Topic: 1975 CB550F Project Penguin. A.K.A. David

[Zaipai]

if you end up needing the controls for the left side, i got a stock one

i'm gonna order the tank liner this week and get the tank lined, and make sure there's no issuses with that ..  long story but i might have to move in a month or so , so i gotta get all these side jobs that are in my basement finished   

are you particular  to any brand of tank liner?  i'm planning on using RedKote because it's easier to buy in bulk (i have another tank for someone else to do too)  But i have no experience with RedKote, so if you know of any horror stories with it let me know

the tank your getting will mount and fit exactly like that stock one you have there, so the one you have will do fine for any mock up you have to do

 i'm gonna see what other 550 goodies i've got.. i think i've still gotta drilled rotor , maybe some other goodies  .. ok now i'm just thinking out loud

bikes lookin good, can't wait for M.V.R. this summer

Spikey! Glad to see you hop on. Dude, I trust your judgment so do what you think is best I am sure I will be thrilled with the results.
As for the other parts, PM me a list with prices and I will see if I can charm some cash from my wife to get some of them..

Hope you and your family have a Happy New Year!!!
TTYS,

.: Scott :.

[Zaipai]

i think they were off a early 70s suzuki ts125 or 250, i think now that the throttle might not have had switches on it because it looked like this one,
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/THROTTLE-CONTROL-TS250-SUZUKI-TS-250-1970_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2302da0d90QQitemZ150371700112QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

but there was a little pod that was on it that had a puch button or maybe 2 and a three way toggle i think.  i ended up not using them, my bike is kick only with the head and tail lights on with the key and no turn signals, i dont have any buttons on my bars at all, i think i gave them to a buddy of mine.  but those switches were a lot less bulky than stock ones.

Cool I will look into that. I was thinking of putting a toggle switch hidden in the back of the head light bucket for the head lights, for the few times I would want the head light off I can deal with it there, and I might put the Highbeams on a push switch some place near the speedometer.

The other thing I was thinking was running the throttle cable, clutch cable and wires thru the handle bars, I have seen that done and it really cleans the handle bars up some. So I am also looking for a throttle control that works that way.. Its just the cost may be too much for what I have to spend..

Just throwing out some ideas..

Joe, Yea, that's what I figured, since I am not doing a restore to stock its anything goes... well as long as it fits in and adds to the over all appeal to the bike. Thanks for the kind words on the project so far.

I also found out a friend of mine opened a bike shop not far from here, so soon I will stop by and see what he has and what we can work out.. 

.: Scott :.

[55fbomb]

i just saw cycle x had a nice little control pod also.

[Zaipai]

i just saw cycle x had a nice little control pod also.

Thanks 55fBomb, I will check it out.. Its surprising difficult to find what I am looking for.. But I will find it.

[Zaipai]

Well little progress today. I did manage to clear coat the frame with 4 coats (wet sanding between) and its as smooth as silk and very shiny. Now I am trying to get the motor out of the other frame..

Any way, here is the final result, the frame wont change from here out, other then a good coat of wax to make it like glass..

[traveler]

IMHO...hold off on waxing the paint....even protecting the frame, there could be some touch up necessary after engine install (which is a b1tch, don't kid youself ), and unless you want to wipe the frame down with wax and grease remover or alcohol to touch it up, it's best to wait.

That said, you know I'm really diggin' your build.  MUCH nicer than mine, trust me!  Mine is a huink of junk compared to what you have going here.

P.S.  The headlight bolts ROCK....thanks a bunch!  You might be able to see them in one of the last pics....if not I'll take a shot.

~Joe

[Zaipai]

IMHO...hold off on waxing the paint....even protecting the frame, there could be some touch up necessary after engine install (which is a b1tch, don't kid youself ), and unless you want to wipe the frame down with wax and grease remover or alcohol to touch it up, it's best to wait.

That said, you know I'm really diggin' your build.  MUCH nicer than mine, trust me!  Mine is a huink of junk compared to what you have going here.

P.S.  The headlight bolts ROCK....thanks a bunch!  You might be able to see them in one of the last pics....if not I'll take a shot.

~Joe

Yea, I plan to cover the frame around the motor with painters tape.. alot of it.. I looked into pipe insulation but not sure it wont get in the way.. I may still have to touch it up but I am going to try like the devil not to have to.
Next winter I have to do a top end rebuild so its going to get scratched up then as well.. Its all part of the adventure..

You don't give your ride enough credit man, you got it going on and in the cold I am very impressed. Your welcome man.. Glad they worked out for ya..

.: Scott :.

[cleveland]

Now that you've painted it, I want it back!   

It's looking good!!!  At this rate you'll be riding at the start of spring.  Keep the pics coming.

[squirley]

Looking very good...seeing the pictures of a gold frame makes me wish I kept mine that way.

