Topic: Score! **750 cafe build** Completed!

[Shoeboxjoe]

Finally found a 76 CB750 in the area... and then some! Found a chopper project a local fellow was selling, it included a mostly original 76 CB750 with title which is all I was looking for but I got the whole package with lots of extra parts for a very reasonable price. The guy was so nice I felt bad taking his project but it looked like he had others to keep him busy. There seems to be a trend lately of partially complete chopper projects coming up for sale, I am heading up north this weekend to pick up another pair of CB750s, again one is a partially complete chopper and the other is a complete CB750 parts bike.

The chopper I'm just going to park while I make the touring into a cafe racer.













Quick dig through the parts i found some dyna coils, 2 extra sets of carbs, polished aluminum engine pieces, bunch of rear disc brake parts including a rear wheel from a Super Sport with disc, and a bunch of stock pieces removed from the chopper frame.

[cafeconleche]

Awesome find!  Have fun!

[swan]

Nice find. Thanks for ridding the world of another ugly bike. Post you progress.

[zoo mob]

I actually really like the look of the chopper, it takes some of the good looks of a Harley and combines them with the reliability of a Honda. Have fun and keep us updated.

[BeSeeingYou]

Nice find.  I wish I had that much empty space in my garage.

[Frankencake]

I kinda like that chopper.  You've got your self some pricey and popular tanks there.  That'll fund some of your cafe.

[my78k]

I dig the chopper too!

Actually even the tourer would be cool to have for longer trips etc...Why not cafe one of the others and have almost a full set?!?!?

Dennis

[Frankencake]

Yeah I even think that the tourer is a bit attractive as well.  I have always loved those old hard bags.  Someday I'll find one of those bike complete and ride it as is.  I know that the fairing is frowned upon for a sport bike but wide open throttle does not have to be a constant state of being.  I had a Vetter that I threw away but now I am rethinking that move.

[Alan F.]

I had a Vetter that I threw away but now I am rethinking that move.

Yeah me too, had a perfect WJ3 that I sold off cheap.  Maybe I'll pick up another for fall riding...   www.craigvetter.com

[martino1972]

may i ask what you paid for it...?

[Hush]

Someone had waaaaay too much orange undercoat left over after painting his shed!!!
Love the wee chopper.....I'd finish that in a heart beat.

[Shoeboxjoe]

Paid $900 for everything. I'm cleaning the garage and setting up a workbench today to start tearing the tourer apart. This is our first summer in our first house so I'd like to setup a workspace in the garage while digging into this project.

I think I'll hang onto the bags and fairing in case this project goes well and I want to grab another CB and set it up for longer trips with the wife. I'll post pics as I make progress on the garage and cafe.

[754]

What pipes are on the chopper?..Looks maybe like R.C. engineering ..

[Do0ki3 PWNS]

nice!

[Shoeboxjoe]

Well between weddings, work, holidays, and procrastination I managed to get some work done on the garage and bike. I placed an order with Carpy at cb750cafe.com for clubman bars, dunstall tank, vincent style seat and some other goodies. I really dig the style of his tanks and seats, can't wait to see them in person. I have no idea on the color scheme i'm going with though, something classic i think, i welcome any suggestions.


Got a new tool chest and work bench, everything is organized and I got room to work now.


I started organizing the parts and sorting out the good stuff from the junk.




Got all the touring pieces removed aside from the bars. I found what looks like little speakers behind the gauges, must have been for the CB radio i guess. I'm happy to see the frame is complete and unmolested. The wiring is also in good shape although I may just rewire the whole thing if I am stripping it down and having the frame painted. The rear end looks a little low to me, im guessing the shocks must be sagging a bit.

I have a friend interested in buying the chopper but i found some bobber builds i really liked. I might just have to keep it and try that out too but one project at a time.

 

[MCRider]

Well between weddings, work, holidays, and procrastination I managed to get some work done on the garage and bike. I placed and order with Carpy at cb750cafe.com for clubman bars, dunstall tank, vincent style seat and some other goodies. I really dig the style of his tanks and seats, can't wait to see them in person. I have no idea on the color scheme i'm going with though, something classic i think, i welcome any suggestions.

snip

Got a new tool chest and work bench, everything is organized and I got room to work now.

snip
snipGot all the touring pieces removed aside from the bars. I found what looks like little speakers behind the gauges, must have been for the CB radio i guess. I'm happy to see the frame is complete and unmolested. The wiring is also in good shape although I may just rewire the whole thing if I am stripping it down and having the frame painted. The rear end looks a little low to me, im guessing the shocks must be sagging a bit.

