Topic: 73' CB750 complete rebuild, DONE! just in time to be moving to KODIAK ALASKA!!!

[USCG_C130]

okay everyone well this POR paint is not hardening at all like it is said to so since the poor man pays twice, i am at a point where i need to decided to either pony up and get it powder coated and keep the paint and have it most likely  scuff and scratch off. i really think im going to powder coat it and  also do the swing arm silver while im at it. im kind of bummed since i spent good money and time getting the paint don't just to be disappointed. so im going to add a poll here and if you all could vote i would greatly appreciate it!

[USCG_C130]

here is how it looks now and the scheme im going for but …. should i?  please vote below and i think i might do a little darker silver mor to the left end of these samples

[iron_worker]

I think you should go for the silver look. You've got a unique look started and you should follow through with it I'd say. I know powder coat is a lot cheaper in the states than it is here too so I would go for it if you can get it at a reasonable price.

IW

[USCG_C130]

thanks iron_worker yea thats the way im leaning i can sandblast it all my self at work  so that will hopefully save me a little bit, but i am leaning toward just powder coating the frame and leaving the swing arm black i like the look too , the little misses didnt like the silver frame so i was wondering about going black but i want silver so im going to go for it, sucks the POR didnt turn out well, i guess its time to pull the motor…. again...

[USCG_C130]

and some new parts in the mail including a brand new 18" shiny rim!!! and i think im going to just find someone to powder coat the frame i think im lookin at around 200-250$ out here in florida, i just think ill be happier in the long run, i just hope POR will refund my money from that crappy paint

[iron_worker]

For some reason I doubt you'll get your money back from the POR15 people. It will be pretty hard to prove that you didn't somehow screw up the prep work or store the product improperly etc.

Powdercoating a frame here would be $400-$500 so at that price I would giver.

IW

[SohRon]

I've been using POR-15 for years and have never had it not cure out; it's always hardened to a rock-hard finish... I'd have to wonder about the prep work and/or application perameters?

Just not what you'd expect from POR-15.   

[USCG_C130]

well just got done from polishing and relacing my first wheel, with a big thanks too You Too Can Respoke A Wheel! (NOW with Parts 1 & 2!!)  on the forum, and i will be dropping it off tomorrow or tuesday to have a guy true it up since i dont want to mess with that. and also im pulling the motor tonight to get the frame to the powder coater on tuesday since the POR was not to my satisfaction. also a huge thanks to digger who rebuilt my carbs and got them back to me a few weeks ago, so after i get back from being out of town next week everything should be done and ready to buy tires and start reassembly in the near future and it will finally start coming together and probably just be done in the dead heat of a florida summer but making progress feels great (although the misses wishes i was finishing the bathroom remodel today, oh well shell live)

[USCG_C130]

update time! so i finally got the frame back from the coaters and got my rim replaced and new spit fires mounted and balanced, i did a 100 in the front and a 120 in the rear, but now im replacing the wheel bearings and man what a PITA those retainers are ive tried everything but that metal just gives so easily i did buy a new outer one tho so its a work in progress but what do you guys think of the chrome powder coated frame i think it will look real nice when its all put together. but heres the new frame and and wheels and tires all put together

[USCG_C130]

about to loose my #$%* on these wheel bearing retainers, ive been fighting them for days and just keep getting more and more messed up i bought a new outer retainer and cant get it to thread back in now even with a home made pin wrench!!!!!! ive searched on here and nothing seems to be working!!!

[USCG_C130]

well in between my study sessions i accomplished getting the motor in the frame and a really quick and rough mock up done and im getting pretty excited!! now its time to start thinking about the paint scheme i am leaning towards something two tone like a dark rudy red and an off white.

[Kingmambo]

I'm enjoying the progress on your project and look forward to seeing it finished.  These build logs/threads really highlight for me how much the journey of the project is a big part of what makes our bikes special.  To me, built rather than bought makes the bikes richer and more meaningful - sorry to go all zen and the art of CB750-building on everyone!

I like the idea of the dark red and the creamy white.  Can't wait to see it.  Good work!

