Topic: Early UK CB750 K0 restoration - why do one when you can do two [emoji2957]

[JamesH]

Well, now the Police bike if finished and has found a new home, it’s time to start a new thread.

I must be a sucker for punishment so here goes..

Let’s commence the simultaneous restoration of two early UK CB750 K0’s - AYO 63H and AYO 64H.

There’s a bit of a back story to these bikes, but to cut a long story short I purchased them back in 2016 as dismantled ‘basket cases’ and they’ve sat waiting for my attention until now.

The engines were rebuilt by Graham back in 2018 and have sat in dry storage since then.

The PO had powder coated all of the cycle parts and frame but the finish was frankly awful and the prep work obviously much the same.

So I had the PC stripped from everything back in 2019 and everything properly painted in 2 pack semi-gloss.

I’ve been collecting various parts over the past few years and now I’m in a position to move ahead.

[JamesH]

I have the V5 for one of the bikes, but sadly not the other. So once complete I’ll need to go through the torturous process of trying to get the original registration number re-assigned to AYO 63H by the DVLA.

Hopefully the fact that one bike is registered in my name already will help. Plus the VIN numbers are two digits apart and the reg numbers being consecutive mean they were probably sold by the same suppling dealer.

I also have the original number plate from AYO 63H so fingers crossed..

Anyway, photos of the painted frames and original number plates..

[JamesH]

New phosphor bronze swingarm bearings fitted, new Honda ‘collars’ and everything cleaned and freshly greased ready for assembly.

Also fitted new lower shock bushes.

[JamesH]

Fast forward to today and both engines are back in the correct place. Many thanks to Graham for his lovely work on the engines - I was lucky to get in there before he hung up his engine spanner’s. Hopefully I can do his handy work justice.

Center stands fitted with refurbished hardware, new Honda head race bearings fitted to the refurbished triple tress and satin-painted upper yoke.

Note - this has all happened over the past 2/3 weeks in between other stuff; and progress on these will be slower than normal - so I’ll keep updates coming as & when.

[Stev-o]

Hi James....whats better that a K0 project? 2 at the same time!   

What is a V5, similar to a title we have here in the States?

[JamesH]

Hi James....whats better that a K0 project? 2 at the same time!   

What is a V5, similar to a title we have here in the States?

Hey Steve. Yeah, all road-legal vehicles in the UK are issued with a registration document (V5) with an assigned number plate (age related) when new. It’s a national register, not state by state. So that number stays with the bike/car from new until it’s either exported, scrapped or ‘transferred’ if it’s a valuable or attractive plate. In the Uk there’s a big market for ‘personal’ number plates which are unique - so JIM 1 for example (which exists) would probably sell for $100k here in the Uk.

Anyway, hope that kind of explains it..

[MrJackLazarus]

James,  I am so much looking forward to watching this build (or builds) I rather envy your knowledge into the motorcycles and I imagine that this story will help me along on my own pursuits.  While I am just trying to hit the bear minimum with visuals, I am excited to see how they will shape up in their true glory!

[Gurp]

This will be amazing to watch.... Terrible to do.
I commend you on tackling a double project of this magnitude.

Look forward to watching it happen!!!!

Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk

[PeWe]

They will get their original color as when shipped from Japan?

[JamesH]

They will get their original color as when shipped from Japan?

Thanks guys - the plan is to do each bit of work twice and share some kind of ‘economy of scale’ - lol, as-if that’s going to make it more efficient ha ha.

Yes - one bike is blue and one red…

[newday777]

Fast forward to today and both engines are back in the correct place. Many thanks to Graham for his lovely work on the engines - I was lucky to get in there before he hung up his engine spanner’s. Hopefully I can do his handy work justice.

Center stands fitted with refurbished hardware, new Honda head race bearings fitted to the refurbished triple tress and satin-painted upper yoke.

Note - this has all happened over the past 2/3 weeks in between other stuff; and progress on these will be slower than normal - so I’ll keep updates coming as & when.

Wonderful Jim, 2 at a time this go round. They do look brilliant. You must have a good budget available for your restoration projects. Are you a one man operation or multiple people in your shop?

By 2 pack paint on the frame,  do you mean 2K paint? As in 2 part paint? Would you explain that as here across the pond doing a web search as we have different paints here.
Thank you for sharing your experience and progress.

[newday777]

Also, what are the black plugs used in the intakes?
Do you have them for the exhaust also?

[JamesH]

Also, what are the black plugs used in the intakes?
Do you have them for the exhaust also?

