Author Topic: Bringing her back to life-1976 CB550 (Read 5591 times)

Leganto · « **on:** October 16, 2011, 10:49:04 AM »

A short time ago, I traded a Dell mini 10 laptop for a 76 cb550. She is missing parts, ugly, and doesn't run.

But, I think she can live again. Motor is not frozen, but I haven't checked compression yet.

About me: I have a 1 year old that I spend most of my time away from work with, so I take whatever time I can scrounge to work on the bike. I get up early or use time on lunch break mostly. Yes, I am the guy in the parking lot sanding bike parts, with tools and parts in the trunk of the car. I am hoping to line up a day off or two from work to get bigger parts of the project finished.

I have managed to get all the parts I need to make her roll and stop now.

Next step is to get her running. The tank was rusty inside and the petcock stopped up, so I started working on that last night...it's not going well so far. I have a separate post looking for help with that.

I picked up a front fender from a 74 model that was a bit rusty but all there and pretty straight. While I was waiting on the prep and etch to do it's thing last night, I used a dremel to cut the rivets off the brace and then wire wheeled the heck out of the whole thing. I tried the aluminum foil method to clean up the chrome, but it's just too pitted. So I decided to de-rust and paint it flat black to blend in with the tire.

Here are a few pics.

Tews19 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2011, 10:52:27 AM »

congrats and welcome to the site.. Post pics dude!!!

lucky · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2011, 10:56:43 AM »

Can you please post some photos?

Stev-o · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2011, 11:15:32 AM »

Welcome from Texas! Sounds like you are on a mission to get it running. Do you have a good fully charged battery? Before you try to start it, I would pull the plugs to confirm you have spark. If you haven't cleaned the carbs yet, it will most likely need to get one before it will run properly.

Good luck!

Leganto · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2011, 11:45:44 AM »

I have a brand new battery. Haven't checked for spark yet. Carbs definitely have to be cleaned. Petcock was solid stopped up with nastiness. Carbs and spark are next up after I solve my tank problems.

More pics.

Leganto · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2011, 08:38:10 AM »

Here are a few pics from my recent maintenance window adventures.

More work on fender. I dipped the supports in Phosphoric Prep and Etch after using a wire wheel on it for a bit....took most of the rust off. Just a little more to go. I destroyed two dremel wire wheels so far. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES!

Took me a while to figure out how to get this plastic part of the petcock filter out....thanks forums! I was worried I was going to break it. But the needle nose pliers did the trick.

I will take a few after pics of the fender soon.

Leganto · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2011, 08:43:10 AM »

Maintenance window adventures continued.

Here is my dirty petcock.

I don't recommend this method to stopper petcock bung(finger from nitrile glove and rubberbands)....it leaked overnight.

Leganto · « **Reply #7 on:** October 20, 2011, 02:19:47 PM »

Lets make a coloring book. I made a vector graphic with removable parts. I can remove fenders, change seats, or change bars in the layers and play around.

Hopefully I can come up with a configuration and color scheme I like.

ABikeNamedTrouble · « **Reply #8 on:** October 20, 2011, 02:46:46 PM »

COOOOL graphic. What program are you using for that?

Leganto · « **Reply #9 on:** October 20, 2011, 07:19:17 PM »

Thanks. I used Adobe flash cs5. I am most familiar with its drawing tools.
And it doesn't hurt that they retain quality when resizing. I love vector graphics.

Leganto · « **Reply #10 on:** October 24, 2011, 06:48:13 AM »

The rubber part of my gas cap is looking a little rough.

Should I replace it? Is it possible to get a new one? Or make one somehow?

Leganto · « **Reply #11 on:** October 24, 2011, 02:29:22 PM »

Here is my first draft sketch for color and configuration scheme.

rickmoore24 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 24, 2011, 02:59:50 PM »

Welcome!! Keep at it, your going pretty good considering your time constraints. You'll enjoying the fruit of your labors soon enough.

Rick

Tews19 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2011, 03:11:34 PM »

Looks good. I used the green blue scheme the sandcast comes in. Should begetting it back this week

Danno · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2011, 04:18:38 PM »

I don't believe you have to replace the gasket on the cap unless it leaks it will just vent better if it is cracked a little but if it is cracked a lot and loosing pieces then yeah replace it mine is cracked too and has been for 16 years but is still holding together

fastbroshi · « **Reply #15 on:** October 24, 2011, 04:48:07 PM »

Couldn't hurt to replace that gas cap seal. So your petcock was cruddy; how's the inside of the tank look?

Tews19 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 24, 2011, 06:03:37 PM »

I just clicked on your drawing and you have some skills. Nice drawing, I didnt realize all the detail until I was able to look at it on my laptop

Leganto · « **Reply #17 on:** October 25, 2011, 04:03:25 AM »

Okay, so gas cap seal may be okay for now. Thanks guys.

Fastbroshi, I have another thread about inside of my tank.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=97309.msg1087035#msg1087035

Tews19,

Thanks! It is coming along good so far.

-Jeremy

Stev-o · « **Reply #18 on:** October 27, 2011, 08:27:57 PM »

Love the blue color, it that your choice? I'd start shopping for a chain, and probly sprockets too.

Leganto · « **Reply #19 on:** October 28, 2011, 06:11:23 AM »

Yes. I want to go with the blue bodywork. A little bit of chrome and mostly black otherwise(most of my chrome is so pitted it's not workable).

In my drawing you can see the black and silver stripe on the top of the tank, but I am not 100% on that. I want to do some sort of subtle graphic work on it...I was thinking a black stripe on the top of the tank with smaller silver pinstripes...then inside the black stripe a different shade or finish of black graphic of some sort.

Of course...I am still working on some other stripe designs or maybe go with a more stock tank look.

My tank still has the emblem mounts on it...although one is very dented in the middle. It may be too difficult to repair. I don't have emblems however. Decisions decisions.

Will definitely be getting new chain and sprockets on front and back.

Killer Canary · « **Reply #20 on:** October 28, 2011, 08:42:56 AM »

I have 49 of the o-rings for the selector lever on the petcock. Let me know if you need one.

Bob3050 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 28, 2011, 09:02:49 AM »

As far as the gas cap gasket goes it is still available from Honda and is not expensive.
Bob

Leganto · « **Reply #22 on:** October 29, 2011, 03:52:00 PM »

I just lost my job yesterday. So, this project is going to slow way down. I will be doing grunt work and cleaning...but I can't afford to buy any supplies or parts for a while.

Wish me luck finding a new gig.

-Jeremy

Tews19 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 29, 2011, 09:39:26 PM »

Hang in there Leg. I am in a similar situation. I have applied to 25 plus places. No cigar yet. Only thing to do is to keep plugging away.

rickmoore24 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 31, 2011, 12:52:01 PM »

Oh damnit!! Good luck Leganto!

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Author Topic: Bringing her back to life-1976 CB550 (Read 5591 times)