Author Topic: documenting my cb550 build (Read 48455 times)

paulages · « **on:** December 26, 2005, 02:54:29 PM »

i've been posting questions on here for a while relating to my cb550 project, and i figured it's about time to contextualize all of those questions by posting some progress shots. might make it easier for the locals on here to know what bike i'm talking about next time i'm bumbling through something and need help...
just a note: though just about anything could be restored stock, this bike is being put together out of some previously trashed bikes, so i've chosen to modify things wherever i think it would improve its stance.
oh yeah, and another note for you photography buffs: i'm not one. sorry for the poor photo quality.

before:

frame stripped of rear footpeg brackets, and helmet holder tabs. small stuff beadblasted and ready to go to the powdercoater:

paulages · « **Reply #1 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:08:10 PM »

i'll skip a lot of the progress shots of building the wheels, etc., unless someone wants them specifically. here is one showing the aftermarket chrome headlight bucket i think i'll use instead of the stock bucket, and the others are the bike as it sits right now:

the list of work so far is as follows:
-frame/small bits powder coated
-front wheel stripped; rim/hub/spokes polished and rebuilt. new bearings.
-brake rotor drilled.
-forks cleaned/polished; forks seals replaced
-steering bearings replaced with a tapered set. new dust seal.
-upper triple tree polished, lower powder coated.
-new clubman bars
-rear hub polished and laced to a 3.5" x 16" harley rim. buchanans SS spoke kit.
-rear shocks polished, but will probably be replaced
-front tire: pirelli speed demon 100/90/19
-rear tire: pirelli speed demon 130/90/16
-knee inserts pounded into fuel tank, much more work to come...

cbjunkie · « **Reply #2 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:12:13 PM »

Quote

-knee inserts pounded into fuel tank

wha...? don't tell me you did that yourself...
if so, can you describe this process? closeup pix?

it's looking killer, btw...i'm planning on stripping down my frame the same way - making it single rider only, etc.

paulages · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:16:10 PM »

this engine was really grimy. i began cleaning it and prepping it for paint and polishing. i got a stainless screw kit for it, so all the covers are coming off and getting polished, and the rest painted. i did some preliminary polishing already, as shown here. the first picture is after some cleaning, but before polishing anything.

paulages · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:21:30 PM »

i did do the tank myself. incredibly easy! if you notice in the background of one of those pictures is an orange deadblow mallet. i practiced on the black tank, which was f@#*ed anyway. it is almost perfect as is, but a bit of bondo before painting it will smooth it out exactly how i want. it tends to bend right where you want it to, if you're careful hammering. no actions shots, but here are some more pictures:

cbjunkie · « **Reply #5 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:31:20 PM »

#$%*in' camaro.

i wouldn't know a dead-blow hammer if it bit me on the ass - where do you find'em - body shop supply?

MetalHead550 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:39:08 PM »

Wow man, thats nice work on the tank! Never even thought of pounding it like that. In all the other build diarys Ive seen they were cut and welded. Im gonna give that a try. Did you create a template then draw it on the tank as a guid for where to hammer? Bet it takes a bit of practice! The 78 tank is great for a cafe. Ha! you think your shots are bad! You should see some of the sorry assed shots in my gallery...if its still there. Those parts look nice bead blasted...I need more tools, and a heated garage. Keep it up!

MetalHead550 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:43:09 PM »

Hey junkie, theyre pretty common. Youll find one most places they sell good tools. Its a hammer whos head is filled with lead shot or something like it. This way the hammer still has the heft you need but wont bounce off what you hit, causing a double hit. Makes for better accuracy and control.

cbjunkie · « **Reply #8 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:46:59 PM »

does it look like a regular hammer? do you have to go to an automotive store...seems like a pretty specialized object - i mean...Depot doesn't have'em, right?

cbjunkie · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:50:11 PM »

you lower them shocks there, sonny? ...i only ask 'cause i'm trying to get a pair of shocks right now, myself...in the market, so to speak...

i also have a 16" on the back and the air in between rubber and tin could fill a hot air balloon! thinkin' about dropping down to 12" shocks from the 13's"...

Faust · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2005, 03:50:27 PM »

By "dead blow hammer", do you mean the usual, filled with lead pellets so that there is no rebound? Was that a "K" tank when you started?

The spokes that were polished, were they just mild steel? They look good.

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 26, 2005, 04:04:59 PM »

PAULAGES-------->
#$%*in progress on a #$%*in bike !
I am diggin the 16'' rear wheel, I think I need to go with one of those for my Cb'er.
Where are ya located ? If you are local I will have you do some work on my ride...
Amazing work with the deadblow ,and to think I just used it to vandalize cars when I was younger ?

CBJUNKIE---> The great and mighty Depot will have a few for you to pick from...

paulages · « **Reply #12 on:** December 26, 2005, 04:09:18 PM »

FAUST- yes, it's a regular leadshot stlye mallet from home despot, made of plastic (important). it was an F style tank. i went out of my way to find one when i only had an K bike to work with, then i got a complete F model with a good tank.

CB JUNKIE- no mods on the shocks yet.

PRO TEAL- i'm in portland, or. glad to know i'm not the only one that found creative ways of diverting that juvinile delinquence as an adult.

intentional dead milkmen reference?

