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1969 CL450 US Barn Find Restoration
MrDavo:
Thanks for your kind comments. Of course the advice, contacts and parts that have come via this thread have been invaluable. Once I have the clocks fitted, clutch adjusted and connect up the lights and flashers etc she will be ready for an MOT, although exempt I presume I still need one on the VIN number to get an age related registration.
Question - given that, as a US bike, there is a plate showing a manufacturing date of 11/69, do I still need to faff around with a dating letter to get her registered? I can do it via the VJMC if I have to, but I wondered if a photo of the VIN plate would do? As an aside, are Honda US any more friendly than Honda UK, who were spectacularly unhelpful with my CB750, as they didn't sell it. I was wondering if Honda USA (if they still exist) records would show which dealer sold the bike, I only know it came from a state with red soil, as there was half a pound of it under the transmission cover. There was an auction number starting with KS painted on the forks and headlamp - Kansas? Maybe Summerbud would know, if they would tell me - I guess they may want to protect their sources.
Here's a couple of phone pics of the bike ready to start with carbs and new fuel lines - the originals had turned to stone but were handy for the lengths required. I tried to take a couple of shots with my SLR, but the lens fitted meant I couldn't get far enough away in the garage, I'll take some better photos once she is complete and out and about.
I seem to have worked out YouTube, there is a video of my first attempt, with no fuel in the float bowls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrgyiuu3f3M
She wouldn't start to David Bowie (Planet Rock on the garage radio), but did for Hawkwind, and fuel of course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeriJFzG08U
Second (warm) start, choke now off, with dodgy upside down solo camera work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw5u1BkIe5k
I must work out how to do the embedded thumbnail type links, but I have work to do.
JamesH:
Fantastic progress Dave.
You can use form V112 to register as MOT exempt (so you don’t need an MOT to register her).
The DVLA will want the original US title for dating purposes. They won’t accept a photo of the VIN tag.
If no title, VJMC dating letter will work, with a covering letter explaining why you don’t have the original title.
MrDavo:
If I don't need an MOT then I can get on with getting her registered really, also I wont have to do the dodgy ride to the MOT station definitely not temporarily borrowing the CB750 plate (because its a Honda already insured in my name, and no plate is asking for a pull) , as that would be illegal. 8)
I got absolutely no paperwork with the bike other than a NOVA certificate and a receipt, so I'll need a dating letter, however I am already a VJMC member, from when I had to do the same with the CB750. It will be interesting explaining to the wife why I am posting a letter to a dating service, let's hope it goes better than when I was doing bathroom repairs, and she poked her head around the door to see what I was doing just as I was looking, shocked, at my Google search results for 'ball cock' :o :o :o
I downloaded the form from the VJMC, as well as close ups of the frame, engine and VIN plate numbers, they want side on shots of the completed bike, so they can judge that it is what it's supposed to be, and not, say a later bike built into an old frame.
So I put the clocks on, stuffed all the loose electrical spaghetti into the headlamp, and dragged her out, blinking, into the daylight for the first time in a long time, to take photos with a proper camera. I thought I'd share the results:
Bryanj:
I have ridden several bikes and driven a couple of kit cars to MOT without plates and never been pulled yet!!!
MrDavo:
You may well have been insured though, I won't be adding the CL to my policy until it is properly ready for the road. I'm guessing I'll need it insured on the frame number when I apply to register, I remember having a falling out with my insurer with the CB750 when they charged me £35 just to amend the policy from the frame number to the registration number, robbing bunch of %*£!s.
I have applied to the DVLA for the V55/5 form to get a registration number, also a V355/5 which is a guide to filling it in.
I'm guessing that James does this rigmarole quite often, James how do you fill in the V112 (exemption from road tax) form when you don't have a number yet? Do you put the frame number in, or leave it blank for the DVLA to complete?
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