Author Topic: Bike from scrapyard Saudi  (Read 21748 times)

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Offline Gamma

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Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« on: January 23, 2021, 11:58:35 AM »
So whilst working in Saudi Arabia in 2006 I needed a project to keep myself occupied.  A friend of mine said that he knew of a scrap yard in Riyadh with some old ex-Military Hondas and Suzuki’s.
We went down for a look and there were about 10 Honda CB750 F1 and K7’s. Also some Suzuki GS750’s
They were all in not good condition, it looked like they’d been thrown off of the lorry.
I’d owned an F1 and and F2 in my younger days, so I picked the best 3 bikes, two F1’s and a K7.
I took 3 mates down on Christmas Day 2006 and I did a deal with an old Arab chap and we loaded them onto a trailer on the back of my old Silverado.
The journey back to my villa in Riyadh was not uneventful, as I didn’t spot a speed hump in the road, and the trailer came off the tow hook, luckily I had a safety cable attached, so managed to stop the trailer as it bashed into the back of the car.  My mates ran back down the road to pick up some bits that fell off as I reconnected the trailer.
One of my friends announced “you know where we are don’t you?”  “Why?” we answered. “This is where Frank Gardener and his cameraman were shot”. 
And so it began
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 12:07:18 PM by Gamma »

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2021, 12:11:53 PM »
As I got them

Offline 754

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2021, 12:16:49 PM »
Great Story so far, we need more. .
Maker of the WELDLESS 750 Frame Kit
dodogas99@gmail.com
Kelowna B.C.       Canada

My next bike will be a ..ANFOB.....

It's All part of the ADVENTURE...

73 836cc.. Green, had it for 3 decades!!
Lost quite a few CB 750's along the way

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2021, 12:25:40 PM »
Thanks 754
I’ve lost quite a few photos of the strip, but started by pulling an F1 motor and a K7.
Then selected the best frame, checking for symmetry etc: as I suspected they’d been used for a very short time, then dropped on the points cover and then scrapped as no one knew how to maintain them.
So kept one good frame and cut some of the bits I didn’t want from the one I will use.

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2021, 12:41:48 PM »
I stripped both engines, the pistons were seized in the bores having probably been in the yard for 30 years or so.
I wanted to use the F1 engine as it runs the 530 chain which I prefer.  My original F1 had been my main transport during my military service and I had suffered a chain break which did the usual thing and went through the back of the cases. I’d repaired it with double bond, a military metal putty, and araldite, the bike was stolen in Germany. I was very annoyed as it had Marzocchi Strada shocks and tomaselli clip-ons and Raask rear sets. And a set of those finned covers.  The chain that broke was an Izumi self lube and it was brand new. Not sure if anyone on the site remembers them. But I will only now use riveted chains
I then spent many, many hours cleaning and polishing the engine parts and preparing the parts for rebore and porting

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2021, 12:52:26 PM »
I filed the damaged fins and decided to go for the 836 Wiseco pistons.
The engine internals were in excellent condition other than the corrosion in the bores. Cam chain tensioner adjuster appeared to be still in original factory position.
Luckily the guy I shared a villa with, lived in Florida, so I used him as a mule to carry the barrels home and then send them to APE for a rebore and and bring it back with new pistons and a webcam63a
He also did a trip home with my head which he sent to Mike Rieck for a port job and new valves etc

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2021, 12:58:02 PM »
During rebuild. HD studs and HD cam chain. And lots of polishing
I removed the studs by heating the cases in the oven and then used two vice grips. I then cleaned the threads with a home made thread chaser made from a stud

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2021, 01:12:19 PM »
Looking good, I'll follow along.
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline PeWe

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2021, 01:13:43 PM »
Fantastic story behind your bikes you saved !

I remember your beautiful carb restore and finding the matching cable grommets for carb tops throttle shaft seal sold in 100 pack for a few bucks.
CB750 K6-76  970cc (Earlier 1005cc JMR Billet block on the shelf waiting for a comeback)
CB750 K2-75 Parts assembled to a stock K2

Updates of the CB750 K6 -1976
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180468.msg2092136.html#msg2092136
The billet block build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,49438.msg1863571.html#msg1863571
CB750 K2 -1975  build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,168243.msg1948381.html#msg1948381
K2 engine build thread. For a complete CB750 -75
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180088.msg2088008.html#msg2088008
Carb jetting, a long story Mikuni TMR32
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179479.msg2104967.html#msg2104967

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2021, 02:00:23 PM »
Thanks Stev-o and PeWe. When Photobucket wanted me to pay for storing photos I deleted them, not realising that it would also remove photos from my posts. I should have realised really🙁
Yes, I’ve still not used those carbs, I take it the grommets work?
Here is my thread chase tool for studs

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2021, 02:02:52 PM »
Getting ready to install cylinders.

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2021, 02:12:38 PM »
My duplicolour spray cans that were in my hold luggage, were confiscated at Aberdeen airport. So I sprayed the cases and barrels with ACE B-B-Q silver paint
I cooked the cases in the oven, but not the barrels, as I didn’t want the sleeves to fall out, or the fin harmonic rubbers to melt
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 02:14:34 PM by Gamma »

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2021, 02:19:29 PM »
The original cam chain tensioner rubbers looked and felt good so I only replaced the cam chain for a tsubaki HD one.
In retrospect this may have been a mistake, but I shall listen for nasty noises when I run her.  All of the engine internals except the pistons were in excellent shape.


Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2021, 02:23:37 PM »
Assembly

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2021, 02:25:25 PM »
Dialling in Webcam 63a

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2021, 02:29:30 PM »
Assembly

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2021, 02:30:26 PM »
Assembly

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2021, 02:39:37 PM »
Following. Fantastic!

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2021, 02:40:51 PM »
So I wanted twin discs. I had enough bits to do this. But first had to remove the front wheel rim and spokes and clean and polish the hub and install new bearings.
I stripped and rebuilt the brake callipers polished them and all associated parts, and selected the best two fork legs and stripped them, polished out all the scratches and rebuilt them with new seals etc. I drilled the two discs using a pattern I got from this forum.
I worked out that a disc spacer of 2mm is required on the right hand side to get the discs equally spaced from the fork legs.  I also remember filing one of the calliper holders quite a bit
I also opted for an electric speedo, so replaced the speedo drive on the wheel with an aluminium spacer.

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2021, 02:41:47 PM »
Working on twin disc mod

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2021, 02:43:04 PM »
Original discs cleaned, sanded and drilled at work. The centres are painted by hand
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 02:51:41 PM by Gamma »

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2021, 02:44:28 PM »
Spacer made from sheet aluminium for RH disc
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 02:49:58 PM by Gamma »

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2021, 02:46:17 PM »
Twin disc

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #23 on: January 23, 2021, 02:47:17 PM »
Twin disc

Offline Gamma

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Re: Bike from scrapyard Saudi
« Reply #24 on: January 23, 2021, 03:01:14 PM »
Couldn’t get new calliper bolts, so I learnt how to zinc plate them myself
I posted the way I do it in Proven Tips and Tricks section on here
« Last Edit: January 23, 2021, 03:03:30 PM by Gamma »