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Author Topic: Frankenwolf 1978 CB 750k build Updated  (Read 30593 times)

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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Frankenwolf 1978 CB 750k build Updated
« on: March 17, 2013, 11:21:06 PM »
This is my first custom build and only the second bike I've been learning how to work on. :) It's a huge learning curve and I love it. Last year I seen a old, beat up, nasty looking, brown KZ650. Everyone knew it was ugly as sin and scary looking to even think about riding on but I seen potential.  It looked like a mean old manx cat ready to tear you a new one if only a years worth of work. Uh oh. My boyfriend knew right away I'm a lost cause. LOL

So we started looking for an old beater for me to bring to life and couldn't find anything. I started looking at 750's and he reminded me that he had a Honda 750 in a barn at a buddy's house.

So this is what I was looking at:

and...



Decided I really needed to see it where there was light (but was already rubbing my hands together in glee) so we dragged it out of the barn...



Yep I'm hooked. Not sure what I was going to do with it, but knew it was coming with me. I even fit on it (no lowering necessary) which is a huge bonus when your only 5'4! I begged and we brought it  home with the boyfriends ride (the beloved yellow dawg.)



About 40 minutes or so later in went into my "garage" aka my kitchen...



and me grinning like it's Christmas:



Okay more tomorrow. I have many months of this build to post as I'm at the reassemble and make last few things part...
« Last Edit: August 11, 2013, 06:22:21 PM by Frankensteins Bride »
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Frankensteins Wolf

Offline goldarrow

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2013, 11:35:05 PM »
Welcome to sohc4 from sunny SoCal!  Bike looks great and shouldn't take much (fire, fuel, and air) to get it running on the road again. 

A girl wrenching on a bike, in her kitchen!?!? I like and will be watching.

Read a lot, ask a lot, and wrench a lot. 
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Life Is Full Of Challenges - And My Backyard Is Full Of SOHC4's

CB550 K0
CB750 K0, K2, K23 JDM, K45, K5
And the little ones z50r, xr50r, st90


750k5 http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=114817.0

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2013, 05:30:50 AM »
Welcome from Texas!   Love to see bikes in the house, my wife would have a fit.

I also have a K8, great bike.  What are your plans?
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'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline Garystratos201

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2013, 06:35:49 AM »
Ditto from Georgia. Welcome to the forum........Gary
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Visit my build project;
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=111620.0

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Offline Vinhead1957

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2013, 06:41:12 AM »
Evaporust is a great product that you can even use in the kitchen.  Looks like a great project! I wish I could bring mine inside to a heated area.  This is a great forum with a lot of useful information.  Good luck!
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Offline Stev-o

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2013, 06:54:06 AM »
Hers a K7 part out, may have that left control you are looking for...


http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=119044.0;topicseen
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'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2013, 07:48:43 AM »
Thanks for the Welcome!

Yep she doesn't look like shes in bad shape, but once I started pulling her apart it didn't take long to realize that years of not being run and neglected took it's toll. She needed a lot of work. :)

My plans were to cafe her at first. The build changed as I went (some due to lack of skill, some due to riding needs) so she turned into a Frankenstein build! LOL I have no idea what this build would actually be considered now... bobber? brat? Within the next few weeks she should be done and you guys can tell me! ;)

I get a lot of teasing comments around here about having bikes in my kitchen all the time too. I live in row housing so you gotta make due with what you have! I love having a bike to look at and wrench on while I'm in pj's with a cup of tea. LOL I'll probably always have a bike in the house now. It's fantastic. (Helps with the winter blues too!)

Thanks for the linnk Stev-O. Will definitively check that out. :)
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Frankensteins Wolf

Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2013, 08:09:22 AM »
Onwards! First thing was a pile of close up pics of her actual state...

Tank (this tank with its lid is so weird looking I really like it)


Gauge cluster


Seat


Carbs


Front signals


Back shocks and sprocket


Rear lights


I have to say I find the huge lights and seat and horrid 4into4 exhuast soooo ugly.. They just have to go!
Second thing we did (I have lots of help from my boyfriend) was to tear off everything I didn't want or knew I was going to change...

