Topic: 3 buckets of bits!

[mercury66]

Hi,

Thought I'd make a quick post to introduce myself - having just inherited the erm, restoration of a 1976 400/4 from my girl, and being on the scrounge for info!

The bike exists in the form of a frame, wheels, block and 3 buckets of bits at the back of a garage where it has resided for 10+ years..

It was imported from the US in the early 90s, customised, and often seen around Edinburgh up to the mid 90s when it was laid up.

I'm looking to part restore/ part customise - but not cafe race.

Oh, and did I mention I haven't restored a thing in my life, know nothing about bikes and just bought my very first socket set?

Ewan

[steven400/4]

wecome from staffordshire your first time hope you have plenty of hair just done mine and no hair left 
steve

[stresssolutions]

Been my experience that those with the fewest tools and least experience do the best starting out.  Those that go to the tool store and buy a whole shop's worth of stuff and then try to repair or build something just make a mess.

Good luck.

[Bob Wessner]

Welcome.

..just bought my very first socket set?

Go back and buy an impact driver. They are fairly cheap, very handy and you will likely need it.

[dusterdude]

welcome

[mattcb350f]

Welcome to the madness, from Canada.

Never restored anything and it's in buckets....Have you ever completed a puzzle? 
Just lay everything out, take inventory and when you have all the bits start putting it together. Exept, unlike puzzles there are instructions on how to complete the bike.

Keep us posted, Matt.

[333]

Welcome.  Visit this thread and get the factory manuals:

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=17788.0

get the parts and service manuals.  These will give you the "blueprints.

[mercury66]

Hi all,

Thanks for the welcomes and advice!

I found a good intro to the basic tools to buy - including an impact driver on a website, so I'm not going overboard, just bare necessities. I've been through the bits, checked against diagrams and as far as I can see very little is missing. I'm making three piles: needs a clean, needs restored, needs replaced.

When the bike was imported from US it had been stripped down and used for racing(?) therefore had no road gear, indicators. Again custom saddle, headlamp etc was added here. (See photos in first post) Therefore I'm not looking to do a 'good as new' resto, but something a little different since I'm going to need to replace a number of parts (exhaust, saddle etc well gone)

Ewan

[bill3749]

The good news is that it is basically in pieces and you can give everything a jam up cleaning before or as you are finding out where everything goes. Factory manuals are a must, tools as needed, ebay for some parts, and lots of beer. You'll have fun. Like Matt said, it's just a big puzzle.

Enjoy and welcome aboard!

BC

[sweepy]

Hi welcome, I am  not a million miles from you, nearly next door in fact in Lanarkshire, good luck with the resto project.

Sweepy

extremely grumpy old git

[malcolmgb]

welcome from another CB400 owner south of the border  . My bike came in lots of boxes too. You seem to have taken on a big challenge there looking at pics but good luck anyway.