Oh well, keep up the good work

Jens

[Zaipai]

Now that you've painted it, I want it back!   

It's looking good!!!  At this rate you'll be riding at the start of spring.  Keep the pics coming.

Thanks dude, I could not have done this if you had not given such a good price on the frame..

No its mine!!!

[Zaipai]

Looking very good...seeing the pictures of a gold frame makes me wish I kept mine that way.

Oh well, keep up the good work

Jens

Thanks, however compared to yours its a very armature job.. Thanks for the confidence tho it means a lot.

.: Scott :.

[Zaipai]

Ok well my bike is still full of surprises..

Here I find that the old frame with the shocks from the CB400 has newer bearings in it, the newly painted frame I want to use has the older ball baring setup. Now I have to figure out what I am going to do, either way it means money.. errggg... The gold one on the left is the one I am going to use that is off a 76 CB550F and the other is the one that came off my 75 CB550F and has the newer baring's..

[Zaipai]

This is one of my rear shocks.. I thought maybe that it was from vice grips or some thing used to adjust it, however it looks more like a chain was wearing it down, the odd thing is the other shock is identical, well almost its not quite as bad.

[Zaipai]

Here is what I did manage to get done. Its a small step but one that needed to be done. I put in the rubber bits for the side covers and then the foot pegs. It does not look like it in the picture but the foot pegs look stunning, all chrome and gold.. I circled every thing I did do..

[Industrial Cafe]

tap 2 flatheads under the spacer/washer on the bottom of the tree and bust your ass prying up on it till it pushed the roller bearings up.
 use a long flat head to tap out the outer races in the neck of the bikes rotating around so they don't bind.
 shouldn't cause any distress.
and if it does, you can get new ones for 43 bux.

[Zaipai]

tap 2 flatheads under the spacer/washer on the bottom of the tree and bust your ass prying up on it till it pushed the roller bearings up.
 use a long flat head to tap out the outer races in the neck of the bikes rotating around so they don't bind.
 shouldn't cause any distress.
and if it does, you can get new ones for 43 bux.

Ok you make it sound some what easy.. So I will go ahead and give it a try this weekend.. Any idea's on how hard it will be to remove the old ones from the freshly painted frame? Do they just pop out?

Thanks,
.: Scott :.

[Industrial Cafe]

it's not easy at all.  you might be well off to cut the old one at an angle with a dremel in 2 spots and tap it with a blunt punch to break it.

[Zaipai]

it's not easy at all.  you might be well off to cut the old one at an angle with a dremel in 2 spots and tap it with a blunt punch to break it.

Ouch..Ok..  I don't have a dremel however my brother inlaw told me he has a dremel clone so perhaps I will see if that works....

Thanks for your help on this.. Any chance you want to donate your whole GSX front end to me as a tax write off?  

.: Scott :.

[Industrial Cafe]

oh, the ones in the frame will knock out easy enough without damaging the paint. (if you're careful)

[Industrial Cafe]

Any chance you want to donate your whole GSX front end to me as a tax write off? 

.: Scott :.

if I had a spare I'd hook you up with a deal. what's a "tax"

[Zaipai]

Any chance you want to donate your whole GSX front end to me as a tax write off? 

.: Scott :.

if I had a spare I'd hook you up with a deal. what's a "tax"

lol... good one..

Thanks but I was just kidding.. I know you would you already offered, however my cash flow has not changed much.. The good news is my wife is working (only until may) again so in a month I will have some money to go tword the penguin...

.: Scott :.

[winnipeg550guy]

 If your still looking for throttle switch boxes, have a look over at Mike's XS

http://www.mikesxs.net/products-51.html#products

 I seem to recall a thread someone had that figured out which wires went to which for Honda conversions but haven't been able to locate it yet

[Zaipai]

If your still looking for throttle switch boxes, have a look over at Mike's XS

http://www.mikesxs.net/products-51.html#products

 I seem to recall a thread someone had that figured out which wires went to which for Honda conversions but haven't been able to locate it yet

Thanks I will look at Mikesxs and see what they have. I know about the thread you mentioned, I figured I would need it later so I bookmarked it..

Thanks!

.: Scott :.

[Zaipai]

If your still looking for throttle switch boxes, have a look over at Mike's XS

http://www.mikesxs.net/products-51.html#products

 I seem to recall a thread someone had that figured out which wires went to which for Honda conversions but haven't been able to locate it yet

Ooooo I love the chrome one.. and that site has both sides..

[Spikeybike]

i have the tool for installing the bearings to the frame , once your ready ... i'd be happy to lone it to ya ..... it really makes the install process way easier

.... and you could get the old bearing races off without a dremel,  it's the same process that IC explains ... it's just alot harder cuz they're 30 some odd years old

it might just be easier (for you) to paint the other one,  but the parts could be switched around and installed inside an hour or two