Topic: The Lost Socket Garage

[Scott S]

 I love the way the front end looks. I'm especially proud of the fender/fork brace.
 

[Scott S]

 I also swapped to some lower Super Bike bars, trying to get the wiring harness from the controls to fit where they're supposed to fit.

 And for whatever reason, the muffler hanger/center stand stop I was using is now too close to the swing arm. I think it's because of the taller tires. I have the correct brackets on order from Delkevic (I was attempting to use the stock 550F muffler hanger/stop).

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'm digging the street tracker look of this bike.  Are you staying all black on the bodywork or adding any contrast features?

[Scott S]

 There will be some contrast features.

[Scott S]

 Got the wiring sorted out today. All that's left is to tidy it up a bit. I can do everything back to the tail light/rear turns. I'll do those once the seat is painted and it's installed for good (the wires for the tail/brake attach to the seat frame.

 I now have spark and all lights work as they should!




 Since the wires on the aftermarket controls were a little short (only on LH control, really), I notched the front of the junction box and ran the wires in from the front instead of the top.
 It all fits and I can go lock to lock on the bars without pulling them too tight or disturbing the connections.

[Scott S]

 Pulled out the spare '77 head today to clean it up. I could tell the combustion chambers and valve faces had been cleaned. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the valves had already been cleaned and lapped and valve stem seals had been replaced.
 I put this sucker back together as-is and gave it a coat of paint.

[Scott S]

Not gonna lie.... took a big, long break from this project. Had life get in the way over the winter. Had lots of other distractions and, honestly, I just lost interest in it. I sold the Brat project with the stock 550 engine. I even tried to sell the 750 swap project and, I guess you could say luckily, I had no takers.



 So... I took it apart and started working on it again.









 I got the frame, swing arm and various bits and hangers painted yesterday. Today, I adjusted the valves (all were within specs but I snugged up the intakes just a bit) and slotted the timing advance plate to I can try advancing the timing once I get it running.

 I tried to install the starter motor I bought a year ago only to find that I had a -'98 starter and I have a '00 motor. Doh! Got the correct one ordered and once it's installed I'll get the engine back in the frame and start putting this thing back together.

[Fezzler]

What a slacker!  Can't work graveyard shift, moderate forum AND complete 5 project bikes at once!  NOT!

Seriously, you're A+ mentor for garage wrenching and more!

Remind me (photo?), which one was the Brat Project?

(Also, getting ready to put carbs on cb500 project.  Fresh rubber for manifold.  On the cb550 I used the board on the back of carbs method with ratchet strap around board and front of frame and tightened until they popped in.  You have a preferred method?)

[Scott S]

 The Brat was the leftover GS550 with the flat seat.

 And no more night shift for me! I left that job and have been on an extended vacation. Start my normal, 8 hour day shift job soon.

 I use some white lithium grease in the manifold rubbers. Loosen the band clamps more than you think they need to be (all 8 of them on the manifolds). Same with the clamps on the two inner air box rubbers.
 Remove the screws that attach the air box to the frame so that it will slide back. I remove the two outer air box boots and install them once the carbs are in the manifolds. They can be pinched and squeezed in. Just line up the tabs on the boots with the dot on the plenum when you get them in there. Put on outer band clamps and tighten up everything.

[Scott S]

 Today was gonna be fire up day for the CB550. That didn't go so well.

 I noticed right off the bat that the carbs were pissing fuel like crazy between the 1 and 2 carb bodies. Figured I'd fill up the bowls and try anyway.
 Cranked and cranked and cranked. It acted like it wanted to start when I went to WOT. Finally caught and ran for just a few seconds, but only on the #3 cylinder.

 I took a look at the timing with a light when I was turning over the engine. Didn't seem to be quite right but it's hard to tell when it's not running properly...or at all. Tried advancing and retarding it a little, just to see if it would help the engine catch and fire. No luck. I'll come back to it once it's running on all four.

 Went ahead and pulled the carbs and dropped them off with Rick at OldSkoolCarbs.

 After I pulled the carbs I noticed that the cam chain tensioner nut/washer was leaking oil. Changed the O-ring and swapped around the crush washer.

 This was supposedly a running engine a few years ago. I did check the valve adjustment, but I'll go through that again and set the cam chain tension again while I'm at it. Then try again when I get the carbs back.