[USCG_C130]

and its official she's a roller now, just ordered my battery i went with Yuasa YUAM7210A YTZ10S Battery 12 Volt, 8.6 amp-hour, 190 CCA and since it measure 6.1 x 3.9 x 3.7 inches, it should fit under my seat nicely, with lots of room for all  the relays im using and got a battery tender Jr set up plus another set of charging rings to put on my other bike, a DID 100 link standard 530 chain. also ordered some grips just cheapey ones on amazon, also a bunch of stuff from WayTech wiring, like a 6 spot ATC fuse block a ground terminal, some perma seal, quick disconnect connectors, and 5x 100 ft rolls of different 16 Ga wire, also on the way some NGK plugs, boots and new standard coils, and also the halogen conversion headlight setup. and the piece that made my day yesterday, i finally found a reasonably price gas cap latch, the non locking kind, i really wanted the button style but everyone wants like 50-60$ for them so on Ebay i found one for $29 total and said to be in very good condition and comes with the spring and pin!! So pretty much ive been spending money as fast as i can make it! lol on and get my M/C rebuilt yesterday all the parts on order should be here buy friday and saturday and next weekend i hope to make some goooood progress.

[USCG_C130]

Time for another update, I got a lot of goodies in the mail the past week and have the little misses going out of town next week for 2 weeks so I plan to work and live in the garage and make some good headway on things, the bike will soon be ready for the first start up, which im excited and a little nervous for. Well first of all heres my general plan for my electrics, as you can see I got a lot to fit into my little seat cowl, I have a yuasa 8.6 A/H batter with a hook up for a battery tender, I have a flasher relay and two other bosch relays for each side of the  flashers. I am using 5 relays since I am wiring up the  pictured micro switched to my starter button, flashers, and my headlight bucket will also have 2 in the bucket, one for hi beam and one for low beam. The switches are only rated for like 6 amps and that’s all in AC so I figured ill go for reliability and just wire in a handful of relays. I ordered a ton of 16Ga wire (in a variety of colors)and sealed quick disconnect blade connectors and my super sweet 6 spot fuse box from WayTechwire. The fuse box is a little bigger than I hoped for but totally useable and I love how the top screws on so I don’t have to worry about the side clips breaking.

[USCG_C130]

And also pictured in my ebay buy of the nice black and yellow direct reading oil gauge. And also my $29 gas cap latch which I have been looking for awhile now. And thought $29 was a steal since I haven’t found one below like $50.

[USCG_C130]

And now for my switches on the bars I like the all black look, but do you think the chrome switches might add a little something to the bars or go with the all black controls? Im thinking all black but am on the fence about it, I have 2 sets of the posh switches, 2 in chrome and 2 in gloss black and what ever I don’t use I just plan to sell on fleabay. You can also see the newly painted master cylinder and the grips on got on amazon just because I thought they looked cool and seem to fit with the look and all in all I like them out of the box. I am getting rid of the old indicator lights and have rigged up some LED lights on a piece of polished up aluminum that I will epoxy to the old top bar clap and they look pretty sharp, much better than the  old faux wood grain look.  Also when and picked up some wintergreen oil to day to try to soften my carb boots I plan to use 3 oz. and just boil with water, well see how it works.

[USCG_C130]

I also did the halogen upgrade on the headlight I hooked them up real quick to my other bikes battery just to see the difference and WOW! I was surprised how noticeable it was in the middle of the day in the garage so I have that ready to plug into the relays and get going. In addition to the halogen light I also got new 5 ohm coils and full NGK plug and cap set up from CB750supply, I had to finagle the new coils a little to get in the original bracket but the look good, now I just have to dyke the plug leads and put the caps on? And recommendations on using dielectric grease on my entire plugs, wires and all the connections in the harness? My plan is to solder all my connection, then grease them and then use some sealing covers on the connections. I want to avoid as many on those electric gremlins as possible

[USCG_C130]

And last but not least I bought this off a guys who restored a couple CB750’s and he said it was a life saver if you throw a chain, but maybe that was just a sales pitch, but it bolts to the 2 bolts forward of the front sprocket and is suppose to save your case from getting a hole punched in it if you throw a chain?(its hard to see in the picture because its black on black but look close) Anyone ever seen one or use one? It looks like the chain may run on it, but ill know when I put that on. And as you can see my sticker collection from the build

[DesertLab]

well in between my study sessions i accomplished getting the motor in the frame and a really quick and rough mock up done and im getting pretty excited!! now its time to start thinking about the paint scheme i am leaning towards something two tone like a dark rudy red and an off white.

