Topic: New in Colorado

[kingb]

Just joined the forum. I've got a 1976 CB400F down to the frame, my first restoration. I'm pretty sure I know how it all goes back together. Bummer today when pickiing up the frame from the blaster though...they chewed off half the serial number plate. Any possibility of getting a new one anywhere?

I've done most of the restoration/replacement work so far, but would like to clean up the engine. My thought is to remove the head and cylinders, soda blast the fins and clear powder coat them. However I would have to disassemble the head before taking to the blasters. Is this excessive? Is there a better way? The paint on the lower cases are pretty good.

I'm planning to polish some of the cases and covers and am not too worried about being totally authentic to the stock look. I just want it to look nice and work well. The upper triple, forks and rear drum are polished and look pretty nice. Tank and sides are red but I'm thinking about going to the stock yellow tank and black side covers. Hope this isn't a sacrilege to change a decent original set of bodywork.

I also have a 71 Norton 750 Commando in various stages of renovation, a 1974 Ducati 750GT totally mint and a few modern bikes that I won't bore the forum with. I'm not independently wealthy, just like having a few nice bikes and lots of projects on the back burner.

Kingb

[heffay]

king... if it weren't for our differences in motorcycles presently owned... i'd say we were the same person.

we should get together and knock heads on the 400f restos... i've got one going spread from the garage to the basement here in lafayette.  where are you? and... pictures?  of the bike of course... unless you, your kids or your wife are exceedingly handsome.

welcome 

[kingb]

Heffay ??

Not sure this is the right way/place to reply. I'm in Golden. I'd love to see another project bike. I could take pictures of mine but it's all parts at this point. I have an FZR400 that I just took to the Pueblo track on Monday for a track day sponsored by Erico. I see your CB is a race project? Do you race in AHRMA? I raced with MRA a few years back.
Thanks for the welcom



King

PS, I did attach pictures of my drilled rotor and a picture of the heavier stainless spokes installed by Woody's Wheelworks.

[heffay]

i like to think that the 400f will be a racebike someday... but, right now it is a pile of old dirty parts and some new ones too.

maybe we should start a 400f vintage race team 

yes... the 400 is a project... but, the 350cafe is a runner.  although, a rebuild is in the near future.

i never find out about these track days until it is too late... what is the secret?

[cb650]

Heff there is a track up by you that will let you run anyday.  pay your $ sign your life away and your runnin.




                           Terry

[HondaMan]

Kingb:
Don't powder coat those cylinders. It's a good insulator and will cause engine overheating issues.
Use an engine paint, a VHT type. Prep the fins by cleaning them real well, applying triclorethylene, or something like it, to the final prep for extreme degreasing. Then paint.

[heffay]

Heff there is a track up by you that will let you run anyday.  pay your $ sign your life away and your runnin.




                           Terry

are you talking about I-25? 

[kingb]

Honda Man,

I suspected that possibility (insulating effects of clear powder coating). Thanks for the tip. But the raw cylinder fins don't look like they were ever painted originally so what do you paint them with? And why wouldn't that paint compromise the heat dissipating properties as well?

Heff,

Pueblo will be happening once a month. It's money well spent. I can get you the details. Otherwise yeah, just hang out on 470 or I25, its a thrill aminute. That's why I don't commute on my bike. The only time I ever got a ticket riding was when I was daydreaming on the way to work. And I was going way slower than I normally ride. Not a good mix. I'll give you my cell phone # off line and we can hook up to compare parts piles.
 
King

[dusterdude]

welcome king,go ahead and put that cell number out here for god and everyone to see,maybe firecracker can do something with it.

[HondaMan]

I suspected that possibility (insulating effects of clear powder coating). Thanks for the tip. But the raw cylinder fins don't look like they were ever painted originally so what do you paint them with? And why wouldn't that paint compromise the heat dissipating properties as well?

Any paint will compromise the cooling, some more than others. The VHT will raise engine temperatures about 5-10 degrees over a non-painted cylinder (I proved that out on my 750, circa 1973). That's about the least you can expect.

If you can afford to get them black anodized, though, it will affect them very little. Some plating operations might require you to remove the cylinder liners to do it, though, which will put you into a rebore situation just to reassemble the engine properly.