Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => Project Board => Topic started by: Spitfire on September 13, 2022, 10:13:37 AM
-
Somewhere around 1992 we switched to 12 hour shifts at work so 4 on 4 off became the norm, so I wanted something to tinker with on my days off, in the back garden next door to a friends was a bike which turned out to be a 750 Honda so I bought it as a project.
This is it at the start of the stripdown
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/3847/wRUmbK.jpg)
I always like the MV Augusta racing bikes so decided to have an all red bike, Vauxhall red was my choice of colour, Halfords rattle cans providing the paint.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5108/Jfog5I.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6492/qU7rmm.jpg)
Clip ons and rearsets, the old formula, and an Alpha 4:1 was purchased for the finished "masterpiece".
A Power Bronze seat was also bought to complete the look.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/812/rmDtRU.jpg)
The top end was overhaulled, new pistons, rings, valves, valve springs and the engine cleaned up and painted, ready to be installed.
But it was not to be, in 1994 I got a job on a refinery start up in Thailand and we left these shores for the next 10 years
Cheers
Dennis
-
Gawd Dennis, you were serious about the red - even the clocks got a coat 😂!
-
Even the switchgear on the handle bars got painted, no messing about.
This was the engine ready to go back into the frame pictured during the F1 restoration.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/4127/ZSzf8U.jpg)
When we got back home in 2004 we spent quite a bit of time catching up with the house and having an extension built, but eventually I got round to looking at the F1, it had spent 10 years covered in grease under dust sheets in the garage.
So I thought a quick service and away she would go, this is how she looked
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/4151/5creoR.jpg)
And in more detail
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8329/n5hJCx.jpg)
So two years were spent on restoring the F1, during which time I "hoovered up" lots of parts for both the F1 and F2.
But the F2 always nagged at me, in 2015 I had a heart attack and this year my 70th birthday, this concentrated my mind quite a bit so rather that let my kids skip a load of old motorbike parts when I shake off this mortal coil I decided to gather all the parts, refurbish them and build the F2 back so at least it was a complete bike.
This was going to be a "budget" restoration unlike the F1 so while the weather was warm some Halford rattle cans of gloss black and primer were purchased.
Plus wet and dry, Brillo pads, paint stripper and other useful stuff.
The various parts were then cleaned, sanded down and given a coat of primer.
More soon
Cheers
Dennis
-
So on with it, the frame was cleaned up, sanded down and primed
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/8366/IidOqN.jpg)
Then given a coat of Halfords finest gloss black, it still needs polishing but looks good.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/2322/Gmw8Y0.jpg)
Then a trip into the loft to retreive some parts, I've forgotten whats aup there so there was some surprises.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6355/vsWv0v.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/542/Pj7vIi.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/4969/hDOdvS.jpg)
I'm trying to get all the paint on while the weathers still warm.
Cheers
Dennis
-
Interesting read - had Halfords sold out of red so you've done the frame in boring black !
-
I'm through with the red phase on this one but there is my A65 to put back together.
Cheers
Dennis
-
which halfords paint did you use? it looks rather good
-
Just the ordinary gloss paint and grey primer
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6545/cDBwKe.jpg)
Cheers
Dennis
-
Still moving on, I want to get as much painting out of the way as possible, and I am still trying to find all the parts that I know I have including a spare top end of barrels, pistons, head, carbs basically everything above the crankcases.
So a few trips to Halfords.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/4458/EaUKh9.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6567/KpJGjv.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/9923/iNshey.jpg)
Cheers
Dennis
-
Well the parts count is slowly climbing, not sure about the headlamp brackets as they do not look like F2 ones, I know I have F2 ones but where?
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/2245/RixXlD.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/1038/6pUuzF.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/8870/R9b42B.jpg)
The handlebar controls and clocks will be painted with my airbrush indoors using Humbrol model paint.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/6828/Xlisi8.jpg)
Cheers
Dennis
-
Don't we just love looking for the part you need next that was put in an an extra safe place!
-
Don't we just, pretty sure they are in the loft with the Motad and Alpha exhaust systems and the spare engine top end, seat and tank(s)
Cheer
Dennis
-
I have a couple of pairs of F2 ears, one pair NOS. They do look like F2 ears to me, if you need to confirm measure the distance from the top of the collar to the top of the tube.
-
Thanks for that I will measure them to be sure, it's just that looking at photos of the bike when I bought it they did not have holes on the ears" themselves, apart from that they do look like F2 ones.
