Doing up a '73 CB750K

[oldGSfan]

Like I didn't have enough on my hands with the various motorcycles (Norton N15CS, GS1100E, Ducati Multistrada, Yamaha XT350), Airstream camper, Willys wagon, house, bicycles, etc, but I'm working on a '73 CB750K. The motor's ready to reassemble and I've got powder coating done on frame bits, and refurbished the gauges.

[steve murdoch]

Not surprisingly, excellent work, Tom.
Love the look of the speedo. Restored but not new. Have seen some where the white lettering/orange needle is too bright.

[GS1150Pilot]

I think those old Honda motors are the prettiest of the I4s.

[Nessism]

Presumably this is a flipping project?

[oldGSfan]

GS1I50Pilot - I have to agree with you.

Nessism - don't know yet but probably a keeper. I don't tend to flip the bikes I really like and put a lot of work into, only for ones I know I can make $ on with a little effort.

I remember looking down on the CB750s as a dumb teen, because my older brother had a KZ900 and I thought the CB looked porky and old fashioned. In the 90's after several KZs and GS liter bikes I found a '75 for $200 and fixed it up. I had just bought my 1st home and was broke. I had low expectations. I rode it for 3 years and sold for $1K only because I was moving overseas. I really fell in love with the sweet nature of that bike, it made me smile every time I took it out. My son is casting his eye on the CB but he's got to learn first on the XT350, trail riding first and then we will ride together, me on the GS1100 and him on the Honda perhaps. I take him on Ducati rides and tell him everything I know about riding safe (we have Cardo setup to talk).

Keanu Reeves was at the local San Clemente Cars & Coffee this AM on is bike, and my son was bummed I didn't take the GS - we usually go. I would have but I am replacing the front master cylinder and don't want brake fluid on my nice paint. I told him I'm cooler than Keanu anyway.

Today I painted the frame with Rustoleum epoxy appliance paint. It's drying now, that paint is cheap and tough. Other frame stuff is powder coated but I didn't want to take too much advantage of my free powder coating from my neighbor.

[oldGSfan]

On my '66 Norton N15GS that I picked up for $150 last month - the tanks (oil and fuel) were custom painted and lettered/striped. Really nice work. Both were signed 'Bartee '94' on the back sides. I found a Facebook page for a business and also personal one of a very talented painter Timothy Bartee - lots of bike stuff, very nicely done. He has a company 'Designs in Lines' in Riverside CA, and had posted about my oil tank just a couple days before I bought the bike in September. He said 'due to a series of unforeseen circumstances' the owner had picked up the gas tank a few years ago but not the oil tank ($ ?) and he didn't have a pic of the fuel tank to share. Well now he does as I sent one to him. He is only one county over to me and when I get a replacement side cover, which is missing, I'll have him match it to the oil tank. I guess the PO was tying up loose ends and moving on (leaving the state).

Tank still has newspaper in the filler neck from '94, never mounted.

[Rob S.]

Still waiting to hear the turbo EZ.

[oldGSfan]

Well I can't ride it till I figure out the leaking master cylinder. My son took a brief video of me riding away 1st ride but not sure it's really much to see. I'll ask him for it and see if it's worth it to post. Soon I am going to tear top end off to fix leaks.

Still waiting to hear the turbo EZ.

[GregT]

The last two CB750 sohc engines I've done needed a LOT of helicoils. The heads particularly - all the 6mm screws - seem prone to overtightening.
And the early diecasting alloy hasn't stood up well in a lot of cases

Are you vaporblasting before painting ? Very niice finish..

[oldGSfan]

Well I was lucky with the screws, took great care to clean and lightly lube, and all took the torque needed. I put in HD APE studs that torque to 22 vs 15 lbs too. Made a chaser from an old stud for the case threads.

I didn't vapor blast, cleaned by hand then soda blasted, then cleaned some more. I wanted to vapor blast but the quote was $200 for two pieces which seemed a bit excessive. I know it's nice but I got it looking decent my way with free elbow grease mainly.

I am ready to mount the frame...

The last two CB750 sohc engines I've done needed a LOT of helicoils. The heads particularly - all the 6mm screws - seem prone to overtightening.
And the early diecasting alloy hasn't stood up well in a lot of cases

Are you vaporblasting before painting ? Very niice finish..

[Rob S.]

Interesting the way you put it - "mount the frame", as if you were mounting the frame on the engine. Then we see the second photo, and are reminded that you work alone. Reminds me of the summer I did engine replacements on a Camaro and a VW bug - both pretty much single-handledly. That was in the year nineteen-hundred and yadda-yadda.

[oldGSfan]

Mostly alone. My son will come in and act bored and bothered. Then when the bikes are together he sits on them a lot.

I did get help lifting the engine off the workbench from a friend that also owns a '74 CB750, his is a long project he may never finish. Then I realized I needed it to lay on its other side so I wrestled it around to the other side on the furniture dolly. Oops. Anway, he promised to let me use his bike's tank and sidecovers temporarily - they are original sunrise orange flake, with a bit of patina. Just until get the bike fettled and decide on my paint, or he gets his butt in gear, whichever comes first.

Interesting the way you put it - "mount the frame", as if you were mounting the frame on the engine. Then we see the second photo, and are reminded that you work alone. Reminds me of the summer I did engine replacements on a Camaro and a VW bug - both pretty much single-handledly. That was in the year nineteen-hundred and yadda-yadda.

[oldGSfan]

Dumb move confession time. I got a million of em! Come on, we all screw up and have to laugh at ourselves. See the dings on the fins on top right? Well, I was de-griming the engine for paint and I put it on my furniture dolly right where the driveway starts, with two wheels in the little cement gap. My driveway is slightly downhill. I think you know where this is going. Or where the engine is going to be precise.

I must have bumped it when cleaning, and when I went in the garage for something I heard a sound. Hmm, what's that? Sounds like a skateboard but kid's not here and rarely rides anymore. Turned around and saw my engine rolling down the driveway. I sprinted as best I could to catch it. No luck, it was going pretty fast and there was too much ground to make up. It hit the lip of the asphalt on the street and flipped over, a complete turn, landing upright. I felt like such a fool, normally I do this job on the flat around the side of my house. I thought the thing would be badly damaged with broken fins etc, but all I found on first inspection was two broken cam cover caps (replaced already) which took the brunt of it.

I can get them out if I want, it's not noticeable until you know it's there, then the eye goes to it, as usual.

[oldGSfan]

She got legs! Got the swingarm sorted with new bushings and all the suspension, rear brake, wheels done. Nice to have it like this to inspire me for next steps.

[steve murdoch]

Rolling chassis is always a big step.
Looks great so far.