Author Topic: 1973 CB750K3 - One Owner Barn Find - 5,310 miles - Final with Pics (Read 43850 times)

Johnie · « **Reply #225 on:** February 10, 2012, 02:49:15 PM »

The guy gives me a discount on all my parts since I buy what I can from him. Plus, it helps that I bring them some venison and cheese every so often...

zzpete · « **Reply #226 on:** February 10, 2012, 03:09:25 PM »

Venison and Cheese!!!! It works every time!!!

Johnie · « **Reply #227 on:** February 17, 2012, 12:47:58 PM »

Today I installed the Hondaman fuse box noting the upside down 15 amp is the spare. The only modification I made was to put the OEM male connector back on since it has the connection lock to mate with the female connection. Electrics are operating as they should. Honda did replace the scratched #2 exhaust pipe last week.

Johnie · « **Reply #228 on:** March 02, 2012, 12:32:32 PM »

Time for an update while I wait for the HM341's. Got the tank badges off for reconditioning. While I was at it I polished the side tank decals while the badges were off. There was a lot of caked up wax and dirt at the spot the badge meets the tank. Should look a lot more detailed in that area now.

Damfino · « **Reply #229 on:** March 02, 2012, 01:00:38 PM »

That's Bee-yooty-ful!

dhall57 · « **Reply #230 on:** March 03, 2012, 04:10:05 AM »

Quote from: Johnie on March 02, 2012, 12:32:32 PM

Time for an update while I wait for the HM341's. Got the tank badges off for reconditioning. While I was at it I polished the side tank decals while the badges were off. There was a lot of caked up wax and dirt at the spot the badge meets the tank. Should look a lot more detailed in that area now.

Johnie, more detailed that's a understatement. Tank badge looks brand new and the tank looks MINT!! What a shine, looks slicker than glass. Awesome, just Awesome.

I might bring you both my 750's so you can do a full detail on both bikes

bjatwood · « **Reply #231 on:** March 03, 2012, 06:40:30 AM »

Quote from: Johnie on March 02, 2012, 12:32:32 PM

Time for an update while I wait for the HM341's. Got the tank badges off for reconditioning. While I was at it I polished the side tank decals while the badges were off. There was a lot of caked up wax and dirt at the spot the badge meets the tank. Should look a lot more detailed in that area now.

Looks GREAT John!
Now for the "Quirky" question of the day, why do some K3's have Black HONDA letters and some have the White letters. I have been looking closley at K3's since I bought my stocker that has "Black lettering" and have come to the conclusion that Honda had some "Differences" on their production runs that make NO sense at all. And before everyone tells me "Some previous owner did that" I have seen numerous low milage originals in White and Black lettering.

nomad · « **Reply #232 on:** March 03, 2012, 06:47:42 AM »

Quote from: Johnie on March 02, 2012, 12:32:32 PM

Time for an update while I wait for the HM341's. Got the tank badges off for reconditioning. While I was at it I polished the side tank decals while the badges were off. There was a lot of caked up wax and dirt at the spot the badge meets the tank. Should look a lot more detailed in that area now.

That tank looks AMAZING! From what I've seen so far, you're doing a righteous job on this thing.

andy750 · « **Reply #233 on:** March 03, 2012, 11:45:46 AM »

Johnie

How do you get your gauges apart? Do you have any photos showing this or a link?

Great work as always! Love that green!!

Thanks
Andy

Johnie · « **Reply #234 on:** March 03, 2012, 02:57:21 PM »

atwood...my guess is the HONDA badges with different letter colors is from a plant running out and changing over for another production run? Just a guess??? No education behind it.

Andy...there is a link on here about taking the guages apart. I use the paint can opener to lift the lip on the metal ring. It is tedious, but works well. You will not have a problem getting them apart. The real trick is to get the ring crimped again without damaging it. I saw a guy on the board make a piece of wood to hold the gauge and use the a drill press as a "press" to crimp that ring back down.

andy750 · « **Reply #235 on:** March 07, 2012, 04:44:25 AM »

Thanks Johnie.

Johnie · « **Reply #236 on:** March 09, 2012, 09:34:27 AM »

My dealer is used to me checking any new exhaust before I leave his place. As you may recall my first installation of Pipe of the Month Club was #2 which had to be sent back to Honda do to a dent. They sent back a good #2. So today I stopped to check out pipe #1 and this was the worst pipe I have seen to date. There were no dents, but the header chrome was all "salt and pepper" and the worst quality of a chrome job I have seen. Looked like someone had spray painted the chrome on. Even the dealer agreed it was a piece of crap chrome job. So back went pipe #1. So far we are 0-2...What ever happened to the days when you never had to open a box to check on a new part??? Long gone I guess.....

