Author Topic: slowly coming together, well almost (Read 9888 times)

CharlieT · « **on:** April 10, 2007, 08:12:30 pm »

The is the CB400f I got early this winter

now looks like this:

converted the front wheel from a disc to this older CB350 twin leading shoe set-up and laced it up to a period correct apearing alloy rim

Ditched the 4:1 exhaust and had Jemco make up some reverse cone megaphones for a 4:4 system:

Got this last week from Team Hansen, a replica fiberglass fairing actually made from a factory mold of one of Mike Hailwoods Honda GP bikes of the mid-60's:

cleaned up the front forks and painted them a black epoxy to resemble the forks from the '60's GP bikes:

Waiting on the RR tank to get here from Airtech. Few other litle items to be located or made....clip-ons, rear-sets, etc. When I get it done , should closely resemble this baby:

Now if I just didn't have to work for a living, I could get these done in no time!

y

xtalon · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2007, 06:54:37 am »

WOW! Good luck with all of that! I can't wait to see it when it's done!

--xTalon

dagersh · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2007, 10:17:04 am »

Charlie -

WOWWWWW! Keep us in lots of pics! That is going to look awesome!

Gersh

tmht · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2007, 10:40:24 am »

Did Jemco make the header pipes for you too?

I was looking at something like that from England for my new project but the $$$$ is a bit prohibitive.

CharlieT · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2007, 12:25:16 pm »

I used the headers from a 350F and had Jemco make up some connectors and the megaphones. Very reasonable on price, IMHO......$200 for the comlete set. They are very good about working with you and matching the system.....header diameter, length, megaphone diameter/length, etc to the displacment and RPM range of the engine. Just do a Google on Jemco, he's down in TX. Not real reliable on answering e-mails, best to just call them. I sent tehm pics of an RC163 and the measurements they wanted and they went from there.

tmht · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2007, 12:29:06 pm »

Quote from: CharlieT on April 11, 2007, 12:25:16 pm

I used the headers from a 350F and had Jemco make up some connectors and the megaphones. Very reasonable on price, IMHO......$200 for the comlete set. They are very good about working with you and matching the system.....header diameter, length, megaphone diameter/length, etc to the displacment and RPM range of the engine. Just do a Google on Jemco, he's down in TX. Not real reliable on answering e-mails, best to just call them. I sent tehm pics of an RC163 and the measurements they wanted and they went from there.

Thanks for the info! I fired off an email to him earlier. I guess I will call him later this week with what I am looking for. I would say that $200 for 4 hand made megas is definitely a good price! Looks like I may have found my exhaust supplier. Plus Houston is a hop skip and a jump from NOLA!

CharlieT · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2007, 07:39:40 pm »

Slowly, one step at a time......got the front end back together with the new rim/brakes, etc:

next finish up the back wheel, etc and get that on and I'll actually have a "roller"

Seyser · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2007, 07:39:23 am »

That thing is going to look amazing! Keep up the good work!!!

LoopsAndLogic · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2007, 07:50:26 am »

Great looking CB400F

I'm very impressed.

Did you spray the epoxy from a can or a painters gun??

Did you have to rub out the top coat before applying the clear coat?

They look really Good!

Please keep us updated. Please!!!

LL

bill440cars · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2007, 08:01:33 am »

Not much to say that hasn't already been said, So, just add me to the list of those who want to know more.

That is the style that ALWAYS gets my attention. Some of the other styles do interest me but, the Road Racer style is tops!

Later on, Bill

CharlieT · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2007, 08:28:59 am »

Lower fork tubes are just rattle can. Never been one for too much effort on most frame members, etc. Too much of a tendency for nics/scratches, so always have gone with something that could easily be touched up/re-sprayed with minimal effort. Just wire brushed them and sanded them. Use a duplicolor base-adhesive promoter ( does help with any flaking off from a nic/scratch) and then just used a high-gloss appliance spray epoxy. Does seem to hold up better than most other spray can paints. And it is high gloss, too.....no clear coat.

Need to get that rear wheel on it so I can start working on getting the fairing brackets figured out and get that thing mounted up. Also need it up on its wheels it figure out the exhaust position and brackets.

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2007, 09:33:51 am »

I am looking forward to seeing this bike complete...

silver fox · « **Reply #12 on:** April 18, 2007, 10:35:13 am »

Hi CharlieT,
Can't wait to see it, are you running lights, licence plate etc?

Or will it be for racing, i have the same seat for mine, light and plate will be a bit tight, havent figured it out yet!!!! And will also be looking at using the 350f headers i have but not sure about which megas to source at the moment?

Keep the pics coming
ps, how much is the tank costing if you dont mind me being nosey???

