted them when first built, yes?

Cheers,

I don't think the barrels of my 78 750K were painted. The question is what did they paint them with. 

Wow, you have a rare example of one that missed Honda's quality control.  Probably more valuable than a sandcast!  Imagine the ebay bidding ceiling!

Bare aluminum casting alloy is not very corrosion resistant.  I don't know what Honda used for certain.  However, given the era, I'd guess it was an oil based enamel.  Seems a bit too early for the more expensive catalyzed paints.  Lacquer had rather poor durability against the elements, particularly the Sun's rays.

Your WAY right about availability of effective products today.  Carb cleaner suffered greatly when they removed the Methyl Chloride.
The modern paint formulations aren't designed for durability or anything other than EPA concerns.  Any practical value they may have had is incidental and mostly replaced with marketing Hype.

Cheers,

[KB02]

Alright, here it goes. Ther first picture is of the engine after I removed it from the bike. Keep in mind that it is painted silver in some rattle can attempt to make it look better (The guy painted OVER the built up greese on places). The second pic is aftre I got it bacck from being blasted.

[Jim F]

check out my little picture on the left............I glass bead the entire motor as I was rebuilding it
need to keep it clean to keep it looking like that but its worth it
Jim

[loonymoon]

The work that the guys do on here is amazing. Here's a thread I started a year or two about the discolouration on the engine of my 350 - I eventually decided to do something about it. There were lots of hints and tips on the thread. Some you'll have heard before. I didn't take the engine out of the bike to tart my engine up, just used  nitro mors to get the old lacquer off, wet and dry paper, autosol and some high temp clear engine lacquer. The thread has some other suggestions as well of pics of some lovely work on some engine casings. .

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=1568.0