Author Topic: Pain's CB550F Project Build (Read 10144 times)

Pain · « **on:** May 08, 2011, 06:35:47 PM »

i guess i'll restart my project build thread. here's where i got to today. just a teaser for now.

pain

Pain · « **Reply #1 on:** June 29, 2011, 06:08:18 PM »

ok... i promised you guys i would do it.. so now it's time to catch this build thread up... i'll try to add on to this in different posts tonight until i hopefully get all caught up.

so last summer i found a local craigslist ad for 76 cb550f. the guy wanted $700 i believe, but i gave him $400... which i still think was too much at the time.

here's a few pics of the bike when i went to look at it..

Pain · « **Reply #2 on:** June 29, 2011, 06:14:41 PM »

so i loaded it up in my truck and took it home to strip down... this was fun...

i had it down to a frame, engine, and two giant tubs full of parts..

Pain · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2011, 06:23:19 PM »

next thing i did was rip the engine apart. i originally planned on sandblasting everything and then clear powder coating.. then i changed my mind and decided i wanted to polish everything - AFTER i sandblasted a bunch of stuff.. so there's various threads i started related to this dilemma i caused myself.. i actually bought a spare front hub off someone on craigslist that was seized - skinnygary@yahoo.com, you are an #$%*. so i had a sandblasted front hub with good internals and a seized front hub that wasn't sandblasted.. last weekend i made a bearing retainer tool but i still gouged all the aluminum so today i gave up and just ordered another front hub off someone else on craiglist. i digress.. so anyway, i tore the engine apart..

Pain · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2011, 06:35:36 PM »

so now i have an apartment full of parts.. which gets worse.. i now have a college apartment in oh full of parts and a bedroom at home in pa that the floor is literally covered in parts..

i'll try to get some funny pics of my apartment and bedroom. but anyway, i was gonna build some wheels up after i got them blasted, that was about the time i decided the sandblasted parts looked hideous and decided to go the long route and polish everything..

here's a set of aluminum excel rims i got. both are 18". i can't remember who anodized them right now... someone asked me before, so if u really wanna know maybe you can search the forum and pull it up. but i got the rims, stainless steel spokes n nipples. is that an oxymoron to get aluminum rims and steel spokes? i didn't think the spokes would be so damn heavy. my background is a collegiate cyclist.. i thought some of my knowledge would translate.. not on that though...

pirelli sport demons to go with the rims as well..

next week that hub should be here so i'll try to get these wheels finished..

Pain · « **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2011, 06:44:16 PM »

i ordered a few other cool parts...

webcam. first i got a 58a.. then i sold it and got a 58b.. now they make one even more aggressive and i'm upset i didn't wait.

the moral of this post is going to be NOT STREET LEGAL...

keihin cr 29's..

i also ordered a 605cc kit but it gave me a head ache like i just read someone else is going through right now.. so i sold it and tomorrow i'm getting dp592/61r's from dynoman... 11.5:1 compression ratio should be fun.

here's some springs and studs i got..

Pain · « **Reply #6 on:** June 29, 2011, 06:55:57 PM »

over the winter benjie finally got me my shipment.. probably 6 months late?

polished aluminum.. which is american for 'very poor' and ironically filipino for 'very rich'...

i guess if u order from benjie they give you whatever they want now.. the gas gap doesn't match the original pinas... i'm ok with it.. it's kinda cool... some of the rear set pieces are different too... not too worried about it though... but just a heads up for anyone who would care..

Pain · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2011, 07:03:55 PM »

after studying all the pictures on how to cut the tail i got some time to go home and get it done..

i had some difficulty with it... i think either the frame bowed out after i cut it or benjies tail section was crooked a little bit... which i think it was actually... anyway i had to use a come-along and a bunch of chains (it's all i had) to get the thing together... i put some quick welds on it then let my dad clean it up later...

here's me cutting some tabs off and then the process of putting the tail on.. if u look closely in the one pic you can see my other 550 that i bought a couple months before this one and decided it was too beautiful to destroy and too fun to not ride...

Pain · « **Reply #8 on:** June 29, 2011, 07:08:36 PM »

i did the paint can opener trick and took my tach apart... i have another thread going about the tach... i expect to have it done and together next week also.. i think everyone will like it... but here's the process including a close up of the paint can openers... i think i used two different ones filed to different angles..

Pain · « **Reply #9 on:** June 29, 2011, 07:12:41 PM »

i found the headlight shell on davidsilverspares recently thanks to another member..

got a NOS ring on ebay for $10.. could not believe that... ebay is like vulture-ville now for cb parts..

anyway, here's the old headlight.. and the new one that i just finished last week..

