Topic: Project Back in black (75 CB750K)

[Old75_ratafe]

So feeling a little better today and managed to get out into the garage for an hour after work and got the rim and some other stuff painted, I also gave the tank a skunk stripe.  I'll post some pics tomorrow once its dry and mounted. 

[Old75_ratafe]

Hmm lets see finally was feeling good and last night painted up my rear end bits, then today.... spent 4 or 5 hours putting it back together painting the tank doing a pre ride check on everything and then.... For the first time since 1989 Project Back in Black... IS BACK it hit the road!    It's had no tuning and road great... I just went for a quick around the block (stalled it like 5 times ha) then came back and seeing cops having someone pulled over at the end of my street remembered I hadn't put my tab on my plate lol.  Threw that on and went for another ride around the block.... that turned into oh idk a little over an hour!     Man that thing hauls, I missed a shift into second and didn't catch it till about 4 or 5K and it nearly kicked me out of the seat lol.  Can't wait till I actually sync it.  (or what the 8k redline looks like).

Hey I realized something today the PO lost the reset stalk for the trip odometer and mine is the back of the cluster not the side like other bikes... anyone have a spare?

PS Damn you HedNut you beat me by a day!

[Old75_ratafe]

So my seat isn't fixed yet and I had the old one laying around but it looked like hell soooo $2.00 worth of black duct tape fixed that!

[seaweb11]

I think we need one out in the sun

[Old75_ratafe]

I also cleaned the tank and helmet with degreaser and really liked the semi gloss look on the tank so I taped off the gloss stripe and repainted it.... turned out awesome I am gonna do the same thing with the side covers semi gloss with a gloss highlighting.  I also sanded preped bondo'd up the side covers this afternoon fixing a crack on each one and filled in the emblem spots (I didn't have them anyway).  I think I may also go back and redo the handle bars in semi gloss.  The pic here is of the the tank wet with the cleaner it turned out a lot flatter than this.

[Old75_ratafe]

I think we one out in the sun

Actually when I went the sun was down lol.  But I did beat the weekend rain about an hour after I parked it the rain started. 

[rachet]

Great read.  I'm glad you got her up and running!  The black on black looks wonderful and you can't go wrong blacking out pretty much everything on the bike!  The question is... are you going to "cocoon" it again for winter? OR... buy a propane heater and work on it through the winter?

Rach-

[unitedguitar]

The black monochrome look is sweet. Have you decided on painting the engine or not yet?

[HedNut]

Great Job MAN!  I gotta say though....you definately rode yours more than I rode mine!!  So in all rights...even though you were 1 day slow....I believe you win...     I only did a quick jaunt up the road, thru all the gears, brakes and a few curves.  (So hard not to honk on bo-bo though isn't it!?) hahah

I LOVE that flat/gloss black combo....Killer looks!!  I'm jealous that you're legit!! Cheers! And enjoy the #$%* out of her!!

[Old75_ratafe]

Great read.  I'm glad you got her up and running!  The black on black looks wonderful and you can't go wrong blacking out pretty much everything on the bike!  The question is... are you going to "cocoon" it again for winter? OR... buy a propane heater and work on it through the winter?

Rach-

Thanks, and hell no its not going under a tarp again! lol.  I haven't decided on when I'll stop work... I do have a propane torpedo heater actually.  Just not sure if I'll be that inclined to go out in the white stuff lol.  I was kicking around the idea of finding a cheap used house furnace and looking into converting it to propane.  Not sure if that's possible.  But that way I could just use it when I need to and I would bet its more efficient than the torp.

The black monochrome look is sweet. Have you decided on painting the engine or not yet?

No I keep flipping between cleaning the paint off and leaving it bare with some black accents or painting the whole thing semi black and polishing the fin edges and covers with chrome alen bolts.  I have all winter to ponder I guess.

