Author Topic: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Questions?  (Read 790 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Lucien Harpress

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Questions?
« on: November 04, 2022, 04:41:05 PM »
Hello all.  I'm working through some ideas for a project, and was curious about some things.  For anyone out there who has the early 750 gauges (with the integrated neutral/oil/etc. lights) and has taken them apart, did anyone take any photos?  I'm curious as to what they look like on the inside.  I can make some assumptions, but it'd be nice to see what they actually look like in there.
Thanks all!
« Last Edit: May 23, 2023, 04:51:56 PM by Lucien Harpress »
-1970 CB750 K0
-1980 KZ1300
-1976 Yellow GL1000
-1965 CA77 "Dream"
-1997 Valkyrie
-1975 Velosolex

Offline WideAWAKE

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 401
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2022, 07:41:31 PM »
Is this what your lookin for???

K0 gauges

Lights press into the metal tubes from the back side and the little black runners direct the light to the jewel to illuminate.

Offline MauiK3

  • A K3 is saved
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 4,267
  • Old guy
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2022, 07:54:12 PM »
The K0 gauges were such a nice clean setup, I wonder why they went to the little dashboard.
1973 CB 750 K3
10/72 build Z1 Kawasaki

Offline WideAWAKE

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 401
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2022, 07:24:55 AM »
I’m not exactly sure why but other manufacturers of the time seemed to do the same thing. Start off clean and then introduce a dash.

Clean and compact. Less is more.


Offline Lucien Harpress

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2022, 07:36:46 AM »
If I had a theory, it might be simpler to manufacture.  A couple less pieces inside the speedometer and tach, and a (mostly) one-piece casting for the handlebar dash.  It might have been the style of the time too, trying to distance the bike from "old fashioned" design cues.  But this is pure speculation on my part.

As for my original question- yeah, that's perfect.  I had a feeling it had to be something close to this, but this answers a lot of the detail questions.

You see, I've got a vaguely 1970-ish CB750 I've essentially built from parts.  It's not any one year, one style, etc.  The frame is a '74 or '75, the engine is a '72 top end with a '71 bottom end, it's got an early back end and a late front end, HM300 pipes- it's a mess.  Well, since "period correct" means nothing to this thing, I'm debating on just dating it to a year I like best instead.  I love a lot of the style details of the K0 bikes, and am pondering the possibility of back-dating it. 

I've got a whole list of stuff to do, and gauges were one of them.  I might be able to modify mine without too much trouble, but as they say the devil is in the details.  So we'll see.

Another question- I know the '71 gauges onward are assembled together with a chrome crimped ring.  What about the early '69/'70 ones, with the plastic housing?  How are those sealed?
-1970 CB750 K0
-1980 KZ1300
-1976 Yellow GL1000
-1965 CA77 "Dream"
-1997 Valkyrie
-1975 Velosolex

Offline MauiK3

  • A K3 is saved
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 4,267
  • Old guy
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2022, 07:56:48 AM »
I think it was the same
1973 CB 750 K3
10/72 build Z1 Kawasaki

Offline WideAWAKE

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 401
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2022, 08:00:14 AM »
It’s a little plastic crimp on the back.

I just applied a heat gun and it rolled right up with a screw driver under it.

In the case of buying reproduction housing, they don’t even include that crimp and to be honest I think most people cut it off (or it breaks from being brittle) when they reuse their original housings after it’s been taken apart.

They are clamped in with the mounting hardware and they won’t move if that little crimp is gone. It’s also a snug fit to get the metal body into the plastic anyways.

Offline Lucien Harpress

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2022, 09:28:04 AM »
Oh, interesting.  Okay.  That makes sense.

I'm still nailing down specifics of how "accurate" I want to be with things.  It'd be great to mount repro plastic housings on the innards/rear gauge plate of the later gauges I've got, but worst case I'll throw some K1 faceplates on there and call it good enough.  The whole endeavor is going to be a bit fast and loose with the details, so we'll see.

Thanks again!
-1970 CB750 K0
-1980 KZ1300
-1976 Yellow GL1000
-1965 CA77 "Dream"
-1997 Valkyrie
-1975 Velosolex

Offline Don R

  • My Sandcast is a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 19,857
  • Saver of unloved motorcycles.
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2022, 09:33:40 AM »
 72 is a pretty popular and yet generic year as far as parts go. K0 stuff is expensive and harder to find the louvered K0 sidecovers want a matching oil tank and some guys don't like the width.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Offline Lucien Harpress

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2022, 09:43:55 AM »
Yeah, that's another thing.  Will K0 sidecovers fit on to a later slimmer oil tank?  I haven't seen anything that says they can't, but admittedly the issue doesn't come up much.

Body panels?  Yeah, that will be an investment, no way around it.  But I might be willing to go there, depending.  I've sprang for a new (K2) paint job already, but it's... kind of already revealing shortcomings after only a couple years.  I've got a bad feeling I'll need to address it sooner than later, and if I'm taking on that kind of expense, part of me wants to go all the way.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2022, 10:02:19 AM by Lucien Harpress »
-1970 CB750 K0
-1980 KZ1300
-1976 Yellow GL1000
-1965 CA77 "Dream"
-1997 Valkyrie
-1975 Velosolex

Offline WideAWAKE

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 401
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Pics?
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2022, 11:34:01 AM »
Side panels are pretty cheap, especially if you gotta do a little modification, cheaper ones can be had for like 60 bucks each.

The early oil tanks are expensive. All the ones I’ve seen are north of 300.


All the parts to rebuild the k0 gauges are relatively inexpensive and I’d be inclined to think one could do some modifying of later gauges to make some knockoffs.

Offline Lucien Harpress

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Quesitons?
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2023, 04:51:42 PM »
I'm digging this topic up for one last question, concerning the jewels for the idiot lights.  How are these attached?  Do they just sit in the rubber boots on top of the light tubes?  Or are they glued to the back of the faceplates somehow?  Thanks.
-1970 CB750 K0
-1980 KZ1300
-1976 Yellow GL1000
-1965 CA77 "Dream"
-1997 Valkyrie
-1975 Velosolex

Offline 69cb750

  • Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,222
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Questions?
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2023, 05:00:38 PM »
Super glue, face down, glue on edge of jewel, drop is slot.

Offline Lucien Harpress

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 253
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Questions?
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2023, 05:10:27 PM »
Awesome.  Thank you!
-1970 CB750 K0
-1980 KZ1300
-1976 Yellow GL1000
-1965 CA77 "Dream"
-1997 Valkyrie
-1975 Velosolex

Offline WideAWAKE

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 401
Re: CB750 K0/K1 Gauge Internal Questions?
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2023, 08:47:54 PM »
What he said.

Used CA glue.