Topic: 1972 CB450 Project, Street Tracker theme.

[MidTNJasonF]

Well I made my intro post a little while back and have followed/read a number of build threads so I figured I better start one of my own for the current front burner project.

I picked up a new project a couple weekends ago. 72 CB450 that has been in storage for some 20 plus years. I have known of this bike for a number of years as I have been friends with the previous owner for close to a decade. I would see the bike when I visited him on the other side of the state. He had grand plans of rebuilding it and getting back into riding but he never got it done. He had had the bike in his garage for 18 or so years and it had been in storage for a few years before he acquired it. I guess he finally realized it needed to be in the hands of someone that would build it up. Since I happened to have something of similar value he really wanted in trade and a deal was struck and I made the trip to pick it up.

I got it stripped down somewhat in the first week or so and hope to pull the engine from the frame and get the rest of the suspension off within the next few weeks. At the moment I am only getting about two or so hours a week to work on it but that should pick up quickly.

Anyway my goal is to not cut up any stock parts since the bike is 100% complete. Some of the original parts are not usable without a fair bit of work and re-chrome. I will be cleaning up the stock bits and storing them. I am going to do a mild Street Tracker style look with it I think without cutting up the original bike. If I have to cut anything up it will be on ebay spare parts or stuff I fabricate myself.

On to the pictures to document the before.

Loaded up in the Truck to bring back to the shop. Some of these photos are not that great since all I had that day was a camera phone and funky lighting.





On the table in the shop going over what was ahead of me. Again somewhat crappy pictures, sorry.





Going over the spares and extra bits that were included in the deal. Spare set of carbs, spare ignition set with a relocating plate, spare finned cover, and all the original tool kit.
 






The start of the tear down process.
 




Stored parts on a pallet and waiting to sort, clean, refurbish.



More rust that I would like on the silencers.



More rust that I would like to see on the fenders.





More rust than I would like to see in the tank.





Much corrosion and oxidation on the painted aluminum parts and covers.

[MidTNJasonF]

Well I finally got a few minutes to tackle one small project.

I wanted to do something different with the motor mount plates. No real reason other than I thought it would be a place I could have some creative fun with.

Here are the original front plates after a quick bead blast.



I found a few chunks of 1/4" 6061-T6 aluminum plate in the scrap pile so I machined some new plates. They look stock for now but I want to do something different with the finish. I am still deciding on polishing the aluminum, bead blasting and clear coating, or smoothing and anodizing them but that depends on the rest of the finish/color choices for the bike.

Now that the trial fit of these plates was a success I may also just make a second set with a different design to the center so they do not look so much like the stock.

The new set of front plates came in just under 0.6 pounds while the old steel plates were just over 1.3 pounds. So it did save nearly 3/4 of a pound but that was not the real point of this.

Test fitting the new plates.








New and old side by side.




I plan on making a new set of top plates and rear plates when I finalize my plans on the design and as my schedule allows.


Pics of the old plates.

[MidTNJasonF]

Well I got some time today to do a bulk of the final break down on the bike. I had just planned to pull the motor and call it a day so I could sharpen a couple of lawnmower blades while in the shop but it was going so well I finished tearing down the entire thing. No more bike on a table. Now I have three pallets of parts stacked up on the rack.

Got the rear wheel and a few small bits pulled.



Motor is ready to pull.





Motor is out and on the cart.







Swingarm, centerstand, and rear brake levers off. Started breaking down the front end and got the controls off.





Some more of today's damage.



I was really unhappy with the condition of the front forks. This is the reason I really really hate rubber gaiters on forks. I think I can save these with cleaning, polishing, and elbow grease but I may or may not use them in the long run.








Now on to the bead blasting, stripping, cleaning, and decision making.

[BruceDeuce]

Whats new with the project?

[MidTNJasonF]

I got caught in a round of layoffs at work and shortly thereafter my wife lost her job. She started a new company with two partners from her former company but they have had limited to no revenue for six months or more. It is going to take some time to get off the ground. I mean while found not one but two new jobs about the time my employer got new contracts and brought all those of us he laid off back. Now I am working 65+ hours a week at three jobs trying to make up for lost time and money.

I have all the parts packed up and crated on pallets that are 16 feet up in the air on a rack. I will probably not get to touch the bike until at least January.

[BruceDeuce]

well at least your working, rite. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of your project thanks.

[MidTNJasonF]

Yeah I am back at work so that is a good thing. My wife just started her second job as well since it is taking so long to get the company profitable. That means we have 5 incomes in the household for a little while. None of them are large but at least 3 have potential to be large. Going to be a long winter of many working hours but it will be for the better I think.



On the bike I have gone back and forth on this thing. I really started out with a cafe racer in mind. I shifted my thinking to more of a street tracker idea since it was a bit different and the ergonomics are a bit more tall rider friendly. With the higher bars and the more traditional foot peg location it might be easier to enjoy more miles on it as a somewhat street tracker styled bike.

I am now thinking a hybrid bobber style bike for some reason. I love the clean minimalist look of the bobbers but have no desire to ride a hard tail bike. I have another frame now to play with and no fear of cutting it up or otherwise hacking a completely original and nice frame. I am trying to find examples and ideas for a mono shock center mounted rear suspension on a 450 twin or similar frame. I am thinking I may start mocking up the frame with a Suzuki 600 swing arm I have at the shop with a mono shock and cut away much of the rest of the rear frame. With a semi standard foot peg location and reasonable bars I think it could be good.

I also like the fat tire bobber look and may see about lacing up a set of wide rimed 18" wheels or slightly more modern cast 17" wheels. The cast wheels may just look out of place on the finished project though.

Ideas? Thoughts?

[BruceDeuce]

Jayson IMO I think it should either be a cafe racer or Chopper with the fat rear tire. You obviously have the materials to do it with. It doesn't have to be a hard core Chop but look at the old 750 triumphs and get a an idea from them.

[DavePhipps]

some monoshock builds I was looking into
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=79556.25
and here
http://www.xs650chopper.com/2010/02/metalheads-old-cafe/