Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => Project Board => Topic started by: heli_madken on June 21, 2020, 05:02:26 PM
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Hi Everyone,
I have just finished restoring a 1977 GL1000 K2 complete with Krauser luggage and a Vetter fairing -
[attach=1]
So its time to move on to my next project a 1977 CB550 K3 -
[attach=2]
The picture above was taken the day I bought the bike last February. Its very deceptive as the bike looks to be in good condition but in actual fact it was a complete mess, engine covered in crud which was almost tar like, exhausts shot, frame covered in surface rust, bodywork heavily scratched, wheels beyond saving, seat full of splits, would not idle steadily, cam chain rattling as well as the worst primary drive chain rattle I have ever heard.
Ok so the shop I bought it from saw this mug arrive and thought, "right one here soon palm him off with this piece of crap" snigger, snigger. The thing is that I fell in love with it straight away, it was in such a sorry state it just had to be rescued, and actually on the test ride it rode extremely well and sounded amazingly good on the move and was lots of fun to ride compared to the big heavy Gold Wing.
So a deal was struck and the owner retreated with a huge grin on his face and a few days later I took delivery. What I decided to do was get her initially in a state where I could ride and assess what has to be done so I spent a lot of money on a new exhaust from DS which is actually very nice. I spent two days with every conceivable degreaser I could find trying to get the crud off the engine and the rest of the bike, she has obviously had a hard life and been stored outside and not washed over the past two decades. I stripped off and fully rebuilt the PD46A's finding all sorts of nasty bodges as I went. Bought a new seat cover and refurbished the pan. Oil change, tried to fix the cam chain tensioner but the adjuster wont budge. Fitted a Dyna ignition system and new Dyna coils. Oh and replaced the extremely stretched and dangerous drive chain.
After lots of fiddling I got a good idle and the engine runs really nice but at low RPM sounds terrible. I didnt want to ride her too much but have had some fun but now its time for the work to start. I am going to do a bare frame restoration with a full strip down and refurbish of every component so this is going to take some time, especially as I have a full house to paint in between!. It is going to be hard work as every bolt I have tried to remove has been seized.
Some pictures to show the current condition after much cleaning.
Engine casings need further clean and painting -
[attach=3]
Frame is covered in surface rust but nothing that looks like it needs welding -
[attach=4]
Wheels and spokes are beyond saving so I will replace with alloy rims and stainless spokes -
[attach=5]
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Disc is good but calipers and brake lines need a full refurb -
[attach=1]
Tank and side covers need painting and some work on badges, I will paint the stripes rather than use graphics -
[attach=2]
Clocks need some work, considering the bike has only done 26k she is in a poor state -
[attach=3]
I am really looking forward to getting stuck in to this bike, over the next week I hope to have most components stripped off and have a good look at the frame.
Also looking forward to making new friends on this forum
Ken
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Welcome. Nice GW.
the little one will repay kindness.
It will be a joy to ride.
Look forward to seeing the progress
Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk
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Welcome ... they are addictive and bonus points for getting the carbs sorted :)
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Welcome and good luck.
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Welcome, you picked the most unloved 550 model there but when sorted and used regularly(pd carbs are a shite) they are really nice and yes just a tad lighter than the GL
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Thanks for the warm welcome everyone,
Welcome, you picked the most unloved 550 model there but when sorted and used regularly(pd carbs are a shite) they are really nice and yes just a tad lighter than the GL
Yeah, bike was registered in July 77, by that time the promise of 'Super Sports', 'F' models had come along, I actually bought a 400 four Super Sport a month later in August which I loved and I remember thinking how much more modern the 4 in to 1 exhaust was. So it must have been a very 'special' person to ignore all the modern trends and buy this bike. Probably an older citizen which of course I am now. And the funny thing is I love the 4 into 4 exhaust this bike has now so go figure!
And yes the PD carbs dont get a good write up, I would probably like to change them. But having lived through lots of pain servicing the GL 755A carbs until I got them right they are by comparison very simple.
Got as far as removing the valve gear/camshaft cover today (I love taking stuff apart). Everything looks kind of ok to these relatively untrained eyes with the odd exception.
Not a great start, I sprayed Plus Gas on everything over the last two weeks but I guess on these longer bolts it isnt going to penetrate that far -
[attach=1]
The remainder should not be too hard to remove-
[attach=2]
Rocker pads look ok as do cam lobes and there is no movement on the shafts, plenty of clean looking oil everywhere so oil supply is good -
[attach=5]
Worst thing is this, I can feel it with my fingernail and there is a witness mark on the cam journal, not sure how I am going to deal with this yet any ideas? -
[attach=3]
Cant see how something could have got to that position whilst the engine was running so I think its been there on assembly which means that someone has been into at least the top end of this motor before I think.
I can lift a link on the cam chain about 5mm so the chain feels pretty loose, is this normal?-
[attach=4]
Tomorrow I will remove the head and see what other challenges are waiting
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Looks like a snapped 6mm screw to me Ken
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Welcome to the forum.
The cam bearing looks as if it has a casting inclusion from original manufacturer, with the fault "picked up" by their machining.
It's probably not going to affect it in any way now so safe to leave it alone. Traditional way of dealing with it would be engineering "scraping" in which a curved riffler file is ground to a compound curve metal chisel and then used to plane the surface back locally to remove the high spot.
Cam chain, I'd say is knackered if it's 5mm at centre of cam sprocket, and most likely the primary chain too. You might as well change both if you are stripping it. It's well worth while as they are intrinsically linked to a sweet running engine.
Looks pretty good in there otherwise from first glance.
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"And yes the PD carbs dont get a good write up, I would probably like to change them. But having lived through lots of pain servicing the GL 755A carbs until I got them right they are by comparison very simple."
Obviously there's clear and valued experience on here about the work in getting these carbs clean and running well. They do hold an advantage though in my view, in that they are more accurate especially at low speed range for metering fuel and probably outperform other fitment.
Specifically, their fuelling strategy results in less unburnt fuel to first contaminate the engine oil, and also the same for putting the byproduct of condensate into the exhausts. No small consideration when the pipes cost so much. The condensate is effectively laced with sulphuric acid from the sulphur in fuel and incomplete combustion, which is what makes it so aggressive to the exhaust pipe internal materials.
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Thanks everyone for the help and advice.
I will be replacing most serviceable items including the cam chain, tensioner and primary chain. This is an expensive hobby! I have a spreadsheet with over 2K's worth of stuff I want to buy, I have already spent £1,900, add this to the cost of the bike I dont think we do this to make any money do we :)
The cylinder head came off relatively easily, I am still not seeing anything frightening.
