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Messages - the-chauffeur
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166
« on: June 15, 2010, 12:14:55 AM »
Good goin' Pete.
Who did your powdercoating? You're just round the corner to me (literally) and I'm intrigued as to where you found to do it locally.
Nice lookin' spray job on the engine - it took me a while to work out how you managed to get such a good finish. I've used cans in the past, and they don't give anywhere near as good finish as you've ended up with. What mix did you use with the POR in the gun?
Keep going, chap. Looks like it'll be quite a sight when it's done.
Regards
Neil
167
« on: April 05, 2010, 09:15:08 PM »
Yup, it's one of the five or so different types of paint I've used.
The second question - is it any good - is much harder to answer. Yes insofar as it's silver, heatproof and about the right colour for the 750 engine cases. But - and it's a big but - even after I had the paint on my cases heat treated, it still isn't what I would call properly petrol-proof. That said, none of the other paints I've used (inc. POR15 and some really hardcore stuff from Frosts) has been petrol-proof - and I think I've tried just about everything including solvent cleaning and bead blasting the cases before painting.
Having said that, the biggest area you need to worry about is the bottom end cases - the barrels/head are subjected to high temperatures pretty much all the time, so the paint seems quite hardy and stable on those areas (and as they're nowhere near the carbs, they tend to stay out of the way of petrol leaks). The lower cases never really get very hot, and sit directly under the carbs, so the potential for disaster is quite high - the paint ran on the last set I did when one of the carbs leaked. Consequently, although the stuff isn't heat proof, I reckon petrol resistant lacquer is the way to go on those lower cases.
Three other things I haven't tried - yet. One is the wheel paint shown above. The second is priming the bits with heat-resistant etch primer (if there is such a thing). A third is two pack paint/lacquer.
168
« on: April 03, 2010, 01:04:43 PM »
I'm guessing that when Honda made them, they only envisaged a five-year life cycle, and so didn't really plan for the engine coming out  Might just be me, but stuff from the 'states seems to be taking longer and longer to get here - particularly if it's sent USPS. Apparently the surface mail option is now all but defunct, but even though they were sent air freight, the last few bits I ordered (another electronic ignition kit and a couple of NOS switchgears) took the best part of three weeks to appear - with the obligatory import and 'handling' charges attached. Whilst I can't pinpoint precisely where the main delays happen, I have a sneaking suspicion they're this end where Royal Mail meets HMRC. The Gordon kit is a bit different, in that it's not an off-the-shelf set of bits. Once the guy who supplies them gets enough buyers (I think he needs fifteen-to-twenty for a viable run) he puts the order in and there's a two week machine time (which I think we're in the middle of that right now) - and then they're posted, again, USPS (or the Canadian equivalent). He tells me that when my kit is taken in for posting, he's gonna mark the box as a low value commercial sample - which is technically correct - and so hopefully it won't get caught up in the RM/HMRC black hole. Still seems a long way off . . .
169
« on: April 03, 2010, 12:29:30 AM »
<Jealous> Can't wait to get out on the K2, but am waiting on delivery of a Gordon frame kit from the US site. Can't take the aggro of pulling the engine every time I wanna fiddle with the top end (adjustable cam sprocket maybe). Am also awaiting a Dyna ignition for the CB450 from the US. Needless to say, the wait(s) is killing me.
On the subject of heavy throttle, has anyone tried/used the lockwire trick - running a length or two of lockwire around the throttle cable groove in the handle? I'm told it makes the throttle a bit more responsive without making any permanent alterations.
170
« on: April 03, 2010, 12:22:32 AM »
Folks, sounds like you were pretty much right all round.
Both of the painters I've used in the past a) painted far too high up the neck and b) didn't use petrol resistant lacquer. No, don't tell me - I know, I know. Never again.
Fortunately, I've saved the paint on the neck of the 750 by following your advice. Cut it down, masked up and oversprayed with petrol reisistant - and it's now fine. The neck of the CB450 is a different matter; it was too far gone to save. So I stripped it back to where it meets with the tank, masked up and etch primed, flatted and oversprayed with a very close match mix (the original was a candy, but as well as cocking up the neck, the sprayer put too many coats on and the colour is nowhere near what it should be - again, please don't go there). Finished with petrol resistant, and whilst not perfect, you'll only notice the colour difference if you really know what you're looking for.
I gotta find me a good sprayer. Or maybe do it myself next time.
Thanks again.
171
« on: April 01, 2010, 12:50:45 PM »
For a slightly more positive take on the 500T, and possible solutions/workarounds to some of its shortcomings - http://www.thefang.co.uk/cb500t.htm.
172
« on: March 25, 2010, 06:19:15 PM »
Next time I try to get my carbs sorted, I'm gonna invest in a Colortune - http://www.carbtune.co.uk/colortune.html. Should be easy enough to see what's going on in the outer two cylinders without too much grief and get some idea of the best adjustment 'range' from there. That said, I won't be buying it from that site. Even eBay is cheaper.
