Author Topic: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration  (Read 34355 times)

Offline UK Pete

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1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« on: October 28, 2012, 07:01:11 PM »
Hi all , i have been thinking as to which way i shall proceed with my K0 at first i was going to get it MOT'd register it and ride it as is for a year or so while i have a chance to gather parts to restore, but on closer inspection i have found the front end needs a total overhaul, so does the back end (swing arm bushes, missing spoke in rear wheel), and even worse the engine leaks oil from the cylinder head quite badly, so it is pretty much decided that i will tear it down and get stuck in with a restoration now rather than later, To kick things off i got the bike running , just needed a bit of work on the carbs, then rode the bike around to get the feel what was in need of doing, that is when it became apparent that both front and rear ends were bad, and it was clear the oil leak was more than just a drip, i cleaned up any chrome bits to access what was salvagable and what was to replace, it tuns out the double cut front guard is really solid with speckles of rust and a couple of small dings that are easily repaired, so that is on the re-chrome list








The rear guard is also in reasonable shape, and being the original well worth salvaging so that is also on the re-chrome list, again like the front it has a bit of mild surface rust , and a few dents, but the dents are where the rear light has been knocked and so are mostly hidden, the underside has been protected with some sort of wax oil and is really well preserved, as for the rear light bracket i have A NOS bracket, and chrome rear light back, the original lens is salvageble with a bit of polishing so all is good







Offline hairygit

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2012, 08:33:49 PM »
So glad the metalwork is solid for you, looking forward to another of your detailed restorations, be sure to keep us all posted with progress, makes compulsive reading! ;D
If it's got tits or wheels, it's hassle, if it's got both, RUN!!!

Offline K2-K6

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2012, 12:29:46 PM »
I don't know how you get through so much stuff Pete.

A very interesting project though and like others I'm looking forwrd to see how it comes along as well.

The rear mudgaurd looks quite good considering the age of it, also looks like you can get to the back of those small dents to correct it if you want to. I've seen someone virtually push things like that out by hand but using a "spoon" from a panelbeaters set as opposed to thumping it.

It's a nice bike to own, so hope you get a good run at it.

Nigel.

Offline UK Pete

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2012, 08:22:05 PM »
Thanks guys i will try and keep it interesting, doing this sort of thread is also good for my own refference, so bear with me with some of the uninteresting pictures
The top tree is all intact it will just need a quick sandblast and a re-spray , i do belive that on this model it is satin black
The chrome bolts and nuts are mostly salvageble with ok chrome, however thinking logicaly it is right where i will be staring below the clocks so i will get New ones as they are cheap enough, this also applies to the fork top nuts they will also be new,
DS does a well priced reproduction set of bars for this USA model, so they are also on the list to replace , obviously there will be new grips,  levers and switch gear  are ok and will be reconditioned, new mirrors are also on the buy list



Note the nice original black kill switch knob, there are reproduction ones available , but i feel this one deserves to stay after all it is only faded other than that it is a good original part


Front light shell is well beyond repair being split and fiberglassed back together, i will try and find a Original Honda one but the DS aftermarket ones are great quality and a fraction of the price so DS it might just be


the light lens and reaining hardware is well good, i will just replace the front chrome rim



oh yes before anyone asks my trusty assistant will be helping me out wth this build, some of you may remember him, here he is fetching me a knife and mudguard

Offline Seamus

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2012, 09:21:52 AM »
Good stuff Pete. Nice to see that most of the parts are salvagable. Keep the pictures coming.
As you probably already know, loads of pics are a real boom when you have to put it all back together.

Offline cb750stu

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2012, 10:56:46 AM »
That looks tidy for its age,looking forward to seeing the end result !!!!
1976 CB750 F1 SS in bits !!! but getting there

Offline UK Pete

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2012, 10:41:09 PM »
More pictures of the strip down

Short plastic chain guard, it is all there, in dirty but good condition, luckily as reproduction ones are almost £200
originals very hard to come by




Front brake all in good condition, just a bit of fading to the anodised parts



the original no 8 bolts in great condition, they will clean up nicely so a few less to zinc plate




Coils looking a bit worse for wear but considering the bike ticked over like a swiss watch at only  800 rpm, and reved cleanly from there upwards means to me they are worth keeping and restoring






Original airbox, looks to be repairable , although i do have a nice new LPM one which i might use




More of those lovely no 8 bolts, i think they were only on the pre K1 models



Rear indicators and mountings , amazing condition, perfectly usable, just need to paint the brackets


