SOHC.co.uk Forums > Project Board

1975 400/4 project

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royhall:
Welcome to the forum. You picked a good bike for a first project. Loads of advice on here and plenty of spare parts still available. It's a personal thing but I always start with the engine as it's the biggest and dearest lump out of the way. The rest is just bolting things off and on. Any way you do it have fun.

Sprocket:
Thanks very much! I admit I've been lurking for ages on a number of forums and it's no accident I picked a project that had some degree of a chance of success. Was basically between this and an NC30 really. And I dare say when this one's done I might look for the other!

I think I'm gravitating towards the engine first, as suggested. It's pretty daunting but I like the idea of doing as much as I can myself. I've a local machine shop in mind for anything I'm totally stuck with.

First things I've purchased are a set of JIS screwdrivers and a massive tub of Swarfega!  :)

Orcade-Ian:
Welcome to the mad world of all things SOHC (and others)
Looks like a good basis to start from.  As others have said, lots of help and advice on here so just take your time, everything will come apart eventually so don’t rush.  Depends what you want to achieve with the final finish but most parts can be brought back to useable with a bit of effort.
Definitely worth reading Nurse Julie’s clinical notes on here to guide you through the process on the engine.  Most of us take the exhaust, carbs, head and barrel off while still in the frame to make it lighter.  It also provides you with an engine stand for loosening stuff like clutch, gear change mech and generator without it sliding all over the place.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help,
Ian

Sprocket:
So after thinking about it for a while on Friday evening, I tentatively removed an indicator mount from the rear. Full of filler.  :( So I didn't like the idea of what the frame might be like. Over the weekend I've gently prodded it with a wire wheel and found some reasonable looking metal so I do feel a little better!

Took some other bits off to examine too. One stud has snapped outside of the head and I think it was blowing badly hence there's a pretty deep gungy leak down the front of the engine.

Think the pipes are all genuine but I fear they're too far gone, two of the headers have a really thick crust of rusty nonsense over the chrome. Might be able to at least reshape the crust into something that might shove back in, let's see...

Front and rear 'chrome' mudguards are both covered in underseal underneath (the rear is fibreglassed too, as well as painted over on the surface!)

So the decision has been made, I'll strip the frame down, get it powder coated and use that as the starting point.

paul G:
Best way to move forward Sprocket, strip clean and asses  ;) :) that way you know what you are up against.
On the engine look at Julie's project very comprehensive and loads of help on here.

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