Topic: Re: James' CB350F Restore// UPDATE ; 05/01/10 actually not much to update

[Ecosse]

The MIVV Mufflers are designed to work with the original honda headpipes (which have to be cut away from the mufflers). If you say at least some of your original exhaust system is still good I would deffinitely go looking for another set of headpipes instead of hacking up what you have.

ya but where could i get some head-pipes for cheap?

world wide interweb? or cruise our 'for sale' threads; also post a wanted... uh, post.

old story: if you don't have the time ya better have the money; no money requires more time. i'm familiar with the latter.

[hoodellyhoo]

The MIVV Mufflers are designed to work with the original honda headpipes (which have to be cut away from the mufflers). If you say at least some of your original exhaust system is still good I would deffinitely go looking for another set of headpipes instead of hacking up what you have.

ya but where could i get some head-pipes for cheap?

world wide interweb? or cruise our 'for sale' threads; also post a wanted... uh, post.

old story: if you don't have the time ya better have the money; no money requires more time. i'm familiar with the latter.

+1 Your best bet would be to either in the wanted section here or you see sets on ebay from time to time. You just have to be careful that they are original honda pipes and that they are long enough. I was lucky enough to get my mufflers and pipes as a package deal from former memeber Okie.

[jamesv220820]

so would these work for my mivv exhaust

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-Honda-CB350F-Exhaust-Headers_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a10Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem563337d2b5QQitemZ370226483893QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_500wt_1223

[strangedaze39]

Ask him to measure them, should be roughly 28-32" long, don't sit on those long you're going to be hard pressed to find another set like that.

[jamesv220820]

ok well i haven't had much time or patience to work on the bike but over the weekend i changed the plugs, oil filter, oil , put a 4-1 exhaust on too scared to put the mivv on just yet and some new gauge covers courtesy from 400fourstore







shes startin to look half way decent maybe i should get her running

[andy8190]

i was wondering can you give a detailed report of the cleaning and polishing you did, and the name of the products you used. you did a great job

[jamesv220820]

i was wondering can you give a detailed report of the cleaning and polishing you did, and the name of the products you used. you did a great job

umm ok let me remember

all the chrome was done with blue magic chrome cleaner polisher and a terry cloth

aluminum, was done with mothers aluminum polish and terry cloth

frame , was done with rubbing compound and terry cloth

and if some very noticeable nuts and bolts had a lot of rust i would put them in a shot glass filled with 100percent CLR on top of a coffee cup heater for 30 min to an hour then clean them with mothers aluminum polish

[andy8190]

thanks, what kind of rubbing compound because i thought that was used on paint to get out the sanding marks

[jamesv220820]

thanks, what kind of rubbing compound because i thought that was used on paint to get out the sanding marks

turtle wax

[andy8190]

hmm thats interesting, never knew it could be used for that

[jamesv220820]

here are the old plugs the previous owner didn't know if he changed them at the same time



my question because i have only restored a bike before with one spark plug is that you can tell that the plug on the left is clean the two in the middle are equally dirty and the one on the right is very dirty what does that mean again?

thanks

james

ps. when i replaced the exhaust there was a lot of carbon build up where the headers go in i asked the people at the honda dealer if thats fine they said its ok , is that something needed to clean for performance or for the bike to run better?

[matt s]

my question because i have only restored a bike before with one spark plug is that you can tell that the plug on the left is clean the two in the middle are equally dirty and the one on the right is very dirty what does that mean again?

It looks like the cylinder the first plug is in isn't getting any fire otherwise it would be at least a little blackened.  Does that cylinder have a spark?

[jamesv220820]

my question because i have only restored a bike before with one spark plug is that you can tell that the plug on the left is clean the two in the middle are equally dirty and the one on the right is very dirty what does that mean again?

