Author Topic: 78' CX500 Cafe Project (Read 56186 times)

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #125 on:** December 20, 2009, 08:04:42 AM »

Yeah thanks Zaipai, I can't wait to just take it some where and park and sit on a bench or in a cafe or something, it being a cafe bike and all

, and just watch people double take at it .Definately will get more looks than the Road Kings and Ultras around here.

that will be my moment .

Zaipai · « **Reply #126 on:** December 20, 2009, 08:47:11 AM »

Quote from: 78whiteorbs on December 20, 2009, 08:04:42 AM

Yeah thanks Zaipai, I can't wait to just take it some where and park and sit on a bench or in a cafe or something, it being a cafe bike and all , and just watch people double take at it .Definately will get more looks than the Road Kings and Ultras around here. that will be my moment .

A well deserved moment. I bet it gets more looks then any of the stock bike running around. As I said before the CX was not a bike I liked much.. Till I seen what you did with yours.. I am a convert now!

When I am ready for another bike, this one will be added to the list to look for. I may just have to copy yours.

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #127 on:** December 30, 2009, 10:09:54 AM »

man ,well I am faced with another situation..... Had the bright idea to seal the tank as there was some rust but butchered it BADLY
I saw on a whim some RedKote gas tank sealer in the parts store the other day and thought hmmm , that'll work . WRONG WRONG WRONG

Did a little reading and this seems to be prefered hands down to Kreem though I have no idea why . It sucks. I washed the tank out and thoroughly dried it , thoroughly .I'm talking with a blow dryer .Proceeded to follow instructions and coat the tank draining what was remaining afterwards. Then let it set to dry over night picked it up to take a look this morning and there was no coating on the metal directly inside the cap opening!

had a look with a flash light and sure enough there were several spots were there was absolutely no coating whatsoever. Now is where the story gets stupid ....

I for some stupid reason decided to wash it out with not a solvent but water ..... BIG MISTAKE
Now I have what looks like to internal organs in my tank or maybe some good catfish bait. Well now I am not sure what to do . I know MEK will dissolve it eventually but I am worried about my paint job which was already a voyage to get it where it is now .

Man this tank is killin me . I am wondering about using the solvents to . If I use them , do I have to keep the cap off so it will not explode? I hate using chemicals .....

Any ideas on how to keep the from ruining the fresh paint?
man this sux.

Zaipai · « **Reply #128 on:** December 30, 2009, 05:21:29 PM »

Wow that does bite, I really don't know as I have never coated my tanks.. tho I should have. Try searching the forums if that does not work, call the makers of the coating and ask what you can do and what you could have done differently (if anything) and see what that turns up. I wish you luck, that tank looks awesome would hate to see it get mucked up any...

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #129 on:** December 30, 2009, 08:39:38 PM »

Yeah thanks for the input. I am just gonna tape it really well and use MEK hopefully that does the trick and carefully enough as not to have to restrip the paint and start over, again....
it as been a learning experience though . well , and there you have it .

Zaipai · « **Reply #130 on:** December 30, 2009, 08:47:01 PM »

Quote from: 78whiteorbs on December 30, 2009, 08:39:38 PM

Yeah thanks for the input. I am just gonna tape it really well and use MEK hopefully that does the trick and carefully enough as not to have to restrip the paint and start over, again....
it as been a learning experience though . well , and there you have it .

Don't worry, I am sure it will turn out ok.. Just take your time and tape it off good.. Keep me posted!

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #131 on:** December 30, 2009, 08:52:37 PM »

yep , will do . i am curious to see how ridiculously long this thread gets before the finally .

pampadori · « **Reply #132 on:** December 31, 2009, 07:32:45 AM »

Brake line is in the mail Brian.
Looks good so far!

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #133 on:** December 31, 2009, 01:44:38 PM »

Thanks dude ! I look forward to putting them on .

my78k · « **Reply #134 on:** December 31, 2009, 04:47:37 PM »

Damn I gotta get off my fat arse and do something with my 80 CX

It just looks so bland and vanilla right now....they really were f'ugly in stock form! I'm sure it is just an acquired taste

Dennis

Zaipai · « **Reply #135 on:** December 31, 2009, 08:45:30 PM »

Quote from: my78k on December 31, 2009, 04:47:37 PM

Damn I gotta get off my fat arse and do something with my 80 CX

It just looks so bland and vanilla right now....they really were f'ugly in stock form! I'm sure it is just an acquired taste

Dennis

Yea I agreed, until I saw this bike.. Holy cow what a difference.. I will be keeping a eye open for one of these for sale around my place..

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #136 on:** December 31, 2009, 10:10:02 PM »

I really wasnt lookin for a bike at all when I found it . My foot was in a cast from just severing my tendons and ligaments turf toeing it into some razor sharp slate , I just lost my job of five years for being incapacitated and the same exact day I was selling my prized 75' CB 550 to pay bills..... Later that day when removing my add I happened across this one for mere pennies and it was owned by an associate pastor at a local church here. He was only sellin it to pay some medical bills too . It was literally from God . The project kept my spirits up along wit my faith and well , the rest is history in the making.

Progress report: Got some MEK today and filled the tank partially with some . Stuff is working good turning all that crap into goo. taped up the paint real well and kept a hose hand running just in n case. So far so good . Prolly will take some more days . I dont wanna rush it . Also Got my front forks refilled and put in new fork seals. Now they are nice and stiff . Before they were very very bouncy . I rode some other CX/GL 500 's and one common thing was they all dived pretty bad while braking . Not happening on this bike . I put 30 wt non detergent fork oil in and considered puttin in some spacers to tighten things up a littl more but they are not necassary I don't think.
Now as soon as I get my brake line in I can reassemble my front end . After that and getting the tank sorted out the bike will be pretty close to finished minus the custom side covers. couple other odds and ends such as mounting tag and fiber glassing in the bottom of my tail light .

