Topic: New Project-Maybe-Hope So-Fingers Crossed-To be Continued Hopefully

[Mark K]

Good looking chopper! Good luck with your project. I started on a '73 CB750 rebuild a few weeks (month?) ago, slow going, but have received great help here. I'm more or less new to the teardown and rebuild stuff.

[britman]

Starting to get piles here and there and the carbs are lined up ready for surgery.  The carb boots are shot, hard as bricks, I thought I would have use a come along to get the carbs off.  I have ordered a new set but with the Holiday shipping I may see them in early spring.  I will probably have use the wet towel/micro wave trick on the boots to get the carbs back on enough to test fire the motor. The oil drained for two days and I kicked the motor over several times to try and get as much old oil out as possible on a completely cold motor that has been sitting for years.  What came out was black and dirty but no debris or shiny bits.  Fresh Dino 10W/40 back in and again kicked over to prime as much as possible.  Pulled all of the old plugs and they looked good, no oil fouling, good color, with stock jetting. Ran a compression test with my "Horrible Freight" cheapo gauge which I trust about as much as an X-Wife. Came up with 125 to 130 on all four cylinders, nothing to write home about but again the motor has not ran in years and at least the amounts were fairly equal across the board.  I also picked up the extra exhaust system in the pictures, chrome is really good, decent looking mufflers, complete to include the head inserts, and it really was priced within reason on Ebay.  Off now to put on the really high number drug store reading glasses and start on the carbs.....

   

[britman]

Points cleaned and set, timing dialed in, valves adjusted, with the bike on the lift yesterday.  Carbs are done, just need some carb boots to do the first test fire and they are still in New Jersey in the Christmas mail pile.  May be a while since I am not even going to try and temporally get the fossilized old boots back to usable condition.  Of course the plug wires are almost as bad and very brittle but the coils still test fine so I am going to experiment with a couple of NGK splice kits and some new plug wire.  I will probably end up replacing the coils in the long run, but this may work for the time being. Now I am off this morning to do some last minute Christmas Shopping for the Wife, please kill me now.......

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ngk-8083?seid=srese2&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brands+|+N&utm_term=4581596235365104&utm_content=GSAPI+5ba26b5257e40

[Stev-o]

If coils test good [they rarely fail] I would just install new plug caps and trim the wire 1/4" if you can spare it.

Good luck shopping, my wife's gift was delivered yesterday by Amazon!

[britman]

If coils test good [they rarely fail] I would just install new plug caps and trim the wire 1/4" if you can spare it.

Good luck shopping, my wife's gift was delivered yesterday by Amazon!

That is the issue, they have been trimmed up several times in the past apparently.  Doesn't really matter, carb boots are still in New Jersey and will probably be there until well after the Holiday so test firing will have to way until Santa comes.  Shopping is all done, coached the Grand-daughter into wrapping everything for me, so I am going to lay up for the next couple of days and enjoy the Season by eating way too much and topping everything off with homemade Christmas cookies.


MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

[britman]

The turn signals now flash like a champ, thanks to a new two prong 6 buck flasher from AutoZone. Replaced the horn with one that scares the hell out of the garage cat but still looks close to OEM.  Still no carb boots, they have been sitting in a Post Office in New Jersey since the 18th of December with no signs of movement. They were scheduled for delivery on the 22nd after being shipped on the 15th.  I understand Covid and the Holiday rush season, but in my humble opinion the current USPS is certainly not the organization it used to be.........

[britman]

Well I am happy.  I finally got some carb boots in the mail today and found the old clamps were too far gone to really tighten down on the new rubber.  After finding enough extra band clamps to make everything fairly air tight, I hooked up my auxiliary gas tank to some fuel line and hit the starter.  Fired up immediately, after initially blowing out some rust, mouse droppings and nesting material, the old motor ran darn good.  No knocks, pings, or smoke, and settled down to a good smooth idle. Looking it the headlight, the eclectics seem to be throwing a charge also.  The motor sounds good and strong, so now it is time to make the old girl ready for her prom date.  Going to make a final parts list tomorrow and place the order in the New Year.  I truly enjoy hearing one start up after sitting for so many years, makes a real good end to a perfect day, those have been real rare in this lovely year of 2020......

[Stev-o]

Yes, the first start up is good when all goes well, congrats.

BTW - the tank doesn't look quite right in the pic above, it's not mounted yet, right?!!

[britman]

Yes, the first start up is good when all goes well, congrats.

BTW - the tank doesn't look quite right in the pic above, it's not mounted yet, right?!!

Depends on which direction you are heading.......

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.....

[BenelliSEI]

Congrats on the “start up”. Nothing better! Happy New Year.

