Author Topic: First attempt @ building a Cafe('74 CB 550 four) Looking for Guidance! Pic added (Read 9644 times)

brettster26 · « **on:** January 03, 2011, 07:20:36 AM »

Alright everyone,
I am picking up my '74 CB 550 four this week! I am excited as hell, and nervous at the same time. Since this will be my first time doing anything this in-depth with a motor vehicle I could really use all the help I can get!
First questions:
- I am going to have to clean the carbs, motor and the whole bike in general, what are the best things to use for this (cleaing products wise and tools)?
is it worth buying the carb kits or just cleaing them without replacing anything?
- Where is the best place to get cafe parts or parts for this bike in general for a good price? In other words - Cheap?
- Going to need new handle bars (currently they are monkey hangers), New Exhaust (old one has some rust/holes in it), pod filters, tires, battery, seat ect.

Paint / Polishing - I would like to paint some of the parts black or another color what would be the best way to do this? I have seen acouple people on the internet using some kind of spray paint or other paint rather than sending to get everything powder coated which i am sure can be expensive, I would like to do everything as cost effective as possible as I do not have a ton of money to spend on it. Would also like to polish acouple parts whats the best way to do this?

Tools - If i am going to need any tools other than what one would have in their tool box that has never done anything like this before I could use some suggestions of necessities?

Could really use all the help I can get so please get back to me on this! Like I said I have never done anything like this before but have recently decided to take this on as a hobbie! Hoping to have something running and looking good by April without spending a ton of money!

I am going to get the bike running and running well. But since it is winter here I wanted a winter project. I will for sure get the bike running before I start ripping it down, but I am looking for some guidance on what I need, where i should start and how to clean the carbs and the bike in general, I have heard alot of people use simple green, and would like some guidance on the other questions... Figured that from several of the forums i have read on other sites everyone has been very willing to help I thought i would throw my questions out there and see if I could get some help from the people that have done this several times! Would appreciate all the help i can get!

brandEn · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2011, 07:45:09 AM »

Welcome to the forum!

Some of your questions are hard to answer without more details and pictures but I will help a little.

When cleaning carbs its always a safe bet to replace all the gaskets and o-rings at a minimum. Especially if you have no idea if and when its ever been done. Also if you plan on removing the stock airbox in favor of pod filters be aware that you will have to tune your carbs accordingly and can be a pain if your not ready for the adventure. A few good places for parts are CMSNL and Z1 Enterprise or even your local Honda dealer as well as Ebay. Polishing.... could be considered an art form by some. Do a forum search and you will find tons of info on different techniques. Paint.... for engine parts VHT or Duplicolor seem to be the brand of choice by many. For other bits some people just love the old spray bomb Krylon. Powdercoating is my preference however. Good results can be had with Krylon though! Keep your eyes on the for sale section here on the forum for misc parts as well. I am sure others will chime in here so again welcome and good luck!

brettster26 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2011, 08:04:21 AM »

BWJ,
Thanks for the info I have attached a picture of the bike, does not look like it is in bad shape but I am picking it up on Wednesday... I will post more pics once I pick it up.

I have heard that you have to Re-jet when doing th change to Pod Filters maybe i will hold off on that for a bit!

Let me know your thoughts on it... I am hopeing for the best but planning for the worst. We will see what I end up with.

Thanks again!

brettster26 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2011, 08:08:57 AM »

Also other than the seat and handle bars... Let me know if you see anything in the picture that is incorrect!?

Thanks all for your help!

Flying J · « **Reply #4 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:18:15 AM »

Your missing the fork covers. Nice looking bike.

MCRider · « **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2011, 11:49:59 AM »

Quote from: ffjmoore on January 03, 2011, 09:18:15 AM

Your missing the fork covers. Nice looking bike.

Those fork tubes look extended, may need extended covers?

Just kidding about the covers, except the tubes do appear to be extra long which would go with the Ape Hanger bars, you know, the chopper look.

If I'm right you'll be in the market for some stock length fork tubes. Hope you can get some good used ones, or Franks will oblige for $250+/-.

Is the rear wheel almost touching the floor? On the side stand, does it lean WAAAY over? If so = longer tubes.

