Topic: Gong to be a slow rebuild

[DavePhipps]

I've been sitting in the pole barn looking at my CB 550, contemplating what it will take to get it on the road. After making my long list of parts,  I've determined that all can afford to do is sit and look at the bike till next spring or summer. It's going to be a long winter of dreaming about my CB.

[tortelvis]

There is always something you can be doing! Pulling it apart, cleaning, polishing, etc. I went down the same road for a while, sitting looking at it and knowing I didn't have the $$$ to buy the parts that I wanted. I realized that it was all going to have to come apart sooner or later. I can strip and clean the carbs for a start, then there's a lot of rust to remove, so just dive in! Do be sure to take pics before you start and as you go along. It's easy to forget what goes where if it takes all winter. Put everything in well labelled containers and keep them in a safe place so you don't lose anything. I take pics as I go along, before removing a part so I will remember how it goes back! Good luck!

[mystic_1]

Agreed.  If the bike isn't currently on the road, go ahead and start doing some preliminary disassembly and exploration.  You will likely find issues that need to be addressed, better to know about them now than to have them surprise you later.

Get it up on a stand, blocks, or whatever, and pull the seat, tank, wheels, pipes, etc.  Degrease everything and start inspecting.  Pay particular attention to moving or rotating parts, check for bad bearings, bushings, etc.

Carb cleaning is a good indoor project, pull them off, drain the gas, hose off the worst of the muck, and bring them inside.

Just make sure to protect things from condensation, like if you pull the carbs then stuff rags into the intakes.

Best of luck on your project.

mystic_1

[Rsnip988]

checking and testing the wiring is always cheap and relatively simple to do (and there are a lot of people here to help you out),

a lot of parts can be repaired, may not look pretty byt a rider is better than a paperweight

What sort of things need to be replaced/fixed on your list?

RKS

[DavePhipps]

Geez, where to start. Let's see, things that need to replaced or are missing, seat, forks tubes,carbs, some wiring, coils, tires, exhaust, Half of the bolts and all the rounded screws. The bike also needs repainted, the rims and spokes need rust removed. At this time I'm hand polishing the case covers and doing clean-up.

[gerhed]

Wish I had a pole barn !

[Rsnip988]

Geez, where to start. Let's see, things that need to replaced or are missing, seat, forks tubes,carbs, some wiring, coils, tires, exhaust, Half of the bolts and all the rounded screws. The bike also needs repainted, the rims and spokes need rust removed. At this time I'm hand polishing the case covers and doing clean-up.

Which parts are bad and which are missing? 
Some of the above mentioned things can most likely be rebuilt/salvaged (forks, carbs, wiring) and the seat can be recovered unless it and the pan are amongst the missing lot

Can't help with 550 parts as i only have 750s but I'll try to help with any questions...

RKS

[tramp]

if your not going to rebuild it right away
take a lot of close up pictures so you can remember how it came apart

[DavePhipps]

@gerhed
You can use mine, but it's a long drive from Virginia

@Rsnip988 
Seat and pan are missing, no coils,Fork tubes are completely rusted.no carbs.and some of the wiring is AWOL.

@Tramp
 I  think the location of every external bolt is burned into my brain. I've worked on these way too much in the past. I will be taking before, after and during rebuild pix though.

[fixahonda]

Last winter due to extreme lack of funds my bike ended up getting a whole lot more polishing and cleaning than I ever would have figured on doing.
I think I spent about three months taking apart, inspecting, and cleaning before I spent more than a few dollars on it. I'd bring something home, pop a movie in the player and polish away. Or maybe poke around on the internet and make a list with vendors, part numbers and prices to order when funds allowed.
Being broke sucks, but having an old bike at least means you will always have something to do, money or no.

[74cb750]

hear hear 'fixahonda' , you can always find something to do that doesn't cost $. this bike sounds like a mojor project. good luck

[Kevin D]

what it will take to get it on the road

first year:
tires, brakes, battery, oil change, fuel system clean enough to pass gas ,

I've been at mine for six winters now after a fifteen year park, and I'm not yet through the whole thing.

Fix a little, ride a little.

[Jonesy]

As I've aid before, time and money are inversely proportional to each other-

If you don't have much money, things that can be repaired or reworked tend to take longer as the parts aren't simply being purchased and replaced. If you don't have much time, it costs a lot of money to buy all the stuff you need to get the project wrapped up quickly.