The bores look to be in good shape, no discernible lip at the top of the cylinder or any marks, you can see the remainder of the crud the engine was covered in -
[attach=1]
Valves and combustion chambers look ok just needs a good clean/decoke, I will remove the valves to look at the seats-
[attach=2]
Amazingly after all the effort I put into trying to free the cam chain tensioner adjuster bolt it just popped out on its own, not sure what was wrong as the tensioner seems to operate as it should now. The rubber pad looks worn to me? and the rubber is perished in some places -
[attach=3]
I am going to clean the cylinder head now so I can get it on my drill press and tackle that sheared bolt
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That tensioner blade is not worn as such, the side plates of the chain wear into the rubber till the rollers touch. You change them when the centre part is markedly lower than the outsides OR the rubber is cracking off the steel at the ends.
Check the mechanism carefully to make sure the gear on the end of the bolt and the teeth on the rack mesh well and evenly through the range, the steel frame gets "tweaked" out of true if the adjuster bolt is forced.
Pistons and valves look oily check stem seals and bore to piston clearance
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Thanks BryanJ, I will be replacing valve seals and most probably rins and will hone the bores but take care to check clearances.
Yesterday I managed to get the sheared bolt out of the cylinder head ok then took the engine out of the frame which I found easier to do by simply tipping the bike over on its side and lifting the frame off the engine.
Engine out, I cant fathom out what the dirt is the bike is covered in, petrol, degreasers, diesel dont touch it. I have had to resort to Acetone which of course destroys any paint left but that doesn't matter -
[attach=1]
The primary drive chain is incredibly loose but as far as I can tell hasn't impacted the casing, everything else looks ok no visible signs of wear -
[attach=2]
Really thick oil residue below the pickup which has a fair amount of filings in it but nothing I dont think to worry too much about-
[attach=3]
Thats it for the motor at present I have put it to one side, I hope to get as much stuff off the frame as I can today, stripper and paint is on order
Cheers
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I have a bare frame!, came apart easily enough
[attach=1]
I hate Scotchloks! real mess, not sure what was going on here as there are no accessories fitted. I will be replacing the core of the loom so it will all tidy up -
[attach=2]
Rectifier and regulator are real blast from the past especially the fully exposed Lucas 3DS5, but hey they still worked didnt they! I will replace with a single unit -
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This is inside the master cylinder eek I was actually riding the bike like this, shameful -
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Are the headlamp ears hard to find, haven't tried yet but I know for a GL they are getting scarce, these will clean up to a degree -
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Now to get the frame clean and start paint prep
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Whats the other side of the fork ears like.
They should come up nice when re plated :)
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Cheers yes I think re-plating is an option.
I have been wondering about plating, the front and rear mudguards are pitted so either need plating or replacing. I have seen the front available as an aftermarket part but very often I have found the plating to be less than good. Then there is the cost of plating, what are your thoughts on the cost of plating and getting a good finish compared to new aftermarket?
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I managed to get a set of spare fork ears and had them re chromed for £60
There were some repairs needed as although they looked perfect - when stripped there were some pin holes - these repairs I feel could have been slightly smoother - but overall the finished result looks very good
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Cheers yes I think re-plating is an option.
I have been wondering about plating, the front and rear mudguards are pitted so either need plating or replacing. I have seen the front available as an aftermarket part but very often I have found the plating to be less than good. Then there is the cost of plating, what are your thoughts on the cost of plating and getting a good finish compared to new aftermarket?
Re plating will be much less than new parts and most of those are repro parts of inferior quality and fit.
If you use a good plating company they will be better than original as the plating on the OEM parts wasn't very good.
I use Prestige plating in Mexborough nr Rotherham always done a superb job.
If you use them don't expect a quick turnaround always very busy and taking longer at the moment due to being shut for a while.
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+1 for prestige.
Quality is very good but, as stated in Paul G’s post, don’t expect a quick turn around. The last time I collected some re-plated parts they were quoting a 6 month lead time. I take this to mean that they are very busy due to their very good reputation for quality.
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Thank you, I have to say this is the most helpful forum I have ever been on, I will take your advice and start sorting out the pieces I want plating.
Spent a lot of time today removing all the paint from the frame, primarily used a power file mostly concentrating on removing the surface rust and finished off with wire cup brushes and by hand -
[attach=1]
Then sprayed on an initial coat of primer just to spot any issues and prevent any rusting although I could not have hoped for better dryer weather today -
[attach=2]
Tomorrow I want to spend some time tidying up some of the more visible welds as they are pretty nasty in some parts, also get rid of some of the remaining welding splatters. Once done I will flat this primer back and use some 2K etching primer to get a good base coat on.
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Wow you must have some patience ;) I would have taken it for blasting ;D ;D
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Yeah mum used to say I had the 'patience of a saint' :) to be honesty I enjoy doing stuff like this so it wasnt an issue for me and I retired a couple of months ago so time isnt a problem.
Got some of the welds smoothed out and the etching primer on today. It really looks like the apprentice welded up this bike, they are worse then my welds! Is this normal on the 550 from this era, looking at the welds on my GL from the same year there is no comparison at all.
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Hi
Wow a fabulous start to your rebuild I will follow this project with great interest as I have just brought what I thought was uk 550k3 but as from what I have been told it looks like I got a bit of a mongrel 550 k3 and would like to get it closer to how it was if possible.
Would you please be able to send a picture of the plastic tool tray / air intake that sits on top of the battery & main air filter box as I am missing mine and would like to see if I can get a 2nd hand one
Rgds
Nigel
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Thanks Gromitdog,
Here is a picture of the intake -
[attach=1]
On mine there is a document tray which is immediately above the air intake and a plastic flap that covers a place for the toolkit, both are under the seat itself -
[attach=2]
Cheers, Ken
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Nice looking project, may well be the most unloved? not sure about that.... but I like it (i owned one). Looks like you’re off to a great start and I hope you decide to keep her fairly standard.. 8)
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Wheels and spokes are beyond saving so I will replace with alloy rims and stainless spokes -
http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=22653.0;attach=54509;image (http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=22653.0;attach=54509;image)
Ken,
Don't be too hasty in binning the rims, the rear seems to be an original DID one, so it's likely the front may be too - if so, very rare and hard to find, I would rechrome if need be.
The rim below is yours, the other is one of the original DIDs fitted to my 750K1 before I cleaned them up and now they are very spangly.
Cheers, Andrew
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Thanks Andrew,
The rims are very badly scored in a few places, not sure why, so I am not confident they will plate very well. Also there are no markings on the rims, weren't DID rims stamped?