I have a friend interested in buying the chopper but i found some bobber builds i really liked. I might just have to keep it and try that out too but one project at a time.

 

Feels good to have a place to work eh?

The speaker may be for the turn signal alert.

The rear is low as you have "lowering blocks" on the bike. Take them off the bottom of the shocks and you can restire the height.  Still your shocks are sacked no doubt. They were from day 1.

[Shoeboxjoe]

Ah, I didn't even notice those! They were covered up by the hard bags until this afternoon. Still i was looking at some aftermarket shocks, anyone have some experience with these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gas-Shocks-DOUBLE-SPRING-Vmax-Sportster-Cafe-Racer-GSX_W0QQitemZ140328456228QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item20ac3a5024&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A12|39%3A1|72%3A1205|240%3A1318

They look sharp but may not fit with the style i'm going for.

[Hush]

I just ordered some for my 650 from David Silver.com in England, not sure if those fancy ones you are looking at will fit our older bikes.
IKON make a type that are usable too, not sure where they hail from though.

[andy750]

If you ever want to sell the chopper handlebars let me know! Just what I am looking for!

cheers
Andy

[andy750]

PM sent thanks!

[Shoeboxjoe]

Finally got a weekend to myself and made some more progress.



Just have to take the center and kick stands off and knock the races out of the neck. I was planning on converting these to tapered bearings, seems pretty straight forward from this write-up http://www.stephenbottcher.net/Honda/tapered.htm Just don't use the 4mm spacer it sounds like and everything should fit?





I didn't have a chain tool so I just rolled it on top of the engine while pulling it out. I'm guessing the reason for the large black crud stain is the sprocket cover was missing, I found a small piece of it attached to a screw that was sheared off near the sprocket.



Should be able to start cleaning, polishing, painting and ordering more parts this week. Hope to have another update over the 4th.

- Joe

[Shoeboxjoe]

Been working on cleaning a lot of stuff and waiting for some parts from OldBikeBarn to come in but making a little progress here and there.

Got all the parts from Carpy faster than I expected...


Trimmed off the passenger peg brackets to fit the Tarozzi rear sets which are really nice quality.

Test fitting the tank and seat.

Tank fits a little tight and the brackets around the rubbers are a bit off as well.


Also i wish I would have known the seat needed to be cut down to fit with this tank BEFORE I had Carpy make the leather cover. Oh well, lesson learned I guess.  

[Shoeboxjoe]

Man I need a heater for the garage...


Moved some stuff into the basement for winter.


Sand blasted the frame last fall along with rims, hubs, brakes, triple trees, and all other parts that are getting repainted. Dropped the rims off to get powder coated this afternoon.


Pieced together a frame for under the fiberglass seat, should be welding it up this weekend.


Straightened the tank mounts out and had to cut the seat down about 4" but I think I'm finally happy with where it sits.

Hoping to get some work done this weekend, will post updates.

[ksmith0034]

Shoeboxjoe, this is the heater I have in my garage.  It's hardwired 240v with a built-in thermostat.  I think it was around $179, but not positive.  I leave it set pretty low all winter to circulate air (to avoid condensation on tools and chrome) and keep the garage around 55 degrees.  It'll heat the garage up to 80 in a heartbeat if I need it, but then your're talking a lot of $$$ on the electric bill.  I insulated the attic above the garage and added weather stripping around the garage door.  It's not the most efficiently heated work space, but it's 30+ degrees warmer than anyone else's on the block!

[Shoeboxjoe]

Warmed up a lot these past couple of weeks and all the snow is gone. After picking up about 60lbs of dog #$%* (I have an English Mastiff) I sprayed some primer on a couple parts. A little cold out to be painting but the primer came out fine.



Also got the rims and fender back from powder coating. Since they were chromed I just paid some place to blast and powder coat them. It was pretty cheap, $70 for everything. The finish was pretty good, i was considering having them do the frame and swing arm also.