Author Topic: Early UK CB750 K0 restoration - why do one when you can do two [emoji2957]  (Read 3423 times)

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Offline JamesH

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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.

Offline JamesH

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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..





Offline JamesH

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

Also fitted new lower shock bushes.




Offline JamesH

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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.




Offline Stev-o

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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?
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline JamesH

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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..

Offline MrJackLazarus

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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!

Offline Gurp

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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

slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop

Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior

Offline PeWe

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They will get their original color as when shipped from Japan?
CB750 K6-76  970cc (Earlier 1005cc JMR Billet block on the shelf waiting for a comeback)
CB750 K2-75 Parts assembled to a stock K2

Updates of the CB750 K6 -1976
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180468.msg2092136.html#msg2092136
The billet block build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,49438.msg1863571.html#msg1863571
CB750 K2 -1975  build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,168243.msg1948381.html#msg1948381
K2 engine build thread. For a complete CB750 -75
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180088.msg2088008.html#msg2088008
Carb jetting, a long story Mikuni TMR32
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179479.msg2104967.html#msg2104967

Offline JamesH

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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…

Offline newday777

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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.
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline newday777

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Also, what are the black plugs used in the intakes?
Do you have them for the exhaust also?
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline JamesH

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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..

Offline JamesH

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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?

Offline MauiK3

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Fantastic project.
It looks like they are die cast, are they?
1973 CB 750 K3
10/72 build Z1 Kawasaki

Offline JamesH

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Fantastic project.
It looks like they are die cast, are they?
Yeah - both early diecast bikes





Offline JamesH

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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.





Offline newday777

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[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.
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline JamesH

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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:







« Last Edit: June 22, 2022, 03:38:00 AM by JamesH »

Offline PeWe

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Look like Honda's factory line for the very first ones? ;D
CB750 K6-76  970cc (Earlier 1005cc JMR Billet block on the shelf waiting for a comeback)
CB750 K2-75 Parts assembled to a stock K2

Updates of the CB750 K6 -1976
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180468.msg2092136.html#msg2092136
The billet block build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,49438.msg1863571.html#msg1863571
CB750 K2 -1975  build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,168243.msg1948381.html#msg1948381
K2 engine build thread. For a complete CB750 -75
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180088.msg2088008.html#msg2088008
Carb jetting, a long story Mikuni TMR32
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179479.msg2104967.html#msg2104967

Offline bek1966

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

Brad
1971 CB750 K1 - Candy Gold
1971 CB500 K0 - Star Light Gold
1974 CB350 F1 - Glory Blue Black

Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Offline rocket johnny

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where did the police bike go ??

Offline JamesH

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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)..

Offline WideAWAKE

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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.

Offline PeWe

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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.
CB750 K6-76  970cc (Earlier 1005cc JMR Billet block on the shelf waiting for a comeback)
CB750 K2-75 Parts assembled to a stock K2

Updates of the CB750 K6 -1976
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180468.msg2092136.html#msg2092136
The billet block build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,49438.msg1863571.html#msg1863571
CB750 K2 -1975  build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,168243.msg1948381.html#msg1948381
K2 engine build thread. For a complete CB750 -75
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180088.msg2088008.html#msg2088008
Carb jetting, a long story Mikuni TMR32
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179479.msg2104967.html#msg2104967