Topic: Sandcast Cb750

[velo13533]

How do I  identify a sandcast CB. There is no engine  number stamped in the usual spot.Would the frame number tell me what year it is. It is advertised as a 1969 model, but I need to confirm that.

[Bob Wessner]

The frame number should be on a riveted plate on the right side (as sitting on the bike) of the neck. It should also be stamped directly into the neck itself on the opposite side of the neck. The sandcasts are the first/earliest and limited to VIN numbers below 1007415.

[Gordon]

Even if it turns out to be a "Sandcast" based on the VIN, the engine cases are no longer the original sandcast ones.  The lack of an engine ID number means the cases have been replaced at some point, most likely due to a broken chain. 

[Bob Wessner]

"There is no engine  number stamped in the usual spot"

Gordon's right. Mine is definately not sandcast anyway (based on VIN) and my engine number is blank also. I suspect it suffered a cracked or holed case from a chain snap somewhere in its past and the new case just wasn't stamped.

[MikeDeB]

A blank engine number pad indicates replaced cases.  Heads and cylinders from a sandcast will have a very rough texture as compared to later die cast components so it's possible to have part of a sandcast motor.  Also, it's not the VIN number that identifies a sandcast, it's the engine number.  It has to be below 7415 for it to be a sandcast.  At engine number 7414 the frame number will be higher than 7414.

[Bob Wessner]

"Also, it's not the VIN number that identifies a sandcast"

True, sorry, shouldn't have used the term VIN here.

[MikeDeB]

"Also, it's not the VIN number that identifies a sandcast"

True, sorry, shouldn't have used the term VIN here.

No problem Bob, I knew what you meant.   

[KB02]

The VIN plate should give you all the info you need to identify the bike (right on the steering Neck). It should list both the production date and model year of the bike. Mine, for example shows "Production date 07/75" and "Model Year 1976."

[MikeDeB]

The VIN plate should give you all the info you need to identify the bike (right on the steering Neck). It should list both the production date and model year of the bike. Mine, for example shows "Production date 07/75" and "Model Year 1976."

They must have started doing that late in the production run of 75 K models.  Mine was built 9/74 and has no model year on the VIN tag.  Neither do my K2 or K1.