Seat gone


Tail section removed


Here,s my pile of not going back on stuff...


and
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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2013, 08:21:48 AM »
So first thing I decide to try is mock up a cafe seat. Darn pictures make it seem like it only took a while but it was actually weeks...





So my bf trimmed the pan for me (I tried working with the grinder... I need metal that doesn't matter and lots of practice before I attempt that thing on something I care about again! LMAO




and


Here's the first version on the bike
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Offline brandEn

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2013, 08:31:51 AM »
Nice, count me in on this build.
Welcome!
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Offline flybox1

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2013, 01:14:49 PM »
Welcome to the forum and nice work so far!
be sure to join us over here  ;) http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=116938.0
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'78 750K (F3 engine) PD42b's, Modified airbox w/K&N  filter, 40/110 jets, 1 needle shim, IMS@ 1 turn out. Kerker + Cone 18" QuietCore

Past Bikes
1974 550K0 (stock), 1973 CB350F (stock), 1983 Yamaha XS400K (POS)
77/78 cool 2 member #3
"Knowledge without mileage equals bullsh!t" - Henry Rollins

"This is my CB. There are many like it, but this one is mine…"

Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2013, 01:49:02 PM »
Thanks for the welcome! I did join the 78 love thread.  ;D

Okay more for today...

So my honey and I tried to make that back hump using just steel sheets and these crappy cutters...





and we came up with this...









I felt it was too big and not the look I was looking for. Very neat though. Also ran into the "it's not strong enough" problem. I have to be able to put a 50lb bag of tools on the back for work. So we began tossing ideas of how to strengthen it. Maybe making a small frame on the inside for reinforcement. Also if I were to move my battery and electronics we needed a way to get in. I decided at this point to just think on it and move along with other things....
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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2013, 02:02:19 PM »
So next we needed to strip the bike right down and get at the frame. It was in desperate need of some loving and weight removal. :)
wiring harness gone (what a mess that thing is!)


Motor out and most of the crap off of it...


Brought it to the shop and gave it a bath before grinding and filing...


Grinding removal (again another skill I need to work on.. I stuck to filing after figuring out I'm really bad with the grinder)


The filing position...


Then we tried fitting the seat pan/cowl just to see if I liked it any better yet...

Still not impressed. LOL

We cut the ends off and I came up with these bolts to finish it (hence the Frankenstein Name)




Before welding and sandblasting, I try out sitting on it without the cowl...

No my feet are not going there. LOL

So bf sandblasts, I fill little gun (we tried sanding it to start with. there was so much rust both of us quickly went hoop that and borrowed a buddy's sanding gun)


Whew! It's really a pain trying to put all these in order after the fact! LOL More to come later...
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Offline Stev-o

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2013, 06:06:03 PM »
Good progress. A lot of guys don't like the K7-8 tank but I do too.
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'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline srbakker

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2013, 06:29:19 PM »
Nice progress.  That said... RUN, don't walk, from Jobmate tools.  They are solidly in the "maybe it will work once, but probably not" category.
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1975 CB750 K5
2007 Triumph Tiger
2007 Triumph Speed Triple
1971 Kawasaki F7 175 Enduro
2000 Honda VFR800 (gone but not forgotten)

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #15 on: March 18, 2013, 09:28:03 PM »
That is actually a good rear set position.
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1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2013, 11:37:46 PM »
Glad I'm not the only one who likes the k8 tank! Everyone around here looks at me crosseyed for using it. LOL

I know jobmate is horrid. LOL usually I buy just regular CT tools (mastercraft?.) Trust me those cutters are not worth the package they were in. Beyond bad. Barely made it through one piece of tin. Thankfully we didn't have to cut much. I'll spring for decent cutters next time around. :)

Once the seat and wheels are back on (probably within the next week and a half) I'll see about position. I suspect rear sets might not work for me right now. The position you see is very awkward to me. I have no strength in that position. Might be different when the bikes actually set up. Who knows...