Carbs with the 4 seperate cables, apparently a bit awkward to set up properly,, but all there and working good


Surprisingly all the electrics worked faultlessly, but i will have my work cut out restoring this lot



Swing arm a bit of rust , but structuraly sound


Swing arm bearings are metal in this one, and were a real pig to get out


Front forks , need total overhaul, the chrome is good , but strangely Honda chose to only chrome the area of travel, the rest is bare steel so it goes rusty


Fork internals, had a right job getting one of the retaining circlips out, also they had a mix of water and very smelly discoloured oil in them


Engine out, i opted for the easy way lay the frame on its side and remove bolts and lift away from engine,
the engine is bit oily but it ran really sweet with no smoke, all the fins are in tact, but it leaks oil from the head quite badly, this will have a total strip paint and be fully reconditioned


Frame had some  rust but mostly surface, just a couple of pin holes in lower tube, which i enlarged out till i was back into sound metal, then i welded them shut and ground it down and sanded smooth










Offline K2-K6

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2012, 08:23:42 PM »
Good photo-story Pete, It's nice to see all the details of the KO laid bare as well and as you say it looks like a basically sound bike with all that original stuff still there.

Don't hog all the work for yourself though, save some for the rabbit....!  looking at your list of bikes you may have to consider cloning those as well to get through it.

Offline UK Pete

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2012, 08:09:54 PM »
Hey Nigel you may notice the list of bikes is getting bigger, i cant believe i managed to find room for this K0, the wife has given up, she thinks i am insane what with 24 bikes and rabbits as co workers, i am beginning to doubt my sanity now, is there an AA equivelant for obbsessed bike hoarders , if so my introduction would be hi my names pete i have just spent my kids inheritance on a load of rusty bikes and bits

Offline UK Pete

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2012, 08:43:50 PM »
I was wondering how to get out my stubborn swing arm shock bushes, then i came up with the old socket trick and threaded bar, a bit of heat from a gas torch and wind up the nut they just pushed out,



 shame the steering head bearings wern't as  easy, turns out who ever put them in had done it with the bearing seat at an angle and so they were sort of friction welded in, i got them out eventually but will have to file the chived up metal back smooth again

Offline SteveD CB500K0

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2012, 08:59:54 PM »
is there an AA equivelant for obbsessed bike hoarders

You and Eamon could be the founder members Pete...

I've only got 5 so don't count (yet)   :)
2022 Tiger Sport 660
1971 CB500K0

Offline hairygit

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2012, 10:20:01 PM »
I'm afraid tht motorcycling is a disease of the brain :P, and there is NO motorcycles anonymous, so we couldn't get better even if we wanted to! ;D
If it's got tits or wheels, it's hassle, if it's got both, RUN!!!

Offline UK Pete

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2012, 08:56:48 AM »
Thought i would do a bit of work on the front end, i am not sure what people do with their forks ie replace them cause they are rusty at the top, or just treat the rust and re use, i decided to reuse my fork stauntions as the chrome on the travel part of fork is perfect, the top part which honda left as exposed steel is not seen and the cost of replacing the tubes just because of unseen rust is not worth it as it would just add another £200+ pounds to the restoration cost for me to know that hidden behind the fork ears is shiney chrome
what i did was rub them down, treat with a chemical rust convertor, then a fine coat of silver paint







I stripped the top yolk of its paint and gave it a couple of coats of satin black, the finish is almost spot on to the original, i know as i have a NOS one to compare to












While i was in the mood i removed the steering lock and bearing  stripped and re-painted the lower clamp, but used gloss black as that is what was used originally





Offline UK Pete

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2012, 09:26:39 AM »
My tank was looking very tatty and i was unsure to its condition beolow all the horrible black paint, so i just had to strip the paint off to access the state of the metal, to my surprise it is in fantastic condition there is only one dent and virtually no rust inside and out , plus the added bonus that it is the original correct tank for the year , just look at those lovely wrinkles and the original cap

Getting the mucky old paint off, the original colour was candy ruby red


Lovelly deep ridge wrinkles




No rust inside


Starting to reveal the beutifully preserved metal on this 43 year old tank


I am so pleased with this , i spent a lot of money buying this bike but having most of the original parts is sometimes priceless


Only one dent, does anyone have any suggestions on how to get this dent out?








Offline cb750stu

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Re: 1969 Diecast/ K0 restoration
« Reply #14 on: November 18, 2012, 10:49:27 AM »
Hi,
Just wondering what paint stripper you used for the tank ???

Regards
Stuart
1976 CB750 F1 SS in bits !!! but getting there

 

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