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OAP Ted's CB400F2 rebuild - engine not run for about 12 years.
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
Thanks for the feedback - it's not unlike the days when you first wall papered your lounge. Visitors told you how great it all looked but I could not see beyond all the bad joints even when they were hidden behind the curtains. lol
Laverda Dave:
Well done Ted, it was all worth the hard work in the end, great looking bike. What's the next one on the bench now you've caught the resto bug?
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
For now I have a set of 400 carbs that need cleaning with the steel bits needing some re-plating. That and fishing should keep me quiet for a bit plus a petrol tank that needs stripping & the dents taking out prior to painting. Tbh I keep on looking at other 400s for sale but they seem overpriced.
I need to get some miles on the bike to run it in & gain confidence on its reliability - also could do with green P plates on the back to refresh my riding ability as at present my adrenaline level are too high in anticipation of a ride yet alone actually doing it.
There are so many things on my existing bike that I wish I had done better - such as having the block & head sand blasted for a better paint finish surface. (I did have quite a few things going on healthwise during 2020 not to mention Covid situation)
I did not bake the painting on the main engine casings or head as I was fearful of heat distortion.
I'm still thinking of buying a Gateros Plating kit - there seem to be a lot of options on their website plus I might need to install a cooker hood extractor for safety. There is probably a post somewhere on here about setting it all up etc. It might not be cost effective but must be a great feeling doing it yourself if it goes right.
K2-K6:
The bike looks fabulous Ted, great credit to all your time attention and hard work in completing.
Normally I favour black frames (unless it's Italian) but that deep blue coupled with the gold rims looks particularly good now photographed assembled and in daylight, and nicely different.
At least we've all kept you out of trouble for a while ;D it'll be good to see you both out and about at Crich. Looks like some nice conditions to get out and try bike and new riding gear too.
Nigel.
McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
Just a brief update on my original Project thread - firstly I have realised that what I thought was a bit of a thrown together bike was actually pretty much complete & in good condition for one that has had so many previous owners (10 iirc).
When my 500 is completed sometime around May/June 2024 my plan is to re-visit a few areas on the 400 that I either did not touch or that I will change provided the 500 runs okay.
The front forks were fitted with new seals by the PO at an unknown date. I will drain the oil to see what state it is in as I suspect it was done a while back. I intend to fit a different front headlamp - most probably the 500 unit that has a standard size lamp unit.
I was planning to sell the 400 when the 500 was finished to fund the next build - time will tell if I have the energy for that. More importantly I want next year to be a warm dry summer so I can have some trips down memory lane on two wheels.
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