Honda-SOHC

350/4 and 400/4 Tanks are definitely interchangeable (I've done it) as are side panels, top brackets identical but the lower fixings need swapping.
Ian

I've got a 64 CB 77 in black/silver. NOS silencers lots of other NOS bits.  Quite a nice looking bike but haven't used it for some years and will probably be the next one on the bike bench when I finish this Norton 350 Featherbed single, been too long on that one and have kind of grown out of British stuff - don't mention pattern parts, they're even worse than VJ stuff.
Yes Ash the forward kickstart is housed in a 'not fit for purpose' bushing in a fragile casing.  Fortunately the electric starter works extremely well.
Ian

Btw I've been out and about in Orkney on the tax exempt CB400/4, thanks to the DVLA shooting themselves in both feet when registering imported bikes back in 2000 and putting the date back to the beginning of the year 

Thanks for that Chris, wahey!  Whaddyaknow, I only checked my CB 77 online earlier this year and it said Not Taxed, it now says NOT TAXED FOR ON ROAD USE like Ash's old bike.  Again like you I did not request this reclassification, nor was informed by anyone about it.  I have a V5c in my name and bought the bike in 1999, but have not used it, just collected some of the new bits for it. 
I remember something about DVLA not automatically issuing red V5c's for vehicles which had been unused for some time (the V5c for this bike is still blue). If in future I put this back on the road (Fairly soon), they SHOULD change the taxation class from the present UNLICENSED to HISTORIC as it's a 64 British reg bike.  You have to pay the tax initially, but receive a proportionate refund with the new red V5c.  I know this last bit as I have just jumped through these fire hoops with my very early 400/4.

Not wishing to hijack Ash's original thread, what we should really be worried about is HISTORIC class on vehicles built up from mostly new parts.  There has been much press coverage about some rebuilt  high end Bugattis and Bentleys being potentially given Q plates and stripped of Historic status with the onus being on the owners to provide provenance.  All very alarming.

What will they do when we finish restoring a previously. NOT TAXED FOR ON ROAD USE vehicle and want to tax it again?
Referring to the 'They do not bite' comment, please don't put your hand near the bars and don't tell em your name Pike!!
'Concerned of Orkney '

Hi,
I have a variety of bikes and cars, some of those are taxed and MOT'd regularly, some are only used for a while then put away while I use something else.  Some haven't been used for a good few years before SORN was necessary.  Others have a V5c ( so are on their system) but have not been taxed or MOT'd for over twenty years and are 'basket cases'

Having checked all of these bikes/cars on the 'system', the first group, thankfully come up with tax and MOT due dates.  The second lot come up with SORN IN PLACE and MOT EXPIRED.  The third lot say UNTAXED and NO MOT DETAILS HELD BY DVLA. The fourth group have very out of date tax detail and NO MOT DETAILS HELD BY DVLA.  I also have a BSA basket case with no V5c which comes up with NO DETAILS FOUND, please ring..........

The DVLA electronic system is comparatively recent, so if a vehicle hasn't been used for a few years but has, since the SORN introduction, then there is no way they CAN have MOT details

Having checked many vehicles this way and contacting a few friends to do the same, the expression 'NOT TAXED FOR ROAD USE' has not come up once, so, ASH,it would appear that this has been classified under some mysterious system by DVLA ( aren't they all?). Possible as said, converted to Race use.

As another test, I entered the details of our everyday Peugeot which is 2 years old.  It came back with correct Tax due date, but NO MOT DETAILS HELD BY DVLA as it doesn't need one yet.

Sankei exhausts? Pardon, I heard that!

All of those of you who have previously restored British iron will know only too well about pattern parts.  Now that the sources of much NOS Jap stuff have all but dried up this is the sh**e that we are left with.  Example, these 'genuine' Stanley indicator units which everyone and his goat we're selling.  Genuine my arms!  The chrome falls off when the wind blows (and I live in Orkney!)

Many of these repro companies will go to the wall eventually, but not until they have fleeced a lot of folk in the interim.

We just have to be careful and not buy stuff and leave it in the wardrobe (please don't tell her, she thinks it's just a stash of porno mags, far more acceptable apparently!) until we need it, without a thorough initial check.

You folks may already know but I just found a site in U.S. with lots of useful stuff, although there are no big surprise bits available which aren't around elsewhere.  Has a really good exploded view of assemblies with part numbers in the search facility, very helpful.

www.servicehonda.com

Ian

You ain't on your own with this one Ash,

I'm also a control freak and much prefer to carefully strip and de rust all of my own stuff.
If you can find an old shop with an even older man with a dirty brown coat, he might have some of the original Nitromors tucked away in the back with his supply of adult literature.  I complained bitterly to our factors up here and told him that after application it just sits there an grins at you.  He recommended Rustins Strypit.  Bought some and it's also sh*te. Might as well p*ss on it for all the good it did.  I would wager that more people died of heart attacks after ranting and raving about the EU interference than ever died from the effects of inhaling dichloromethane fumes.   I'm 66 next month and have sprayed cellulose, 2 pack, zinc plated stuff, had garden bonfires, accidentally drank petrol on occasions when it was in the wrong place for immediate use.  I just keep away from 'food' from the Golden Arches.  Let us know what secret formula you end up using.  Just what can the new, improved Nitromors be used for exactly? It's feck all use for paint removal.

Well that's all of my rants used up for this week.

The 350 four tank fits, along with the side panels but you would need to add the lower fixings to the frame.  Quite a few for sale on eBay.  The 350 side panel badges are sunk in but could be filled and painted and 400/4 decals fitted if you so wished.
Ian