Having stuff plated is new to me and I received a price from a local company of £300 to have the front mudguard plated, is this a ball park figure at all?
Apologies for the lack of progress on this project I have been sidelined with a whole host of other tasks but I have painted the frame and done some alloy polishing which I absolutely love doing.
I am pleased with how the frame has come out -
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
Not for the purists I know but I spent some time smoothing out the welds which where really bad on this bike, apologies couldn't seem to get a good picture -
[attach=3]
Been polishing the family silver, this was hard as some parts where badly pitted, still a little more work to do -
[attach=4]
Lots more work for my family to do so it will be a while before I can post any more progress.
Cheers everyone,
Ken
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That cam cover should be in a glass case!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Thanks Andrew,
The rims are very badly scored in a few places, not sure why, so I am not confident they will plate very well. Also there are no markings on the rims, weren't DID rims stamped?
Having stuff plated is new to me and I received a price from a local company of £300 to have the front mudguard plated, is this a ball park figure at all?
Ken,
The original rims have DID cast into them as shown I'm my photo above - I couldn't make out from your photo but im pretty sure that your rim has same casting as mine which Ive circled in red on the crop of your photo I also added above. If you buy new DID rims they have numbers and DID stamped into them on the outer part of the rim and look quite ugly in my opinion. You may be surprised how much chrome platers can repair scratched or gouged rims.
Honda still supply OE front mudguards, DS sell them for the 750K1 at about £125 so unless they are unavailable for the 550 I don't see why you would pay £300 to rechrome a possibility non-rare part
The bike's looking great and like many other I look forward to seeing it progress.
Cheers, Andrew
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Hi,
DSS do an original mudguard for £157 so it wouldn't make sense to spend £300, but I havent actually had any professional chroming done before so my question was really about expectations, is this the sort of price I am likely to pay for parts of this size or does it feel expensive?
Oddjob, after 44 years of commuting on a bike I dont have to do it anymore as I am retired :) so I have vowed to ride my restored bikes only in the dry whenever I can so i a find a good polish with Solvol good enough to keep the parts in good order. Yes lots of work with a Dremel exactly as you say perhaps some 240, 400, 800 abrasives then a sisal mop with coarse polishing compound working through to a polishing wheel, really just about patience and a bit of hard work.
I did try a coat of lacquer over polished aluminium parts many years ago but it did tend to come off like you say due to the wax in the polishing compounds. I remember doing some fork legs and they looked beautiful, came down the next morning and huge sections of lacquer had flaked off, I was heartbroken!
Cheers
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Doing bits on my project in between other jobs, got some more parts painted and done some work on the clutch cover.
I was looking at the MOT history of this bike, over the past 15 years she has been in Ipswich, Chesterfield and Dumfries. In that time a total of only 96 miles was added, one year just 2 miles must have been to get to the MOT station. Amazing that in the few weeks I have had the bike before taking it off the road for the rebuild I did more than that. Personally I dont get why you would buy a bike in 2012 and only do 47 miles on it through to 2020 and in that time just leave it out in the weather but hey, health issues or other problems I guess.
Somebody did have a go at improving the bike in the past though as every JIS head bolt has been replaced with 'Stainless' HEX head which have all rusted and worse still welded themselves to the aluminium, almost every bolt has to be coaxed out.
Clutch cover was in a bit of a state -
[attach=1]
It was very badly pitted so has taken a lot of work to get to this stage, bit more to do yet -
[attach=2]
I know not everyone likes this look for their bike as it certainly isn't original but I kind of like the achievement of bringing something back to life, a future owner could always paint now if they wished.
Pressing on with black parts which have all been stripped, flatted, any remaining rust not able to be removed has been converted, etched primed, primed and 2K gloss black, looks like 'Duck Apple Night' in my garage -
[attach=3]
Next up is the very sorry looking final drive cover, underneath though ughh -
[attach=4]
Sure this is probably quite normal but some advice on a good de-greaser would be appreciated. I bought some stuff from Machine Mart that had rave reviews but it might as well be water. I have struggled getting this engine clean so any tips would be great
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"Sure this is probably quite normal but some advice on a good de-greaser would be appreciated. I bought some stuff from Machine Mart that had rave reviews but it might as well be water. I have struggled getting this engine clean so any tips would be great"
Straight paraffin is pretty effective to remove grease from cases etc.
But steam cleaning works really well, that's not jet washed but low pressure steam to get the grime off gently. HGV places that prep for vehicle inspection usually run them and may be persuaded to do a small quick clean for you.
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I've been using No-Nonsense degreaser from Screwfix in my parts washer for a while now and quite impressed with it.
Reasonable cost, not too stinky or nasty and seems to work well.
I did have some of the Machine mart stuff when I first bought the parts washer and remember it being pricey, useless in action and also went 'off' after being left for a while.
Cheers,
Andy
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I've been using No-Nonsense degreaser from Screwfix in my parts washer for a while now and quite impressed with it.
Perfect Andy much better than anything else I have been using thanks.
So I thought I had better stop buggering about polishing stuff-
[attach=2]
and get down to splitting the case-
[attach=1]
Came apart ok, I used the trolley jack method to get the initial split which worked well.
Think I was lucky to get the top bolt in the picture below out. The bolt below (top left rear near the final drive housing) had already been sheared by someone, its going to be a bugger to get whats left out as it is deep down within the case, if I cant get it I think I may use a timesert and a shorter bolt.
[attach=3]
On the subject of bolts can anyone recommend replacement stainless kits for engine and chassis?
Everything looks ok internally and in good shape, gears look great and shells/journals all look fine-
[attach=4]
Looks like the primary drive chain was just starting to hit the case to me?
[attach=5]
I am going to replace all seals, is it worth also replacing all the needle and roller bearings?
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So I started the difficult task of removing all the crud from the cases, had a go at the sump and underneath the coating of filth was this-
[attachimg=1]
Bodged with JBWeld, amazing it held together but how stupid is that, imagine it letting go at 70 MPH.
I cant find one in the UK but ordered one from the US, as a standby has anyone got a spare lying round?
Back to removing grime!
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You really couldnt get one in UK? All 500/550 are the same
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No sump pans in the UK, I find it very difficult, in fact impossible, to believe that 🤔🤔🤔🤔
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Bugger, never thought of looking for 500, found one straight away in the UK at a good price, cheers
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With regards to the broken crankcase bolt, have you thought about getting the remaining part of the bolt out by spark erosion? Pete Lovell Developments in Smethwick can probably do it. Pete got the dowls out of my CB250RSA rocker cover by the same method. If was me I would get the whole bolt out, Honda put a bolt of that length in for a reason and no doubt if they could have made it shorter they would have.