I did buy parts of an F2 front end comprising a complete headlamp, discs, calipers and piping, maybe these ears are from that job lot.
Will get back to you on the size.
Cheers
Dennis
-
Just checked on friends original F2 and they don't have holes in the ears, nor in the workshop manual pictures.
They do look like F2 in shape etc though, indicators mounted lower lugs with reflectors screwed into main headlamp mounts.
No holes on K7 that I can see either, similar ears but with shorter reach to bring headlight closer to fork stanchion.
-
Think someone drilled the holes to maybe fit some indicators as the stems are not easy to find.
-
Just had a look at the ones that I have and I think that you are correct, I measured one and it is 81/4" in old money or 21cm and the hole does not look like Honda did it, it was probably me (vandal) for some obscure reason, probably to fit reflectors. Will either use them or some headlamp brackets that I have or look for replacements
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/9674/kvoBrR.jpg)
Cheers
Dennis
-
In other news my new dampers have arrived I looked for the TEC ones as recommended in another thread on this site but they are not in stock, and I could not find any Hagons either so these will have to do.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/4193/W0S9Rm.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/2396/3D9Zzx.jpg)
These were the ones that I was going to use but the red phase has gone
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7066/y2V1bJ.jpg)
Cheers
Dennis
-
The very same ones i got for the 550. They should be spot on. I was after the TEC ones also but theres' none anywhere, even second hand sadly. The piggy back is a great look but these will be better than you thnk.
-
I have a pair of those Marzocchi Strada rear dampers, they are completely apart at the moment and I have new seals, rods etc from Italy. I’m going with black body and chrome springs
-
Couldnt remember who had those Ken, I had a feeling it was you as you mentioned them some time ago didnt you?
I had a set of similar 'zocci' ones on an old 6oo Ducati parts chaser we used to thrash about at Motorcycle City when I ran the parts there at Farnborough. They were'nt that bad even though then they were well passed their best :D
-
More red paint to get rid of, I have two chainguards, one I painted red so armed with paint stripper, gloves and goggles off we went on a voyage of discovery. I had forgotten how messy this job can get but eventually got there, and discovered wht I had painted it there is some rust on the top of it, so it could go black.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/8517/xJ8IxN.jpg)
On the strength of this I'm really looking forward to stripping these.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6521/TN9POt.jpg)
On the plus side I found these
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8238/pIKJ6X.jpg)
And in the loft amonst other things I found the my "insurance items" a spare set of reconditioned F1 carbs, front and back brake calipers, spare alternator cover and for some reason a few alternator windings.
Cheers
Dennis
-
Hi Den , nice to see the F2 getting some attention, getting those rock hard Roadrunners off will be a task never mind stripping the paint off, cheers Mick.
-
I ended up cutting my tyres off, even with 20" tyre levers they refused to flex over the rim and the rim started getting damaged even when using rim protectors.
-
Hi Den , nice to see the F2 getting some attention, getting those rock hard Roadrunners off will be a task never mind stripping the paint off, cheers Mick.
Nice to hear from you Mick, and yes getting those tyres off will be fun, I remember getting the TT100's off the F1 afer a lot of years storage.
Cheers
Den
-
I ended up cutting my tyres off, even with 20" tyre levers they refused to flex over the rim and the rim started getting damaged even when using rim protectors.
At least they should protect the rims from the nasty paint stripper, but I will not take any chances of damaging the rims getting them off eventually, like you I will cut them off, I've got some 2008 vintage TT100's to take their place.
Cheers
Den
-
I ended up cutting my tyres off, even with 20" tyre levers they refused to flex over the rim and the rim started getting damaged even when using rim protectors.
I had to do the same with the Z400J, after 37 years on the rims the tires welded themselves to the alloy!
-
More red paint to get rid of, I have two chainguards, one I painted red so armed with paint stripper, gloves and goggles off we went on a voyage of discovery. I had forgotten how messy this job can get but eventually got there, and discovered wht I had painted it there is some rust on the top of it, so it could go black.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/8517/xJ8IxN.jpg)
Or you could remove the rust like I did on my 550F2 guard and have it rechromed. It's not a structural part so even if you remove a little metal it will still do it's job.
-
Long term that is probably what I will do, for the moment I just want to get it looking like a bike again, I do have a spare one which is a not as good as this one so I may just paint that one and leave the ex "red" one alone as it was the original one from the bike.
Cheers
Dennis