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Ultimate back from the dead?

  • Thread starter Thread starter musicman
  • Start date Start date
M

musicman

Guest
So I'm thinking about challenging myself and trying to bring this cb400four back from scrap metal status. This bike has been laying in my dad's barn for about 20 years, I remember when it ran, actually remember him riding it. It has no title, was bought as a parts bike, and is missing MANY parts. The engines is not frozen surprisingly! It has some kind of big bore kit I'm told, and aftermarket cams, no clue on the details.

Anyway, thought I'd share some pictures. Im just going to try and start it first and go from there, if it wakes up. And correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to have clubmans on it, Haha. Back front the 80's!

Women and children and those with weak stomachs may not be suited to view the pictures to follow...



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She's dead isn't she? I'm just curious if I can even get it to run again, looking for a challenge! And its free... should be fun! The bike I learned to street ride on was what this thing was bought to donate parts to, so this thing means a bit to me, the cb400four I learned on was sold years ago.
 
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uummmmmm.........wow. The thing that surprises me the most is the fact that you're going to try and start it first!
 
Well, I guess to do this right I should take a sawzall to the frame first right? :D

It's just a chunk of scrap metal, heck if that old engine breathes again I'll name it Lazarus :p I need to go through the electronics first and foremost and see what is missing, I don't even know if the carbs can be salvaged, might be easier to buy a set off ebay or something. Stock parts are everywhere for these things! Everyone and their grandma is chopping these bikes up for cafe looks, so most everything seems easy to find. I'm bringing it home tomorrow and pressure washing it to see what I really have hiding under 20 years of dirt and spider webs. I have a set of basically brand new Comstar wheels that will probably find their way on it, the original rims are rotted pretty good.

I just think it would be awesome to get it going, and carry a picture in my wallet of what it looks like right now to show people.
 
looks like it's been stored near cow poop. that's very corrosive. i'm gonna watch this thread though because i've got one of those same bikes i'm planning on working on soon. it's been sitting outside for a few years. good luck
 
Do you have the tank for it somewhere?

Unless you can find a title for it, I wouldn't put too much effort into restoring it. If anything, find another 400F or even a 350F that has a title.
The big bore kit will give you 466cc's - from what I've heard they are Japanese reproductions of the Yosh originals.
 
I am with Big Rich on this one. If your intent is to get it back on the street, you had better check to see that you can get it registered. Not having a title might only be a problem if you need to transfer ownership. Since it is "still in the family", that might not be a problem, but check into the registration before putting a whole lot of time and/or money into the restore.

.
 
A common weak spot on these bikes is the frame rail area where the side stand attaches.
Moisture can collect and rot the frame from the inside. An area to check on yours and and a new frame if that is the direction you go in.
 
Aww... Is it really that bad? Sure the seat's toast, the tank is probably toast, the frame could be iffy, and you're going to need a 55 gallon drum of PB for those fasteners, but a lot of that looks like garden variety barn funk! GO FOR IT!

If I understood your intentions from the OP, this is more of a "see if it can run" experiment at this point than it is "put it in the road" sort of thing. The absolute great thing about situations like this is the experience to be gained even if it never starts, and the tremendous self-satisfaction if it does. Besides, given the state of the bike currently, you should have no qualms with anything that comes of it all. Chop it, drop it, whatever your imagination can come up with.

I will second Steve's comment about registration though. Just concentrate on animating Frankenstein at this point. If you do get it running, THEN stop and figure out the registration. No sense throwing money at it beyond just getting it running if it can't get it plated at the DMV. Resurect, register, then rebuild. ;)
 
Man that will take a lot of time, effort and money. All worth while if the bike is worth much when finished, but this one's not. Restoring this relic will likely cost more than buying a new bike. Keep it for parts, get one in better shape to restore, save a couple years of your life for something more interesting than removing rust and corrosion.

P.S., I hate rust and corrosion.
 
A little chrome polish and it'll be like new....

Realistically, it's a parts bike or worse. I would salvage what you can and junk the rest.
 
Sojourner said:
Aww... Is it really that bad? Sure the seat's toast, the tank is probably toast, the frame could be iffy, and you're going to need a 55 gallon drum of PB for those fasteners, but a lot of that looks like garden variety barn funk! GO FOR IT!

If I understood your intentions from the OP, this is more of a "see if it can run" experiment at this point than it is "put it in the road" sort of thing. The absolute great thing about situations like this is the experience to be gained even if it never starts, and the tremendous self-satisfaction if it does. Besides, given the state of the bike currently, you should have no qualms with anything that comes of it all. Chop it, drop it, whatever your imagination can come up with.

I will second Steve's comment about registration though. Just concentrate on animating Frankenstein at this point. If you do get it running, THEN stop and figure out the registration. No sense throwing money at it beyond just getting it running if it can't get it plated at the DMV. Resurect, register, then rebuild. ;)
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+1 on all points.

I've done this very thing at least twice myself, with bikes every bit as bad. The satisfaction is great, plus the experience is great. Particularly on a "don't-care" bike like this. The skills you gain will be much appreciated when you go to use 'em on a "DO care" machine some day.

Animate first, then register, then get 'er on the road.
 
You'll find worse on Craigslist.

"Mint condition, vintage motorcycle, needs tune-up, slight miss at around 4,000 r.p.m., needs seat recovered, serious buyers only. No lowballers."
 
robertbarr said:
You'll find worse on Craigslist.

"Mint condition, vintage motorcycle, needs tune-up, slight miss at around 4,000 r.p.m., needs seat recovered, serious buyers only. No lowballers."
Click to expand...

Yeah, "ran great when it left the factory", or "Just needs a battery and a carb cleaning"
 
And people thought I was nuts with my abandoned 81 CB750F project and that was more complete than yours.Good luck but I think you might rather a lot of that.I understand the sentimental attachment you have but that will only go so far.
 
Load it on a trailer and take a spray bottle of simple green to the car wash. Spray it off, apply the simple green and some rag washing with that and then rerinse..bet she looks better than you think it does under all that crud.
 
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