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Thanks Dave,
Tried hard over the last couple of days to get the remainder of the bolt out, heat, plus-gas, extractor etc but I think it was a dead loss. At some point in the past somebody was trying to get the bolt out to replace it with something or split the cases and sheared it off. Rather than deal with the problem they just simply popped the broken bolt back in the hole and let gravity keep it there.
I think this in turn made the situation worse as now rain could get in easily.
So I bit the bullet and used a good sharp 8mm bit to drill out the rest of the bolt, it went well as the depth of the hole was a good guide for the bit. So I tapped out right to the bottom of the hole and put in an insert so I can follow your advice Dave and use a new 145mm bolt.
I am hoping that is the last of my stuck bolt issues on this project now
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If you need a new replacement 90011-323-000. I hold stock of that flanged bolt .
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If you need a new replacement 90011-323-000. I hold stock of that flanged bolt .
Damn already ordered, I definitely need to get used to this forum and all the services on offer, is there a page somewhere that I can see who offers what?
I havent yet ordered any gaskets/seals. Whats the best option for this? I am not a huge fan of aftermarket so should I order separates using Honda or OEM where possible? DS do a set for £65 - https://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/CB550K3/part_356529/ is this any good?
Also is it worth replacing the needle and roller bearings? how difficult is it to get the primary shaft bearing out of the case?
Lots of questions sorry!
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Sump came today, very good condition and very clean. Only problem is the plug has been put in with some form of sealer and wont come out -
[attach=1]
No criticism of the seller intended, the price was very fair and it was cleaned up well.
Tried heat and reasonable force but I am to scared to give it some beans for fear of ending up back at square one. Is the problem I had with the original a common one, I found one more post with the same problem. Out of interest I tried putting the plug back in to the correct torque and got nowhere near it before it failed.
I am thinking of leaving well alone for now and just accepting that I will have to drop the sump to change the oil and keep an eye out for another replacement.
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That is annoying! But very common for people to seize it up (or seal it up) to stop it leaking rather than invest in a new sealing washer. I think a good heat and give it wellie. It’s not going to come out otherwise.
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Its because people, instead of spending 50p, re use the alloy sealing washer so many times it deforms badly and the bolt is tightened even more again and again and again
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Its because people, instead of spending 50p, re use the alloy sealing washer so many times it deforms badly and the bolt is tightened even more again and again and again
Looks like somebody tried to get the most out of that one.
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That is annoying! But very common for people to seize it up (or seal it up) to stop it leaking rather than invest in a new sealing washer. I think a good heat and give it wellie. It’s not going to come out otherwise.
Inspired by all your words of wisdom, a glass of wine and a whisky I put my best shifting spanner on it and gave it a good hard whack with my largest lump hammer and there you go :) -
[attach=1]
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Shifter? Well done, you will be glad you drank that courage.😂😂
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Finally got all the engine casings clean so I could give everything a coat of paint.
Couldn't resist putting everything together, time for some 550 engine porn -
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
First order has arrived from DS, just waiting for the CMS order which includes primary and cam chains and some bearings, hoping to start rebuilding the engine soon-
[attach=5]
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New chains have arrived, primary chain is only slightly smaller than old one -
[attach=1]
Not sure what I was expecting considering it had been hitting the case at two points. The old chain is considerably 'floppier' than the new one and has a lot of lateral movement. I think I saw a picture by Nurse Julie showing how the chain collapses on itself which is certainly the case.
As far as I can tell the new cam chain is exactly the same length as the old one
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Can I ask what paint you used on your engine casings, cylinder head and barrels, they look great?
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Thanks a lot, It is VHT Cast Aluminium paint - https://www.frost.co.uk/vht-cast-aluminium-engine-enamel-high-temperature-paint-312ml/ (https://www.frost.co.uk/vht-cast-aluminium-engine-enamel-high-temperature-paint-312ml/) It probably isnt the same as the original Honda finish but I like the colour and finish and it is easy to apply. Used it before and it is holding up really well on my GL1000, Ken
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inlet manifolds are fitted wrong, screws for vacuum gauge pipes should face outwards
Noted thanks, they are only there as a mock up for the photo I haven't actually assembled the engine as yet
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Ken, its a K3 so screws are on carbs not manifolds
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Engine looks superb! 8)
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Hi Ken, thanks for the info on the VHT paint, will definitely use it if I rebuild my engine, it looks superb.
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Just working on cleaning/checking pistons and fitting new rings.
Number 4 has suffered at the hands of a mechanic who thought a bricklayers scutch hammer was the best tool to remove carbon -
[attach=1]
Some nasty score marks as you can see. It looks like the cylinder has been suffering some light pre-ignition with the pitting you can see, I guess thats why somebody attempted a de-coke. The rest of the piston checks out ok so I am probably going to re-use, what do you think?
It does prove to me as I suspected that somebody has worked on this engine before
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:)
Are you trying to imply that I am some mad crazy person that polishes everything -
[attach=1]
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Thanks a lot, It is VHT Cast Aluminium paint - https://www.frost.co.uk/vht-cast-aluminium-engine-enamel-high-temperature-paint-312ml/ (https://www.frost.co.uk/vht-cast-aluminium-engine-enamel-high-temperature-paint-312ml/) It probably isnt the same as the original Honda finish but I like the colour and finish and it is easy to apply. Used it before and it is holding up really well on my GL1000, Ken
Paint looks really good. Can I ask whether you had to use a primer?
Thanks
Charlie
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No Charlie, VHT do sell a primer but I have never used one, just made sure everything was very clean, Thanks!
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Had an enjoyable day putting the cases back together.
I have replaced all the oil seals. Most difficult one was the alternator only because I had a screw up with Fedex ordering an M16/1.5 x 50mm bolt (I am sorry COVID is no longer an excuse for a package to take days when you have paid next day delivery, TAKE ON MORE STAFF!! and stop using the situation to increase your profits) sorry rant over. Once I got the bolt my impact wrench made very short work of the rotor.
Also replaced main shaft bearings which where surprisingly easy to do, it helped a lot putting the shaft in the freezer overnight.
I nearly didnt replace the primary rubber's after forgetting to order them but I am glad I did now, the originals are rock hard compared to the new ones -
[attach=1]
Everything placed in position, all gears select nicely and everything runs smooth, I used a smear of Threebond to seal the cases -
[attach=2]
Cases went back together easy and everything torqued up nicely followed by driving in the main shaft -
[attach=3]
The difference in the tightness of the primary drive chain is staggering, when I compared new to old I was a little perturbed that there wasn't that much difference but wow once in place it really is much tighter.