Great Job MAN!  I gotta say though....you definately rode yours more than I rode mine!!  So in all rights...even though you were 1 day slow....I believe you win...     I only did a quick jaunt up the road, thru all the gears, brakes and a few curves.  (So hard not to honk on bo-bo though isn't it!?) hahah

I LOVE that flat/gloss black combo....Killer looks!!  I'm jealous that you're legit!! Cheers! And enjoy the #$%* out of her!!

Thanks man love yours too.  I repainted the tank and went with semi gloss and gloss instead of the flat and gloss.  Think I'm gonna continue the theme.  Probably keep the suspension and frame flat though.  Funny thing too it handled great, I expected the rear shocks to be shot and the front WERE leaking the suddenly stopped now that I rode it.    weird huh.  Oh I mounted the original plate on the garage wall too confirmed last ride... 1989


Oh how I love sanding bondo..... Finished the side covers last night I'll post some pics later I did them in semi gloss like the tank and once I figure out what I am gonna do for a emblem (something vinyl) I'll make a gloss background for it to go on.

And one final pic of my buddy pretending to ride my bike lol.  I think I got him hooked we are gonna look for one for him next summer if he's got the money.

[Old75_ratafe]

Alright boys and girls update time!  Ok so the side covers are done! Well kinda done for now.  Semi flat again, turned out OK but I need to redo it next summer, the bondo shrunk after I painted it and u can see the emblem spot if u get close on it.

I changed the plugs today to the iridium's I had bought months ago which on the #2 proved a issue something in the head casting stops me from getting a normal socket into there.... So I made one.. well bought one and ground it down until it fit lol. 


Also if anyone remembers from way back at the start the lost oil pressure gauge plug I found that too.... unfortunatly all I had to fill the gauge was silicone lubricant spray.... worked great... until it started eating the plastic gauge face..... and totally ruining the gauge... sigh. 

I took it off and tried to clean it out (hoping it was just milky fluid) and then changed my plugs... and tried to start the bike... that made a nice mess oil EVERYWHERE all over the bike and floor in the 3 or 4 seconds I had it running I lost like half a quart.    Spent the next 10 mins washing the oil off of my tire and exhaust with simple green and a scrub brush.

[Old75_ratafe]

So speaking of making tools I also got the restricters and hoses set up for my gauges so I can sync the carbs.  Found the set of crash guards I bought.  They look like hell but once I get the rust off, cut the highway pegs off and paint it gloss black they'll look good.  I'm gonna try my hand at electro chemically striping the rust on these... let you guys know how that turns out. 

I also dragged out the dual disc setup and looked it over... I'm thinking this is my next big project along with the air shocks and maybe a set of progressive springs.

Also mocked up the new fuse box and while I was looking around the garage I found this old can of oil... thinking its from the 70's... and synthetic to boot!  Think its still good?  lol

[Old75_ratafe]

OK so I need some advise.   I am having a hell of a time with my oil pressure dummy light I replaced the stock with another one (used), and and have now triple checked my wiring and the damn thing won't turn off.  I have a mechanical gauge and it reads 60+ cold and 40~50 cold so I have good pressure.  Plus I've ridden the bike like this for almost 100miles now.  Also I have one single brown wire that appears to have no mate... according to the diagrams brown is for the tail light... but my taillight and running lights work fine.  also last night when I was screwing around with the oil warning light I left my fuel petcock open and started smelling gas... looked under the bike and there was a puddle coming from the overflow tubes....  I did just fill up last night could it be possible there enough pressure to let it through?  kinda worried there was quite a bit and I don't want to be leaking gas when I am sitting at idle.... maybe just a stuck float or something?

[HedNut]

Hey Man! Looking good....I wish I could help you out on that brown wire...I can't say though.
As for your leaking gas...definately needle n' seat in one of the carbs I'd say.....speck of dirt got in there or something.  (last time that happened on my dirt bike I just gave'r #$%* until it passed thru...lol...doesn't always work)

PS... I'm going to try sending over that rotor pattern....right now...

Cheers!

