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Author Topic: 1972 CB350F Project.  (Read 3542 times)

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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« on: May 02, 2013, 11:51:36 am »
I picked up my first Honda a couple of years ago and have been stumbling around these forums ever since and have really enjoyed the wealth of knowledge and just the community in general surrounding these old bikes. Nice and clean, & mostly original when I got her. Small improvements here and there, and learning the routine maintenance that was needed, it's been a fun little bike. After tearing it down last year for my first attempt at 'customizing', I found myself with the itch again. I'm getting close to the end of this rebuild, and thought I'd share some photos for those interested. And also for a dedicated thread to post my stupid questions...

Here's a couple of pics from when I first spotted it (eBay) and when I got it home. I'll be adding some more later on. Like everything, it was clean, but the pictures make it look so much better...

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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2013, 11:54:18 am »
First time wrenching on it... off with the old original tires, on with some new Avons.
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2013, 12:50:58 pm »
Great-looking bike.
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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
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"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)

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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 flybox1

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2013, 12:54:58 pm »
Oh Yeah! that's nice.  8)
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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

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1974 550K0 (stock), 1973 CB350F (stock), 1983 Yamaha XS400K (POS)
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"Knowledge without mileage equals bullsh!t" - Henry Rollins

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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2013, 05:19:54 pm »
Thanks - she was sharp but after time the PO's paint was showing some wear - hard to see but the tank and covers just didnt look that great and had some flaking happening. Frame was a flat black. These next few are from the first real tear down I did. Carbs apart, swapped out the front wheel for a CL360 drum, and ditched the rear suspension for some new Hagons. Rebuilt the front forks, and stripped off the forks shrouds, opting for boots instead. Oh, and added the Hondaman ignition of course!!! It actually sat tore apart for about 1 year; I was busy riding my newly acquired 69 CL450...

 
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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2013, 05:30:52 pm »
At last I finally got back on it. Carbs rebuilt, forks done, front brake swap finish and controls, ignition, headers wrapped, yada yada. I had planned to paint it had had stripped the paint off the tank, as well as completely screwing up my side covers trying to do the same. Lesson learned. When I finally got it all back together it was nearly a year after I'd started the tear down. My painted had left for the summer and I ended up just clearing the bare steel tank and tossing aside the covers so I could get it rolling again. I've got some better photos of it at this stage, I just need to find them. Here'a a peek though. At this point I had also acquired a garage and was no longer eating dinner with my bike.
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2013, 05:36:15 pm »
Forgot to mention the custom seat. At the time, I was dead-set against modifying anything I couldn't reverse, and so built the new seat on top of the original pan.  Re-foamed the seat and cut the height down significantly, but not so much that it was uncomfortable. Hard to see here, but it's a dark grey with thin orange stitching... part of a plan it would take another year to see come to fruition.
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2013, 06:39:29 pm »
Shot a friend took for me... higher res always shows off the things you'd rather people NOT see!!! You can see the corrosion on the aluminum, and the flatness of the frame, etc. The upper forks had started rusting pretty bad too. This was last April or May I think...
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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2013, 07:20:03 pm »
Fast forward to sometime last month. Was doing some cleaning, and decided to put a little polish on the poor thing... and bam. The itch was back. After staring at it a few more hours over the next week, and then having just enough beers (liquid gumption) I found myself with it up on the lift, wrenches out, debating what to do with it (this time in the comfy confines of a real garage). I had dug out a pair of rear sets I had purchased long ago, became increasingly disgusted with the flat black frame, and then it was on. The damned thing must come apart again...
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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2013, 07:42:05 pm »
Now the fun stuff. Engine out, frame disassembled, and determined to fix that frame paint once and for all. I discovered I hated sandblasting, particularly with sub-par equipment. But stuck with it and got all the parts I wanted to paint good and clean. Got it all done about 2 weeks ago. Primed, 2-3 base coats, and a coat of clear. Pretty happy with the results.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 07:47:36 pm by The Mayor »
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2013, 07:50:53 pm »
Mmm, paint!
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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2013, 07:57:51 pm »
Of course, after the frame and all the other parts came out so shiny, I couldn't stand the thought of putting in that grimy motor. Since I wasn't about to mess with the engine (low miles and in great shape) I had to clean it the nasty, slow, pain in my a$$ way. Lots of chemicals. It sucked... but if it holds up I think it'll be worth it... best engine rinsing stand ever. The two-shovels-and-a-broom method is under patent in case you're wondering.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 07:59:56 pm by The Mayor »
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2013, 08:11:20 pm »
So now we're back to the present time, and here's where I'm at... engine back in, then went back to polishing. And polishing... and more polishing. As of right now, forks and wheels back on, new tapered steering head bearings, and a freshly painted tank and headlight... which will lead to one of my 1st questions shortly... taking a break from it for the weekend to get some camping and liquid gumption consumption in.
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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2013, 08:13:08 pm »
Starting to look like a bike again...
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 08:14:49 pm by The Mayor »
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Offline The Mayor

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1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #14 on: May 03, 2013, 07:58:09 am »
OK. First question. You may or may not have noticed that I've ditched the air box, battery holder, etc. and after much deliberation (and beer) decided to take the grinder to the frame and clean up all the tabs that would allow me to go back stock. I've decided to go with a Ballistics EVO2 battery, a modern combined Rectifier/Regulator, and a very minimal amount of electronics. I'm also ditching the stock wiring harness and going to try and make my own, since I'm eliminating about have the circuits... thinking I can make a much smaller and cleaner/tighter fit harness. Here's the list of what I plan to run...

Evo2 Battery
Regulator/Rectifier Combo
Hondaman Ignition
Flasher for Turn Signals
Headlight (I can't remember the rating... but it's OEM, has the Honda Motor sticker on it I believe)
Tail/Brake light (I'm using the original bulb)
Turn Signals (standard, not LED)

I've gotten rid of all the indicator lights, electric start, etc. and at the very most would possibly add a speedo with a backlight. And actually I have two questions now...

1. Wire gauge for the harness... I have 18awg and 16awg... where should I use what, and is there anywhere in particular I should avoid using 18awg. My understanding is that the stock wire would have measured somewhere inbetween these two?

2. I'd love to know specifically what I'm working with concerning the electrical system... like what's the output/capacity of the charging system on the bike, what.. or how to measure the draw/consumption of my planned components, and what is the minimal battery juice needed to operate. I'm no wiring genius but with a little help think I could figure it out. Any help or pointing in the right direction here would be super appreciated.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2013, 08:26:38 am by The Mayor »
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2013, 03:45:13 pm »
Couple of new pics - finished the wiring harness and electronics, fitted the rearsets and exhaust, controls, etc. Just waiting on the tank to dry!!!
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2013, 03:51:16 pm »
and more
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Offline The Mayor

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2013, 03:51:49 pm »
and one more
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Offline Nick0

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Re: 1972 CB350F Project.
« Reply #18 on: September 15, 2013, 07:37:39 pm »
Beautiful build ya got going, it gives me the inspiration I need to drudge through all my polishing  and painting work. I am also building a 350f.
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