Author Topic: CB350F Project in New Zealand ... HERE SHE IS ... (Read 18556 times)

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #25 on:** May 04, 2008, 12:39:22 AM »

Hi all ... got a bit more done to the bike. Weather too miserable today to get a good pic. Maybe next weekend. I have received some chrome work back from the platers after a 3 week wait. If I went elsewhere it would have been a 5 week wait. Platers are scarce over here in NZ. Installed the grab rail, rear indicators and seat, which apart from the rear wheel gets close to wrapping up the rear of the bike. Next is to sort out the front forks, guages and steering gear.
Does anyone know what I can use to stick the tank badges back onto the tank. I am using a different tank to my original so have not disturbed the old unit, which is destined for another bike. The new tank and badges need to go together and the holes are too large for the pins. I take it there is something missing out of the holes. I have been thinking of some sort of silicon sealant to attached them. What have others used?
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

johnb · « **Reply #26 on:** May 04, 2008, 11:41:55 AM »

Hi Phil, I have been watching your project (and Matt's and Hoodley's!) with great interest having completed a 350F resto myself just over a year ago, and currently busy with another one, although slightly less detailed this time around. I was also fortunate to secure a set of NOS OEM pipes for the first project and the second bike also has a set of OEM pipes fitted.
To answer your question regarding the tank badges, you appear to be missing the small plastic clips or 'nut, rear ornament clamp' as the parts manual decribes them! These are available from davidsilverspares.co.uk (0.95p each) or cmsnl.com (EUR 2.00 each) Part no. is 87311-634-600 (replacement part for 87311-516-000)
Keep up the good work!
Cheers, John (in South Africa)

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #27 on:** May 10, 2008, 10:45:01 PM »

My project slowed a little of late, but I got some more work done today. Learning how polishing alloy can chew up the time and that experience was with the right hand case. Some work not shown in the pics are centered around preparing the steering gear and headlamp. The cool weather is closing in on us here in New Zealand which makes getting some bits painted in a timely manner also tricky. Some nut fittings have been ordered for the tank badges. But here she is at present on Sunday evening May 11

scunny · « **Reply #28 on:** May 10, 2008, 11:38:57 PM »

shes looking good so far, that engine paint does the business

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #29 on:** May 21, 2008, 10:14:17 PM »

A little more progress with the bike. The steering stem is back on the bike. this led me to the forks which I had been putting off. With a day off work today, I decided to tackle them and polish the left hand case as well. The cap screws in the bottom of the forks were stuck tight, so much so I had to drill them out. Starting with a 6mm bit drilling down to a depth of the just the head of the bolt, and gradually working up to an 8mm bit. Then with the forks up side down, a hammer and a punch to fit down into the hole I had drilled, it was given a clout. the head came off the cap screws and they could then be dismantled. The stgem and thread of the cap screw come out okay, as they are just finger tight, and the cap screw head backed out using a bladed screwdriver. This way the copper washer stays seated and undamaged ready for reuse. The replacement bolts I used were stainless of the same length. New seals were installed and the top of the forks cleaned up and painted with bright zinc for future protection. Reassembled they are ready to go back into the bike.
My engine protectors (small crash bars) arrived today as well. Getting there slowly.

strangedaze39 · « **Reply #30 on:** May 21, 2008, 10:31:37 PM »

Wow looking great, I have the same bike/color you do, except it's not nearly as finished as yours. Although it's all together I still need to do a lot of work to make it shine as great as yours. Do you have any hints on cleaning an engine and chrome? Also how did you prep your engine for painting? And last question, how did you get those engine side covers/forks so damn good looking?

Thanks for a good read, this will help quite a few people.
-SD

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #31 on:** May 21, 2008, 10:47:00 PM »

Hi and thanks for good comments. For the engine I used Selleys spray on paint stripper to get rid of the paint someone has put on before I purchased the bike. Then washed and brushed off all the loose paint that the stripper had attacked successfully. Then I used buffs on a electric drill to clean off the remaining. they were not wire buffs, but some sort of odd fabric in the form of little fingers and did the job good without scratching or gouging. The engine was painted with and Australian product I found in the SuperCheap store called Septone engine enamel. Only time will tell how it stands up to running conditions.
http://www.septone.com.au/detail.asp?item_cat=5&item_number=184&page_num=1
The alloy parts that I have polished to date have been done, firstly using wet and dry sandpaper with kerosene as a lubricant, sometimes a follow up with some fine steel wool, then onto a buff with some sort of polishing soap that a friend loaned me. Works really well, and then a light hand polish from there. The buffing wheel is actually made up with an electric motor driving an old Jap car radiator fan assembly. The fan blade exchanged for a buffing mop.
Good luck with your restore. It is great to see the results for your efforts.
Cheers ...

mattcb350f · « **Reply #32 on:** May 23, 2008, 01:23:16 PM »

How ya makin' out down there Phil?

gotta show us how the polished parts turned out

I clear coated mine but........ I kind of regreting it now. The dynamo cover is starting to peel away at the edges. I don't think it likes the heat

Matt.

