Topic: '76 750K: Project Gunfighter

[Greggo]

Struck a deal with Grumpy to buy his motor once he gets his CycleX replacement.  Should be a month or so, and I'll make the trip down to Gilroy.  The motor's jumping out of 4th, and leaking pretty bad, so it's a great candidate for a nice rebuild...I'm going to pick up one of the cheap 836 kits off ebay too.

[Greggo]

Hey Joe, wasn't it you that saved this bike from the street in the Mission, and gave it to Danny?

Nah, different Joe.  I wish it was me that found the bike though. 

I just picked up a couple spare 750 motors last weekend too.  I bought one of those cheap 836cc kits on ebay to play around with.

Hey Joe, wanna sell one of 'em?  I seem to have a sickness when it comes to spare motors   Can't have too many!

[joe29]

Hey Joe, wanna sell one of 'em?  I seem to have a sickness when it comes to spare motors   Can't have too many!

I know what you mean.  I'm developing a 750 hoarding habit myself.  I'm definitely using one of the motors.  I might drop the second one in a spare frame and build it up.  Just not sure yet if I want another project.  You'll be the first to know if I decide to give one up.

[Greggo]

GOT THIS BIKE RUNNING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Running on all four for the first time in 15+ years!

Put the coils on from the 500/4, hooked up a fuel tank to the dirty carbs, and got her to fire!!!!!  All four got hot, and it sounded like a BEAST.

Lots of other progress as well - new bars, new throttle clutch and tach cables installed.  Put new clamps on the engine side carb boots after pulling the carbs, only to find that two of the jet towers are severely corroded - pics later tonight.  I'm waiting for my spare set of carbs to show in the mail, and we'll go from there.

Overall, I'm stoked to have it running!

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Wooh hoooo. You are a god among men at the moment the bike starts for the first time. I smiled for a day the first time I even got a spark.

[Greggo]

Wooh hoooo. You are a god among men at the moment the bike starts for the first time. I smiled for a day the first time I even got a spark.

Thanks Franken! It sure was great! She was charging too!

Here are the pics, as promised.  First is the two worst jet towers.  I didn't have my SLR today, so the pics ain't the greatest.  The tower on the right is corroded down just about to the jet itself.  Better pics next week.




The bowls weren't too bad looking.


Here's the coils I pulled off the 500/4.  They don't fit with the stock brackets on this bike - not frontward, not backward, not anyway.  So I might put the Dyna coils on, and put these back on the 500.


And, here's how she sits right now, waiting for more love next week 

[Greggo]

The carbs I pulled off the bike had 120 mains.  Stock is 105, yeah?

[Old75_ratafe]

ehh those carbs aren't to bad... Hell mine didn't even move when I got the bike and they cleaned up nicely.  You'll get em going.

[Greggo]

ehh those carbs aren't to bad... Hell mine didn't even move when I got the bike and they cleaned up nicely.  You'll get em going.

Hard to tell from the pics, but two of the towers are corroded through.  They may hug the jet itself enough to seal, but if gas ends up getting sucked up through the corrosion, it will run like crap.  I picked up a good looking rack from member HumblePie for $40.

[HonderCB]

nice lookin project, i love those gunfighter seats!  i hope to build one some day with that same seat, just need a tank, side covers, and of course...the seat lol, i should have all the other parts availiable to me.  maybe next winter.  cant wait to see how yours turns out

[Old75_ratafe]

ehh those carbs aren't to bad... Hell mine didn't even move when I got the bike and they cleaned up nicely.  You'll get em going.

Hard to tell from the pics, but two of the towers are corroded through.  They may hug the jet itself enough to seal, but if gas ends up getting sucked up through the corrosion, it will run like crap.  I picked up a good looking rack from member HumblePie for $40.

Are they corroded down into the threads?

[Greggo]

nice lookin project, i love those gunfighter seats!  i hope to build one some day with that same seat, just need a tank, side covers, and of course...the seat lol, i should have all the other parts availiable to me.  maybe next winter.  cant wait to see how yours turns out

Thanks Honder!  I think I could do a 400 mile day in that seat, it's that good. 

ehh those carbs aren't to bad... Hell mine didn't even move when I got the bike and they cleaned up nicely.  You'll get em going.

Hard to tell from the pics, but two of the towers are corroded through.  They may hug the jet itself enough to seal, but if gas ends up getting sucked up through the corrosion, it will run like crap.  I picked up a good looking rack from member HumblePie for $40.