I plan on getting the engine back in the frame and built up completely over the next few days.
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It is always a false economy not replacing the primary rubbers, the chain wears out in half the time.
Coming together nicely ;)
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Thanks Trigger I am glad I waited for them to arrive.
Pistons and cylinder block back on, used new rings and gudgeon clips.
Then got the engine back in the frame whilst it is still relatively light, did the frame over the engine thing which worked really well and I didn't scratch the frame!
[attach=1]
One of those bottles of Yellow Tail has my name on it tonight!
Using all new nice shiny fixings -
[attach=2]
Finish off cylinder head next and get the rest of the engine assembled
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Thanks Trigger I am glad I waited for them to arrive.
Pistons and cylinder block back on, used new rings and gudgeon clips.
Then got the engine back in the frame whilst it is still relatively light, did the frame over the engine thing which worked really well and I didn't scratch the frame!
(Attachment Link)
One of those bottles of Yellow Tail has my name on it tonight!
Using all new nice shiny fixings -
(Attachment Link)
Finish off cylinder head next and get the rest of the engine assembled
Wow that's a "better than new" looking engine in your photos - very nice.
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Moving along nicely, rebuilt the head with a light lapping and a good clean on the valves which were thick with crud, fitted new stem seals etc.
Fitted the head and torqued up all the bolts then put the camshaft and sprocket in place being careful with positioning, set timing at 15' ATDC.
Re-assembled the rocker cover and bolted in place after backing off all the adjusters then did an initial clearance check. Did a few revolutions just to check everything moved freely. Also fitted the oil strainer and sump.
So this is where I am at -
[attach=1]
Tomorrow I am going to fit the alternator, starter motor and clutch so the engine will be back together.
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Looking fantastic. What are you going to use for a shaving mirror now that you've fitted the rocker cover :D
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:)
Shaving is ok but I have had to declare it to my insurance company as a possible threat to other road users due to the blinding effect of the sun or driving lights. Reminds me of my mates Lambretta in the 70's it had so many mirrors if you caught the sun at a certain angle your retina's were scorched beyond repair.
Seriously I know this isn't to everyone's taste and it certainly isn't I guess a 'restore' in the truest sense but considering how the bike looked before I think its a great improvement. I am not seeking 'originality' just to make a nice 1970's look and feel bike that is reliable and fun to ride without the trendy cafe racer look.
Finished up the core components of the engine today, I absolutely love the shape of Japanese engines from this period -
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
Unfortunately that is it for a while, I have a whole house to decorate and spruce up ready for selling in the new year and moving on now that the kids have moved out, would love to get her finished but needs must.
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Got fed up of painting, decorating, tiling, floor refinishing, plumbing, electrics etc so decided to do some more on the 550 -
[attach=1]
I serviced the carbs a while back so just polished the tops and float bowls and got them fitted. What a job it is getting them in place but managed without scratching any of the newly painted stuff -
[attach=2]
Got the airbox painted and fitted the intake duct came up well -
[attach=3]
Battery box painted and fitted -
[attach=4]
Rear swing arm in place together with some nice new TEC shocks which are excellent value for money, thanks to this forum for pointing them out. Also fitted the main stand and new spring, found it easier to fit the spring first then drive in the pivot pin -
[attach=5]
Next up is to think about getting her on wheels. I intend to buy new rims and spokes and have a go at lacing myself after reading all the post on the subject, not something I have done before so it will be a challenge.
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I'm very much in awe of your rebuild and the standard of finish is stunning. Can I ask please what paints you used for your frame?
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@heli_madken
looking awsome... keep going 8)
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Can I ask please what paints you used for your frame?
Thanks for your comment. The paint is by a company called Jawel - https://www.jawel.co.uk/ (https://www.jawel.co.uk/) I use their 2K super black gloss which goes on really nice and flats out wonderfully so no need for any further polishing. It is a 2K paint though so air fed mask is essential. It is quite flexible, doesnt chip easily and is very durable.
Their 2K primer is also very nice to use but does need to be scuffed before applying the black, for this I use Farecla G-Scuff which is perfect for working on a frame
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My next target is to get the bike on its wheels so I have started ordering bits and getting everything apart, cleaned and ready.
The existing rims are DID and I had hoped to rescue them, the surfaces where badly scratched from tyre iron use and very heavily corroded but I had considered getting them chromed. However when I took the tyres off the PO had used half a roll of duct tape instead of rim tape and as a result water had collected inside the wheel underneath the tape and both rims where almost rusted through. So I have new rims and spokes on order from Central wheel. You can see how bad the front wheel is in the photo below -
[attach=1]
With the spokes removed I could remove the old bearings and do my usual polishing. The retainer was well and truly corroded into place but I was able to get it out by drilling a couple of holes and prying it out with an old wood chisel - The hub was very badly pitted but I was able to get it presentable with the use of wet and dry and lots of elbow grease. Pleased to have got it to this stage from what it was in the picture above. I can fit the new bearings and seal now -
[attach=2]
The rear hub is also going to be a challenge! -
[attach=3]
The headlamp ears have me perplexed, both are very badly corroded -
[attach=4]
I can get them presentable with some very heavy polishing -
[attach=5]
But the back is a dead loss. Both of them have some damage which you can see towards the headlamp mount which will be very difficult to repair due to the double skin nature of the parts so I am a bit reluctant to get them chromed.
Looked for a while for some replacements in better condition but so far no luck, CMS have one side new but there isnt much point buying just one especially for the price.
I guess I could polish the fronts and spray the inner side with something, perhaps silver or try to find a decent chrome spray, any ideas?
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Soak those rusted parts in EvapoRust. I have used it on worse stuff than that and they came out rust free. Then polish and wax to keep the rust from coming back.
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Could you not get them brazed up and then polish the braze before chroming.
Would be very difficult to see that position when they were fitted.
Regards,
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That is less than normal corrosion in that place
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Thanks for your help, I guess the best thing to do would be to take them to a plater for advice, can anyone recommend one in the north west?
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Hi Everyone,
Able to get some more time on the bike. The front and rear mudguards, grab rail and headlamp mounts have gone off to be re-chromed.
I am hoping to get the rims early next week, I hadn't realised Central Wheel build to order so its taken over 4 weeks for them to be ready.
In the meantime I am getting everything ready for lacing, the rear hub was very badly pitted and took a lot of work to get it reasonable -
[attach=1]
Next up is the rear brake shoe mount, doesn't look too bad so shouldn't take that long -
[attach=2]
I have ordered most of the electrical components I need including a new loom and reg/rectifier from Electrexworld, hopefully in a couple of weeks I will have the bike on its wheels and can start installing the electrics.
