SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB500/550

CB550 First Build - Hondvarna?

(1/9) > >>

cinqmars2:
Hello all, I wanted to start this thread for myself more than anything, housing a documentation of the project amidst a sea of experts is a no-brainer!

My name is Brad, I'm 23, my background is motocross and a bit of trials so I'm no stranger to bikes. The electrics, however, I'm finding a little daunting...

Six weeks ago, I underwent an operation on my shoulder and got a load of time off work, within two days I had purchased a 550 in bits on eBay for £400. Everything I was after was there, frame, engine, forks, swingarm, wheels and a few other bits and pieces, the rest would probably not have featured on the bike I want to build anyway.

As someone with a crosser background, I want to build a bike that is a little hat-tip to motocross bikes of the same era, namely the Husky 400. I'll audition a genuine Husqvarna tank, but I'm doubtful it will suit the stance of the bike. I'll be aiming for a low, brat(ish) bike so all Husky references will be in colour opposed to parts.

As this is my first build, and I'm not exactly raking it in, I hope to recondition as much as I can, even if it means buyig total junk and bringing it back to life by hand, time I have, money I do not.

701arvn:
Sounds interesting Brad, a 550 with knobbies, this I got to see.

Andy

cinqmars2:
So I've managed to score some pretty neat deals lately. Firstly, I found a bench grinder in the street around Hoxton. It's a beaut and was just sitting out amongst a bust TV and a few pieces of knackered furniture! It was a b*tch to get home but you can't complain when you didn't spend a penny.

Secondly, I won a lot on eBay. A load of various parts from another '76 550. The only thing I was after were the carbs, but I got a complete engine, two pairs of forks, swing arm, all the electrics, tank, side covers, lights, gauges and another (unusable) frame. It was actually a mix of two different bikes, one having been in a pretty serious accident leaving a twisted frame and some nice 30 degree forks. The lowers seem fine but the sliders are done, if anyone wants the lowers you can have have them, I'd leave judgment of their integrity down to you.

I'm now at a point where I'm just scrubbing and polishing various parts. I don't have a real starting point for the mechanics, although my first engine (engine 1) has a few bust fins on the cylinder jugs and a crack under one of the tappets on the valve cover.

Would it be advised to create a hybrid engine from the two I now own?

Engine 2 looks ratty and has a terrible paint job but in terms of metal, it's all there. Engine 1 is supposedly a peach but isn't in too good shape aesthetically.

Anyone able to offer some advice?

Bryanj:
In my mind it is best to use the best mechanical parts you have and worry about cosmetics later, broken/damaged parts always seem to come back and bite you later, if only as why didn't i find a better one when

cinqmars2:
Yeah I spent some time trying to remove scratches and flatten the metal, but I only had some 400 grit to hand and it wasn't really giving the best prep for polish. I then took a flap wheel to it to remove some of the real deep marks, that explains the wavy surface on the flats, might take a while to get it truly flush. I've just had a selection of different paper land on my desk at work so I think I'll start again with these parts, if it shows up from crummy iphone photos in bad light, it's clearly a way off full potential!

The grinder is 1hp, I believe, and takes a bit of stopping. I have been using it to polish, the power's there but I don't feel it's fast enough...

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page