The build is actually way past this point right now. I have to finish the seat tonight (tues,) paint the tank, spoke the wheels, do the wiring harness, make the headlight bracket and chain guard, finish assembly, snyc the carbs and um add oil, gas, new spark plugs, safety, insure, ride. :) I started on this last summer, my threads a wee bit behind... lol
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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #17 on: March 19, 2013, 10:15:07 AM »
Okay hitting the point where I'm not exactly sure what order I did what in. LOL I'll try my best though...

We stripped the badly cracked but barely used rubber off


This picture was taken recently but you can see how rough the shape is...


Tires got put aside while waiting for new spokes for front and rear to come in and to contemplate whether to paint, or powder coat. So we moved on and sandblasted a few items...


Then dove straight into painting the frame.. Our paint booth was a garbage bin outside and headlights from the car became our light when it got dark.. lol This is where I discovered I was allergic to the paint. I spent a week sick as a dog after this...




BF took over painting due to my issues with this stuff (plus he says I suck at it! LOL)


Finished and drying inside








I think it turned out very nice considering our set up! The colour is crystal silver metallic. It looks white but it's not. :)
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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #18 on: March 19, 2013, 10:26:40 AM »
We cut down the front fender and this is just before we sandblasted it...


Also blasted the oil tank, swing arm and hardware


Primed everything...


Realized we forgot to weld bolts on the pan to mount it...


The oil tank took me forever to figure out. I was going to move it by building a new one so that I could open up under the seat. However with the decision at this point to go for a flat seat instead of the cafe look, I had no where to hide battery and electronics. I decided I was making all of this way too complicated for myself on a first build. So I opted to just paint it and leave it where is was. In the meantime I got this rocking little battery...


And my youngest son modeled how small it is (he has small hands like his mom!)


Now I had a little battery and a huge battery box. Again I went into think mode to figure out what to do....

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Offline goldarrow

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #19 on: March 19, 2013, 10:26:52 AM »
Notice that fork trees aren't removed, wonder if they are still ball bearings, should upgrade to tapered bearings...???
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Life Is Full Of Challenges - And My Backyard Is Full Of SOHC4's

CB550 K0
CB750 K0, K2, K23 JDM, K45, K5
And the little ones z50r, xr50r, st90


750k5 http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=114817.0

Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #20 on: March 19, 2013, 10:28:00 AM »
Oh sorry we put it back on to paint. LOL All the bearings in the bike have been replaced. :) It has tapered on it now..
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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #21 on: March 19, 2013, 07:13:21 PM »
The seat was cancelled for tonight. We probably won't get a chance to work on it till a few weeks from now as our buddy that's teaching us how to build a seat will be out of town. So we decided to tackle the wiring.  :o Spent a frustrating evening of wow that won't work and oh crap we gotta move that! LOL So now we have to build brackets, remove brackets and drill holes to make the electronic's fit properly, and build a bracket for the ignition (took us almost an hour to figure out where to put it. It is missing the nut, and god only knows what else, so I'm hiding the butt ugly thing...

We did manage to mount the coils... LMAO took pictures but I'll load them later. Time to relax!
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Offline ivanhoew

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #22 on: March 21, 2013, 12:42:26 AM »
nice write up ,im off to vancouver to be with my girl  for a month soon , you already have me looking in craigs list for a dooer upper .damn these threads lol.
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just do it .

Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #23 on: March 21, 2013, 09:09:51 AM »
LOL! Yep all of these project threads get us horned up for more! ;) Glad you like it...

Okay so I'll have the work a bit out of order but.. hey I'm not organized! LOL

This was the other night..

Batter box was cut down to fit my smaller battery and the electronics sections was cut then welded to the bottom. I finished it off with some tremclad to try to reduce the rusting...




This is when we first chopped it up


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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: Frankensteins Wolf 1978 CB 750k build
« Reply #24 on: March 21, 2013, 09:13:19 AM »
This is the bit of electrical work we managed to get done..


At least the coils are in! LOL


Still have a long ways to go to finishing up the harness, one step at a time!
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Frankensteins Wolf
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