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Managed to get the front wheel laced. I was kind of dreading it but it went together much easier than I thought it would, perhaps it was beginners luck! -
[attach=1]
Once the first spoke is in place it becomes pretty obvious where the rest go due to the angle of the holes drilled into the rim. Truing was ok and I have managed to get it well within the Honda specs.
Next up is to get the front fork lowers polished, yokes in place and tyre fitted so I can get the bike on the centre stand.
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I use a scissors jack and a square piece of 2x4 under the front of the motor until I get the front end done.
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Thanks Kelly E thats exactly what I did -
[attach=1]
Hope everyone had a good Christmas!
So I got the front tyre on without scratching the rim, polished the fork legs and speedo drive, sprayed the centre of the disc to tidy it up, fitted new taper roller headstock bearings then temporarily assembled the front end -
[attach=2]
Next up is to build the rear wheel, just a little more work on the hub to do but its coming out ok -
[attach=3]
Starting to look like a motorcycle again!
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Great progress. What polishing set-up do you have? After 11 months I've just about given up with my polisher/chromer and looking to do the polishing myself. Do you use a custom polisher, what HP motor? What size mops as I imagine getting into the ribs of the brake plate and hub requires a small mop?
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You’ve put the forks on back to front, left is on the right and vice versa
Well spotted Ken.
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DOH! They are only temporarily in place and it was too damn cold in the garage today!
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What polishing set-up do you have? After 11 months I've just about given up with my polisher/chromer and looking to do the polishing myself. Do you use a custom polisher, what HP motor? What size mops as I imagine getting into the ribs of the brake plate and hub requires a small mop?
Thanks for your comment. I use a combination of several power tools and hand sanding. I have an old Clarke bench grinder which is only 210W so only just up to the job of running 6" polishing mops (should be over 300W) so I take it easy. I also use 3" mops for smaller items or hard to get to bits as well. The mops are just from ebay together with various compounds nothing special.
I also use a dremel with a flexi-drive and small polishing bits like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120PCS-FELT-POLISHING-BUFFING-PADS-WHEEL-WOOL-PLASTIC-DREMEL-ROTARY-TOOL-KIT-SET/313191575497?hash=item48ebac2fc9:g:a0QAAOSwrk5fP5aB (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120PCS-FELT-POLISHING-BUFFING-PADS-WHEEL-WOOL-PLASTIC-DREMEL-ROTARY-TOOL-KIT-SET/313191575497?hash=item48ebac2fc9:g:a0QAAOSwrk5fP5aB) which are great used with Solvol Autosol to get into the ribs on the hubs.
I use one of these which is a great piece of kit - https://www.hobbies.co.uk/tools/power-tools/proxxon-angle-polisher-wpe?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaignid=6727975578&utm_campaign=Shopping-Research_Campaign&utm_term=&adid=388174523725&addisttype=gpla&matchtype=&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxVkDmPh6TMMk9kFwAJ1mRBgTVWGEfrsukRa5JnzKuvlM8PwmPv-kpBoC5A8QAvD_BwE (https://www.hobbies.co.uk/tools/power-tools/proxxon-angle-polisher-wpe?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaignid=6727975578&utm_campaign=Shopping-Research_Campaign&utm_term=&adid=388174523725&addisttype=gpla&matchtype=&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxVkDmPh6TMMk9kFwAJ1mRBgTVWGEfrsukRa5JnzKuvlM8PwmPv-kpBoC5A8QAvD_BwE) not tremendously powerful but great for getting into tight places.
To be fair to your polisher not all bits polish up too well even after a lot of work, not too sure why perhaps the quality of the casting or the aluminium.
For badly damaged parts I start with 240 grit wet and dry used wet in soapy water, I use Mirka abrasives which are great to use and last well. I then go through 400 to 800 grit before starting to polish with a sisal wheel and the brown polishing compound. Follow up with a hard stitched wheel and blue compound then a loose fold wheel and Autosol. No real trick or science to it just perseverance!
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Have you tried the Dremel Speed clic system, great stuff and the polishing wheel stays intact for quite a while if you don't press too hard.
Yes I have they do work really well although the last 'flap' wheel I bought utilising the system lasted about 5 minutes, not good. Whilst I am having a go at Dremel up until last Christmas I had been using an old rotary tool I bought from 'Woolworths' around 1998 until it failed. So my wife bought me a new Dremel equivalent for my Christmas present, a lot more expensive than my Woolies special. It lasted a year before it emitted some magic smoke last week and stopped working. So 23 years versus 1 thats a victory for Woolies I think.
Anyway on with some more progress. I have laced the rear wheel, new tyre, fitted new bearings and seals, new brake shoes and a new sprocket and put everything in place.
Looking more like a bike every day and the pile of pits on the shelves is getting smaller -
[attach=1]
Really pleased with how all the polishing has turned out -
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
Just waiting on some fastenings, tongued washers etc to arrive, most of the guys in the local Royal Mail sorting office are off ill with Covid so I havent had a delivery since before New Years, hope they all get better soon.
Next up is trying to finish off bits of painting if only the weather would co-operate and then looking at installing the electrics
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That's looking good.
Wish mine looked as good.
Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk
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Thanks Johnwebley, I must admit I am pleased with how its coming together quite a transformation from how the bike was last February.
Concentrated on the electrics over the past couple of days, painted and fitted the clocks -
[attach=1]
Then worked on the main electrics distribution board. I fitted an Electrex World Reg/Rec, also used their sub loom which was well worth having together with a main loom from DSS. With a newly painted mounting plate it looks quite neat -
[attach=2]
A far cry from how it looked originally -
[attach=3]
So the big moment came and I turned the key. Surprisingly I got a neutral and oil light and everything that is fitted worked first time! could not believe it.
Next big moment was hitting the starter (no plugs fitted) and the motor spun over lovely with no nasty noises.
BUT! after around 20 seconds of running on the starter I am not getting an extinguishing oil light. Is this normal?
I have a little more work to do on the rear wheel then I can get the exhausts on and hopefully over the weekend have a go at getting her started, any tips on the initial start sequence?
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Looking great. 20 seconds is a very long for an oil light to go out, or not in your case. 🤔
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Check the oil level.
It needs to fill the filter and all the feeds.
At least it's spinning over nicely
Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk
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I ended up having to remove oil pressure switch filling pump through oil pressure switch hole, replacing pressure switch and oil pressure came up quickly. Shouldn’t have to but worked for me.
