MCM Jan 78 Article

[AshimotoK0]

Hi,

Somewhere in the dimmest deepest past I read that you can bead blast the CB750 exhaust heatshields to make them look like the satin chrome of the early K0/Sandcast bikes. I have a brand  new bright chrome set of these but seeing as DSS now charges 135GBP plus VAT for a pair!!!! I don't want to blast them unless I know its going to work out OK.

I seem to think it was in MCM Jan 1978, which I do have a copy of somewhere but in the deepest bowels of my loft somewhere.

Cheers

Ash

[UK Pete]

Hi Ash, i blasted a chrome engine cover to rough it up a bit , i was going to paint it, when blasted it was a very dull matt look but out of curiosity, i repolished a bit with autosolve it was a sort of satin chrome look which looked quite good
Pete

[steff750]

  Ash don't bead blast your heat shields just yet,I'm sure it is only the sandcast had the satin finish,i think the chrome finish is correct for your bike , i am not sure exactly when they came in,Chris Rushton will know ,but anyway they look nicer chrome

[AshimotoK0]

Cheers Steff,

In the copy of the parts manual I have there is a different part for K and K1 the K should be 315-300-010. The later ones are 315-300-020  (Protector Muffler). maybe the interim genuine late true K0's had bright chrome.

I seem to remember Chris saying too that they should be satin chrome but he told me he had two NOS ones and the satin finish was different on both. Looking at the pic of Kettle738's early bike (14 frame numbers from mine) they look satin. Also the 'Dick Emery' K0 on the front of MCM Feb '71 looks like satin.


Wonder why the price from DSS has rocketed on these - I thought the 20 quid each that I paid was expensive at the time.

Just glad I started my bike when I did and placed a massive order with DSS and stored the bits under my daughters bed (no she is not pleased with this 'pile of junk' as she calls it  ) Don't think I could justify the cost of those parts now.


Cheers

Ash

[Bryanj]

Its not DS's prices that have rocketred its Honda's. Dave buys a lot from dealers that they don't normally stock just so he has it on the shelf to sell

[BigAl (Alan)]

Just checked the Haynes Great bike series book CB 750. There are some colour pictures of a UK KO the heat shield has a satin type finish

Alan

[Seamus]

John Wyatts book, although a bit vague seems to suggest that the chrome shields appeared on the K2 with the 341 silencers

[K2-K6]

I've seen chrome plating before polishing that had a very satin appearance, don't know if that is a natuaral state or a specific process characteristic.

If so it's conceivable that a thin plate would be difficult to finish effectively and could have originally been left unpolished on the early production line.

[AshimotoK0]

I've seen chrome plating before polishing that had a very satin appearance, don't know if that is a natuaral state or a specific process characteristic.

If so it's conceivable that a thin plate would be difficult to finish effectively and could have originally been left unpolished on the early production line.

They plated the starter motor and clutch covers though in bright chrome and they are thin plate?

cheers for everyones thoughts on this

Yamiya sell them as 'no shine type'

http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_88&products_id=666

Ash

[Seamus]

Would it work by plating using zinc without a brightener?

[AshimotoK0]

Would it work by plating using zinc without a brightener?

Hmm The purists would scorn upon this !! Maybe ChrisR knows why they are satin chrome. If I remember correctly, I had a 400/4 cam cover bead blasted way back and left some old chromed hex head rocker shaft retainers in which came out a nice  satin chrome finish, Still have those in my junk and they have never corroded (in almost 25 years) , so maybe that's the way to go.

Cheers

Ash

[honda-san]

Hi all,
The satin finish shields were fitted to all pre - K1 CB750's.

When I restored my first CB750 back in the early '90's, the plater I used "satin polished" a pair of bright chrome shields and achieved  an acceptable dull chrome look. I guess its a matter of finding a plater who is prepared to do something a little different. I know of some one who painted his shields satin silver - you had to look real close to know!
I have been fortunate to find over the years 2 NOS Honda satin shields, still in the wrapper (and only 2 in 25 years of collecting/restoring CB750's). Unfortunately, the finish of these is so different that I would find it hard to reconcile using them on the same bike, even though you only ever see one at a time! Keep hoping to come accross another NOS one which will match one or other of them!
I have used a pair of the Yamiya ones, but was not impressed with the quality - you could see "stains" in the plating in a couple of places which I guess corresponded to the wire attachment points on the inside during plating. It is perhaps worth me saying that my experiences with Yamiya have not been good  - I have had a number of items which have not been perfect and which they have not been interested in sorting an exchange for (Given the prices they charge, my view is that the quality and "after care" are less than satisfactory).

If it were I Ash, I would look to find some s/h chrome shields and talk to a plater about getting them re-finished "dull". If you already have NOS bright chrome ones, you could just use them as is till s/h ones turn up for re-finishing.

Bryan J is spot on regarding Dave Silver's Prices; the large increase in many prices is as a result of Honda having hiked their prices. You will probablly find that DSS prices are cheaper than if you go direct through a Honda dealer (for parts still available), and at least they are interested in what you are doing. Most Honda dealers know nothing about, and are not interested in getting older parts. Having spoken to the guys at DSS on Monday this week, the pending court case being brought BY Honda against DSS is worrying - if Honda get there way our hobby could become infinitely more difficult!

Cheers - Chris R.

[Yoshi823]

That front cover of MCM reminds me of the ton of old mags that I used to have in my loft...until I decided that I no longer needed them. There were so many 750/550/500/400 tests of the original bikes as well as modified ones. What I should have done was to have cut out all of the good stuff & thrown away the stuff that was of no interest. If anybody wanted an old copy, there's a shop at the end of my road that has shelves stacked high with these mags. I still have every early 'Bike' magazine up to about 1984 up in the loft.

[AshimotoK0]

Found this old post of mine. Still have the new shiny heatshields and not the correct satin chrome ones. Any new ideas? 

Found the Jan 1978 MCM article  BTW and the bead blast finish was not in there must have been in another magazine. Wonder why Honda Satin chromed them?

Cheers .. Ash

[UK Pete]

I bought some satin ones from yamiya last year ,notmcheap but the only option at the time
pete