Teds new project a CB500 K1 mostly version 0.5 circa 1972.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I woke up knackered this morning so I've not done any actual work as such on the bike - just bimbling about.
I had a small surge of guilt/energy at tea time so decided the big box from Delkevic needs to be evicted from the rear lounge.

I walked the box by standing it on end out of the lounge through the hall - into the kitchen out though the conservatory fighting two little Chihuahua helpers through the last two door onto the back yard to my waiting sack trolley.

I have unpacked the various packs of fittings, one pair of pipes is in the Polystyrene box on the freezer, one is on the floor next to the bike ramp.

Brackets are labeled L/T, R/T - L/B, R/B
I assume that left top & left bottom silencers other for the right side.
I can't see any markings on the silencers themselves such as 1,2,3 & 4.
I hope the boxed pairs are for each respective side.

Some instructions would have been helpful - that's me done for today.
I now need to look seriously for the first pipe & bracket to fit having referance to the previous posts on this subject.
I've spotted one silencer has a square rubber bit - to cushion the stand methinks - left side lower silencer then.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

So started my first fit for the left side exhaust pipes. I ended up using the old front clamps as the new ones appear to have quite tight holes causing me difficulty on number two front pipe as the studs that were Helicoiled are at a very slighty wrong angle.
Quite happy for now to use the old clamps that I had previously  cleaned &  painted.

I fitted number two front pipe first  as its the lower silencer unit. lt lined up quite nicely but number one upper silencer was not wanting to fit with the rear joint miles out. After several attempts and a tea break I tried a new idea.

I fitted the front pipe end first with the clamp in position but not the two collets. With the mounting bracket removed I fitted the connector pipe in place (not tighted but clamp in place) then slipped in the two collets on number one exhaust and nipped up the two retaing nuts finger tight. I then slipped the mounting bracket in place nipping up the silencer nuts and the top hole bracket just slotted in place. I used an old bungee strap on the end of the silencer to keep the connector in place rather than clamping it up.

Tomorrow i am minded to make some minor adjustment to the slotted holes on both brackets so that the front pipe sits more freely into the cylinder head. With a lot of faffing about it took me almost two hours to fit one side including tea break.  So far I've just fitted the left side exhausts - I still need to do a little fettling as I want to make the front pipes fit better into the cylinder head - I might need some wider slots in the top holes of the brackets to allow the silencers to move a mm back. Just to release any unnecessary tension.
 
side view by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

.end view by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[davidcumbria]

I agree with your approach using our real advantage as time rich private restorers. So what if takes hours  - getting an unstressed connection at the ports  that you don’t have to worry about will be worth it. Too much to hope that these aftermarket units would just bolt on but your patience is going to be rewarded.

[Spitfire]

That bike sure is looking pretty, I have always liked the looks of those 500 pipes, it sounds like a lot of faffing around to fit them but it will be worth it in the end.
Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Dennis

[mickwinf]

Good work Ted, I will be doing the same job soon. I also like the look of those alloy rims as they remi d me of my original 500 in 1975.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Fashion is a strange thing if can make a none-PC comparison when I was a teenager the Mini Skirt was all the rage - for me it has never gone out of fashion. The Lotus Elan S4 was always  attractive - it still is today.

In the early 1970's I thought the four pipe bulbous system on Hondas was dated compared to a decent four into one system.
Now 50 years later I chose the four pipe system not for orginality or as they are cheap - I finally understood that Honda were aiming for a classic style that endures.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Good work Ted, I will be doing the same job soon. I also like the look of those alloy rims as they remi d me of my original 500 in 1975.

Thanks Mick I was going to go for Gold anodising as on my 400 as it would look good against black panels,
I went for the alloy anodising instead with slightly wider rims as were fitted to the bike by PO.
Pleased to hear a positive comment as I still have hidden regrets about not choosing gold.

One thing for sure I'm pleased the Nut Brown Frame never happened.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I agree with your approach using our real advantage as time rich private restorers. So what if takes hours  - getting an unstressed connection at the ports  that you don’t have to worry about will be worth it. Too much to hope that these aftermarket units would just bolt on but your patience is going to be rewarded.

Oh David I like the term time rich I just wish I had the phrase energy rich to match it.
I fitted the side stand in place before fitting the left side system - when using my spring puller I was giving it more grunt that some well known Tennis players.
It was my third full on fully grunted effort that got the piddling looking spring into the slot!  :'( :'( :'(

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

So this morning before Brunch I fitted the right side system (I still plan to remove the left upper for fettlig) including looking for the parts and the right spanner done in 40 minutes - it went like a dream.

Slight improvement on previous method of fitting the Delkevic system. Firstly I fitted the lower pipe threading on the clamp beforehand. I held the pipe into number three exhaust port whilst holding the silencer end pretty much in line with the inside of the hanging bracket in place - I temporarily used a thinner bolt to pop it through the bracket to hold the silencer roughly in position. I then fitted the collets into position and nipped up the clamp ensuring it felt free, cleared the frame, the engine it looked nice and square into the port. I then removed the temporary bolt fitting one the right size and nipping it up so the bracket was fully against the hanger.

I fitted the joint & clip  onto the lower silencer, the top silencer with clamp over the pipe without the rear bracket in place I fitted into the area of number four port so I could slot the top silencer into the joint pipe. Bungee strap wrapped around the end of the silencer to stop the rear joint from poping out of place. Front collets in place then nipped up checking it was clear of the frame and engine. There is plenty of room to then fit the rear silencer bracket in place, tighten the two nuts. Then push back the main bolt to slip on the second bracket.

Lower silencer bracket is on the inside of the hangar, upper silencer is on the outside - nip up exhuast clamps and finally put a nut on the hanger bolt. At the moment I have no rear footrests fitted as I'm not as yet happy with the way they "hang".

Clearly I learnt a lot from doing the left side - I will be removing the left top silencer over the next few days to fettle so it's as good as the right side.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

right side by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

rear view by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Just noticed my Chihuahuas photo bombed my exhaust pic. 😁

[Mike_Berkshire]

I assume the cushion is for them to sit on whilst observing the fettling?

[Laverda Dave]

Excellent progress Ted. Running by the end of next week?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Dave I have a small auxiliary petrol tank so if all goes to plan I might go for a first start up next week. Not checked the timing yet but it's a real possibility.👍👍👍