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What polishing set-up do you have? After 11 months I've just about given up with my polisher/chromer and looking to do the polishing myself. Do you use a custom polisher, what HP motor? What size mops as I imagine getting into the ribs of the brake plate and hub requires a small mop?
Thanks for your comment. I use a combination of several power tools and hand sanding. I have an old Clarke bench grinder which is only 210W so only just up to the job of running 6" polishing mops (should be over 300W) so I take it easy. I also use 3" mops for smaller items or hard to get to bits as well. The mops are just from ebay together with various compounds nothing special.
I also use a dremel with a flexi-drive and small polishing bits like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120PCS-FELT-POLISHING-BUFFING-PADS-WHEEL-WOOL-PLASTIC-DREMEL-ROTARY-TOOL-KIT-SET/313191575497?hash=item48ebac2fc9:g:a0QAAOSwrk5fP5aB (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120PCS-FELT-POLISHING-BUFFING-PADS-WHEEL-WOOL-PLASTIC-DREMEL-ROTARY-TOOL-KIT-SET/313191575497?hash=item48ebac2fc9:g:a0QAAOSwrk5fP5aB) which are great used with Solvol Autosol to get into the ribs on the hubs.
I use one of these which is a great piece of kit - https://www.hobbies.co.uk/tools/power-tools/proxxon-angle-polisher-wpe?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaignid=6727975578&utm_campaign=Shopping-Research_Campaign&utm_term=&adid=388174523725&addisttype=gpla&matchtype=&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxVkDmPh6TMMk9kFwAJ1mRBgTVWGEfrsukRa5JnzKuvlM8PwmPv-kpBoC5A8QAvD_BwE (https://www.hobbies.co.uk/tools/power-tools/proxxon-angle-polisher-wpe?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaignid=6727975578&utm_campaign=Shopping-Research_Campaign&utm_term=&adid=388174523725&addisttype=gpla&matchtype=&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxVkDmPh6TMMk9kFwAJ1mRBgTVWGEfrsukRa5JnzKuvlM8PwmPv-kpBoC5A8QAvD_BwE) not tremendously powerful but great for getting into tight places.
To be fair to your polisher not all bits polish up too well even after a lot of work, not too sure why perhaps the quality of the casting or the aluminium.
For badly damaged parts I start with 240 grit wet and dry used wet in soapy water, I use Mirka abrasives which are great to use and last well. I then go through 400 to 800 grit before starting to polish with a sisal wheel and the brown polishing compound. Follow up with a hard stitched wheel and blue compound then a loose fold wheel and Autosol. No real trick or science to it just perseverance!
Great, thanks for the advice. It looks like I'm going to be in the garage with some mops for a while ::). The rims on the Z400J project are pretty rough on the edges, the centre section of the rims are painted and I dont want to take it off if I can help it so likely to go the wet and dry method first and slowly build up to a small dremmel sized polisher.
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I ended up having to remove oil pressure switch filling pump through oil pressure switch hole, replacing pressure switch and oil pressure came up quickly. Shouldn’t have to but worked for me.
Thanks for the help everyone, turned out to be a loose connection on the pressure switch, as soon as I tightened it the oil light went out straight away.
So did all my checks, stuck the tank on, petrol on, choke and she fired up almost straight away YIPPEE!! idles much nicer then she used to and no more nasty rattles.
But!! one of the exhaust studs stripped on No.3 so she is blowing a little. I will fix this over the weekend as I have an 8mm to 6mm stud already, I will have to take the forks off to get at it (oddjob I promise to put them back on the right way this time!).
I absolutely love the K3's four into four exhaust -
[attach=1]
Amazingly I am only short of two parts, no idea where they have gone, one is the rear brake switch and the other is the handlebar mount for the choke cable, both on order.
I do have some bits left over, this one has me puzzled any ideas where it is from -
[attach=2]
Once I have the stud sorted my next task is to strip the tank and get it in some primer and flatted ready for painting which may not be until later in the spring.
Definitely some celebratory alcohol tonight!
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That bit goes on one of the centre stand pivot pich bolts to hold owerflow/vents
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I’m a great believer in celebratory alcohol.
At present I’m celebrating Friday evening!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That bit goes on one of the centre stand pivot pich bolts to hold owerflow/vents
Thanks I can see it in the parts book now I looked through twice and missed it!
I managed to drill and tap the exhaust stud housing out to 8mm and fit a reducing stud in place.
Started her up again I still cant believe how nice she is running so I took a video, sorry its a bit shaky -
https://youtu.be/cByWq17VzZk
A few bits to do then on to stripping the parts to be painted. I dont fancy the current Candy Kent Brown so I am going to go with Flake Sunrise Orange (dont shout!)
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It does sound sweet.
I managed to like the video. But couldn't comment.
Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk
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But couldn't comment.
Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk
Thanks I have fixed the comment thing.
Look what I have got -
[attach=1]
My next project in from the US, perhaps not as sexy as a Z or an A but its a CBX at the end of the day and I have always wanted one.
Cosmetically the bike isnt perfect and its obvious it hasnt run for a while as the tank is rusty inside and the air box had a very large mouse nest. I spent a couple of days checking over and replacing oil, plugs etc and this afternoon hit the starter.
I only intended running her for a short while just to assess for any nasty mechanical problems but I am glad to say after a few seconds on the starter it sprung in to life. I had a nasty fuel oveflow problem on number six due to a stuck float so I shut down but in the meantime the sound was fantastic.
So this will be another bare frame restoration, my plan is to change the colour (dont like the white) possibly to the Z red colour (Candy Glory Red).
I have to say there isnt an ounce of rust on this Michigan bike, compared to the initial work on my 550 it is a dream to work on albeit a lot more complex!
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Awesome project. We looked at one just like yours but it was too much money for the amount of work it was going to need. Some people want restored prices for their projects. :o We do have it's brothers, the 750F and 900F. 8)
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Yes they can eat money, I think I have touched lucky though as the engine itself seems in very good order.
On with my 550, despite the weather I have got part way through the painting process. I stripped the tank back to bare metal partly with a DA sander and the rusty underneath with a power file. For the more difficult areas I used a chemical stripper. After a good rub down with wet and dry I gave the whole tank a wipe over with phosphoric acid to kill off any remaining rust and prevent any surface rust developing in the damp conditions.
Next up was a coat of acid etch primer followed by a guide coat of 2K primer. There where a few little dings that needed to be taken care of with filler then a further coat of primer.
The colour I am going for is Flake Sunrise Orange which needs a silver base coat which was applied next and allowed to dry.
Then I applied 3 coats of the colour, I dont want it to go any darker so I have stopped here -
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
Really pleased with the colour, once I have applied the flake and clear coats I think it will look great.