Where did you get the seat from? Thanks! Bike is looking good.

[USCG_C130]

well in between my study sessions i accomplished getting the motor in the frame and a really quick and rough mock up done and im getting pretty excited!! now its time to start thinking about the paint scheme i am leaning towards something two tone like a dark rudy red and an off white.

Where did you get the seat from? Thanks! Bike is looking good.

thanks i  got  the seat from a member on here whiteorbs, but i am not sure if he is making them or selling them any more, but i like it alot i just picked up a dremel today to cut the lip off

[USCG_C130]

well had the bike in the house for a weekend and worked on the wire harness, rookie mistake #1, i figured all solder was the same…WRONG lol so i have to cut the old solder joints and go get some electrical solder and redo a handful, but i did get my new LED indicator light face plate made and polished up, and all my electrics placed and bolted down under the seat and a mount made for both my headlight relays in the bucket. here what it looks like now. Boy oh Boy is it getting HOT here its breaking 90 degrees everyday now and it is getting rough to be in the garage all day.

[USCG_C130]

well latest progress report, got all of my wiring done which made my day everything works according ly and i wired everything so only my  lights come on when my headlight is on, i may adjust it so my  brake light works regardless of everything else and just when the key is on. i wired it this way to reduce the load as much as possible for starting or kicking the bike, but all my new LED dummy lights work and i got my custom dynamics truflex LED strip tail light in and i am impressed with it. altho the dual converter that come with it is set up for 30% on for tail light and then 100% on for brake light, i built a new dual converter so its closer to 50% tail light and 100% brake light. The strip is about 14.5 inches long and the center par is brake/Run and about 2.5 inches on each end or the turn signals but heres a few shots of it on 100% its really bright and the red will kind of camouflage when glues on the back of my red seat but it does come in clear and smoked also. and then i started boiling my carb boots in 3 oz of winter green oil and it has already made a noticeable difference.

also got in my slingshot steel brake lines in red and then look awesome! just got them installed but waiting on a new caliper piston and rebuild kit. i do need to find a new seat but at 30+ $$ i may try to clean my old one up. but the bike is coming together very nicely very close to firing for the first time!!

[USCG_C130]

well screw patients pulled the carb boots out after a total of about 3+ hours of simmering and was amazed they slipped right on while they were warm and so i put the carbs on and threw on some velocity stacks i had laying around but don't plan on using, especially out here in sandy florida, i think im going to try to find one of the chrome bread box filters so i can get the clean and chrome look and still some performance out of it, i really want tintops antipod but its a little pricey but here it is all i need to add is oil lines and filter, then oil and it will be ready to FIRE UP ohh and exhaust but thats alot of $$

[USCG_C130]

okay well i sent out some emails to about 5 paint shops today seeing how much and who will be painting my seat and tank and heres my inspiration paint scheme, minus the wings and knee dents on the tank..

cant wait to hear what they all say and see  if i can afford getting a nice paint job dont or if ill end up trying to paint it myself  with the Spraymaxx 2K paint and clearcoat

[HondaMan]

And last but not least I bought this off a guys who restored a couple CB750’s and he said it was a life saver if you throw a chain, but maybe that was just a sales pitch, but it bolts to the 2 bolts forward of the front sprocket and is suppose to save your case from getting a hole punched in it if you throw a chain?(its hard to see in the picture because its black on black but look close) Anyone ever seen one or use one? It looks like the chain may run on it, but ill know when I put that on. And as you can see my sticker collection from the build

Honda had something similar to that in the 1970-71 era. The idea behind it is/was to make the [broken] chain stay on the sprocket long enough to throw it on the ground behind the bike. Some actually worked: Honda's was thin sheet metal, though, and many got crumpled up from the kinked links of an unattended chain, then actually CAUSED the chain to fail and wad everything up in a mess. They discontinued it in favor of a larger front sprocket with specially-shaped teeth instead. (Those of you who have my book already know this story...).

This one is interesting, though: it looks like it is made from thick enough steel to hold the chain back a little? How thick is the metal around the sprocket?