Topic: Slow-mo abandoned NYC bike death watch

[Alan F.]

It's possible to slide a socket wrench (10mm?) up under the seat and undo the bolts that hold the catch thingy to the seat pan. I did  this on my 350 before I got a set of keys.

+1 This works on 750's too, I've done this on my K3, a 750A and a 78 750K
I used a 1/4" ratchet with a few short extensions to achieve the correct flex, a couple of universal joints would have worked even better.

Our local locksmith guy has them hanging up on the wall to be cut. Just need the #. Usually around $15-20, depending on how rare the key is getting.

+1 I've done this several times.

[Grnrngr]

You have to register boats??
Do you need a licence to operate one too??

Most states require boat registration if it is over 16 feet, or powered (motor or sail), some states do require registration of non-powered vessels (canoes/kayaks) more and more states are requiring boater safety classes and a card, really pisses off an old guy who grew up on boats. Every year we hear about someone who drowns in one of the local rivers and there's a massive outcry that life jackets aren't required to lounge on the beach.

[Gnat]

Its quit snowing now....whats going on? This is better than a detective show on Direct TV

I have 2 350's and have gotten to really love them. I would think of myself as a "Liberator" not a..."well you know".

In MS neither of the basket cases I own had a title only a bill of sale. I paid a bonds man 100 bucks for the 2 for something called a "Surity Bond" the DMV then issued me a title and plates. Easy Breasy!

I wish everywhere that was legal.

If any of you are old enough to remember Barney Miller the TV show. You might remember the one where the guy gets caught with the Hudson thats like 50 years old and that he stole 45 years ago. This reminds me of that.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck. I like my little monsters. The 1st one is almost complete and it is really so very cool.

Gnat

[vames]

Hey -- Thanks for asking. There were a few follow-up threads.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=67304.msg742227#msg742227
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=66875.0;topicseen

I've now got a title for it. Beyond that I just need some time to tear into it. It's been a busy March, but April looks promising. I've got a few parts on order and I think I'll be joining a garage in Brooklyn so that I have a place to work on it.

Meanwhile, I've gotten the 400f out of storage and had some good dashes around town between rainstorms over the past week.

[754]

So was it hard to get reggie or did it go easy..

 did the city guys come after you..lol?

[country joe]

Nice job on getting a title bro. I'm waiting for one for my CB550. Me, I love loud pipes but not everyone does. I live in the country, so the louder the better! If you know someone with a mandrel bender, you can make your own pipes then put whatever kind of mufflers on you want. I'm not sure what size exhaust tubing would be the right size for your 350 though. I'd love to see some footage of your bike running on Youtube when you get that far. I've been following your story, and would love to hear that old girl fired up.

[KraigG]

So? Any news on the rebuild? Current pics?

[vames]

It's been a while since I updated on this. I’ve been too busy to wrench for a while, and when I did have spare time I was out riding my 400f and 350 twin.

It's taken me seven months, but I've finally gotten a couple of days to finally take on the "NYC Slo-Mo Abandoned Death Watch" bike that I rescued from the trash man back in February. Turns out that under the bird#$%* and grime is a pretty nice Honda. After installing  a new ignition switch and battery, then cleaning up all the electrical contacts and control switches, everything lit up -- it has working blinkers, starter, lights, etc. It also sparks on all four. I went over the whole bike with compressed air and had a ton of leaves, dead bugs, trash, nutshells (squirrels?) and other debris come off.  I haven't fully scrubbed it, but it’s at a point where I can get it working.
 
I had an old 350f tank which I took to a radiator shop to boil out and coat the inside. For $100 it was definitely worth it to not have to go through all the steps in a liner kit, and it's a thick bright red coating on the inside. Unfortunately, it left the old paint intact and I was hoping it would come back completely bare outside -- I'll probably have it painted when I sort out the mechanicals. I took off the carbs and cleaned them out and finally got them back on (son of a b*tch). Rebuilt the petcock with a kit. Pumped lubricant into all the cables to free them up. Rebult the front brake caliper and bled the system and freed up the caliper arm.

The old oil was grimy but didn’t have water or gas in it. I went to drain it and….no drain plug on the bottom. WTF? So I pulled off the pan and found that the PO had completely (and very sloppily) welded the hole shut. Not sure why, and not sure I want to know. The pan gasket was in very nice shape so I guess he just pulled the pan every time he wanted to change the oil. Luckily, the owner of the garage where I keep my bikes had an old 400f engine in the back and sold the oil pan off it for $50 (excellent deal, considering I had it in my hands in the time it took to loosen the 11 bolts that hold it on).  
I squirted some oil in the pistons and the valve adjusters, but had to call it quits for the day.  Tomorrow I’ll pick up a gallon of gas and head over and try and start it. I promise to take some pictures and video if it does run, or even if it doesn’t.

