Author Topic: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550  (Read 30025 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline SF

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 527
  • I burn gas very well
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #25 on: June 14, 2011, 11:54:13 AM »
VERY NICE WORK. LOOKIN FORWARD TO SEEING MORE WORK IN PROGRESS SHOTS.
92 wr250 sold
98 zx6r sold
04 zx10r
73 cb350 twin
75 cb550f
75 cb550f
72 r5c
rgid springer bobber project

Offline burmashave

  • Forum Immoderator
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,876
    • burmashave.net
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #26 on: June 14, 2011, 12:09:29 PM »
Wow, Hannibal, you are a parts producing machine.
Quote from: SOHC Digger, RIP
'Ere's whatcha do, Guvna', just throw a couple dookie logs in the hearth and bob's your uncle!
'77 CB750k

Offline luceja

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 169
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #27 on: June 14, 2011, 12:16:17 PM »
What I would give for the skills (and equipment!) you are putting to use here. Seriously, great ideas and designs. This is already my favorite project to watch.
'75 cb400f, '77 cb550f , CB160 road racer, '88 Hawk GT track bike, FZR400 race bike, and a bunch of old hondas in boxes.

Offline Bakeoff

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 264
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #28 on: June 14, 2011, 12:19:58 PM »
Way to make the rest of us look bad!  lol 

#$%*ing beautiful, man.

Offline greenjeans

  • Industrial strengthed dreamer.
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,962
  • 1972 CB750K2
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #29 on: June 14, 2011, 02:16:08 PM »
Beautiful work Hannibal, just beautiful.   Now I know what I have to try with my back brake drum...thanks.
Yep, I'm the kid that figured out how to put things back together...eventually.

Offline SKTP

  • Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,794
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #30 on: June 14, 2011, 03:35:54 PM »
This is amazing!
1978k rebuild thread http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=68423.0
BIKE OF THE MONTH - OCTOBER 2017
2003 Ducati M800ie
1997 Honda CR-V
2004 Honda CR-V
1966 Honda S90

Offline wannabridin

  • Patience made me a
  • Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,237
  • -Garrett
    • 1976 CB750K, under construction:
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #31 on: June 15, 2011, 12:18:41 PM »
Great work indeed...  One concern, how are you going to change the filter without getting oil everywhere?
1976 CB750K, currently under construction:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=64468.0

-And if you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do...

Offline luceja

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 169
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #32 on: June 15, 2011, 12:32:38 PM »
Great work indeed...  One concern, how are you going to change the filter without getting oil everywhere?

my guess is removing the two bolts holding it in, but I'll let him speak on that!
'75 cb400f, '77 cb550f , CB160 road racer, '88 Hawk GT track bike, FZR400 race bike, and a bunch of old hondas in boxes.

Offline wannabridin

  • Patience made me a
  • Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,237
  • -Garrett
    • 1976 CB750K, under construction:
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #33 on: June 15, 2011, 11:50:36 PM »
i thought about that too, but it just seems like quite an inconvenience, and what if he over tightens the oil filter?  it would be hard to get enough leverage against a free moving adapter.  but his work is quite good, so i'll wait for him to say!
1976 CB750K, currently under construction:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=64468.0

-And if you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do...

Offline Tete

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 57
  • oily
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #34 on: June 16, 2011, 12:39:10 AM »
holy moly this thing is going to be the sssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttt!!! ;D

YES!!
1973 Honda CB500Four
1975 CB200T

Offline fastbroshi

  • Puppet
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,645
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #35 on: June 16, 2011, 12:55:36 AM »
Great work indeed...  One concern, how are you going to change the filter without getting oil everywhere?

I think he said the lines are flexible, so once the two fasteners are undone, the whole thing can swing and it can be oriented vertical
Just call me Timmaaaaay!!!

Offline burmashave

  • Forum Immoderator
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,876
    • burmashave.net
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #36 on: June 16, 2011, 10:00:22 AM »
Hey Hannibal, I have some worthless trivia for you. Something I was watching on History mentioned the P38. The 38 in the P38 designation stood for the number flips on the opener that a soldier would need to make to open a can of C-rats.

Told ya it was worthless ;-)
Quote from: SOHC Digger, RIP
'Ere's whatcha do, Guvna', just throw a couple dookie logs in the hearth and bob's your uncle!
'77 CB750k

Offline ohiocaferacer

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 616
  • www.OHIOCAFERACERS.com
    • OHIO CAFE RACERS
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #37 on: June 16, 2011, 11:49:22 AM »
Looking forward to seeing this build complete.......amazing work!

Offline hapakev

  • Your Standard
  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 521
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #38 on: June 16, 2011, 12:09:50 PM »
Hey Hannibal, I have some worthless trivia for you. Something I was watching on History mentioned the P38. The 38 in the P38 designation stood for the number flips on the opener that a soldier would need to make to open a can of C-rats.