It looks like the cylinder the first plug is in isn't getting any fire otherwise it would be at least a little blackened.  Does that cylinder have a spark?

never checked it with the old plugs with the new plugs it has good spark

[fasturd]

I would say the carbs need a little love. Have you pulled the jets and the emulsion tubes? All the little holes need to be open and cooperating if you want to have nice roasted brown spark plugs.

Carbs are the FIRST thing I do on every build...Even before the first wash. Its easier to clean the engine when the carbs are off too.

Good luck the bike is looking great.

[faux fiddy]

You got that bike for free? I must have got ripped off on my free bike. (heehee) If you have any of the takeoff parts you want to donate I'd use them. (Levers, Seat, Ignition switch and pipes are high up on the wish list at this point)

[jamesv220820]

well after rebuilding the carbs , redoing the timing, new points, condensers and all the jazz she started

not easily thou but that just be because don't i have the handlebars and throttle cables on

defiantly needs carb tuning/syncing

and lettin her clear her pipes after she was warmed up alot

after that i decided to bleed the brakes but nothing was coming out except air and the front brakes had no resistance when i got the bike so im thinking i might be in some trouble

[jamesv220820]

now my happy dance song

but still pissed as hell on these brakes

[jamesv220820]

heres my post about the brakes

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=59786.0

[jamesv220820]

forgot new turn signals

i tried many different types some looked really good , and some looked bad but i wanted something that was stock looking but had a little more flash i ended with these they have the same screw size as the originals and are able to mount on the stems.  so the front i used the stems that came with the turn signals and the backs i mounted on the oem stems

they aren't much of a change but i think they give the bike a nicer esthetic look

[fastbroshi]

  She sounds pretty good, and if it needs a sync it doesn't sound very far off.  And the turn signals do look good.  What brand are they?

[jamesv220820]

  She sounds pretty good, and if it needs a sync it doesn't sound very far off.  And the turn signals do look good.  What brand are they?

the turn signals were actually the first ones i got , then tried 4 other bullet type turn signals, but others were either too aggressive or too small in size but the ones i got were lp racing

http://lockhartphillipsusa.x-shops.com/home.php?cat=399&&sort=title&sort_direction=1

they were actually the cheapest but work great with the bike because if you wanna just shorten the stocks on the originals you can use these stocks or you can take these off the stock and mount them onto the oem stock

[jamesv220820]

unlike most people this restore has been hard on me this bike is like a swiss army knife, after fixing up my 65 s90 i had a lot of confidence but oh no

so left her covered for a few months and starting back up with something i can't usually screw up sanding and polishing!

brake/frame rod BEFORE



AFTER





um sprocket and stator cover BEFORE



AFTER



note: wet sanded the sprocket cover from 220 to 1200 and thats all, know people will go to polishing compound and buffers to get that mirror chromy shine, but aluminum has such a nice look to itself a little dull (or maybe i'm just saying that cause i can't afford those tools

[fastbroshi]

Good job!  Looks so much better.  My bike's paint and general cosmetics are okay but since it's clean and I polished the metal, it looks way better.  I think that's what I went up to on my covers - get some Mother's Mag Polish or Simichrome and rub it in, you'll be surprised at the difference it makes.

[jamesv220820]

took off the back end, ( brake bar, wheel , swingarm, shocks, etc) for a big cleaning.  life would be easier with the right tools but hands, sandpaper and polish  will have to do for the poor mans build, seeing the condition i would love to re powdercoat the swingarm and frame

parts off



ping pong table/work station



wheel sanded to 1200 grit before polishing by hand, i hate cleaning spokes it took forever to get all the oxidation off or whatever it was



would like to work on taken the bike apart more so i could re-powdercoat the frame if the money came in but since no moolah i put the parts back on



flash on the camera lets you see where are the bad areas are, but this was with a flash so she looks pretty good , which is weird because the bike has been on my porch since i got it so i haven't really seen what this bike looks like from farther then 5 feet away


so from here , i don't know it all depends on money

-james v

[hoodellyhoo]

Lookin good! You have way more patience thab I would with the hand sanding/polishing.