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Messages - kartin
16
« on: July 24, 2023, 01:25:39 AM »
My thinking for the next steps are to:
- dismantle it down to bare frame (almost done)
- fix the places where the frame itself has been "molested" - see below
- paint frame, stands, yokes etc.
- new swingarm bearings (already ordered from Nurse Julie) and taper head bearings. The swingarm pivot came out really easily so no horrors there!
- then start building back up, creating a shopping list as a find out what's missing.
Regarding the frame, here are the areas that need addressing:
- fill holes with weld where that ally side panel was screwed on
- craft and weld on 3 new side panel "hooks" that were cut off (and what is that grinding gouge on frame rail - something else missing?)
- cut off the tab where the coils had been moved to accommodate that fuel tank
- cut off the stubs that hold the front tank rubbers and weld new ones back in correct position
- what's going on with that piece brazed to the sidestand mount? Is that a repair or has the stand mount been moved? Hard to tell without an original side-by-side.
17
« on: July 24, 2023, 01:22:42 AM »
PO said it was running up to about a year ago but didn't know any more other than "it wouldn't start". Carbs were as expected for a bike that had sat but responded nicely to some Berryman's. I mentioned that it ran but just to elaborate a bit. I jury-rigged some wiring (there is no no real loom), set timing, checked valve clearances, fresh oil+filter, cranked until I saw oil from cam spray bars and then tried to fire it up and it ran fine, so that's a relief! Carbs now bagged and ready for the rebuild.
18
« on: July 24, 2023, 01:17:26 AM »
Had a CB400F back in the 70s/80s - see my Intro for back story - and wanted to re-create my youth. I was about to post a "WTB" on the US forum when one popped up really cheaply on craigslist. Of course it was rough and not running but it had correct paperwork (so many don't...) and good compression so I went for it. The bad news is that somewhere along its life it had received a poor cafe conversion attempt and was missing the original tank, mudguards, instruments, front wheel, front brakes (it has a drum brake!), muffler/silencer and lights. I want to gradually bring it back towards standard or maybe even a re-creation of my old bike. I'm certainly not looking for concourse - just a usable bike that at least has the appearance of a CB400F!
So far the progress has been to clean the carbs and go through all standard service items and then it sprang to life quite nicely with no smoke or abnormal rattles - result!
Here are some pics of the starting point - no laughing!
19
« on: July 24, 2023, 01:14:20 AM »
As I mentioned on my new member intro thread, some time back I had started a project thread on the US site since that's where I am physically but I'm keen to get more exposure to the 400-specific knowledge here on the UK site. I've decided to just duplicate each post on both sites. Of course the first few posts here will just be to catch up with where I've got to so there will be a flurry of them to begin with that are not in "real time"! Also, I'm not going to post all the back in forth with people who replied - if you're interested, you can see those on the US Project Shop (same topic title).
20
« on: May 09, 2023, 03:38:15 AM »
Quick question - is there a recommended way to link project threads across the USA and UK forums? As you you can see from my opening post above, I'm physically in the US but with strong history and regular visits to the UK. I opted to start my project thread in the US forum, thinking that anyone with parts to offer would at least be on the same continent (and indeed, I got a nice fuel tank that way). However, as I continue to use both forums, as I suspected I feel there are more people with 400-specific knowledge on the UK side so I'd like to get visibility here as well.
Should I:
- start a project thread here with a single post with a link to my US thread? (but of course that requires people to go across to the US site to read anything and makes commenting on individual posts awkward)
- replicate each post in both forums (I normally compose in a text editor then copy/paste into the web when I'm happy with it so not as much extra work as it seems)
- just copy everything across and continue here (but then I've lost my US audience)
Or maybe there are a lot of UK-based members reading the US forums anyway and I shouldn't worry?
Thoughts?
21
« on: October 16, 2022, 11:12:07 PM »
The idea is to get the bike back (or close) to standard. For the front end, so far I have this little lot!:
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22
« on: August 22, 2022, 08:34:09 PM »
Thanks for the reply and the note about the USA scrap yards thread. I started following that thread when it was first posted but just went back and I see more has been added. I recall thinking how I admired your willingness to shlep parts back for everybody - well done! I've managed to collect a few of my missing bits but still short of lights, mudguards and side covers so will bear MIDS salvage in mind.
Just in case anyone's interested, my project thread is on the US forum under the title: 1975 CB400F "un-cafe"
23
« on: June 16, 2022, 04:42:00 AM »
I sold it in 1990 and DVLA shows tax owing as of 1996 so somebody kept it going for a few years at least!
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24
« on: June 14, 2022, 04:03:36 PM »
Yes, exactly what I needed! (picture files nicely labelled). Hopefully my frame will soon look as nice as yours...
Many thanks!
25
« on: June 14, 2022, 03:40:10 AM »
I am starting to "un-cafe" a 1975 CB400F and one of the unfortunate things done to the frame was to cut off 3 of the "hooks" that locate the top of the side panels. About to fabricate and weld on some new ones. I have one good reference on the left side but both are missing on the right. I would have assumed both sides are the same dimensions but some closeup pictures I could find on the web gave the appearance that the horizontal section is longer on the right? The left is 14.5mm - see picture for where I am measuring. Are the right-hand ones the same? Probably not crucial but I don't want to go to the effort only to find the the right hand cover is pinched by the frame rail and I don't have an actual side cover (yet) to reverse engineer it.
Many thanks!
Missing :-(
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One good on left - measuring inside the vertical faces approx 14.5mm:
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What should it be on the right?
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26
« on: June 14, 2022, 03:24:17 AM »
Usual story... Had a 400 Four for many years when I lived in the UK in the 70s/80s. I put 50k miles on that bike and indeed, for many years it was my only form of transport so got ridden in all weathers to work, shops, race meetings, France, you name it... The original exhaust and mudguards rusted out so it had a Yoshimura "crossover" exhaust, a plastic front mudguard from another CB model and a homebrew rear. Then we moved to Canada in 1990 and I reluctantly sold it. Fast forward to 2020s and 3 more international moves later and I started looking for a 400 Four where I now live near Dallas, USA. Of course I've hit the 70s bike "craze" so not many for sale nearby and not for sensible money. I was about to post a "WTB" on the US forum when one popped up really cheaply on local classified ads ("local" meaning it was only 200 miles away!). Of course it was rough and not running but it had correct paperwork (so many don't...) and good compression so I went for it. The bad news is that somewhere along its life it had received a poor cafe conversion attempt and was missing the original tank, mudguards, instruments, front wheel, front brakes (it has a drum brake!), muffler/silencer and lights. I want to gradually bring it back to standard - I realise that little lot will quickly undo the cheapness of the bike but I'm looking forward to the challenge plus it doesn't all have to be done to make the bike rideable. Anyway, I still have all my old maintenance notes and workshop manual so already it's like re-acquainting myself with an old friend!
So far the progress has been to clean the carbs and go through all standard service items and then it sprang to life quite nicely with no smoke or abnormal rattles - result! So now begins the hunt for some original parts - I know the tank and mudguards will be pricey (likely DSS repros).
I'm going to post this on both UK and US SOHC forums (same username). Even though I'm in the US now, my perception is that the 400s are a smaller percentage of the US SOHC population plus I'm in the UK regularly so can pick up parts if needed. Looking forward to interactions on both forums!
The original bike:
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...and the recent purchase (no laughing...):
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Cheers,
Martin
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