[vames]

This thread is so engaging I had to take a break to get some popcorn!  Seriously, this is very cool.  Do we have to wait 6 months or a year (or 3) to find out how it ends?  Maybe you could just make up something - you know, to hold us over 'til we get the next fix... 

So funny -- i went back to read the thread and ksmith hit the nail on the head about how long it would take to find out how it ends.

[Ecosse]

just subscribed. can't believe i missed this one!

just wanna add a major kudos for saving the wee beast. there's a special place in gearhead heaven for people like you.

 

with boiling the tank i'd think you'd have to watch for rusting, no?

[dave500]

Vames, you rock mate. Saving that little 350 is an awesome gesture and following the story has made my week. Have a great weekend knowing that hundreds of Honda Four fans around the world salute you. Really hope you get to keep the bike. Good on you. ^^

for those about to save a honda 350/four,,,we salute you(with acdc noise)

[dave500]

buy some new plugs as stand bys,make sure the oil light goes out when it fires and runs,it may even go out with extended cranking.

[Johnie]

Great...thanks for the update. I had been wondering the position of this bike since you started the thread. I can not wait for more pics. That is weird about the oil plug weld job. You would think it would have been easier to just get a new plug...but we love those PO's don't we... They make it so interesting...

[vames]

I assume that he tighened the old drain plug too much and stripped or cracked it. OK -- so you weld it, drill it back out and tap it for a new plug, right? Wrong -- he stoped at the welding part.

Pics and a full report this evening.

[The_Crippler]

*braces for amazement*

[bluesmoke69]

Thanks for sharing this story.

[vames]

It’s a runner! Definitely needs a carb synch, which I haven’t done yet – the idle speed is some times a bit sticky near 2000 rpm even though it eventually settles down to a nice 1100 rpm. I don’t think it’s an air leak, but that’s something I’ll have to check too. I ran around the streets of Williamsburg and it runs and rides pretty nicely. Time to clean this thing up, put on some new tires and start zooming around town.

Here is a video from a few minutes after I started it up. I didn’t have the camera out to document the leaves and nut shells and manky smoke that initially came out of the pipes, but soon it settled down and idled. The sound on my Blackberry's video recorder sounds a lot messier than it really did -- the bike sounded very clean running for something that sat outside in the elements for more than five years. It has a throaty growl like a vicious german shepherd. Notice the bird#$%* that is still on the seat….

[youtube=425,350]FJCXxQBIFSA[/youtube]

Here is the rack of carbs just after I started to break them down. I found it weird that two were relatively clean while one had some rusty grime inside and one was packed with rusty crap and the main jet holder rusted away to dust. Shouldn’t all the carbs be equal grimy? Everything went into the giant ultrasonic cleaner at the shop and came out clean an hour later. I didn’t replace much – just rubber rings on the main jets – and all the other parts cleaned up fine. Sorry – didn’t think to take an “after” picture of the clean carbs.








Here’s a couple of shots of the whole bike:






And just so it doesn’t feel left out, here’s a shot of my trusty and beloved 400F, done in my Blackberry’s sepia tone setting for maximum artistic effect. (I think the 400f may be jealous that the crusty 350f has working blinkers.)

[Spanner 1]

Thank the Lawd, it's saved !... well done Vames.

[Ecosse]

Thank the Lawd, it's saved !... well done Vames.

+1

hallelujah!!

 

[Old75_ratafe]

Very very cool I was half expecting to see it get hauled way by the PD for towing fines or something, great score.

[Johnie]

vames...super nice. I think it sounds great! This is another testimonial to the vintage Honda and the quality of the product during the production runs. These early bikes just keep on running even after years of neglect. Good eye to spot this vames and have the courage to jump through hoops to bring it back to life. My helmet is off to you man!

[Hush]

Nice save mate, just a testament to the quality of these bikes that it runs so well.

[Stev-o]

Great thread!  Does your buddy have a spare seat for you?

[vames]

I've got a new seat cover that I've had sitting around (they sent me the wrong one for my 350 twin and never asked for it back when they sent me the right one). I'm going to try and shave off some of the foam -- that bike is taller than I expected.

Thanks everyone! This has been fun sharing, and there will be a trickle of news in the weeks to come. Maybe I should move this to the project thread at this point?

[VigCS]

Excellent!  So glad you saved it and it's a runner!