Told ya it was worthless ;-)

So.........whats the "P" stand for?
Smoking Jack
1978 CB750F(ish)

"Keep moving forward, until you can no longer move" KP

Offline Bankerdanny

  • Eventually I will be old enough in reality to be
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,626
  • Endeavor to persevere
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #39 on: June 16, 2011, 12:33:29 PM »
i thought about that too, but it just seems like quite an inconvenience, and what if he over tightens the oil filter?  it would be hard to get enough leverage against a free moving adapter.  but his work is quite good, so i'll wait for him to say!

I already asked him that, he says that yes, the two allen head bolts come out and then with the flexible lines you can swing the hole assembly out from the motor to unscrew the filter.

And if you require a lot of leverage to unscrew your filter you are overtightening it.
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline sky56

  • would you like to see my
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 99
  • Chgo winters can suck but great time to wrench
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #40 on: June 16, 2011, 09:56:23 PM »
Holy #$%* Hannibal you are one hell of a machinist/craftsman/whatever you want to label it. I look forward to seeing the progress on this one. Thanks for sharing
Many honda bikes and a lifted 75 Chevy K5

Offline wannabridin

  • Patience made me a
  • Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,237
  • -Garrett
    • 1976 CB750K, under construction:
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #41 on: June 19, 2011, 07:11:11 PM »
And if you require a lot of leverage to unscrew your filter you are overtightening it.

true, but sometimes filters have a nice way of getting too tight after heat cycles...  maybe it's due to a cheap rubber sealing o-ring sticking.  either way, he'll have no problems with it, it just like the simplicity of my front mount spin on filter on my 750 :-D 
1976 CB750K, currently under construction:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=64468.0

-And if you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do...

Offline Hannibal Smith

  • 3rd Grade Dropout
  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 502
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #42 on: June 28, 2011, 10:03:22 AM »
Update- Engineering the front brake setup. I have done many of these, but the stock CB550 legs don't leave too many options.
For safety/rigidity, you need some minimums, and after some extensive mods, I have them.
Plan "A" was caliper mounted aft of the fork tube, but after crunching numbers and a mockup, the jog in the bracket would not be sufficient for safety.
Plan "B" was to run the caliper in front (as is stock) and with this configuration, I have plenty of room.
I did have to machine the forks, as you need certain tolerances for deflection when riding, especially these old forks- the buttons on the carrier need at least .075" clearance etc.
I will take pics when she is done.
Follow my build "P38 Racer" in Project section

Offline tbarnhart

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 15
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #43 on: June 28, 2011, 04:59:01 PM »
Looking good.

Offline Flying J

  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,386
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #44 on: June 28, 2011, 05:37:36 PM »
I wish i had the tools to learn those skills.  :-\
any chance at getting a set of those triples?

Offline Motoguy23

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 208
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #45 on: June 29, 2011, 12:42:10 AM »

any chance at getting a set of those triples?

I was thinking the same thing.  I need that triple tree.
All glory to the hypno-toad.

Offline RickB

  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 571
    • Pop Magazine
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #46 on: June 29, 2011, 03:35:44 PM »
When I saw P38 I immediately thought of the twin tail boomed WWII fighter and thought this was going to be one of those cheesy 'theme' builds. I was wrong. There is an envious amount of craftsmanship and engineering going on here. Fantastic stuff.

Offline Pain

  • Female
  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 154
  • 1976 CB550F (2)
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #47 on: June 29, 2011, 07:47:14 PM »
I wish i had the tools to learn those skills.  :-\

i just experienced this feeling as well.. including the depressed look on my face...
i live for my dream, and a pocketful of gold...

Offline canibeyou2

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 26
  • oh yes i did
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #48 on: July 01, 2011, 03:20:22 PM »
great work indeed.  hard not to appreciate what you're doing.  i'm very surprised that there are not more questions for you to make us this or that.  surely you have thought about offering some of these items for sale to us 'others'.  whatcha think?
past ownership
73 yamaha xs650
74 moto guzzi interceptor 850
76 harley davidson flh
93 suzuki gsxr 600
91 yamaha fzr 600
1989 kawasaki ninja 250
1987 kawasaki ninja 500
2005 honda vtx 1300
today's garage
2005 yamaha r6
1972 honda cb750

Offline tweakin

  • tear down
  • Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,955
Re: P38 Racer- 1974 CB550
« Reply #49 on: July 01, 2011, 04:28:52 PM »
Awesome work!  I am extremely jealous of the tools and machines you have at your disposal.....  Not to mention the skill you have to make the parts you are producing....  Want to make me some motor mounts for my 750????
« Last Edit: July 02, 2011, 05:29:20 AM by tweakin »