MCRider · « **Reply #6 on:** January 03, 2011, 11:52:46 AM »

Oops, I see the sidestand has been modified. Probably longer than stock because of the long forks. Looks like the front brake hose has been extended also, same reason.

Roach · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2011, 01:19:36 PM »

make sure you get the right carbs with it or the carbs period that pic doesn't have any on it

Kong · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2011, 02:05:35 PM »

Pods are evil.

HalfFastMoto · « **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:32:54 PM »

Quote from: Kong on January 03, 2011, 02:05:35 PM

Pods are evil.

Nie troll

bluesmoke69 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:48:08 PM »

Welcome and good luck on your project.

Raef · « **Reply #11 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:55:31 PM »

welcome, good luck, it's a good looking bike.

I have 2 550's and some parts not sure about bars, I have some forks not sure what shape they are in.

Mark
east central indiana

brettster26 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2011, 06:00:49 PM »

So took off, the carbs, airbox, tank, side covers, wiring harness and so on.

Engine looks like its in great shape! With some cleaning, some polishing and painting will look like new but this is from the beginning before all that good stuff happens!

Then got some motivation when my buddy came over and this is what the bike looked like after 3-4 hours!

brettster26 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 17, 2011, 06:27:24 PM »

If anyone has any suggestions, thoughts, or Ideas on what to do please feel free to throw them at me! Open to ideas from people that have done this before...

So far i have decided on:
- Keeping frame Black
- Painting some of the engine black and polishing some of the parts that can be polished
- Painting the Tank the Color of my 2009 Accord - believe it is called Polished metal metallic.
- Black Drag bars
- Thats all I have thought of for now... Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Roach · « **Reply #14 on:** January 17, 2011, 06:35:42 PM »

if your wanting to know about painting I had really good results with black plasti-kote brake caliper paint used in on my covers, head and frame its rated up to 900 degrees F. all I did was take the covers in to get blasted then primed and painted lightly sanding between coats with 400 grit wet/dry only thing I wasn't able to coat was my oil pump cover it was chrome dipped.

Roach · « **Reply #15 on:** January 17, 2011, 06:37:31 PM »

first thing i would do is track down some shorter front forks.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2011, 06:51:39 PM »

Quote from: Roach on January 17, 2011, 06:37:31 PM

first thing i would do is track down some shorter front forks.

+1 on the shorter forks.
You could do a little internet research on fiberglass and try your hand a making a cafe seat.

apex_seeking · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2011, 07:03:22 PM »

This got me motivated about making my own seat. I'm going to give this a go this spring/summer. Hopfully it helps you out.
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=3374.0
Good luck and I'm excited to see where you take this build.

ekpent · « **Reply #18 on:** January 18, 2011, 06:28:01 AM »

Did you ever start it up and check it out for any major issues before you tore it down ?

brettster26 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2011, 06:29:17 AM »

I have the stock forks, working on rebuilding them took them apart last night and cleaned them up, other than new fork seals, is it recommended to replace any other parts on them? they were in pretty rough shape

Also looking for a good Powder coater that can do some work for me for a GOOD price otherwise i will go the spray can route, which I am sure will be cheaper but wont look as good, depending on the time i put into it I guess. seen alot of people go this route and it look pretty good!

Flying J · « **Reply #20 on:** January 19, 2011, 09:29:21 AM »

Just replace the seal and the fluid. You may also want to get dust caps or gators.

brettster26 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 24, 2011, 07:48:35 AM »

Know where i can get a good deal on some dust caps / Gators?

Flying J · « **Reply #22 on:** January 24, 2011, 09:16:46 AM »

I cruise Ebay.

brettster26 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 25, 2011, 08:06:30 AM »

Bought myself a Harbor freight 6 inch buffing wheel for $46 + $10 2 year warranty if it breaks and did some polishing last night of the chain guard turned out pretty good! pic to come tonight.

apex_seeking · « **Reply #24 on:** January 25, 2011, 08:09:03 AM »

Careful with the polising. It can be addictive and time consuming. My wife made me call it quits on all the polishing when I was wet sanding things on the couch with her during "evening relaxing" time.

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Author Topic: First attempt @ building a Cafe('74 CB 550 four) Looking for Guidance! Pic added (Read 9644 times)