Johnie · « **Reply #237 on:** March 16, 2012, 06:21:53 AM »

PIPE of the MONTH...not looking to good. To recap...last week HM341 pipe #1 came in and the chrome sucked badly. Dealer sent it back...yesterday the replacement came in and it looked like the one we sent back??? WTF??? And this replacement had a sticker on the box that said, "inspected." Obviously the "inspector" has no idea what chrome is. Again, the replacement muffler was OK but the header pipe looked like it was never buffed out. I can not believe HM is accepting this crap. And for the price of a new OEM pipe I will not accept it either. Pipe #2 which I got last month was fine. But next to the #1 crap pipes is would not look good. Thanks for hearing my rant and beware if you order HM pipes. Lucky I got them from a dealer. If it had been an eBay deal that could have really sucked.

EDIT: Dealer called to say HM says they have been having a lot of poor chrome issues on these pipes. Says there is 1 other pipe in the USA and they will check the quality before they send it. REALLY??? Only 1 other pipe in the USA???

hoodellyhoo · « **Reply #238 on:** March 16, 2012, 08:49:20 AM »

Sad to hear that. If only Mr. Honda were still around to straighten things out.

When I first saw your post I thought you were going to say that pipe of the month was getting changed to pipe of the week. The weather's getting nice awfully quick...

MJL · « **Reply #239 on:** March 16, 2012, 09:19:43 AM »

Quote from: ekpent on October 23, 2011, 05:48:26 PM

The Flake Orange 73 has a build date of 2/73 with an engine number 2239207.

Mine is 2238829

Johnie · « **Reply #240 on:** March 21, 2012, 07:47:47 AM »

Today with the help of my son I moved the K3 out of the patio and into the garage for final work. It is much easier to get it through the patio door with the exhaust, center stand and foot pegs off. And with no snow on the ground and 80 today in WI the weather was perfect. Still working on the exhaust issue with the dealer with the bad chrome on the other pipe. They know venison is coming their way so it will get handled. This will be the last bike I do in the patio. I am breaking ground on a 14x34 foot heated shop on April 9th. It will be attached to my 2 car garage which is full. Looking forward to getting that up by May.

bjatwood · « **Reply #241 on:** March 21, 2012, 02:34:30 PM »

Awesome news on the bike garage Johnie. I too am going to be putting a 14 x 24 bike garage in the backyard in April too!

These bikes just start taking up some much of the garage it is hard to actually USE the main garage for the cars! LOL

Johnie · « **Reply #242 on:** March 21, 2012, 04:25:59 PM »

Agreed Brian...I was thinking which would be easier, sell a few of the CB's or build the shop? Hands down it was build the shop. My wife seems to think it would be easier to sell the CB's...I beg to differ.

dhall57 · « **Reply #243 on:** March 21, 2012, 05:23:57 PM »

Congrads on the plans for the shop Johnie

Now you will have room for a 69,71,72,75,and 76 to complete your collection

Johnie · « **Reply #244 on:** March 22, 2012, 01:21:26 PM »

UPDATE: Pipe of the Month not going well. Today I stopped back to check on the 3rd new HM341 pipe#1 and it was the same crap header chrome as the other 2. The first 2 pipes came from a warehouse in Davenport, IA. The 3rd one came from CA. I took some pics today at the dealer to show you what it looks like. I did get pipe #3 which was fine and ordered #4. Not sure what I am going to do about pipe #1. They told me to check to see how much it would cost to rechrome. Showed it to my chromer and he said $300. My cost is $250 so I do not think Honda will go for that one. If worse comes to worse I will have to find a good used #1 to get me by until I can find a good pipe.

dhall57 · « **Reply #245 on:** March 22, 2012, 04:51:13 PM »

Looks like some major quality control problems. I wonder who the 2nd rate mfg of these pipes are. Maybe sooner or later you will get a good complete set Johnie. What a pain in the a$$. I want to get new ones for my KO and K6, but with the trouble your having Im starting to have second thoughts.

wedoo2 · « **Reply #246 on:** March 22, 2012, 05:50:36 PM »

Wow Johnie, I have better chrome on my washing machine. Keep holding your ground and don't take crap.

Tews19 · « **Reply #247 on:** March 22, 2012, 06:02:12 PM »

That is #$%*ty... I would be going nutz. I would document all the pipes and send pics and a letter to Honda.... Tell them and show your other Honda's and how you have been a life long Honda CB driver...... Explain your frustration with the process and how disappointed you are with their products as of late. Might get some free stuff

Johnie · « **Reply #248 on:** March 22, 2012, 06:55:24 PM »

Got a call back from the dealer. Honda told him they should have another batch of these pipes again April 7th. He put me on the "critical" list so I should get one first. Sort of makes you wonder what they are going to do with all these bad pipes. I even found one on eBay with the same mess. I may send Honda a letter and see what happens.

bjatwood · « **Reply #249 on:** March 23, 2012, 06:18:51 AM »

John,
I have had excellent luck with these guys http://www.hondanuts.com/
Check out their site as they have Honda 750 parts as well as the Minibike stuff.
They gave me a quote of 1050.00 for a new set of four OEM CB pipes.
Ask for pics of the pipes to be sure of the quality first.

News:

Author Topic: 1973 CB750K3 - One Owner Barn Find - 5,310 miles - Final with Pics (Read 43850 times)

nomad