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #33 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:41:51 PM »

Hi Matt ... there are a few pics a couple of messages back of the forks and chain case cover. Have not been able to do anything this weekend as I drove to the other end of the Island to see a son of mine. But all going well the dyno cover will get it's treatment tomorrow and put on. I am replacing it with a spare I had as the original one had some serious gouging lower down on it. My new engine protectors hopefully will save things like that in the future. I am leaving all my polished pieces unprotected. Relying mainly on the properties of metal polishes to retain a lustre for a time. The bike will not be treated to too many wet days, unless they occur on club runs, so hopefully I can keep on top of it and retain a nice finish. I do know many owners clear coat there results though.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

Hush · « **Reply #34 on:** May 26, 2008, 08:06:18 PM »

Hey Phil the damn thing goes!
My Honda CB650PZ lives again.............

This is better'n Xmas ha ha.

Which club do you belong to, am toying with the idea of joining local Ulysses club here in Napier just to have some others to ride with.

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #35 on:** May 26, 2008, 09:40:39 PM »

Excellent Rick ... Good to hear she is running again, and hope there is nothing too major to iron out. I belong to the New Plymouth Classic Motorcycle Club. I did think about joining the Ulysses Club at one stage, but as my bikes are 400cc and less I thought I would wait for a time and consider it again if I got a larger bike. Our Classic club has a monthly run, but of shorter distances suited to bikes that can run at or near highway speeds. They also cater from time to time for the very small bikes.
I have managed to do a little more to the 350F. Today the handlebars are back on, clutch cable, right switch unit rebuilt and fitted, front idicators and headlamp shell fitted, most of the forward wiring reconnected. Did some work to the exterior of the gauges and hope to have them sorted and fitted by the weekend.
The only major stuff to do now is tidy up the hydraulics and fit them, tension and true the new rims/spokes, fit some new tyres, soak the internals of the 4 into 4 mufflers in fishoil, drain and install them. I am hoping the fishoil will prevent the mufflers from rusting from the inside and preserve them. It is something that the other classic club members have recommended I do. I do not wish to see the lower left muffler deteriorate.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

Hush · « **Reply #36 on:** May 26, 2008, 10:08:19 PM »

Sounds good but don't you run the risk of smelling like last weeks fish'n chips where ever you go?

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #37 on:** May 26, 2008, 10:47:13 PM »

If that is the case, I will try and stay with the lead riders in club outings and leave the others in a wake of fish smell and flies, and have a little chuckle to myself on the way.

mattcb350f · « **Reply #38 on:** May 27, 2008, 07:46:12 AM »

Good to hear she's comming along Phil

Cheers, Matt.

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #39 on:** May 31, 2008, 11:07:22 PM »

Been advised my tyres have arrived, so I tweeked the rims and spokes. Pretty true now. May tinker a little more with them tomorrow, being a public holiday, so the tyres can go on the rims this week. The mufflers have had their insides soaked in fishoil to preserve them. Used an odourless type to keep the flies at bay. I see the NOS mufflers all had some sort of grey paint or wash soaked thru them from new. That with the fishoil should help keep them good for a long time. Very little to do now, and she is getting so close to finishing. I look forward to that day.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

Hush · « **Reply #40 on:** June 01, 2008, 01:17:04 AM »

Um what the heck are spokes Phil?
I'm loving these Comstar mags on the 650, no rust and clean up so easily.
It's like being a kid at Xmas when the new parts start arriving eh ha ha.........happy Xmas Phil...........Hush.

loonymoon · « **Reply #41 on:** June 01, 2008, 04:12:37 AM »

Looking great.

I sometimes wish I had the time space money and knowledge to do a full rebuild on my bike like you have. But then, mines in pretty decent condition considering it's pretty much all original - no original pipes though

Can't wait to see it all finished!

