Topic: A total beginner's CB550F resurrection...

[bzr]

Well...this happened.



More details to come tomorrow. I'll take better pics and explain what I had left to do, which didn't seem like much but ended up burning two weeks.

[fastbroshi]

Woh, how bout that red boys?  Looks great with that silver frame!

[Stev-o]

Looks great! [need better pics]

[bzr]

Ask and you shall receive...

A buddy of mine who's a photographer (check out his stuff here, shameless plug) came over a couple of weeks ago and took some pictures. The speedometer then decided to explode and the retaining ring snapped off, so that's why it's been removed in these pics.








There are a few things left to do. I bought a new chrome headlight bucket from Dime City Cycles. The bike backfires a lot and the PO advanced the timing so I will return that to stock. One of the badges got cracked so I may order some metal ones from Sudco. And some other minor stuff.

Can't wait to be back in America in March and ride the damn thing. It's been far too long. 

[Zaipai]

Those are some great photos..

Thanks for posting them.

.: Scott :.

[mortenfromdenmark]

What a great thread.
So inspiring!

My first post here, and I had to sign up just to let you know what a great job you´ve done.

Makes me wanna buy a beat up bike and do the same.

Good luck with it, and thanks for all the photos!

Morten.

[bzr]

I know I haven't been here in a while, but let's see...a few months ago in May, a buddy of mine and I were hauling the bike to my mechanic in the back of his truck. It was the only weekday I was free, but I stupidly hadn't called ahead and he was knee-deep in lawnmowers...on the way back to my house, my friend was in the bed of the truck trying to hold the thing up when he dropped it, and it went sliding right into the side of his bed.



FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU-

So I got a quote from various reluctant auto body shops, including the guy who painted it originally. "You know you should get a new tank?" he told me. "That thing's full of holes. How much does a new tank cost?"

If it's full of holes even after you "fixed" it, I thought, then what kind of crappy job did you do? So I got a bucket of Bondo and set upon it myself.

[bzr]

It hurt like hell to sand down the $300 paintjob, but I knew I had to take one for the team. Besides, it would look cooler with decals (and more aerodynamic too ) than fussy badges that wouldn't fit.



I ended up sanding the entire thing, then priming and repainting the entire tank. This time, with professional equipment instead:



And then a few layers of clearcoat:

[bzr]

I waited a week, then wet sanded and buffed out the dead bugs. In the meanwhile I welded an exhaust adapter so my cheapo chrome can didn't hang down like a bent schlong. I installed new fork tubes from Frank's, repaired the speedometer, and finally had it tuned up by a mechanic. I also installed decals (as if that qualifies for the term "install") and put a layer of clear over them, here's how it came out...

[bzr]

And some more pictures, from a month ago today. Including what it looked like 4 years ago, almost to the exact month...








There are still a lot of problems with it. For one, even with the new fork tubes, the front end bounces erratically, and I'm not sure if that's just the joys of 1970s suspension or if I'm legitimately staring death in the face. Another thing: I basically let the thing sit for a month while I bought a new car and fiddled with that, and now it won't stay running with the choke off. I may have to play with the idle adjuster and clean out the carbs for good measure, but until then I'm just not sure why it won't stay running. Also, the valves are suspiciously noisy and the tach still doesn't work.

But for now, it looks like it's doing the ton while standing still. It's certainly come a long way (baby) but it's been a learning experience  all the way: a million joys, a million headaches, a million miles hopefully down the line.

It's a shame that I have to put it away while I move to California next week; I've just picked up a new job there and I'll be driving there in my new car. It's a 2000 Mazda Miata that I sold my Yamaha for, and if anything, it's the best thing I could upgrade to. But I'l l never tire of vintage machinery...

[Goldbug]

I like the silver frame with the red tins and then the choice of brown seat with header wrap and black rims. It has a very classy look in my opinion.

[Old75_ratafe]

tank looks good you can't even tell there was damage man.

[brettster26]

Dude,
   Great work on the engine paint job... Could you shoot me a PM with some directions on doing this... I was going to do it with my build but ended up putting the engine back in the frame without the paint job... wishing i would have done it now, but maybe when i finish the bike and need something to do in the future to it.

Thanks!

[VTCBike750]

Just read your whole posting.  Good work.  Way to stick with it, it looks great!

[Goldbug]

I like it better with the decal rather than the emblem.