400f second stage of resto...

[Sharpy]

I know you all missed part one but part 2 started today so figured I would "treat" you all to it... 

Okay so after giving the 400f a good wash to get all the Great British road salt off it I have started, small things but I dont plan on rushing, there are plenty of things I wan to fix from the first time round as well as some things that I didnt do at all first time round...

Started with the clocks,

First a gratuitous bike shot....

I struggle to find a bad angle for this bike....



Clocks off....


This is what brake fluid does, and why I wanted to do them again


So here they are, off the bike and ready to start


Pulled apart pretty easy to do, now I am on about my 10th time! 


Always make an effort to keep all the parts together


Roughed up and ready to prime


My slightly ad-hoc spray booth, always worked well in the past so I stick with it, hair drier is off when spraying but keeps the box warm and the works as an oven when I close the front


3 coats of primer, no wet and dry which was a bit of a fail on my part.. will get some tomorrow but these needed to hard bake anyway


This needs some fixing, dont want perfect but the black needs to be black again


Masked up and ready to pain

[Sharpy]

Okay, so with the other half in work I spent a few hours in the man cave and made some reasonable progress....

First thing was to paint the Honda cover that I masked up, I think it looks okay but not 100% but not after perfection as the bike overall is not going to be perfect so I think it will look better with some weathered bits...





Then some polishing... my Favourite thing,

The other fork leg needed doing, These are the things that take the most time but I think will have the biggest impact on the finished bike in my opinion..


The 2 legs together


Something I have been wanting to do for a long while is the rear shocks they are in good working order, just some surface rust on the springs so using some zip ties as spring compressors I got them apart easy enough and this is what I started with




Inside the spring before


and after a bit of this...


It looks like this...


Shock put back together, pleased with the result


Back on the bike


Need top spray the clock surrounds and clean the other rear shock next time out, so more of the same

Also got the headers off, they are solid enough just some significant surface rust, I am thinking about stripping them back and painting them in black or aluminium colour for now, will probably buy some new ones in the new year..

[Sharpy]

Cheers OddJob, still plenty of time to finish the polishing, I have a dremmel and will finish the work with that as you say.  I am not 100% convinced with the HONDA plate myself, the dings and chips are quite deep, a direct result of a crash 30+ years ago, might have another go at that with some emery paper and see if I can make some improvements.

Also agree 100% with the springs, just not sure which way to go with them, thought about paint but was worried it would crack as the springs were loaded and unloaded... Will give it some more thought.

Cheers

Sharpy

[Sharpy]

Think I will get the springs powder coated, I think there will be some other part that need doing as well so it makes sense and from what I understand that will be better in terms of the paint cracking as PC is more flexible.  That will solve the 2 issues in one!

[Sharpy]

Okay so if anyone is interested the whole project has been documented here

http://www.gbbikers.co.uk/gbb/index.php/topic,40607.0.html

No much to report as such, painted the clock surrounds and that was about it, they are a bit orange peely, so need flatting but they look loads better. Pics will be up later.

[SteveD CB500K0]

It appears that you need a login to look at that thread.

[Sharpy]

It appears that you need a login to look at that thread.

Hmmm thats not ideal, apologies.... I will see what I can do.

[Sharpy]

Thanks Odd job, I might revisit the cover, I think part of it is quite warn down so its never going to look perfect but if I can make it look better that would be good.

[PatM]

Mine looks the same as that and DS hasn't got any new ones in at mo...but you probably know that by now...

[stuartni]

very nice so far