[Scott S]

 Since I'm waiting on parts for the two current builds (carbs for the 550 and bodywork for the Katana swap), I went out back and pulled out a set of forks for yet ANOTHER CB500/550 build that I have in the wings.

 These are the forks that were on the 1973 CB500 Glutton for Punishment bike. That build got an R6 front end. The donor '73 sat in a leaky shed since 1982. They were rough. Lots of crud and oxidation. Surprisingly, the seals aren't leaking. The gaitors were hard as a rock and I had to cut them off.

[Scott S]

 I wire brushed off all the rust and oxidation. Treated the uppers with rust converter. Luckily, the travel areas are perfect. The black parts are the rust converter on bare metal and will be covered by the fork ears.
 I spent about 3 hours with a wire wheel, various grades of sandpaper, skotchbrite pads, stripper, polish, etc. About half that time was at the buffer. They're not perfect, but they came out pretty nice! The RH fork has some "leopard spots" where the oxidation left some pitting. They could probably be sanded out with some power equipment or a lathe, belt sander, etc. They'll be fine for the next project.
 Next up: fresh seals, oil, and some good boots.

[Fezzler]

Nice work.  Fun to see the old stuff come back to a useful life.

[Scott S]

 I was able to work out a carb swap with Fezzler and get the correct style carbs for this bike. Only the lack of the correct throttle cable stopped me from having Fire Up Day, Attempt #2.



 I was going to finish up the fork rebuild for the upcoming project, or install the chain on the Katana project, but GOT-DANG it's hot here! I was wiped out after getting the carbs in.

[Scott S]

 Got a roller. It's about time to start working on the wiring harness and electrics.

[Scott S]

 And I pretty much finished the 550F Street Tracker/Springers Bike.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179015.0.html

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

And I pretty much finished the 550F Street Tracker/Springers Bike.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179015.0.html

Nominated for Bike of the Month

[Scott S]

 Got the tracker registered and insured. I had to replace the fancy fork ears with another style, as the cool ones would touch the tank.
 The only thing stopping me from shakedown runs is an exhaust leak on #4. I have some new gaskets on the way.

 Pretty much figured out what I need to do on the Katana project in order to get the Bandit dash to work.  Waiting on some wiring components for that.

 So..... I pulled out the frame for the NEXT project.  This will be Sweep the Floor bike #4; aka, the Hippie Bike.
 The name will become apparent....some day.

 Got the frame, swingarm, triple tree, etc, all cleaned up, wire brushed, degreaser, etc. Even managed to get a coat of paint on it all today (more pics coming).

[Fezzler]

Moss will not grow under your feet for sure!

[Scott S]

 Remember this bike?



 Since I don't have enough stuff going on already, I started cleaning up some of the leftover parts from that build The next CB500/550 build will be Sweep The Floor Bike #4. I'm trying to really stick with that theme this time and use stuff I have on hand as much as possible.
 I've already rebuilt and polished the forks from that bike. Here's the triple tree. It's amazing what some elbow grease, paint, a brass wire brush, and some EvapoRust will do!



 I also have the frame painted up and swing arm, shocks, side stand, center stand and lower triple installed.
 This is a titled frame that I traded a set of 400F pegs for. I got the pegs from a pile of parts at Barber about 4 years ago. I think I gave $10 for them.
 I'm leaving the frame like this so I can do the "lay the frame over the engine" install method. The upper shock hardware is soaking in EvapoRust.

[Scott S]

Woo Hoo! Put a battery in the Katana/GS550 project today and it turns over with the starter! The oil light went out after a few revolutions.  I have tail light, brake light (both front and rear switches), horn and  a hi beam indicator.

Most importantly, I have spark from both coils!

 

 I *don't * have headlight or turn signals, so I'll have to trace that out. I don't think I have backlights on the Bandit 400 gauges (edit: just checked and I do), but I do see the tach needle "twitch" when I power it up.

 I'll sort out those things and then add gas and see if she'll run!

[Fezzler]

Never give up!  Congrats!

[XC204]

Wow the 550 turned out great!

[RAFster122s]

Are you keeping the bikes you have been building them or enjoying them for a while before building another and selling the older ones?

Gonna be a nice build.

Congrats on the GS success.

[Scott S]

 I practice "catch and release". Usually keep them a year or two or three, then thin the herd and clean out the garage and make way for the next ones.