[britman]

Detailing a motor in frame is a real PITA but I am happy with the final results.  Tires and tubes are arriving today, but with Covid 19 shipping back logs a lot of items needed before that are still handing in limbo.  I will polish the cases a little more while waiting.....

[britman]

Spent most of this afternoon removing the Kreem coating from the gas tank.  Anybody who uses that crap should be made to wear a flea collar and sleep with coyotes.  My shoulders are on fire from shaking the dry wall screws and acetone but it cleaned up decent and there is little to no rust.  I am going to coat with Caswell anyway since I have the kit already.....

I also pulled the tach, speedo, and headlight bucket to prep for paint, really good day with no major issues....

[MauiK3]

Will you be painting the frame?

[britman]

Will you be painting the frame?

Yes, with the motor still installed.  Have re-upped on my masking tape and newspaper.  Black acrylic lacquer, covers well, cures almost immediately, but surfaces have to be squeaky clean.....

[britman]

Have a correctly sealed gas tank now using the Caswell product, I find it far superior to POR15, Red Kote, or anything else on the market.  Parts are still limbo so I spent some time touching up the clocks, badges, and shot the bucket. A couple of the bulb holders in the gauges had to be built up with heat shrink for a good tight fit, but there is light now......

[britman]

Front seals, new handlebars, gators, new air box inserts, and assorted other little goodies arrived today from 4 into 1.  I believe the front end with be next with the seals, tire, bars and cleaning.  Of course I have to move everything around in the garage to get the bike tied off to the wall hooks and jacked up, I wish the garage was bigger but I am truly thankful I do have a warm but damn crowded place to spin wrenches this time of year.  In reference to the tins, I have decided to maintain the 70's paint scheme.  I touched up the tanks and side covers today and will shoot a 2k clear to maintain the what is left of the paint. To me the bike is a survivor and I am going to try and maintain as much of the original patina as possible.   

[britman]

Nice to see factory yellow paint on the bolts, I would say the seals are originals.  I sure hope they didn't use that fish oil in the fork tubes back in 74......

[britman]

Entering into the phrase where the hands get really dirty.  I have never had a vintage Honda project yet where the fork tubes came out easily.  Looks like I might need headstock bearings, seems to be a flat spot in the straight ahead position.  I will know more when I check my balls tomorrow.  Anybody got the exact count for top and bottom since there are supposed to be 37 I believe.  If they are shot I will probably go the tapered bearing route, but I am really starting to blow the budget pretty badly....

[Stev-o]

I never got the exact count of the ball bearings as they always end up on the floor!

[britman]

I never got the exact count of the ball bearings as they always end up on the floor!

Hang a five gallon bucket over the stem before breaking it loose.  Prevents most escapees.  I have have the top and bottom count written down somewhere, just need to locate it.  18 top 19 bottom sounds about right.....

[Mark K]

Britman is correct. Here's a picture from the service manual.

[britman]

Thank you kind sir.....

[britman]

Balls are all back home and happy.  Races and balls looked good, but were dry as most of the old grease had long since dissipated past recognition.  Cleaned everything in solvent, repacked, and preliminary adjustment shows great movement with no drag.  I find the best way to re-install is carefully pack the bottom 19 in the bottom fork stem with a lot of grease, insert very carefully and have a zip tie standing by to hold it in place while you do the top set.  I also found I will have to patch both fork ears since there is slight rust through near the reflectors.  After rust proofing I generally use a patch out of thin aluminum secured with rivets and my old my old trustworthy friend, JB Well.  Since everything was out of the way I used this opportunity to lay some paint on the front of the frame and shoot the top triple tree clamp. Next, seals, damn I hope they decide to come out easily....

[Shtonecb500]

There ain't nothing better than a naked 750 motor. That looks lovely.

[britman]

There ain't nothing better than a naked 750 motor. That looks lovely.

I don't know, I believe a naked Jennifer Aniston could rank right up there also. 

Well I am done for the weekend, it will well into next week before I get back to the project.  I was really hoping to have it down off of blocks and at least back to a roller so I could have some garage wiggle room, but it was not meant to be.  I have got the fork seals done, no leaks and good rebound.  I also got the front tire mounted on a freshly cleaned front wheel and rotor plus gave the front fender a little shine.  Dennis Kirk had K70's on sale so I went with period correct and stock size.  Headlight ears are patched and polished, so just need some more free time. I did manage to get an appointment with DMV yesterday and applied for a Virginia title.  I am heading into the house to re-introduce myself to the Wife and cats, I was in the garage at 5am this morning so I better get back to some "Honey Do's".  I really do not see how you guys that are not fully retired find time to get anything done, just saying.....