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2007, 10:51:00 am »

Quote from: silver fox on April 18, 2007, 10:35:13 am

Hi CharlieT,
Can't wait to see it, are you running lights, licence plate etc? Or will it be for racing, i have the same seat for mine, light and plate will be a bit tight, havent figured it out yet!!!!

Just do something along the lines of a sidemount plate and call it a day.

I just took a flat piece of steel, traced the plate onto it along with a 1'' square mounting tab and cut it all out.
Bent the tab at a 90 and bolted it to my lower shock bolt. No need to re-invent the wheel for things, ya know ?

CharlieT · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2007, 07:15:29 pm »

WIll likely make it street legal...barely

Its already titled as a street legal vehicle, so no inspection needed. Will likely use enough lighting only to make it street legal pretty much for daytie rising. ABout 40yrs ago, made a CB160 ( well actually a 198cc) into a street legal "scrambler (there's that word again, eh). Notice the headlight in this photo:

Had a Bates seat of similar style. Used a couple of small bullet lights on that, around 1" dia if I recall, and mounted one on each side of the seat, using one for a tailight and the other for a brake light. It's the darn license plate that is always a PIA. Tend to lean towards someting similar to ProTeals solution. At least I found a 1976 Michigan motorcycle plate in my collection of old spare bits and pieces!

CharlieT · « **Reply #15 on:** April 23, 2007, 06:56:41 pm »

Puttering around some more this weekend.

Engien needed either polishing.....or paint. Decided to go the paint route. Looks a bbit dusty in thepics, been working on it since it got painted:

Made a front mount for the full fairing. 1" tube which will have a 3/4" tube which can slide in and out of it to get the right position:

Preliminary positioning of the fairing:

bill440cars · « **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2007, 11:23:25 pm »

Hey there Charlie,

That build of yours is getting quite interesting and I'm really liking that look you've got going there with the fairing.

Keep up the good work!

Later on, Bill

CharlieT · « **Reply #17 on:** May 01, 2007, 08:04:05 pm »

Still coming along slowly....

carbs are on, swing arm, shocks and rearwheel with new alloy rim and new tire are mounted up.CLips ons mounted. Exhaust fitted and roughly positioned for mounting approximation so mounting tabs can be welded on:

Waiting on the tank and seat still.

CharlieT · « **Reply #18 on:** May 16, 2007, 08:36:19 pm »

pipes all welded up and brakets/hangers made:

pipes in final position, gas tank bracket completed and tank mounted, rearsets in position:

seat should be here any day, hopefully. Next up is to finish fairing mounts now that pipes and rearsets are in position.

scunny · « **Reply #19 on:** May 16, 2007, 10:25:28 pm »

drool icon needed here
looking very nice

78 k550 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 16, 2007, 10:27:09 pm »

Very nice,
I would also like to see the Wing your doing also

Paul

CharlieT · « **Reply #21 on:** May 17, 2007, 04:01:18 am »

ask and ye shall receive..........

Its an '82 GL1100 Interstate

well it was an Interstate:

now:

tank is off in the RC photos, getting ready for paint. Black with red trim. Tank and seats are from various yrs of Honda Shadows......hence our name for it.........the ShadoWing.

xtalon · « **Reply #22 on:** May 17, 2007, 05:30:12 am »

That CB is really coming together nicely! Excellent job on the pipe brackets. It's looking really good!

--xTalon

forwheeldrift · « **Reply #23 on:** May 17, 2007, 09:50:17 am »

very nice!

looks like a lot more work building a replica then i imagined.

more pics.

CharlieT · « **Reply #24 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:57:45 am »

Quote from: forwheeldrift on May 17, 2007, 09:50:17 am

very nice!

looks like a lot more work building a replica then i imagined.

more pics.

Its a fair amount of work. Virtually none of the stuff is simple take off the old and bolt n the new. Lot of creative design and fabrication of mounts, brakets, etc.

Right now I'm having trouble with the rearsets. Actually I think its more of a problem with me and this size of bike, I'm around 6ft tall an 205-210lbs. When I mount up the rearsets in the position that looks right and is roughly the same position as the original RC171, etc., I'm so cramped up I could hardly move my feet enough to work the shifter or the brake. Heck just getting both feet up on the pegs in their present rearset position, I think I pulled a muscle in my butt!!!! I guess I know why a lot of the old roadracers weren't much bigger than a jockey!

Of course their is an upside to the cramped quarters on this 400F. Wife was out in the garage when I was trying out the peg placement and she commented that that was not really a very big bike at all and I looked somewhat uncomfortable on it. Of course, as I have learned to do over the last 35yrs, I agreed with whatever the wife says. So I commented That yeah it wasn't very comfortable at all and that maybe I should have just gotten a 750. To which she replied, well finish this one and then get a bigger one that fits you better. Then I remembered why I married her all them years ago!!!

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Author Topic: slowly coming together, well almost (Read 9888 times)

tmht

tmht