Topic: my sandcast cb750

[ChortlingSandcaster]

My understanding is that the early cb750s known as the 'sandcast' type have an engine number in the range:

CB750 1000001
to
CB750 1007414

Well, my cb750's engine # is:

CB750E-1003334

So, here's the problem.

The metal plate at the front right side of the 'gooseneck' of the frame just where the forks attach has some mumbo-jumbo about "This motorcycle was in compliance with all regulations blah blah blah.......at the date of its manufacture"

BUT THAT METAL PLATE HAS NO 'DATE of MANUFACTURE'.

The frame # is also stamped at the 'gooseneck' part of the frame but it's on the LEFT side.
The frame # is:

CB750-1003278

And the 'Date of manufacture' is nowhere to be found!

Okay, so I've had a couple collectors tell me 'that is normal, many of the earliest 'sandcast' cb750s did not have the date stamp'  but I find it hard to believe that.

I know it's a '69 or an early '70 bike based on the low engine  # but I have no way to know for sure....

OR DO I?

Anyone know a way to find the 'Date of Manufature' for my cb750?

[hoodellyhoo]

All sandcasts were made in 69, so you have a 69

[bryanj]

Honda UK will supply a "Proof of year of Manufacture" letter for £39 GBP ($60 ish)

[Swoop]

The date of manufacture of the motor is stamped on the motor. The frame....you just have to trust us on this. There was no plate with that info.....that came later. It is a sandcast though.

[754]

Before that they did not even have an unstamped data plate.

That was probably made July or Aug of 69..

 How complete is the bike?

[ChortlingSandcaster]

It's 90% complete, stock paint on the tank looks excellent, tank inside is very very good, spokes/wheels very good, seat foam is a bit stiff.  Missing the sidecovers and has non-stock 'ape-hanger-style' bars, has a Hooker header, the style of which is so old looking, it must have been put on pretty near the early days of  the bike first being owned, I mean this header is ANCIENT looking style-wise, still has the red 'Hooker' sticker on the muffler, it is a 4-into-1, chrome in great condition.   The front stock fender is there but the top front was cut to give it a 'bobbed' look.  Also has individual 'pod' filters so I need the stock airbox.  The bike cost me $800.  The seller was not sure of the age.

It has great compression and 21,xxx miles, must have been kept inside all this time or it woulda rusted I would think, has no rust.

[73nancy]

nice find... im guessing your going to restore her back to orginal.. those old headers somebody might want to go for a more vintage look. good luck and by the way we need some pics...

[ChortlingSandcaster]

I am just now clearing out my working garage to commence the work and plan on shooting 'befores' and 'afters.'

Truth be told my work style is to get a 100% functioning vehicle that is 100% road-worthy, and then and only then commence the resto with a known-good entity, so the resto will probably commence later this summer due to my workload.  Looking fwd to doing it though.

By the way another poster said 'The date of the engine manufacture is on the engine' where would that be?

[754]

I would put it at less than 90 % with those bits missing.
 aircleaner, pipes sidecovers.. can easily run 2500.00 or more.. Keep in mind this may use the un-numbered pipe$   $$$

 What country or part of the country are you in?


 I dont think they meant date is on engine, they meant by the number it can be figured out.. built arond the time I previously mentioned..
 

[Swoop]

Date is on engine.

[andy750]

Sounds like you found a bargain. Im curious to see a pic of the hooker pipes!

good luck
Andy

[ChortlingSandcaster]

Date is on engine.

Hello, that looks like Steve from Grand Prix days, I can't read the caption my eyes dont
focus that small anymore.

Where is the date stamp, does something have to come off to get to it or is it stamped on the outside?
Thanks for your help.

[Swoop]

If you look in from the kickstart side....on the top case....just in front of the rear top securing bolt you should see 3 or 4 numbers.These are casting dates on the early ones....not sure how long they continued.
Steve

[Old Scrambler]

Very good fortune on your great find...............take a look at www.sandcastonly.org for more info.......also look at the projects formun on this site to see the details and talk directly with other sandcast restorers..........Please post the pics for all to see.

The advice about the dates and frame plates is correct.........Your questions tell us you need to do a little study-time to find out exactly what you have.  Your on the correct track by getting it running and road-worthy.

[Old Scrambler]

Just a thought..........check the cases and take some closeup pics........some of the sandcast models have replacement cases...............Mine were replaced in August of '70 and again in November. Both times the new die-cast cases were stamped with the original motor ID.............a very low numbered bike that was put on the road in August of '69.

[754]

How does a casting number indicate date assembled ..

 on an early diecast case set I have # 10,XXX, there is batch numbers on rear of both cases.. Anyone know how long they did that?

 Pretty common BTW on a lot of other makes..

[ChortlingSandcaster]

FOUND THAT DATE CODE.

It says "6-25."

There is also, just forward (that would mean closer to the cylinder) of the "6-25" on the same plate, there is an "F" and a "1" that are near each other but not close enough to make you think they were trying to stamp it as "F1"
or even "F 1".

Someone in this thread said "the bike was made in July or August" WOW really close, if the stamp is in fact
"June 25" missed July by only 5 days, I reckon you know a thing er two about these bikes.

[754]

Yeah, post #4

 I owned # 572 at one time, did not know about them numbers till now, from what I could determine the one I had was probably built in May.

 What province or state are you in?

[Johnie]

Keep in mind that cut front fender you mentioned was not cut by the previous owner. Those early bikes had a cut fender at the top and bottom. Those original cut fenders sell for mega bucks on eBay.

[754]

The fender should have a front brace and be cut ahead of that..

 hope it did not get bobbed..

[ChortlingSandcaster]

Yeah, post #4

 I owned # 572 at one time, did not know about them numbers till now, from what I could determine the one I had was probably built in May.

 What province or state are you in?

San Francisco Bay Area of northern California, bike supposedly is native to the state as the prior owner who I bought it from was the 2nd owner and he said the original owner told him that the bike was bought it locally, I believe he said at a Honda dealer in San Fran.

The front fender is bobbed, it does not have the front fender brace anymore.
Bummed about it.  I'm also bummed about the ape hangers.  I suppose easy to fix but
why do people put a bob style on a vintage bike.  The fun with a vintage bike is the vintage ride.
To each his own I reckon.

[Swoop]

Just for reference...motor number 750 has casting date of 4-23. So it kind of makes sense.
Steve