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #42 on:** June 01, 2008, 06:01:03 PM »

Loonymoon, I thought your bike had original pipes. I was looking at the pics you took of the bikes at Knebworth (UK) bike show. Great pics. Your Honda appears to be sporting nice 4 into 4's and from the distance the photo was taken she is (or is a it a he to you) still a very good looker.
Today's progress on my 350F was in the form of reading some more material off the web on locing spokes and trueing them up. Went back out to the garage and got the front wheel pretty well spot on. The rear wheel will be a suck and see. Where the rim was welded there is a little high spot that I cannot get out of it and I will have to wait and see how or if it affects balancing the rim and performance.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

loonymoon · « **Reply #43 on:** June 02, 2008, 04:06:27 AM »

Quote from: fishman_Phil on June 01, 2008, 06:01:03 PM

Loonymoon, I thought your bike had original pipes. I was looking at the pics you took of the bikes at Knebworth (UK) bike show. Great pics. Your Honda appears to be sporting nice 4 into 4's and from the distance the photo was taken she is (or is a it a he to you) still a very good looker.

Oh yes I love it and think it's gorgeous. The header pipes are original but the mufflers are MIVV 4-4's which look great. When I got the bike it had a hideous black collector box on each side and a pair of harley end cans!! We replaced the harley cans for some better ones and I looked and looked for a set of original pipes I could get three of them from DSS but the number 2 pipe is like gold dust (You're very lucky to have one!!). I was very happy when I found MIVV's 4-4 replacement cans.

Heres a pic of my baby!! (and yes it's still a she to me - I often call her "old girl").

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #44 on:** June 02, 2008, 10:38:24 PM »

She looks real good Loonymoon. Pleasing to see a better close up pic of her. The mufflers look great and I wonder why more don't try to rectrofit something like that. I have another 350F in ther shed waiting it's turn that has a set of 550 mufflers on it, so it can be done.
And here is the surprise for all. That rare number 2 muffler I purchased NOS at a swap meet a few minutes after buying the 350F. A got a NOS 2 and 3 mufllers, and used 1 and 4 from a seller at the swap meet. They were upended in a 44 gallon drum along with several other mufflers from other makes. Only paid around $250 for them.
Then a few months later when I found out the rarity of the no 2 muffler a purchased 3 NOS mufflers (1, 3, 4) from Holland and shipped here for a total of $750 Euro. That was close to 7 years ago and finally got onto the project of restoring her. I had been riding her often over that time on club runs and also to work.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

Hush · « **Reply #45 on:** June 03, 2008, 04:25:23 AM »

Damn sh'e got an original looking little bike there, wonder how popular the Honda 4's were in Pomgolia?

loonymoon · « **Reply #46 on:** June 03, 2008, 05:59:54 AM »

Pomgolia... ha ha ha

Well the 350 wasn't popular as it was never officially imported here, the 400/4 did very well though. Not sure about the others but I'd say there's a fair few 750's and 500's around and the later variants.

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #47 on:** June 06, 2008, 01:30:00 AM »

Hi all ... still hoping that I can get my bike finished this weekend, even though I have to work on the Saturday, but should leave me one good day all going well.
Question: Should I polish the rear brake plate or paint? I believe it was meant to be polished, but I was rather hoping to find out how many of you polished or painted them.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

Hush · « **Reply #48 on:** June 06, 2008, 03:11:35 AM »

OK Phil you got me, what is a brake plate?
I've probably got one on my CB but you never know!
I'm constantly amazed by the classic bikes being offered on Trade-me from the deep South, I think they drifted down there and never came back eh.
Might find a wee CB360 or something down there for my partner to keep her eyes off my 650.

fishman_Phil · « **Reply #49 on:** June 06, 2008, 03:32:50 AM »

Hi Rick ... what I refer to the brake plate is the what the rear brake shoes are fitted to. Maybe could be called outer brake or hub cover, I am not sure. Brake plate always seemed right to me.
My wife has popped out to the garage a few times lately and looked at the bike and not said anything too much. I think she may be scared at what it may have cost, but I do get a little encouragement in a small sort of way to have it finished. She may have been scared that it may not have all gone back together, and if something happened to me she would not know what to do. She has said in the past that if something did happen to me, who could she turn to for help in regard to all the bikes and parts I have. I have told her of 2 friends to call around and sort it, but hey, I am not done yet, as I want to see some of those other bikes finished as well.
Anyway, there is only the rear wheel assembly, chain, mufflers, carb overflow rubber pipes, fuel pipe and head lamp to fit now. Chain guard needs painting as well. And finish connecting wire loom up in behind the headlamp. Then turn the key on and see what happens.
Cheers ... Phil in NZ

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Author Topic: CB350F Project in New Zealand ... HERE SHE IS ... (Read 18556 times)

johnb