Hey Newday - they were supplied by the guy that rebuilt the engine for me. They're just generic (correctly sized to fit) plastic pipe inserts like these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162208913611?hash=item25c46798cb:g:T8EAAOSwZf9h1Xvl&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4PJ0l0neMf8ZJ%2F177m%2FhkGsWSeaMBneDWowxQoOpA%2BLFa4r57EaoJCIunkNR8RhkjmGy7CVw8Ta2SVhe4ABurwJKECWSl3Obg1UoEBDBU58hB%2B6v9hBmjXRU9tciQmESzYTjiM9wDLI7r9vvEksDTQtBNBK2iwZvxh7wr94ULjFAkHPoHtlzn351QiXqf3D%2B9M8WQRIQEjSFzQFHrB7aC%2FPlzVrT66j1uXeY3bDPEU5ao9TX0hN4wNGvCnmo0ZskWVC3NTD%2FZ8SGzxxtPTVHfYB%2B2gRbHpBDL71lh%2FR%2BBl8L%7Ctkp%3ABFBMtPXpiqlg

I'm in the UK - but if you do a google search and measure the hole size you need you should be able to source them in the States..

[JamesH]

Fast forward to today and both engines are back in the correct place. Many thanks to Graham for his lovely work on the engines - I was lucky to get in there before he hung up his engine spanner’s. Hopefully I can do his handy work justice.

Center stands fitted with refurbished hardware, new Honda head race bearings fitted to the refurbished triple tress and satin-painted upper yoke.

Note - this has all happened over the past 2/3 weeks in between other stuff; and progress on these will be slower than normal - so I’ll keep updates coming as & when.

Wonderful Jim, 2 at a time this go round. They do look brilliant. You must have a good budget available for your restoration projects. Are you a one man operation or multiple people in your shop?

By 2 pack paint on the frame,  do you mean 2K paint? As in 2 part paint? Would you explain that as here across the pond doing a web search as we have different paints here.
Thank you for sharing your experience and progress.

Sorry - yeah by 2-pack I mean 2K (the term is used interchangeably here).

To be more specific - it's a 2K acrylic (with a semi-gloss finish).

So the process is frame is blasted, etch primed, then painted with 2K acrylic black (sometimes they call it a 'solid coat'). there's no clear coat over the top as the 2K acrylic is the finished coat.

Hope that makes sense?

[MauiK3]

Fantastic project.
It looks like they are die cast, are they?

[JamesH]

Fantastic project.
It looks like they are die cast, are they?

Yeah - both early diecast bikes

[JamesH]

Small progress steps today.

Managed to fit both swingarms and fitted the shocks to one of the bikes.

Also pickup up some painted parts back from the painter - given the state the Uk spec rear light brackets were in, he’s done a lovely job.

[newday777]

[quote author=JamesH

Wonderful Jim, 2 at a time this go round. They do look brilliant. You must have a good budget available for your restoration projects. Are you a one man operation or multiple people in your shop?

By 2 pack paint on the frame,  do you mean 2K paint? As in 2 part paint? Would you explain that as here across the pond doing a web search as we have different paints here.
Thank you for sharing your experience and progress.
[/quote]

Sorry - yeah by 2-pack I mean 2K (the term is used interchangeably here).

To be more specific - it's a 2K acrylic (with a semi-gloss finish).

So the process is frame is blasted, etch primed, then painted with 2K acrylic black (sometimes they call it a 'solid coat'). there's no clear coat over the top as the 2K acrylic is the finished coat.

Hope that makes sense?
[/quote]

Yes that makes sense and yes I've seen those plastic plugs before.
Thank you.

[JamesH]

Bit more of a progress update. It’s the small jobs that are bloody time-consuming.

Rear ends on both bikes coming together now. Also fitted the coils, oil tanks, ignition switches, battery boxes and started cobbling together electrical panel parts. I have recessed ignition switches for both bikes but they need refurbishment - so that will be a job for ‘down the road’.

Currently struggling to find nice condition OEM rectifiers for the bikes with the correct ‘no tab’ plastic connectors. May have to compromise a little there.

Both sets of wheels are now laced, trued and fitted with new Conti rubber.

Both batteries are fitted. Rear indicators fitted and wired. Front brake switch/unit on refurbed and fitted.

Rear HM-5RC ‘oval’ UK spec lights are NOS, but both came without the internal bulb wiring - so having to salvage these from the originals and check/refurbish. Brittle 50-year-old Bakelite isn’t fun to work with..may have to resort to some 3D printing if I break them on installation.

Latest progress photos:

[PeWe]

Look like Honda's factory line for the very first ones?

[bek1966]

Fantastic, two more of your projects to follow along with!  Thanks for sharing your progress with us.

Brad

[rocket johnny]

where did the police bike go ??

[JamesH]

where did the police bike go ??

Someone made me an offer I couldn’t refuse Johnny - the funds came in handy buying parts for these two (the restoration game is NOT cheap)..

[WideAWAKE]

That tail light bracket I’m guessing is a UK special???

I like the way it’s up off the back of the fender - bummer they still stuck the rubber mount hole there.

[PeWe]

You can create a book with your beautiful pictures.

How to create a fantastic CB750 from an old pile of bike parts plus some new spareparts.
They look better than they did when new leaving Japan, right?
Better metal shine, more polished.

They will get the yellow paint dots on some torqued bolts and nuts?
If used on K0.