METALHEAD550- with the first tank i just went at it, and it was pretty good by eyeball measurements. with the second (the keeper) i taped off where i wanted the front to end, but the tank kind of bends where it wants to anyway. it naturally bends in at the top, stops at the bottom weld (have to be careful there), and bends a little farther forward than i'd like no matter what. i'll use bondo to create a nice sharp dip in the front edge. i love the F style tank, by the way...definitely has a tougher look to it, good for the cafe style.

cbjunkie · « **Reply #13 on:** December 26, 2005, 04:15:09 PM »

TANK - yeah, i am looking at a 78 right now...i have a SuperSport tank that i need to build a seat around if i'm gonna fit it onto my K1, but i really like the clean look of that 78 tank with the lid and center raised part. like metalhead said, the only other mods i'd seen done were cut and weld type, but certainly a little care and patience can make a nice looking indent as well. very inspiring, dude.

SHOCKS - i'm thinking of dropping mine down ... right now it has 13"s, but i could easily drop down an inch...i have the 16" rear wheel also...

MetalHead550 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 26, 2005, 04:20:46 PM »

cbjunkie, Be aware that the tank on his bike is from a 550 NOT a 750

. Is there a way to make it fit tho?

And also paulages, is it indeed from a 78 model 550 or a different year F model? My tank is identical(I think) and is from a 78 550 k.

paulages · « **Reply #15 on:** December 26, 2005, 04:24:47 PM »

oh yeah, faust, i almost forgot: the rear spokes from buchanans were stainless unpolished, and the front were the stock chromed, reused (hopefully they aren't too fatigued from being stretched for 30 years...i guess i'll find out). you don't really polish chrome, you just clean it, so i guess i stated that wrong. you have to be careful polishing spokes anyway, and do it lightly, so as not to compromise their strength taking off too much metal.

cbjunkie · « **Reply #16 on:** December 26, 2005, 04:36:03 PM »

yeah, no - i got it... all my gear is from 750's - actually the SS tank is too long, you know, but the rear bracket lands in the same place - just the body of the tank that hangs over.

i don't think a 750 tank would hammer any dif. than a 550 tank, do you?

bill440cars · « **Reply #17 on:** December 26, 2005, 06:49:28 PM »

That is one fine job you're doing on that 550. I especially like the gas tank. also, if there is a Harbor Freight store in your area, they have a varied selection of hammers to include those Dead Blow type. If you don't know what they look like, they look like a platic coated hammer w/ a rough texture to me. Any way, once again, keep up the good work on that 550. I've got a couple of project 550's myself and if they look anyway near what yours does, I'll be happy. Bill

paulages · « **Reply #18 on:** December 26, 2005, 09:33:48 PM »

cbjunkie: no, i don't think there should be any significant difference between the 750 and 550 tank, except that the cb550 "F" tank has sharper angles where the tank slopes downward from the top to the sides (it's a boxier looing tank). i think this helped me keep that top edge on the indent uniform.

thanks, bill. i'll be happy when this thing is on the road, but at least i've got others to ride through the winter. i wouldn't dream of having this thing outdoors in the humid NW winter, anyway. that's what my cb350 twin is for...

i got my hammer at home depot, but harbor freight, sears, or any other tool store will surely have a plastic dead blow hammer. i think the plastic is more important than the lead shot inside.

paulages · « **Reply #19 on:** December 26, 2005, 11:31:57 PM »

dead blow hammer at harbor freight:
http://order.harborfreight.com/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp

at sears:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/search.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&verticalFullName=Tools&keyword=dead+blow+hammer&displayTarget=searchresults&gobutton.x=0&gobutton.y=0&gobutton=find

maybe i have an artistic eye and touch, but it seemed really easy to me. if you run your fingers in the indent you can feel slight lumpiness, and see it in the right light, but it's nothing a little bondo won't fix.

for me, the polishing was much more of a chore. there have been some good threads on here describing polishing methods, and i've tried them all...no matter what it's tedious and hard work. (but worth it)

cbjunkie · « **Reply #20 on:** December 27, 2005, 09:32:47 AM »

good info. thanks.

i can't wait to try my hand at it...

paulages · « **Reply #21 on:** December 27, 2005, 11:14:07 AM »

cbjunkie--i posted a response wrong earlier, intended for you. was '#$%*in camaro' a dead milkmen reference? used to listen to the hell out of them in junior high...

cbjunkie · « **Reply #22 on:** December 27, 2005, 11:22:25 AM »

yes it was

"my many smells"
"the badger song"

what else???

paulages · « **Reply #23 on:** December 27, 2005, 11:27:19 AM »

i lived in a "tiny town", so that one really rang true. they led me into a world of punk music, which later made me realize how silly they were. 'big lizard' is a good record though.

cbjunkie · « **Reply #24 on:** December 27, 2005, 11:36:17 AM »

hey. if you can't have some fun with music what CAN you have fun with...the punks take themselves a little to seriously for me...i'm not sure which is the more "jr. high" attitude...

anyway, good times...

btw, i'm getting a '78 tank to work with my bike - a '71...the '78 has a little bit more of a crease along the top edge...

so, you're gonna bondo back into the leading edge of the indentation, try to crisp it up a little? ...that sounds like an interesting idea, some of carpy's tanks have almost a straight line down, with just a little rake back - it's a cool look.

is this bike of yours going to be a cafe? are you planning on doing any glass work on the tail?

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Author Topic: documenting my cb550 build (Read 48455 times)

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