173
« on: March 22, 2010, 08:12:25 PM »
The following are almost certainly available from Honda direct (and at a fraction of eBay prices). 1; Made in Japan - 87125-041-680 - headstock  2; Engine oil - 87125-300-010 - oil tank cover  3; Exhaust Caution - 87504-028-670 - swing arm/chain guard  4; Helmet holder - 87511-323-670 - under seat  5; Preserve Nature (black text) - 87560-323-670ZA - tank above filler cap  6; Preserve Nature (white text) - 87560-323-670A - tank above filler cap  7; Preserve Nature (European later type) - 87560-375-680ZE - tank above filler cap  8; Tyre Caution - 87505-341-670 - rear fender (see picture below) Unobtainable direct from Honda (Note: although only one number is listed, the original sticker was in two pieces. Two types of repros are available - one is a large single sticker; the other is as the original two-piece) 9; Battery Caution - 87506-425-770 - plastic rear fender under seat (see picture below) Unobtainable direct from Honda CMSNL do their own kit - =http://www.cmsnl.com/products/0617d-300-030-cb750k_cb750setsticker/ - sorry, dunno what's in that one Silvers do a couple of different kits - the contents vary (depending on which bike - K0/K1/K2 etc - and which supplier they buy them in from) but the one for my K2 looked like this:  Don't get stung, folks.
174
« on: March 21, 2010, 10:09:29 PM »
I'm sure you folks already know this, but there are sellers flogging the exhaust warning stickers (and a bunch of others) for the 750's for upwards of three quid plus postage.
Like a lot of other bits, they're still available from the big H for around a
175
« on: March 16, 2010, 10:02:44 PM »
Guys
OK - my tank and side panels have come back from the sprayers, but having put fuel into the tank to start the bike up, the paint around the neck opening has started to soften and crinkle (I've had this happen before on another bike).
How do you folks who've painted things prevent this from happening - and is there anything I can do about it now? Alternatively, is there something I can put round the neck (like a large black rubber band or piece of bicycle inner tube) to disguise the effects of the fuel on the paint/lacquer?
Thanks
Neil
176
« on: March 08, 2010, 09:02:36 PM »
Sorry to bust in . . .
. . . anyone know/have experience of decent/reliable chrome plating services in Kent (preferably north west)?
Thanks
Neil
177
« on: March 07, 2010, 01:09:28 AM »
There was a good article in last month's Classic Bike about treating the inside of a tank.
Can't remember all the instructions off-hand, but something about cleaning the inside with a handful of gravel and a cement mixer - and electrolysis using a cold chisel and a battery charger to sort out any rust.
178
« on: March 05, 2010, 06:14:33 PM »
Rightly or wrongly, I got the impression that they wanted to look at mine to be absolutely sure it was entitled to 'historic' status for road tax purposes. I'm not sure how they would know whether a bike had been stolen (believe it or not, if you phone the DVLA they'll tell you they can't look up VIN numbers on old vehicles - they only work from the vehicle registration) - and they guy I saw didn't seem to have any other interest in the bike than the engine/frame numbers.
A couple of things to remember:
- you'll hear a lot of different stories about how easy/hard the process is, but those with first hand experience are likely to be able to give the most reliable reports.
- DVLA inspectors aren't (so far as I'm aware) MOT testers - that's why the bike has to be MOT's/SVA'd before you can put the forms in. The DVLA certainly don't seem to have the gear or space for anything more demanding than a good look at the chassis/engine numbers and copies of your forms. You'll see what I mean if you have to go to Maidstone - they'll ask you to park in a public coach park and come to see you with a clipboard.
- the DVLA isn't remotely interested in whether import duty has been paid; that's down to HMRC. Like every other governmental organisation, they have their good days and bad days. So far, it seems they must've been having a good day when my forms got sent through (still keeping fingers crossed).
- vehicle age is likely to be a factor that will affect the registration difficulty level(s) you experience. Newer bikes have to meet more rigorous test standards and are more likely to attract more attention simply because it's easier to get accurate book prices/values for them and/or be more easily traceable; again, bikes made before '73 might also warrant a viewing because of the tax free status.
Hope that gives you some reassurance! And I know what you mean about getting out on the bike - I'm just waiting for my tank and panels to come back from the sprayers . . .
Neil
179
« on: March 05, 2010, 12:23:59 AM »
Hey Pete
Nice wheels fella. Just a quick note on registration - I've just been through the process myself with a '72 CB450, which only came with a receipt and a dating certificate. I'd been told it was going to be a nightmare 'cos it was a US market only bike and I could really have done with an import certificate . . .
. . . anyways, it turned out that no-one was particularly bothered about that bit. Like you, I took all the documents to the DVLA (I'm guessing you went to the Sidcup office as well) and they accepted pretty much everything I presented. However, I got a letter a few days later to say they wanted to inspect the bike. Not a big deal - I stuck it in the back of a van and trundled to the Maidstone DVLA office (one of the few round here that does inspections) and was treated to something of an anticlimax . . . 'inspection' in DVLA speak translated to checking the frame and engine numbers against the documents I had provided previously. The whole inspection took no longer than three minutes - and the V5, revised MOT and tax disc were issued two days later.
Here's hoping your experiences are equally straightforward.
Neil
180
« on: November 27, 2009, 12:57:07 PM »
Bryan After the best part of a year's messing about, the bike is just about ready to be registered - but I still have your wise words ringing in my ears about caution with the HMRC side of the process. Would you have any objection to my getting in touch by 'phone (or send a PM) so that I can pick your brains about what I needs to do? In the meantime, this is (pretty much) what it looks like now . . .  Thanks again - and apologies for the radio silence. Neil
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