I had a strange though the other night , any body ever seen a motorcycle with the kickstand on the right side instead of left? Anybody know why they put on the left as opposed to the right ? Just things that make you go hmmmmm,

Industrial Cafe · « **Reply #137 on:** December 31, 2009, 10:30:58 PM »

my friends bike has the stand on the other side. it's a clearance issue for the brake lever on most bikes.

Ryan 550k · « **Reply #138 on:** January 01, 2010, 12:05:15 PM »

Quote from: 78whiteorbs on December 31, 2009, 10:10:02 PM

After that and getting the tank sorted out the bike will be pretty close to finished

I don't remember, did you do any engine work to this?

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #139 on:** January 01, 2010, 03:09:54 PM »

Nope, engine was in shape to begin with . Had one carb puking out the over flow but I think it was just a stuck float or a leaky drain .
Peanuts either way . Runs great , suspension was diving from blown fork seals But I replaced them and whoa what a difference. Nice now.
waiting for my new brake line I ordreded to arrive to I can install it and bleed out the brakes.
Other than that it should be rock in roll soon .....God willing

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #140 on:** January 03, 2010, 06:58:35 PM »

custom fabbed brake/tail light . This had a whole 'nother thread!
It came out nice though. I glassed it in from underneath and flushmounted it . I am pretty pleased with it . Also made a liscence plate holder for it . The tank is still in the corner as it has MEK in it and it has been to cold here to work outside and as much as I'd like to I am not draining that crap out indoors. I read somewhere they call it methyl ethyl death ....

I masked it off really well with very low tack tape and so far so good . Also got the front forks rebuilt and refilled with exactly 150cc oil in each fork . Gonna prolly paint the lower forks when it gets warmer , can't decide weither to paint em or polish em. Got my eye on this bike too.......http://florencesc.craigslist.org/mcy/1521185360.html

well, that's all that is new to report for now . Hopw to get some more done this week . Seat pan is getting upholstered by me lady with some very nice marine quality black vinyl, should be sweet!

Zaipai · « **Reply #141 on:** January 03, 2010, 07:02:59 PM »

Man that is looking better and better.. Nice work.. You did way more today then I did.. Gratz!

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #142 on:** January 03, 2010, 07:24:20 PM »

yeah, thanks Zaipai

it's gettin close enough to taste now but with the freak weather we been having here in NC , if it were finished tomorrow I couldn't test drive it for 2 weeks ! Now how frustrating would that be ?

Zaipai · « **Reply #143 on:** January 03, 2010, 07:45:28 PM »

Quote from: 78whiteorbs on January 03, 2010, 07:24:20 PM

yeah, thanks Zaipai

it's gettin close enough to taste now but with the freak weather we been having here in NC , if it were finished tomorrow I couldn't test drive it for 2 weeks ! Now how frustrating would that be ?

Well given that it will be 5 months before I can ride mine even it where running today.. I would take 2 weeks..

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #144 on:** January 03, 2010, 08:15:46 PM »

I hear ya brother.
Unexpectedly my new brake line arrived today and it looks lovely~
Thanks Shaun at SLINGSHOT MOTORCYCLES~ BEST PRICES BAR NONE
I have immortalized you on my BOX-O-TOOLS and look forward to doing business with you in the future> Been watching your 750 on ebay too

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #145 on:** January 04, 2010, 06:17:18 PM »

Well, got my tank spotless again! Then came time to put the petcock back on and fill er up with gas and low and behold the replacement petcock I got for the one I fried with acid is not the right one ....

It was too big . So now I am trying to find a petcock that will fit my bike . I can get a new one for like 55$ but dang ! That's alotta tacos you know. I found out that 78' to 81' cb400 petcock fits too . So I guess I am waiting on this now . It's to bad they don't make some kinda universal petcock. Seems like they should , it just a gas valve.

Other than that I got my fork lowers painted and started stripping my master cylinder for paint. Also cut some connectors out I didnt need so there is more room in the headlight bucket and not such a huge not of wires.

Tnutz · « **Reply #146 on:** January 04, 2010, 07:55:58 PM »

tell me about it..i have the same style on my 76 F model tank and it's not made any more...

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #147 on:** January 04, 2010, 08:10:23 PM »

I think I just found one on this site from a cb400.
I think maybe if someone fabbed some adapters to some low profile petcock that is readily available it might have a market.
Well, good luck findin yours. a 76' F tank has a different bung than a k ? hmmmm who would have figured....

Zaipai · « **Reply #148 on:** January 04, 2010, 08:46:15 PM »

Quote from: 78whiteorbs on January 04, 2010, 08:10:23 PM

I think I just found one on this site from a cb400.
I think maybe if someone fabbed some adapters to some low profile petcock that is readily available it might have a market.
Well, good luck findin yours. a 76' F tank has a different bung than a k ? hmmmm who would have figured....

Wow, that sucks.. Hope you find one with out having to resort to fabrication and all.

78whiteorbs · « **Reply #149 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:21:29 PM »

Well, I got a petcock and fired her up today! Sounded low and rumbley, quite amazing! I took some video but accidentally erased it .
The right side carb was dripping like madness and come to find out I am missing a screw so the whole bowl was leaking around the gasket
. Gotta get that taken care of and fill up the brake ressy and bleed it out .. also put the upholstery pan on and finish painting my custom buillt side covers. Looks good in the sun eh?

never mind the puddle , she just got a little excited! We both did

Video to come.

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Author Topic: 78' CX500 Cafe Project (Read 56186 times)

Ryan 550k