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1969 CL450 US Barn Find Restoration
JamesH:
Looks a very decent copy Dave. Good job..
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MrDavo:
Well we've been at this for nearly a year now, the first photos of the bike as delivered are dated 16 November 2017. I never wanted to finish it too quickly, as a man needs a hobby, I'd only go and buy another project ( classic VW camper van anyone?). However it is 50 next year, so it would be nice to resurrect her for her Golden Jubilee, it could even show up at Crich 2019.
I had a go at restoring the side panel badges, and soon realised that the best result I was going to get was 'less scruffy' - although the faded painted sections are recessed and therefore easy to do, the plated sections were very tatty and finely scratched.
In the end I decided that as the newly painted side panels were so nice, tatty badges were just going to let the bike down. At that point I picked up my iPad, and ordered the expensive new ones from BadgeReplicas Australia. That was Friday night, so I was quite surprised that they turned up with the postman today (Tuesday)! Postage wasn't cheap but obviously you get the service you pay for. It took me two days to get there myself. I also had constant emails updating me of progress. No taxes or duties, which was good. Cheaper badges are available on eBay, but beware, the ones sold in threes are stickers, not the same at all.
These are super quality, thicker than the originals but very nice chrome and paint. One of the originals is shown for comparison.
After that it was only a matter of time before I stuck them on. The new centre grommet and screw are from an Italian CB450 kit I bought on eBay, strangely enough supplied from California.
If my mate the human engine hoist (6ft 7) is available Saturday, I may lob the engine back in, which should really get me going again.
No top yoke yet, but I'm not fussed as James has a pair of K1 ones, and Silvers actually list the K2 one as available NOS! As my chassis is a K2 number I reckon it must fit, but we will see. Or eBay will provide, it hasn't let me down yet, apart from the odd non fitting part. Meanwhile I put the original on, if you fasten one end of the guage bracket you can't see the other end is missing, which is how I bought it. When I finally do something about it and fit the yoke / damper etc, any recommendations for fork oil? The manual says use ATF, but I've also read that its about SAE 5W and rubbish at damping.
Bryanj:
Fork oil is a bit of a mystery realy, back then specific fork oil did not exist and atf tended to be specified as it did not "froth" like ordinary oil. Personally i would try 10w fork oil and see how it works, you can then go thinner or thicker and, compared to what has already been spent, does not cost the earth.
MrDavo:
Thanks Bryan, I've ordered a litre of 10W - there's 295cc in each leg so 500cc isn't enough. I'm pretty sure that I put ATF in the CB750, without problem, but if I go off road on the CL450 its going to get a hard time.
I need to pm Nurse Julie and order an O-ring / filter kit for my petcock, as they will have gone rock hard.
Bryanj:
Dont forget to replace the washers under the holding screws or fuel will leak straight through. I have used 6mm dowty type with cap screws before now with sucess.
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