I will let this bake for a couple of days in my purpose made drying oven (otherwise known as my wife's airing cupboard) before moving on to the side panels which I am going to do based on the 750 K3
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Making progress with the paint really pleased with it so far, I have gone with a modified 750 K3 style -
Before stripping the tank I made a paper template to help me get the top line of the stripes similar to the original -
[attach=1]
Then masked out the initial black panel -
[attach=2]
Allowed this to dry overnight then did a 6mm wide white line -
[attach=3]
For the inner 8mm wide line I have gone with silver as opposed to gold. The original Honda gold must have been very 'reddy' all the golds I have just dont seem to go with the deep orange colour, I am happy with how it looks -
[attach=4]
Test fitting on the bike I could not be happier. The side panel badge gave me some trouble to start with but I found the best method was to spray on two heavy coats of white followed by a light coat of black. Once cured I could carefully sand the black away with some 800 grit wet and dry and a small flat block to reveal the white on the proud sections. I will do the tank badges in the same way but it will be silver and white to make the badge stand out more against the black panel -
[attach=5]
Next up is to use some flake carrying intercoat on the orange areas quickly followed by some 2K clear. Looking at the weather I dont think I am going to be able to do this for a while so I will carry on with other stuff.
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Interesting work.
I am going to do something very similar for a German customer.
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The joys of painting....
Did the sensible thing and did a test panel early this morning using the flake carrier intercoat and left it for an hour to make sure everything was ok, looked lovely.
So pressed on to do the tank and panels, as I went back to the first piece I coated I could see it reacting, watched as all the panels went the same way -
[attach=1]
You do have t be very careful what you spray over these COB paints, in hindsight I should have sprayed a coat of 2K clear which generally isnt reactive.
Oh well start again, I wont have time now before I move house so It will be next year before I can get back to this probably.
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Nightmare i do feel your pain after suffering the same fate on a couple of occasions :(
It was looking so good as well.
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Thanks Oddjob, I think you have pointed out everything I have done wrong on this build so far it is just what I needed to spur me on, i will get there in the end, thanks again, ken
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Thanks, dont forget what you are looking at is a matt finish base coat initially then an intercoat containing the flake. You will not see the true colour or how the flake looks until several coats of clear are applied which will lift the colour and change its appearance significantly.
It is incredibly difficult to match the Honda colour exactly as modern paints behave in a completely different way. After spraying on the Silver base coat each individual coat of orange will change its colour towards red. Ideally I think two coats would give the desired effect but its very difficult to get an even finish so I needed to apply three.
As far as I am concerned I am not shooting for originality with this build I have polished too many bits for that, rather I am hoping to achieve something I like.
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Just read your thread - some great pictures of the rebuild(s) it will spur me on for my project 400.
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Thanks Ted, I enjoy reading your posts hope everything works out for you.
I could not leave this alone so pulled some very late nights and worked between packing to get it done. Some minor imperfections but these will polish out when I get to the flatting stage. In the end I did not go the flake look as my wife said it 'looked too girly' and I trust her judgement!
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
Happy with the results not sure how close to original it is but I like it
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Hi Everyone,
Happily ensconced here in Scotland and managed to find time to finish off my 550 project and had my first shake down ride today.
The roads around here are glorious and relatively quiet so had great conditions for a first ride. all went very well the bike rides and sounds fantastic, well chuffed. No leaks or any other problems at all.
I completely overhauled the front brake back in February with new slave and master seals but at the time try as I could it would not bleed so when the removals guys came to take her away she had no front brake at all. We had all sorts of delays and our stuff was in storage until mid April. When the container finally arrived I had to ride the bike down a ramp to unload and expected no front brake but was amazed to find a good firm lever! So if you are having problems bleeding a brake just put it in a container and leave it for a couple of months and it will sort itself out.
I am really happy with how my bike has turned out and looking forward to some good rides around some fantastic Dumfries and Galloway roads, thanks for all the help I was given during the rebuild everyone -
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
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Looking fantastic, enjoyed the entire write up on this project, also like this colour on the 550k3. Same colour as my 750k3 will be eventually. Give us a shout if you ever venture this far north.
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Thank you! After messing about with flake I have found that the colour from RS-Bike Paints has enough sparkle in it for my taste and I am really pleased with how the bike looks in its new colour.
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I have a question regarding rear pillion grab rail, it doesn’t look like the right part, I’m sure it should have a bit more of a curve upwards towards the rear, in fact in your pics it looks as if the grab rail is actually holding up the rear of your seat? Maybe just the photo angle.
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Yes its a bit of a mystery and obviously off another bike. I didnt notice until I had it chromed and put it back on the bike, I actually went back to my original photos to check in case Agbrigg Chroming had sent me the wrong one. As it is it is useless as you cant get your fingers round it, not had any luck trying to find an original.
Unless of course the seat is wrong :)
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To me, it looks like the seat is incorrect. I can't ever remember a K3 seat having a hump on the top at the back like that or a slant at the back. My knowledge isn't very good with K3's though. Edit... I know diddly squat about USA K3's
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It is a UK bike, I think the seat is original, its a metal pan (which was as rusty as the rest of the bike!) with the document store and tool roll holder.
Looking at this picture the grab rail on my bike is definitely wrong as Johnny4428 suggests, the original has a more pronounced upward curve at the back -
[attach=1]
Bit of a mystery why a PO would choose to change to this one, like the rest of the bike it was rusty as hell so it didnt seem to be a new replacement
Edit - just occurred to me, someone had also drilled the rear mudguard to move the light cluster further up 'US style' which would obviously foul the standard grab rail, I wonder if they then found a shorter grab rail to suit, muppet! At some point I want to replace the rear mudguard to original as well.
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The seat does look like an original, the grab rail might be just preventing it from sitting on its rubber buffers. Mine has the doc holder and tool tray as it should. Still looks good, sorry! I don’t mean to pick faults with somebody’s pride and joy, you’ve done a tremendous job.
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You need to update your profile location now ;D ;D
Well spotted! all done :)
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I take it it will be Fort William not Port William.🤔
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No its Port William, a small village located on the south west coast of Dumfries and Galloway not far from Stranraer.
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Oops! Sorry! Thought it was a typo, not heard of it.
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No problem, its on the South West 300 route, I see bikes riding past all the time having a great time
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That’s interesting, just checked it out, population of 460. Looks a very picturesque little place. I learned something today.
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Thats probably 462 now :) its a lovely place with some beautiful beaches which are empty most of the time my dogs have great fun, plus the roads are fantastic