Are they corroded down into the threads?

Yep.  One is worse than the other, but two of the four you can see brass threads.  I have two extra sets of carbs right now.  I just can't clean them until Monday.  I'm putting the 5ohm Dyna coils, and new wires/caps on then as well.  Got an air box with new boots, clamps, and filter for $40 - that's Monday too.  Tomorrow I'm meeting someone to purchase some very special treats for this bike.  I don't even want to say it, for fear of jinxing myself.  Pics when they're in hand tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

[Greggo]

LESTERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!




I found my deal of the year 

They haven't been on the road since 1978.  They are the correct set for my CB500, but that bike has really nice stock, spoked rims already, and this bike actually needs wheels.

Haven't decided on paint, or powdercoating.  There's lots of oxidation from sitting outside for years on end, so I'll have to figure out how to clean them up as well.

My dad's dad was named Lester, so I think I'll rename the project "Grandpa Lester", in honor of my WWII bomber pilot grandfather.

[Greggo]

Did a lot of reading on the Lesters here on the site.  Seems like all I need to run them on the 750 is the 750 sprocket carrier.  I believe that's because the offset is different than the 500's.  If I read right, they should be an easy swap, and I keep the same cush drive intact.  I put a little elbow grease into the front rim, and I think they will clean up nice.  The factory paint still looks nice underneath the dirt.  How do you guys clean up the inside of the brake hub?  Sandpaper?  What grits?

[Greggo]

Six hours at the shop, and more progress.  Installed the Dyna coils, and did the first round of cleaning the Lesters.  409 and a scotch pad + elbow grease took off most of the oxidation.  The paint is nice underneath the dirt, so I won't need to repaint.  The carb rack I received were not what I had been hoping for.  They weren't corroded, but one of the throttle linkage arms was broken in two places - at the top under the rubber boot, and inside the slide.  Oh, and the slow jets are missing 

Broken linkage arm.



One done.  I needed a break!


And, first round of cleaning is done!


New Coils.



I got sidetracked by my CA95 for a little while.  I hadn't ridden her in a few weeks, and it took me forever to get her started.  And in other news, the Split Window is coming along nicely 

[hapakev]

You got the elusive floating rear window model!  Nice projects all around.

[Greggo]

You got the elusive floating rear window model!  Nice projects all around.

Thanks Hap, I just get to watch that one.  It will be done in about one year.  That's the original license plate it was sold with in 1951 

[750cafe]

Moving right along on the bike I see. WTG!

Eric

[Greggo]

Moving right along on the bike I see. WTG!

Eric

Thanks 750.  I only get one day a week to go up and work on it, so I feel like I'm doing alright with my timeframe.  My dad is helping me with the carburetors.  The linkage from the original set has to be swapped onto the new set.  The #1 carb may have to be swapped as well.  The good set has 105 mains, and I'm putting a stock air box on as well, so that (stock settings, I think) should be a good starting point for tuning.

I bought a center stand today from Charlie's Place.  That will go right on next week, and I can get the spacing on this Lester figured out before I go polishing (or painting?) the wrong brake plate.  I still have a lot of work left cleaning those too.

[rickmoore24]

+1 on the Emgo ignition switch. Mine failed after less than a month of riding. Luckily I was at home when I found out it failed. Nice work!

Rick

[750cafe]

Have you tried Soda Blasting the rims?
Or will that then require painting.

Eric

[Greggo]

Have you tried Soda Blasting the rims?
Or will that then require painting.

Eric

I'm pretty sure even soda blasting would take off paint.  I'm trying to keep a little patina on those wheels.  The rest of the bike has kind of a weathered look, so wouldn't fit if the rims looked brand new.

+1 on the Emgo ignition switch. Mine failed after less than a month of riding. Luckily I was at home when I found out it failed. Nice work!

Rick

Yea, it was a temporary solution to get the bike running.  $12 ain't bad for a quick fix.  I've been searching for a full ignition, seat/fork lock set that won't break my bank. 

[Greggo]

Is CB750E-2388xxx consistent with a K4 motor?  Looks like I've got an earlier motor in there...

[dhall57]

I agree Greggo, looks like you got K4 under the hood.

[Greggo]

I agree Greggo, looks like you got K4 under the hood.

Looks like I'd better stick with the 120 mains that were in the corroded carbs.  I thought they were just bumped up because of the velocity stacks - guess not.