PPS...I can't find your email so I'll just attach it to this response.   This is the pattern I used on my bike.  (It's not really the Centrifugal Genome...but with a mix of Swirl McHoly and Rabid Spectrum Dialysis....haha)

[Old75_ratafe]

I've been thinking about it and I think I set my floats at 25mm instead of the correct 26mm.... and this is as full as I have ever had the tank.  When I left for work today it was still leaking.  Wondering if maybe the 25mm is a bit to high and letting to much fuel in.

Thanks for that man I like the pattern mix.  Possibly a dumb question does is matter the direction the swirls go?

[the technological J]

when mounted the swirls will go either forward or back so its up to u what u like......... i would run some cleaner thru with this tank of gas... if its still leaking then mess with it  but ive had some bikes that have been stuck and they give  after a while..... take a real bumpy ride home..that will help also... brown is the constant for honda bikes but i dont know what the post above is referencing

[Old75_ratafe]

Yea the stupid thing is I just rebuild the carbs and they have been running fine for a month now.  I even added a inline filter just in case something got through.  When I looked in the tech section here at the wire schematic and the wiring show brown for the tail light.

[the technological J]

whats the prob with the wire? did u remedy this prob?

[Old75_ratafe]

whats the prob with the wire? did u remedy this prob?

Well that's the funny thing.... everything works.  I have one wire that goes to nothing the brown one which says its for the rear tail light... but it works fine.  My only issue is the oil warning light never shuts off.

[Old75_ratafe]

So I decided it would be a awesome idea to park my car to close to the gate and ram my side cover into the side of it as I pushed it past it... CRACK!  Sigh.... another case of car one bike zero!  As u can see this is not the first time this cover has been repaired 35+ yo plastic doesn't fair so well...  Might get a new set next year.

[Old75_ratafe]

Just to clarify on that brown wire here is a pic.

Also I've been feeling the need to have some form of storage on my bike and had a bit of a idea.  I took some measurements and figure out I could mount a 7.62mm army ammo can (10 x 7 x 4) one each side between the rear light and the covers using the mounts from the grab rail and shocks (with some spacers).   They would follow the lines of the seat and clear the exhaust and pegs. I could repaint them black and do some sort of writing or logo on them and they are lockable, watertight and cheap.... Like $30 a pair shipped cheap.  What do u guys think?  Or should I just get some cheap black leather saddle bags (plain no fringe crap).  Let me know thanks.

[unitedguitar]

I think that the brown wire is for the brake light indicator. I could be wrong. I can check mine when I get it back but I remember something about a brown wire for the indicator light. Plus, I ended up with several extra wires. My guess would be that the wiring harnesses were probably used for more than one bike and just accommodated different options.

[Old75_ratafe]

I think that the brown wire is for the brake light indicator. I could be wrong. I can check mine when I get it back but I remember something about a brown wire for the indicator light. Plus, I ended up with several extra wires. My guess would be that the wiring harnesses were probably used for more than one bike and just accommodated different options.

Hmm might be, although why would there be a brake light indicator?  I mean if your pressing the brake wouldn't you know?  Hey since I have some peoples attn what the heck is the third position on the key used for?  Mine just turns on my rear tail light and makes the buzzer go. 

I'm guessing if my fork lock worked its hooked to that as a security device so when the fork was moved it went off?

[unitedguitar]

The brake light indicator lets you know if your brake light is on in case it gets stuck on. Some of those old rear brake switches get stuck open and your brake light will be on all the time. When you activate either one of the brakes you should have a light next to the neutral and oil pressure indicator lights come on. As for the third switch position I believe that it is a park position in case you are on the side of the road somewhere your tail light will stay on so people can see you.

[nmarshall87]

Hey man, just wanted to say hello and that your bike's looking great.  I'm right down the road in Ferndale.  I just bought my first bike in September (a '77 cb750) and I'm enjoying watching your build while I work on my own.  I've only ridden my down the road once yet, had to rebuild my carbs and frankenstein them with another set I found on craigslist; not to mention my bike's still at my folks house in Auburn Hills.    Anyway, keep up the good work, I'll see ya on the road!