Pain · « **Reply #10 on:** June 29, 2011, 07:19:27 PM »

i also got the 3/4 hp 3600 rpm buffer from caswell.. i would like to say thank you to my x gf for the christmas present, but also sorry that things did not work out.. i wish you the best...

so this is the buffer when i tried to learn how to use it at home.. i have a new buffing station i built on my porch outside my apartment. i'll try to get some pics up tomorrow of my station and my parts that i've been working on..

and by the way i started polishing things before this by hand.. yeaahhhh... that kinda sucked.. so i'm up to par now.. but wow has the whole polishing / buffing thing been a very long and tiring learning experience.. i think i have it all figured out now.. but i was not going to polish parts unless i polished them all myself..

Pain · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2011, 07:24:19 PM »

here's my college apartment polishing station i built..

i hit the palm of my hand with 600 grit at 3,600 rpm's.. it feels like i grabbed a hot pan..

i should be able to finish the fork bottoms, rear brake cover, and the top of the cam cover by tomorrow.. the main body of the cam cover is quite a challenge as is the rear hub. i have no idea how people get into all the little nooks on the cam cover though.. any advice?

Pain · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2011, 02:51:52 PM »

well.. today i took a short break from the casey anthony trial to finish polishing some parts...

i did 600 / black / then mothers... i don't see a need for the brown and white compounds.. anyone else agree?

here's some pics..

c(b)hris · « **Reply #13 on:** July 03, 2011, 03:29:10 PM »

expensive.
shiny.

can i drive it?

how much do you want for the luggage rack ?

Greggo · « **Reply #14 on:** July 03, 2011, 05:32:26 PM »

Wow, all those polished pieces look great!

dave500 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 04, 2011, 02:59:02 AM »

polished alloy looks great,you have to keep on it though if it rains you have to touch it up again,good work.

Toxic · « **Reply #16 on:** July 04, 2011, 04:50:03 AM »

Wow this is going to be a high dollar build. Lots of tasty parts in here for sure.

I can't wait to see it develop.

Seems like you know what you are doing though.

SF · « **Reply #17 on:** July 04, 2011, 07:20:50 AM »

KOOL BUILD! WATCHIN THIS ONE

Pain · « **Reply #18 on:** July 04, 2011, 04:00:56 PM »

thanks for the compliments guys..

c(b)hris: let me know if u need any more parts.. u have $10 store credit. i just reposted in classifieds with a list and a link to my photobucket account that has close up pictures of all my parts.

as for my polished parts.. i'm looking into zoop right now.. which i don't believe they make anymore.. i think it was replaced by shineseal.. i'm gonna stop into summit racing in north eastern ohio and check it out.. i heard they actually have zoop, but if they don't i'm sure they would have it's successor. the people in there should be experts on coating polished aluminum anyway. i also heard that summit racing is selling old japanese motorcycle parts.

i'm taking more pieces of the engine off tonight to polish.. i think i'm gonna have to polish everything i want to zoop and do it all at once.. one of those deals where once you mix the stuff you have to use it immediately. i'm also gonna try to get those pistons i ordered in sometime this week when they arrive as well as start doing some port work.. i'll keep posting progress. keep commenting.. it motivates me.

Greggo · « **Reply #19 on:** July 04, 2011, 05:41:56 PM »

Is zoop like a clearcoat? Seems like most people don't coat the polished aluminum because it yellows over time. Maybe not this stuff tho?

Pain · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2011, 02:18:26 PM »

i don't know if i can safely say "yes" without someone interjecting on the science of it... you can read more about it..

i think caswell's website is where i saw shineseal first and it actually say's that it replaced zoop (look right above the picture)..

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/zoopseal.html

zoop's website says zoopseal is out of stock..

http://www.zoops.com/index.php/zoopseal.html

shineseal's website has more info on how it works..

http://www.shineseal.com/

and i checked on summitracing's website.. they sell zoopseal wax, but not seal, and they sell shineseal master kits for protecting polished aluminum..

http://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/ShineSeal/Product-Line/ShineSeal-Master-Kits/?autoview=SKU

Pain · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2011, 02:30:23 PM »

uh oh... zoop emailed me back..

"Thanks for your email and we should have our new batch of Zoopseal ready in three weeks so I'll keep you posted, cool?"

i asked him to enlighten me on the relationship between zoopseal and shineseal.. i'll post it if he replies...

here's some new stuff that came today...

+1 plate clutch kit and 61mm / 11.5:1 pistons...

Aladinsane07 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2011, 09:39:07 PM »

Wow, that's quite the dome to those pistons. Not too hard to figure out where the extra compression comes from.

Lostboy Steve · « **Reply #23 on:** July 08, 2011, 12:42:59 PM »

Sweet project! So are you having someone machine out the bores for those new pistons? What other things do you plan on doing porting, bigger valves?

Pain · « **Reply #24 on:** July 08, 2011, 05:18:58 PM »

yeah.. i'm trying.. i can't get the machinist to answer his phone or call me back...

if anyone knows someone who does boring in north eastern ohio or western pennsylvania let me know..

i plan on doing my own porting.. no plans for valve changes.. i don't think it's worth the effort.. thoughts?

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Author Topic: Pain's CB550F Project Build (Read 10144 times)