I'll have to come back and edit this post, as I think through this list...but, here's an idea of what I would do, given the chance:
-"K" system (K1-K6), because parts are more available, and I don't want to rob the "K0" guys.
- Cam: either K1 (1970 production) or a reputable aftermarket unit with near-stock lift, but a little more duration.
- Ported head, especially the intake side.
- Hemi-ed head, like I did to mine 2 years ago. Polished valves. K1-K2 intake guides.
- Compression ratio: 9-9.6 or so, to control heating in heavy traffic on hot summer days, and run on Regular gas. One possibility: "F" pistons in "K" bores.
- New bearings on bottom, transmission, clutch. Clearance on bearings to be targeted at .0008". Wristpins at .0003"-.0005".
- Rotating members perfectly balanced.
- Genuine Honda engine gaskets. These never leak!
- K1 pipes (HM300 series), with the glass-packed baffles (this would be the hard part!). HM340 if there's no alternative, or if the final owner likes the quieter pipe.
- Front forks from K4-K6. Tapered roller steering head bearings, maybe one of the sets I'm making for sale now (genuine Timken).
- Rear shocks: 12.875" to 13.00", no taller.
- Swingarm: never mind, I'll do that...
- Frame: clean and blast, reweld as needed, make sure no rust is around, widen top web supports. Make sure it is a straight frame (many were not, from the factory, until the later K2 models came along.
).
- LED lighting all around, solid-state flasher to match.
- HID headlight, relay-separated from the rest of the system for reliability.
- New handlebar switches! Restored would be OK.
- Nice guages. The type (K1 or K2-later) would depend on the vintage of the starting bike (I'm still partial to the K1-K3 the most).
- NO SIDESTAND OR CLUTCH SWITCHES!
...dang things...
- Improved electrics, in the form of a silicon rectifier, better alternator connector(s), larger backbone wiring in the main harness for better spark, brighter lights, stable battery voltage. Separate fuses for IGNTION and LIGHTS. One of my ignition modules (for backup availability on those long road trips), with the Dyna 3 ohm coils and the new "Resistor Pack" that I'm just now building for these bikes.
- Air filter: K&N inside a stock airbox, modified by me.
- Wheels: Timken bearings all around.
- Tires: TT100/K81 British Dunlops or Avon Roadrunners (gotta go see what that profile is today, though). Unless, of course, the final owner isn't a hotshoe.
- Sprockets: Honda's own, 17/48 combination, rear drilled for lightness.
- Chain: Diamond 530 HDXL, no O-rings (pricey!).
- Drilled front disk. Rebuilt front caliper and master cylinder.
- Nice paint, by someone NOT ME...
- Targets: 130 MPH, 40 MPG, Bergen Park Hiway traverse in less than 1 hour, unless the TT100 tires aren't on board...
I'm sure this list will morph...
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I have a proposition for this task: if I made a book of the process, would others be interested in a copy? I've been working on one for the tranny already, and I'm getting ready to make one for "how to restore the oil pump" on the 750. If I photo-documented everything from the tires to the steering head bearings, too, then made a book, it might be a useful thing. MRieck could do this about making more HP, I'm sure, but my approach has always been a well-rounded, all-purpose bike for the general populace, so I don't go for max HP in my builds (at least, since I quit racing, anyway), just more-than-stock HP. But, first-rate handling and brakes, for safety reasons, are top-drawer priorities from me...
My concept for this type of book: a slim 3-ring binder with a package of pre-holed, paged inserts, organized by chapter and section (can you tell that I've been making machinery manuals for over 20 years, too?). This is how I've always kept all my own notes, so I can add to them in future endeavors. The notebook will have pockets, too, just 'cuz they are handy.
I have a potential buyer for this bike: I'll talk it over with him to find the target price. There are several people locally who have asked me to do this sort of thing. The fiscal portion of this project should go something like this: the "profit" will be simply:
[sell price - (cost of parts + something for my efforts)].
These "profits" could be divided up amongst the contributors to this project as:
[(cost of part) + payback] ,
where
Cost of Parts = [owner's selling price + shipping costs] and
Payback = ["profits" / cost of parts] .
For example, if someone wanted $75 for a part, and it cost $25 to ship it to me:
Cost of Part = $100 .
And, if the "profit" on the project was $500, and people sent me parts that "cost", altogether, $1000, the Payback would be:
Payback = [$500/$1000 = $0.50] .
So, for the $100 contribution, the payback would be:
Payback = [$100 + ($100 * $0.50)] = $150.
Using this method, anyone who pays $$ to ship even a donated part to me will end up ahead, based on the shipping costs incurred.
Of course, how well this works out depends on what price the buyer would tolerate. I'm supposing an end price of $2500-$3000 for a real pretty bike, with some donated parts and some purchased or restored parts, and maybe $500 for my efforts, plus Payback to me for the machine work and parts I'll have to buy, too. So, I'll shop around for a buyer who wants a pristine CB750K1-6 to see what the price might be, and if this is practical.
And, if this works, maybe I'll go into business...
