Author Topic: CB350/400F “black bomber” (Read 2123 times)

rupaulpierce · « **on:** August 14, 2019, 10:07:51 AM »

A belated project thread for my CB350F as it’s finally rounding into shape.

Here’s how I got it from the PO:

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:10:20 AM »

The stock bars were bent, and well, the stock bars... swapped them out for the oem 400 low bars.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:15:58 AM »

Really started leaking oil from the head. Rather than rebuild, I picked up a cb400F engine and had it swapped in with a MAC exhaust. Didn’t realize how much I was missing those 50cc’s!

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:24:24 AM »

Modern reg/rec and Charlie’s ignition on, endearingly #$%*ty PO paint job tank off for strip/repaint. Spare tank doesn’t look pretty but it doesn’t leak.

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jakec · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:30:55 AM »

I'm currently working on a 400 for a friend and I think he likes the look of a black engine. Care to give a quick run down of how you did it and what paint you used? Yours looks good, it looks like you painted it fully assembled? If you do that, won't certain parts have less adhesion? Like the rocker shafts which are chromed on the end, for example. And if you take screws out later are you worried about paint tearout?

rupaulpierce · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:33:51 AM »

Had trouble getting the Charlie’s unit to work with the stock coils. It came with 3ohm dyna mini coils from a parts bike, but i didn’t use them right away because a.) they don’t mount the same way, and b.) Hondaman.

I 3D printed some mounts at the local university library, installed the mini coils, and now it all works great.

Charlie the man claims that the 3ohm coils won’t cause excessive battery drain due to the dwell function of his ignition unit. So far so good, but I’m still concerned about burning out the switches.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #6 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:44:21 AM »

Quote from: jakec on August 14, 2019, 10:30:55 AM

I'm currently working on a 400 for a friend and I think he likes the look of a black engine. Care to give a quick run down of how you did it and what paint you used? Yours looks good, it looks like you painted it fully assembled? If you do that, won't certain parts have less adhesion? Like the rocker shafts which are chromed on the end, for example. And if you take screws out later are you worried about paint tearout?

Sure, I taped off the orifices and scrubbed the living #$%* out of it. Lots of simple green to degrease. Against better advice I even took it to the car wash a few times and power washed it “carefully”. Went over as much of it as I could with brass brushes, by hand and drill mounted to knock any crap off and prep the surface. I actually took it to a shop for painting because I don’t have an dry/indoor/heated space to paint during the winter. Paid the guy to bomb it fully assembled with plastikote satin black.

I am worried about paint tear out, but a few shop guys told me not to sweat it and to expect touch ups. It’s been two years now I think and I‘m starting to notice some dings that need to be touched up.

Disassembling and painting/powdering is obviously a better route. The advantage of doing it this way is that it’s quick and easy.

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jakec · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:49:47 AM »

It does look good. We already have his down for a head gasket but not out of the frame, so I was considering how much work would it take. It's always the prep

rupaulpierce · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:56:41 AM »

Repainted badges and side covers. Picked up some used progressive shocks... huge improvement.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2019, 10:59:40 AM »

Quote from: jakec on August 14, 2019, 10:49:47 AM

It does look good. We already have his down for a head gasket but not out of the frame, so I was considering how much work would it take. It's always the prep

To be clear, the engine was painted fully assembled but out of the frame. I did the prep, had it painted, and then installed the painted motor in the frame. I believe the plastikote needs to bake to cure, so I obviously didn’t follow the instructions.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2019, 11:27:16 AM »

Meanwhile, I was hoarding parts for a front end rebuild. The whole bike is ratty but I have to look at the dash.

My fork tubes were rusty, idiot lights working intermittently due to corroded bulb sockets, and the screws on the gauge faces unthreaded so the dials spin mercilessly.

I picked up and rebuilt cb400f fork tubes, ttr400 preload adjusters, cb77 bucket and speedo/tach, and the caliper kit from 4into1, etc. Modified the bucket for LED dash lights. Slowly prepped everything and had it powder coated.

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jakec · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2019, 11:42:58 AM »

I used the same guy for disc surfacing. looks so cool. Haven't had the chance to use it yet. The headlight looks awesome.

rupaulpierce · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2019, 11:57:52 AM »

Truedisk? Pricier than I expected but great work and very nice guy.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #13 on:** August 14, 2019, 12:00:38 PM »

Finally putting it all together...

Stainless lines from 4into1, 1/2” MC from a Yamaha ATV, YFZ450.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #14 on:** August 14, 2019, 12:06:18 PM »

I had to scavenge some diodes and make a Y harness to get the turn signal indicator to light in both directions.

I also needed a shorter tach cable than the stock Cb400f. I used a shorter one (21 3/8”)from a VT500C, it’s just barely long enough, could probably use another .5-1”.

With the LED heat sink and ballast, the bucket is really packed full, can’t fit anything else in there. It’s even pushing the speedotach up.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #15 on:** August 14, 2019, 05:15:29 PM »

New butt who dis?

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2019, 07:39:24 AM »

As it stands now... next big hurdle is getting the small dents out of the other tank before I have it painted.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #17 on:** August 17, 2019, 07:09:59 AM »

What do you all think about moto guzzi? There’s a nice California II near me that seems priced competitively at $3,000.

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #18 on:** August 21, 2019, 03:06:00 PM »

One less noise to bug me...

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jakec · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2019, 03:28:43 PM »

where are you located? I saw a guzzi on facebook marketplace nearby last week asking $3,000. it only stood out to me because I read your post about one first. I'm in Seattle.

rupaulpierce · « **Reply #20 on:** August 21, 2019, 04:44:13 PM »

This one: https://westernmass.craigslist.org/mcy/d/becket-1971-moto-guzzi-ambassador/6953832758.html

Also either the price went up or somehow shrunk in my brain

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rupaulpierce · « **Reply #21 on:** September 10, 2019, 06:01:37 AM »

Texavina Saddle! Very nice, but one of the nuts was crossthreaded onto a mounting bolt for the hinge.

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Author Topic: CB350/400F “black bomber” (Read 2123 times)